Under the Toque
Never thought you’d get this up close and personal, did you? Get to know the real people Under the Toque!
Shane Mcbride
Shane McBride grew up in West Palm Beach, Florida where he developed his cooking skills out of necessity. Though she tried, his mom’s attempts in the kitchen were often unsuccessful and Shane would step in to save the meal. At age 19, he secured his first job in a professional kitchen at Narcissus in West Palm Beach, where he worked his way up from garde marger to sous chef. His first mentor, chef Todd Gent, helped instill Shane’s career-long desire to constantly strive higher and seek out new challenges. This drive, along with knowledge of classic French cooking techniques and a love of simple, straightforward flavors, led McBride into a roster of the most prestigious restaurant kitchens in the country, including Aureole with chef Charlie Palmer, Lespinasse with chef Christian Delouvrier and now Craftsteak with chef/owner Tom Colicchio.
In 1995, Shane joined chef Hubert Demarias’ kitchen at The Restaurant and The Bistro in West Palm Beach’s Four Seasons Resort before enrolling in the Culinary Institute of America, where he graduated on the Dean’s List in 1998. His externship took him to New Orleans’ Windsor Court Hotel – the only five-diamond, five-star property in Louisiana – where he learned from chef Jeff Tunks. With a desire to explore another region’s cuisine, Shane then headed north to Cape Cod to work alongside chef Al Hynes at the renowned Chatham Bar Inn. Later that year, Shane moved to New York City, ready for the challenge of cooking in some of the nation’s top restaurants.
One of his first positions in New York was at Aureole, where he worked as a line cook for two years under chef Charlie Palmer. Shane then entered the service of chef Christian Delouvrier as the executive sous chef at world-renowned Lespinasse. While there, he met the restaurant’s director, Jean-Philippe Leloup, with whom he would later open Oceo.
Oceo was Shane’s first experience as executive chef, and the position helped him to develop his personal style of management. After three years, the owners closed the restaurant and Shane was able to turn in a new direction when Oceo re-opened as 7SQUARE, a traditional American chophouse. After sixteen years in French kitchens, Shane was happy to focus on simple American dishes that highlighted the true flavors of the ingredients.
He continues this focus at Craftsteak, bringing his knowledge of traditional techniques and skill with seasonal ingredients to his position as chef de cuisine. In his free time, Shane, a self-admitted barbecue addict, can often be found cooking for family and friends.
Pierre Chambrin
Pierre Chambrin was born in Paris, France and began his formal training at “Ecole des Metiers de l’Alimentation”. He received his “C.A.P. de Cuisinier” (apprentice certification) in 1965 in Paris. He worked the next four years at several renowned establishments in Paris: Restaurant des Ecoles, Le Fenelon, Lucas Carton, Pavillion de L’Elysee and Hotel Scribe, then moving to Africa to work for a year in Gabon. He came to the United States in 1969 to open Picot’s Place in Massachusetts.
Chef Chambrin is currently the Executive Chef at the Saint Louis Club in Clayton, a private City Club. Prior to joining the Saint Louis Club, Chef Chambrin was the Executive Chef at the White House, serving both the Bush and Clinton administrations. His forty-five year culinary history also includes ten years as Executive Chef of one of the leading restaurants in Washington D.C., Maison Blanche, which under his culinary expertise was awarded a four star restaurant rating. He is a Master Chef of France, a member of the French Culinary Academy, and involved with several other professional organizations. In 2008 he was named Chef of the Year by the Maitres Cuisiniers de France.
Olivir Dubreuil
Olivier Dubreuil was born in Rochefort, a coastal town northwest of Bordeaux, France. At a very young age, Olivier was instilled with the respect and enthusiasm for the cuisine and culture of his country. His grandmother’s garden was his market and creating family meals from the quality and freshness found there became his tradition. His burgeoning interest in cooking soon became part of the passion that would lead him down his chosen path in the culinary arts.
It was this pursuit that led Olivier to cooking school in Arcachon, France, a seaside village known for its fresh fish and seasonal specialties. His studies offered him not only the skills to perfect his craft, but the inspiration to venture out in the summers and expand his culinary education with some of France’s finest regional chefs. After graduating with honors in 1985, his native France became his training ground. He worked each season in a different region of the country to gain invaluable lessons from the mentors who guided him. His work ethic did not go unnoticed. A colleague was the first to bring to Olivier’s attention the window of opportunity that would take him half way around the world.
