Great Chefs of America

Great Chefs of America

We all know of the great chefs of France, Bocuse, Troisgros, and Heaberlin…and so on.  The stigma that you need to be born in France or Europe to be great or successful  as a chef is just not true nowadays.  Yes there are a lot of great American born chefs, and a lot of them were taught by some of the great chefs of France, but how do we measure the great chefs of America; their success?  And how is that success measured, the number of restaurants you put your name to, whether or not you are on TV, or the amount of money you take home at the end of the day?  I say it is a state of mind that all chefs, or anyone for that matter, can achieve.

What if we were to have a chef in our midst with, the strategic vision of John Anthelm Brillat Savarin, the communication skills of Prosper Montage, the organizational skillsof Augusta Escoffier, the ability to listen and sense of service as Fernand Point, the kitchen skills passed, and passed on from the great chefs of France, the ability to adapt to an ever changing environment like Thomas Keller and the common sense of Antoine Careme?  I believe we do in Bill McNamee.

If they someone were to write a book of the great chefs of America, I am sure Bill’s story would be out in front.  Though he may not have owned his own restaurant or finished his career as a “Chef”, Bill McNamee had risen from chef to managing director of one of the largest corporations in the world.  Without an Ivy League education, his mastery of the before mentioned skills, has brought him to great heights, undertaking huge challenges and administering budgets few of us, and even those in the financial sector, will ever do.  He had built a team that I believe is unmatched in the service industry.  His team, 2,400 strong has set the benchmark, which others strive to achieve.

As a leader of such a large and diverse team, to be successful, he understood that his team is his most important asset in delivering on expectations and beyond.  The common sense of Antoine Careme, of which I spoke earlier, “The man who knows how to appreciate a good servant is always well served, his home is happy”.   It is in the context of my relationship with Bill and this quote by Antoine Careme, that I came to realize that success is a state of mind. 

This Fall I came home from work, tucked my baby in for a nap, and was able to spend some precious time with my second of three children.  It set my mood for the evening that followed.  It was a beautiful night at the Mets Baseball game with Bill and his family, the team that has been steadfast behind him, for years. Our loyalty is bread out of loyalty that has been shown to us.  Bill is the type to hold your feet to the fire if you made a mistake, yet he would never give up on you if the efforts were there.  He has always made his appreciation known for a job well done, instilling a sense of pride in all of us. 

Sadly we lost Bill this week.  A friend and mentor to me and many others. His pursuit of perfection and ability to exceed expectations made him an individual who embodied the “rule” to be followed.  We as individuals may not possess all of the skills he possessed, some may, but not rise to such a level, as we are all on different life paths.  If we utilize the gifts we are given from God and develop new skills we learn from others, we will be able to wield a similar positive influence and serve others, we are a success.  One thing is for sure, because of Bill, there is and always will be Great “Chefs” of America.

He will surely be missed, God Bless!

Chef David Baker

Executive Chef