The following is an extended version of the piece that appears in our February 2024 issue.
Photo by Jay Paul
Nicholas Hall
Chef de Cuisine, Brenner Pass
Background
- Brenner Pass, since February 2021
- Rappahannock
- FIG (Charleston, South Carolina)
- L’Academie de Cuisine
Reflection
“I’d say my approach to my kitchen is to be open-minded, keep things simple, and always remember, we’re only cooking food, let’s have fun.”
Noteworthy
“I can’t stand pickled cucumbers!”
Coach Notes
“Nick is super talented and a great leader. His demeanor with young cooks is so warm and laid-back, and it really facilitates a good learning environment,” says Brittanny Anderson, owner of Metzger Bar & Butchery, Brenner Pass, and Black Lodge. “I love how he blends foods from the Low Country into our Alpine vibes seamlessly — I especially loved his scallop dish recently with farro, sweet potato, citrus and sorghum. He might not like mayonnaise and pickles as much as I do, but I’ll forgive him!”
Photo by Ash Daniel
Jane Lukas
Baker, Lost Letter
Background
- Lost Letter, since May 2023
- Vesuvio Bakery (New York)
- Institute of Culinary Education
Reflection
“I learned everything I know about working in the kitchen from my first job in New York. As much as I loved culinary school, nothing prepares you like working alongside chefs who hold you to a higher standard. After COVID, the team that I was on was so small, every single one of us needed to pull our weight. I was still learning as I went, but I think true learning comes from being held accountable and being given responsibility.”
Noteworthy
“Like many Americans, I got really into sourdough during COVID. I left [the city] for about eight months, moved back in with my parents and decided I was going to sell bread and baked goods to friends and family. Since then, I haven’t really looked back.”
Coach Notes
“If you’ve had the bread at Lost Letter, you know why [Jane’s] awesome! She has raised the bar on bread service at restaurants and plans to continue to do so at Lillian,” says Megan Fitzroy Phelan, co-owner of Lost Letter and Lillian.
Photo by Jay Paul
Dylan Nemetz
Executive Chef, Grisette
Background
- Grisette, since January 2020
- Perly’s
- Rappahannock
- Pasture
- Casa Pearl (Williamsburg)
Reflection
“My approach to the kitchen at Grisette is as simple as ‘mise en place.’ As far as the culture, it’s a high-paced restaurant with a lot of moving parts; it demands our culinary team to be organized, creative and open-minded. We’re constantly bouncing ideas off one another and have weekly culinary meetings to discuss upcoming ingredients and ideas. That being said, we still make time to throw on some tunes and have some fun while we prep for dinner service.”
Noteworthy
“I grew up working at Perly’s as a young kid and into my adult life. It’s where my stepfather, Gray Wyatt, met my mother. I fell in love with the restaurant world from an early age, and I never really looked back.”
Coach Notes
“Dylan is a master of his craft, a throwback to the culinary expertise that typically only exists in tiny villages that dot the European countryside, where nonnas shape pasta and the baker’s family has fired the same oven every day for generations,” says Donnie Glass, chef and co-owner of Grisette, Jardin and the forthcoming Beaucoup. “His level-headed leadership style and attention to detail at every level are what every chef should be aspiring to emulate. It’s hard to be truly excellent, but he just IS.”
Emma Taylor
Photo by Jay Paul
Chef de Cuisine, Metzger Bar & Butchery
Background
- Metzger Bar & Butchery, since January 2023
- Albena (Detroit)
- Codex (Norfolk)
- Culinary Institute of America
Reflection
“I try to take all the things I like from my leaders and leave the rest behind. There is no ego, and everyone in the kitchen is treated with total respect. I truly believe that when you are a leader in the kitchen, your job is to be a teacher. Everyone should feel heard and able to ask questions so they can grow. I learn from my team every day, that is truly the best part.”
Noteworthy
“I spent my youth growing up in England and Portugal. Exposure to food at a young age really jump-started my interest in the culinary field. My family put a lot of emphasis on traveling and trying new things. I am so grateful for these experiences; I know I wouldn’t be where I am without them.”
Coach Notes
“Emma has an incredibly strong drive to create. She pushes and pushes and never settles for less than her vision,” says Brittanny Anderson, owner of Metzger Bar & Butchery, Brenner Pass, and Black Lodge. “She reminds me so much of me at her age, and it gets me all teary eyed. It’s kind of wild how similar our cooking styles are. Sometimes I can’t remember if she created something or I did!”
Photo by Jay Paul
Dezhan White
Sous Chef, Odyssey
Background
- Odyssey, since March 2023
- Southbound
- Alewife
Reflection
“When it came to trying new foods, and especially fish I never heard of, I was always nervous, but it always tasted delicious. Honestly, if you would have asked me in 2016 if I thought I would still be working in restaurants seven years later, I would have said no. My love for food itself was always there, but the love to start making it started with just trying new foods at Southbound.”
Noteworthy
“When I first started at Southbound, I would always ask for a burger at the end of the night, well done. I think it was a week or two straight eating burgers, and one day [chef] Bobo [Catoe Jr.] told me he wouldn’t make me a burger. Instead, he told me he would make me anything else on the menu.”
Coach Notes
“Dezhan is great. I think he started in early high school with us; it’s not often that we get to see someone grow up right before your eyes,” says Lee Gregory, chef and co-owner of Alewife, Odyssey and Southbound. “He can handle just about everything at this point and has become essential across all the restaurants. It’s hard to imagine work without him.”