In 1989, Olivier departed for Tunisia to begin a career with Club Mediterranee, a worldwide resort company. The deserts of Hammamet proved only to be a stepping stone for furthering his development as a chef. His travels with Club Med took him on culinary tours of Italy, French Polynesia, Mexico, the Caribbean, Switzerland, Ireland, and the United States. Each country brought with it its own gastronomic tutelage, and Olivier was becoming not only well versed in the kitchen but in the field of management as well. Club Med afforded him the opportunity to work with many different cultures and personalities. Managing in diverse circumstances taught him invaluable lessons for the future. Olivier’s journey took a turn while working as Executive Chef for the Club Med resort in Copper Mountain, Colorado. A chance encounter with a former colleague opened yet another door. A certain city in Nevada was about to embark on its own culinary adventure and Olivier wanted to be a part of it. In May of 1995, Olivier and his wife of two years moved to Las Vegas.
Las Vegas was indeed turning the page on its own culinary story. Olivier quickly became part of escalating food scene in town. Once again, the desert rose to greet him. He became the Chef de Cuisine at Portofino, a gourmet dining experience at the historic Desert Inn Hotel in 1996. His tenure at the acclaimed restaurant was to lead him to one of the biggest challenges yet in his career.
In April of 1999, Olivier was asked to be a part of the development team for the Paris Las Vegas Hotel and Casino. Due in part to his planning and foresight, the hotel enjoyed a prosperous and celebrated opening in the fall of that same year. As Executive Chef, Olivier was responsible for all culinary aspects of the hotel, including 7 restaurants, 6 food outlets and 200,000 square feet of premium banquet space. His work was not only challenging but also stimulating. Stepping out from behind the “line” afforded Olivier the opportunity to grow as a food and beverage leader as well as develop further his management capabilities. In February of 2005, Olivier’s talents were again tested when he was asked to take over the culinary operations at Bally’s Hotel and Casino, the sister hotel to Paris. This shift meant the supervision of over 750 employees, additional restaurants, and banquet facilities.
Olivier’s distinctive management style has earned him the reputation of being a compassionate, focused and dedicated leader. The enthusiasm he demonstrates for his profession in all its facets is infectious. For this reason, Olivier was handpicked to lead a new team and began work for the Venetian and Palazzo Resort, Hotel and Casino in the fall of 2005.
The Venetian and Palazzo Resort is a 7200 room hotel and a five star/five diamond Mobile resort. Olivier is thrilled to be working with the finest chefs in their respective restaurants as well as one of the industry leaders in hotel/casino operations. Olivier has had the pleasure of following Las Vegas during its journey to becoming one of the greatest food cities in the world.
In March of 2009, Olivier became a member of the prestigious organization of Maitres Cuisiniers de France. As a French Master Chef, he has been inducted into a society that promotes the French traditions of cuisine and furthers the interests of up and coming new chefs worldwide.
Marc Ehrier
To calculate the number of diamonds and stars earned by hotels and resorts at which Marc Ehrler has played a star role in the kitchen would take more than your fingers and more than your toes.
A native of Antibes, on the French Rivera between Cannes and Nice, Ehrler trained with world-renowned chefs, including Alain Ducasse, Jacques Maximin and Andre Daguin. His cooking style, a tribute to his native Provence/Italy, and influenced by travels in the Caribbean, Latin America, California, Asia and now Florida, embraces respect for tradition and simplicity.
A master of food arts, Chef Ehrler, he has been praised by media, critics and celebrities. Chef Ehrler has been featured in Wine Spectator, Conde Nast Traveler, Travel & Leisure, Gourmet, Tattler and The New York Times, as well as, Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous, the Discovery Channel’s “Great Chefs of the world”, Best 10 Restaurants in the World, CNN International and the Food TV Network. He has participated in the James Beard House “Best Hotel Chefs Series” and recognized by the Culinary Academy of France. Chef Ehrler is the only Chef to have received two AAA 5 Diamonds awards for 2 different restaurants within the same Hotel and has received the coveted Master Chef of France title in 2002.
Leading up to President of Culinary development and innovation for National Dairy brands and NDB International, he was Corporate Chef for Loews Hotels and resorts, executive chef at the Loews Miami Beach Hotel, executive chef with the Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company, La Samanna a Rosewood Hotel on the Island of St. Martin, the K-Club on Barbuda a Bel Air hotel; the Stonehouse Restaurant at San Ysidro Ranch, a Relais et Chateaux in Santa Barbara, California; Antoine at Le Meridien in Newport Beach; La Terrasse at Le Juana in Juan les Pins, France; Westbury Hotel in New York; Maxims de Paris in Paris and New York; Hotel de France in Auche, France.
