About the Chef
| Since graduating from the Florida Culinary Institute in 1991. I have successfully built a very strong resume for myself with over 17 years in my field. I started my career working for high volume restaurants in South Florida under the mentorship of J. Bryan Kimmett. In 1994, I was approached with the opportunity of doing a "chefs exchange" through the American-Scandanavian Foundation. I traveled to Copenhagen, Denmark, where I worked as a sous chef at the Restauranten Front Page in downtown Copenhagen. This is where I got my first taste of fine dining. The menu was classical French/Danish and changed on a monthly basis in order to take advantage of our ingredients at their peak season. Upon my return to the States in 1995, I was contacted by Chef Kimmett, about a job opportunity working with him again in Washington D.C. The weekend I got back from Denmark I was on a plane to D.C. for a formal job interview with the Food and Beverage Director for the Loews L'enfant Plaza Hotel (4 star/ 4 diamond) for a sous chef position. For the first 6 months, my time was split between the restaurant and banquet departments. I was soon promoted to the Banquet Chef position, which I held for the next 7 months. Chef Kimmett later left the hotel for another opportunity and I was asked to take over as Executive Chef. I was both excited and nervous about the offer, but accepted the job. I soon proved to myself, and the hotel executive staff, that I was qualified and up to the challenge. I was awarded "Manager of the Quarter" later that year. At the time, I was the youngest Executive Chef in the corporation at 24 years old. To this day, that is the proudest moment of my culinary career. In 1997, I came back home to Florida. I took a job as Executive Chef at Big City Tavern in West Palm Beach under Corporate Chef Lisabet Summa. This was a high-volume, New American cuisine restaurant, which was highly reviewed by both the Palm Beach Post and the Sun Sentinel newspapers while I was there. In 1999, I was again contacted by Chef Kimmett to be co-Chef at a fine dining bistro he was opening in Middleburg, Va. I accepted the offer and spent the next two years working and growing my experience there. At the restaurant, we had our own garden. This allowed us to base our menus around ingredients like heirloom tomatoes, organic lettuces, and a variety of herbs, depending on the season. In addition, I owe my knowledge of wines to the extensive wine list we developed. My time at the bistro allowed me to find my own personal cooking style. I've continued to grow and mature that style in my current position as a Private Chef. I am blessed to have employers who allow me to create and experiment . This job allows me the personal freedom to let my imagination to run wild. We spend winters in Palm Beach, Fl and summers in East Hampton, NY. Traveling like this gives me the opportunity to cook with the seasons in both locations. In addition, I have had the opportunity to cook for many high profile clientele including: Ina Garten(Food Network), two Noble Prize winners, the Prince of Jordan, a Saudi Prince, CEOs of major corporations, as well as, many United Nation dignitaries. In this next chapter of my career, I'm looking to use my skills and experience to help you get that 'edge on thyme' we all need. |
Richard P. Brent
My Culinary Biography
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