Chef Ramon Cuffie has been in the kitchen at Herbie’s for only 30 days, but the mutual admiration society convened long before that time.
Owner Aaron Teitelbaum hired Cuffie after a two-hour interview. “I never talk to anybody that long,” recalls Teitelbaum. “After our discussion, I just knew.”
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Teitelbaum says Cuffie gained the respect of the kitchen staff almost as fast. “There’s a confidence and obvious talent, but also a humility,” says Teitelbaum. “The staff recognizes that. He leads by example. They want to please him. They’re already cooking at a higher level. Ramon wants to instill in them his level of integrity and they know it.”
“I have a young team,” says Cuffie, “one that deserves a good foundation.”
For his part, Cuffie was also impressed that Teitelbaum didn’t “devalue” him, as has happened before. “At 56, I appreciated not being asked to do Aaron’s food or somebody else’s food,” says Cuffie. “Aaron handed me the reins immediately. He never even asked to see my resume.”
When Teitelbaum says, “I feel that Ramon just got home,” the chef raises his eyebrows and nods.
Cuffie is Herbie’s fifth executive chef since the restaurant relocated in late 2016 from the Central West End to the former Cardwell’s space in Clayton. After only a few weeks, Cuffie’s improvements have been “subtle but significant,” says Teitelbaum. For example, Cuffie uses Noilly Prat white vermouth in the cream sauce. He incorporates Pernod on the Oysters Rockefeller and then broils (rather than bakes) to release the aromatics. He uses Yuzu [a tart, fragrant Japanese fruit] instead of lemon to perk up flavors.
“It’s understandable food,” Teitelbaum says of Cuffie’s interpretations. “You don’t need to question it or wonder what’s in it. You just want to eat it.”