Chef Ehrler is the host & participant of the SoBe Wine & Food Festival, and all Guest Chefs
Jennifer McCOY
Jennifer enrolled in the Baking and Pastry Program at Chicago’s Kendall College at the age of seventeen. After graduation, Jennifer continued to cultivate her skills in some of Chicago’s top restaurants, including Charlie Trotter’s, Blackbird, and Bittersweet Bakery.
After a handful of years in the culinary industry, Jennifer took a hiatus from pastry to explore other interests. It was during this time that she opened a small apothecary in Chicago and expanded upon her knowledge of herbs, flowers, and a wide variety of other aromatics and flavors. She also traveled throughout Europe and South and Central America, broadening her culinary vocabulary and discovering local delicacies as she went. The flavor profiles Jennifer collected during this period continue to subtly reveal themselves in the confections she creates today.
When Jennifer returned to the pastry kitchen, it was in New Orleans. While there, she spent time in each of Emeril Lagasse’s kitchens: Emeril’s Delmonico, Emeril’s, and NOLA. It wasn’t long, though, before Jennifer felt the pull of New York City’s vibrant culinary scene. She moved north in March 2007.
Jennifer comes to Craft from A Voce, where she worked closely with Executive Chef Missy Robbins and oversaw pastry operations at both the restaurant’s Madison Square and Columbus Circle locations.
When not busy at work in the Craft kitchen, Jennifer teaches at ICE and contributes to Seriouseats.com.
Jean-Louis Gerin
“Over the past 20 years, my cuisine has matured into a unique style of Modern French. This richly flavored cuisine is complex yet light, and the cooking method uses elaborate techniques and the latest technologies with a constant respect for my classical training.”
Jean-Louis Gerin
Chef Jean-Louis Gerin was born in 1957 in the French Alps, in the Haute- Savoie town of Annecy. As the oldest or four children, he took family responsibilities very seriously, and was always eager to lend a hand , especially in the kitchen.
His fondest childhood memories are of Sunday’s gathering when his father (an amateur Chef who claimed HE was the real chef of the family) would cook and experiment in the kitchen. Jean-Louis’ grandfather, also an amateur cook, was well known for his gigantic family reunions of more than 150 Gerins assembled for the pure joy of sharing a meal together.
It was then that young Jean-Louis Gerin knew he would become a chef and continue the family tradition of cooking.
When his family moved to Talloires, the young aspiring cook met François Bise, the owner and chef of the Michelin three-star Auberge du Père Bise. Jean-Louis asked the great chef for a summer job, and at the ripe old age of thirteen was given the duty of drying the Baccarat glassware. Within a few short weeks, Jean-Louis graduated to making the espresso and the vinaigrette, as well as arranging the petits fours and preparing the famous “berries and sherbet tray,” a signature course at Père Bise. Today, Linda and Jean-Louis never miss an occasion to revisit the Auberge (and neither should you).
After he finished this preliminary education, Jean-Louis went to l’Ecole Hôtelière de Thonon Les Bains in 1973, where he received formal restaurant training and a degree in business. Following this fine education, Jean-Louis returned to Auberge du Père Bise to continue his apprenticeship. There he began all over again, peeling potatoes at the feet of the master chef.
As a budding cuisinier, Jean-Louis was fortunate to work at two three-star establishments in France: Père Bise and Oustau de Beaumanière. In 1978, he went to an exciting new restaurant in Paris, Barrière de Clichy, where he met Guy Savoy, who would become his mentor and lifelong friend. Two years later the duo opened RESTAURANT GUY SAVOY on the Rue Duret in Paris, where Jean-Louis became Savoy’s Chef de Cuisine in charge of purchasing and staff.
The “New” RESTAURANT GUY SAVOY is located on Rue Troyon and is Linda & Jean-Louis favorite Parisian Restaurant. (It also garnered its third Michelin star in 2004.)
The rest, as they say, is history: Guy Savoy ventured to the United States, and in 1983 opened a chic French restaurant in Greenwich, Connecticut. In 1984, Jean-Louis joined him, and by 1985, had agreed to purchase the restaurant, renaming it Restaurant JEAN-LOUIS.
