From the East coast to the Caribbean and back again, your culinary journey has seen you working with celebrity Chef Robert Irvine in Atlantic City to helming The Chelsea Hotel in Atlantic City as Executive Chef. What have been some of your most memorable moments?
I spent about 4 years working with Robert, and I think that is when I truly began to understand doing things the right way, no matter what it takes. Going to the James Beards to Help in 2002. My first time as the exec chef & opening Dune, Margate, NJ in 2004. Opening the Chelsea Prime, and the Chelsea Hotel, Atlantic City, NJ 2008. Running a flagship restaurant for Stephen Barr, Barclay Prime (rated number 7 in the country for steak houses) and opening Number 13, Texas 2013.
An ocean to table concept, as Executive Brand Chef of Blue Plate Oysterette what can you tell us about each location and your menu programs there?
The programs are the same at both locations. We source our seafood and oysters from all the same companies. However, even with the same menu, the vibe is very different – West Hollywood is more of a local community and Santa Monica is more tourist driven.
You’re committed to sourcing the freshest seafood. Who are some of the vendors that you work with throughout New England?
We work with some of the strongest seafood houses in the Northeast including, Foley Fish Company in Boston, Ipswich Shellfish Company in Ipswich, Connolly Seafood in Boston and Samuels & Son in Philadelphia.
What’s a current favorite dish or particular seafood from each menu and why?
I like our Just Hooked program, which highlights the freshest seafood that has come into the docks that week. Sometimes we’ll have New Bedford scallops, soft shell crab, Atlantic Blue Fish, it varies week to week and really allows us to show the quality of the fish and the purveyors we work with.
Tell us about the monthly oyster program at Blue Plate Oysterette.
Every month I reach out to all my oyster vendors and start to find as much info as possible on what oysters are going to be the best regarding flavor to the quality of the shell, to the over all best availability for the month. Next I compile all that info and curate a list of both east and west coast oysters.
Which (if any) podcasts, magazines or chef TV shows do you enjoy keeping up with? Do you follow any chefs on Instagram?
Art Culinary, Four Magazine and I follow a lot of Chefs on Instagram, but might be too many to list!
If you could have any chef prepare a meal for you, who would it be?
This is a very tough question because there is so much talent all over world and in every culture, but I think I would narrow it down to three chefs:
- Francis Mallman
- Michael Bra
- Pierre Hermes (dessert)
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