Interviews
Charles Draghi's Discourse on Butter
Charles Draghi of Erbaluce - a contemporary Italian restaurant in Boston, MA Like many of our Best Chefs, Charles Draghi of Boston's Erbaluce is more than a cook. He moonlights as a playwright. He's a poet. And he cooks without butter. He may be one of the only chefs in America to so strictly do so. "Cooking and writing are very much opposite concentrations," says Draghi, who has found ways to lin..
Behind the Line: Best Chef Patrick Sheerin of Trenchermen
For Best Chefs America Photos by Nathan Michael Patrick Sheerin, the chef/owner of the Chicago restaurant Trenchermen in Wicker Park, knows all about the perils of being your own boss. He opened Trenchermen in 2012, in a former Russian bathhouse, with the intent to create a restaurant that would become a vibrant community center. His investment has paid off. Sheerin's modern American cuisine, executed with fine dining flair, has made Trenchermen a widely-renowned, must-eat spot in Chicago. BCA: How was the first year of business at Trenchermen? What ..
Chris Siversen of Maritime Parc Speaks About the Perks of Catering
Best Chef Chris Siversen knew the location of Maritime Parc was perfect the moment he saw the buillding. He always wanted to combine a restaurant and event space under a single roof; and the former office complex in Liberty Square Park with vaulted wood ceilings, grand staircases, and wraparound terraces overlooking the Manhattan skyline was prime real estate. Siversen worked with Maritime Parc CEO Marc Haskell to transform the vacant building into a fine dining restaurant with 18,000 square feet of private event space. Maritime Parc is now beloved by regulars for ..
Best Chef Gavin Kaysen opens his first restaurant Spoon & Stable
LEFT TO RIGHT: Best Chef Gavin Kaysen plating; Day Boat Scallop Crudo - green apple, shiso, chilies, scallion vinaigrette The significance behind Best Chef Gavin Kaysen’s newest venture, Spoon and Stable, is quite literal: his obsession with spoons, combined with the fact that the restaurant was built in a horse stable dating back to 1906, drew inspiration for the name. After working with Best Chef Daniel Boulud the last seven years, Chef Gavin returned home to Minneapolis to open his dream restaurant in the North Loop Neighborhood this past November. He was inspired by the cuisine of his ..
Chad Clevenger of Atlanta's Alma Cocina Turns Mexican Food into Fine Dining
For Best Chefs America Chad Clevenger has cooked all types of cuisines. He's been a personal chef for celebrities in France, a chef/owner of a fine dining restaurant, a chef/owner of a food cart, and a restaurant consultant. At Alma Cocina, he cooks Mexican food, a cuisine that's not looked at as high end unless you create new ways to interpret it. BCA: Where and how did you develop your love of Mexican and Latin cuisine? CC: I attended culinary school at Le Cordon Bleu in Texas. There's a lot of Tex-Mex food in Austin and many Southwestern restaurants. The food at one rest..