The following is an extended version of the article that appears in our September 2024 issue.
Chez Foushee chef and owner Whitney Cardozo (Photo by Jay Paul)
One thing that makes life exciting is that we can’t always imagine what the future holds. And while the restaurant industry is among the toughest to navigate, after two master’s degrees and years of teaching, New York-born Whitney Cardozo made a switch and stepped up to the challenge. Operating an all-women kitchen at French-inspired Chez Foushee, the chef and owner has brought her authentic touch to the restaurant, which has been in business downtown since 1989.
Richmond magazine: When did you move to Richmond? What is your kitchen experience?
Cardozo: I’m from upstate New York, in the Adirondacks. I’ve had a lot of different jobs; I have quite a diverse resume. I got my master’s from VCU in 2010 or ’11; I might have been one of the eldest in the cohort, studied interior design. I also have a master’s in education.
I started in the kitchen at UCLA undergrad and worked for a huge catering company. They didn’t call us [this] back then, but I worked as a food stylist on certain shows that are reruns now, [including] “Murder She Wrote.” I left California, moved east and taught school. I’m always the one cooking and always the one having parties. I love art, and this is everything under one roof.
RM: What sparked the decision to enter the restaurant biz?
Cardozo: Everybody was gone but my husband and the dogs. [Laughs] I was like, “I really want to cook,” then one morning this listing very cryptically landed in my inbox. It was Dennis Spurgeon and Andrew Hardie — after 29 years, they were selling Chez Foushee. I bought it on Dec. 1, 2017. It was such a lovely experience; we became very good friends. I never owned a brick-and-mortar before, and they stayed and worked with me to get acclimated. I decided that to learn this, I would work every part of the business.
I even went to work with the executive chef of Chez Panisse [restaurant in California], Jean-Pierre [Moullé]. He’s retired, and I cold-called him and said, “I bought this restaurant, and I’m self-taught, would you tutor me?” He said, “I live in Bordeaux,” and I replied, “I’ll go to Bordeaux.” He took me on, I was there for a week. It was so much fun I pinched myself.
RM: Where does your cooking inspiration come from?
Cardozo: I was kind of on a mission; my mom was like that. She was amazing and was selling property as the top-producing Realtor at 80 in New York; it comes from family. My nana, my grandmother, was the best. She lived in Nova Scotia, and we would go every summer. I would bake with her — well, basically eat. I cook the trout in her iron skillet here; she was a brook trout fisherwoman, so I have that and her beautiful cookbook that is all in pieces in a Ziploc bag of her handwriting.
RM: Did you ever think life would take this path, and how did teaching prepare you for this role?
Cardozo: Nope. [Laughs] I mean, this is not for the faint of heart; you have to love it. I think you really must have patience, and I’m a teacher, so no brigade [system in the kitchen], none of that baloney. As a teacher, you’re always trying to help people, and it’s great when they work for you because it’s only going to get better for all of us. If you find someone who wants to be in hospitality, they need to be nurtured and appreciated.
RM: How was it taking over at Chez Foushee and implementing change?
Cardozo: You can never get rid of the lemon butter cake — you better put that in print. Everything but the lemon butter cake and the baguette are gluten-free. There’s classics you can get rid of, steak frites; some things stay close with little twists.
I have read so many cookbooks, that’s what I read. I love Elizabeth David, she was in the ’50s, ’60s, British from the UK and would write, “Just put it in the oven,” no direction and very interesting, but very prolific. I love Ina Garten; she didn’t have experience, and she was like, “I’m going to buy this little place,” and look at it now. And Martha Stewart is my spirit animal. I’ve been adding more vegan options; it’s important for me to have something for everyone.
RM: How are things now?
Cardozo: There’s never a dull moment. We started afternoon tea around the holidays, The 12 Days of Tea. My resident pianist, Justin, is here every Friday; it’s either him or a saxophone player. My best friend plays anything on the piano from “Oklahoma” to Britney Spears. These are at least 14-foot ceilings, and you would think it would be bouncing and loud, [but] the acoustics are good. That’s very popular.
We do a lot of candles; if you are an anniversary, we put a special candle for you. I love gardening and do a lot of bouquets, and you can do a petit little posy. I think we needed to update, and you know, I think that brings people together from all demographics, and we have diverse customers. I work hard for that; that’s very important for me.
This interview has been edited for length and clarity.
