Chef Spotlight: WARREN BAIRD of Chapter One in the West Village-NYC

Executive Chef Warren Baird trained at Johnson & Wales in Charleston, SC, and worked for many years in Charlotte before landing in New York at Esca, where he served as sous chef. At Chapter One, he is combining hard work and raw talent to produce an enticing menu of his own invention; rooted in the classics and distinctly American. The ingredients are prime: Hereford Beef, Long Island Duck, Berkshire Pork, and fresh local seafood and vegetables, and the menu changes with the seasons.

We had a chance to interview Chef Warren Baird about his career and Chapter One.

What was your earliest interest in cooking?

I loved the thrill of helping my mother pull Thanksgiving together. As a young child, I was always impressed at how she scheduled her heat sources and kitchen spaces to execute such a comprehensive effort. Later in college, I spent some time abroad and realized that there were other cultures and cuisines out there that required investigation.

Who were some of your career mentors?

Chef Charles Semail was my first chef. He sent me to France to experience traditional bread, pastry and chocolate production in his home town. You can imagine how that changed my disposition towards the fundamentals. More recently, Chef Dave Pasternack showed me what it takes to really drive the machine through a busy service and maintain the quality throughout. He's also a walking encyclopedia of seafood, so I gleaned what I could.

What culinary styles have influenced your career?

Starting French is important to understanding the fundamentals of technique, and to see what is possible with the refinement of food. Contrastingly, the essence of Italian is highlighting ingredients by touching them as little as possible and seasoning them naturally, and this is actually harder to do. I keep these two extremes in mind as I explore American food and what that means.

What do you consider the most distinguishing features of your work as a chef?

I definitely pull from the classics and give them a casual, American angle. The duck leg confit, for example, comes with a maple-rutabega puree and crispy sweet potatoes. Our octopus is braised, then grilled crispy and tossed in a salad with preserved meyer lemon, grilled potatoes and dried tomato. I also smoke the potatoes that go into the whipped salt cod for additional depth to a classic Italian preparation.

What is your favorite meal?

There is nothing more deeply satisfying than a hot bowl of noodle soup. I cook a Japanese/Korean hybrid for my wife on my day off using both miso and gochujang. Don't tell anyone...

Tell me a little bit about your restaurant for our readers.

At Chapter One I explore the origins of American cuisine in a casual tavern setting. There are American regional dishes with hints of immigrant influence throughout. We have an extensive bourbon and rye list paired with all domestic draft offerings to round out the idea of an American tavern.

Photo Credit: Courtesy of Warren Baird