In 1986 Jean-Louis married Linda Chardain, daughter of the well known restaurateur René Chardain, and the two have enjoyed steady growth in their restaurant business from the very beginning. Bryan Miller, former restaurant critic for the New York Times, was quick to recognize Restaurant JEAN-LOUIS as “a personal favorite’ when it first appeared: “Like all great chefs,” said Mr. Miller, “[Jean-Louis] recognizes that tastes and eating habits change…he has always been a step ahead of his customers” (On the Menu, New York Times, 1995).
In 1991 Jean-Louis was honored by his older peers in receiving the title of MAITRE CUISINIER DE FRANCE, recognizing his work and ability to train the upcoming generation of chefs.
In January 2001 Jean-Louis received the medal of Chevalier du Mérite Agricole from the French Government, honoring him for his work in promoting French Culinary Arts in the United States.
In May 2005 a complete transformation of the dining room marked the beginning of the next 20 years of JEAN-LOUIS, and the opening of JLToGo catering by JEAN-LOUIS, a full-service event planning and catering company.
In May 2006, after thirteen nominations, Jean-Louis was awarded the esteemed title of Best Chef, Northeast by the James Beard Foundation, recognizing his achievement, talent and creativity in the world of cuisine.
Jason Avery
“It consumes my spare time, my reading, even my vacations,” observes Jason Avery the co-executive chef of New York’s Pera. The “it” to which refers is food. However his has not been a life-long love affair with what is now Avery’s self-described obsession. Throughout his formative years and most of his teens he had envisioned becoming an artist. “I was always drawing and painting, taking classes,” recalls the Croton-on-Hudson, NY native. “Of course I’m still painting every day, but now the pictures are on plates.”
Indeed, he was attracted to his profession by the artistic nature of cooking, which Avery discovered while working in a North Carolina restaurant after graduating from high school. He was hired as a dishwasher, but recognized the opportunity presented by an understaffed kitchen and grabbed it, first helping with prep and then moving on to making simple sauces. Within months Avery was running the kitchen. Moreover, he was hooked on the attendant creativity, excitement, pressure and teamwork, all of which motivate him to this day.
For the next two years, Avery pursued a journeyman’s culinary education, acquiring skills working various stations in restaurant and country club kitchens. In 1989, he enrolled in Johnson & Wales to take his career to the next level with the express goal of getting a job in New York City. Upon his 1991 graduation, Avery was recruited as a sous chef by the Righa Royal Hotel (now The London) in midtown Manhattan.
“If I had any doubts about wanting to be a chef in New York, they were dispelled a day or two after I started at the hotel. I was working a buffet at a reception and Kiss walked in – I was a huge Kiss fan. I thought this is fantastic, I’m cooking for Gene Simmons!”
He went on to further enlarge his gustatory repertoire under David Burke at the Park Avenue Café, where he developed a flair for captivating presentation. Two-and-a-half-years as chef de cuisine at the Intercontinental Hotel followed, an experience which enabled him to work for three months at the famed Carlton Restaurant at the Intercontinental Cannes, France property.
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As opening executive sous chef for The Regent Wall Street and chef de cuisine of the hotel’s highly touted 55 Wall, Avery gained notoriety for his innovative use of locally grown produce and clever dishes. Witness appetizers inspired by famous New York neighborhoods plated atop miniature subway maps – “Coney Island” sported mini corn dogs, French fries and onion rings in diminutive beach pails.
Such work at the hotel’s highly touted 55 Wall restaurant, brought Avery to the attention of Burak Karaçam, who was looking for a chef that would complement the specialty meat skills of Turkish chef, Sezai Celibkas, already tapped for the restaurant. When Karaçam approached him, Avery was intrigued.
“One of the things I love about my profession is the never ending learning process and certainly partnering with a Turkish chef to run an Eastern Mediterranean kitchen was going to be just that. Through working in hotels I had worked with lots of different cuisine. I thought it would be interesting to concentrate on one, especially a new one for me.”
By November 2006, when Pera opened, it was no longer new for him. At Karacam’s direction, Avery took an extended trip to Turkey, traveling throughout the country, haunting professional, as well as home, kitchens to absorb the techniques and traditions of its diverse regional cookery.
It is knowledge Avery relishes sharing with diners at Pera, often stopping by tables to explain with infectious enthusiasm how a dish is made or the rituals associated with its presentation. He believes people appreciate learning about the food’s heritage, because it puts what they’re eating in context, engaging them in the learning experience Avery so cherishes.
These days, Avery is learning a lot about another cuisine and culture, courtesy of his German bride. His goal is to become almost as conversant in Germanic culinary customs as he is in Turkish.