Brendan Walsh
Encyclopedia
Brendan Walsh is an American
chef
best known for his endorsement of southwestern cuisine. He was the original chef of Arizona 206 in New York City
(from 1985–1988) and won international recognition in the prestigious James Beard
“Who’s Who of Cooking in America”.
, New York
. He later moved to Ridgefield
, Connecticut
and attended Ridgefield High School.
. From there, he worked at the prestigious Stars
restaurant in San Francisco. He later moved back to New York City as executive chef at Arizona 206. There, his fame grew and he appeared on magazines such as Food & Wine and USA Today
. He worked as consulting chef in 1989 to Wet Paint but moved on as chef at the Coyote Grill in Island Park
from 1990 to 1991. 1991 to 1993, he was the co-owner and chef of the North Street Grill in Great Neck
.
In 1996, he decided to settle down in Ridgefield, Connecticut, opening the praised Elms Restaurant and Tavern (now called Brendan's at the Elms). The Elms Restaurant was featured in the Thanksgiving special of Martha Stewart
. New York Magazine, Esquire Magazine, USA Today, Food & Wine, The New York Times
, and Martha Stewart Living
all published feature articles about the restaurant. It was given an Award of Excellence from The New York Times, The Hartford Courant
, Stamford Advocate, Greenwich Time
, Crain's Business, Connecticut Magazine, and Brooks Community Newspapers.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
chef
Chef
A chef is a person who cooks professionally for other people. Although over time the term has come to describe any person who cooks for a living, traditionally it refers to a highly skilled professional who is proficient in all aspects of food preparation.-Etymology:The word "chef" is borrowed ...
best known for his endorsement of southwestern cuisine. He was the original chef of Arizona 206 in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
(from 1985–1988) and won international recognition in the prestigious James Beard
James Beard
James Andrew Beard was an American chef and food writer. The central figure in the story of the establishment of a gourmet American food identity, Beard was an eccentric personality who brought French cooking to the American middle and upper classes in the 1950s...
“Who’s Who of Cooking in America”.
Early life
Brendan Walsh grew up in the BronxThe Bronx
The Bronx is the northernmost of the five boroughs of New York City. It is also known as Bronx County, the last of the 62 counties of New York State to be incorporated...
, New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
. He later moved to Ridgefield
Ridgefield, Connecticut
Ridgefield is a town in Fairfield County, Connecticut, United States. Situated in the foothills of the Berkshire Mountains, the 300-year-old community had a population of 24,638 at the 2010 census. The town center, which was formerly a borough, is defined by the U.S...
, Connecticut
Connecticut
Connecticut is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, and the state of New York to the west and the south .Connecticut is named for the Connecticut River, the major U.S. river that approximately...
and attended Ridgefield High School.
Career
Walsh graduated from the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde ParkHyde Park, New York
Hyde Park is a town located in the northwest part of Dutchess County, New York, United States, just north of the city of Poughkeepsie. The town is most famous for being the hometown of U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt....
. From there, he worked at the prestigious Stars
Stars (restaurant)
Stars was a landmark restaurant in San Francisco, California from 1984 through 1999. Along with Spago, Michael's and Chez Panisse it is considered one of the birthplaces of California Cuisine, New American cuisine, and the institution of the celebrity chef....
restaurant in San Francisco. He later moved back to New York City as executive chef at Arizona 206. There, his fame grew and he appeared on magazines such as Food & Wine and USA Today
USA Today
USA Today is a national American daily newspaper published by the Gannett Company. It was founded by Al Neuharth. The newspaper vies with The Wall Street Journal for the position of having the widest circulation of any newspaper in the United States, something it previously held since 2003...
. He worked as consulting chef in 1989 to Wet Paint but moved on as chef at the Coyote Grill in Island Park
Island Park, New York
Island Park is a village located in Nassau County, New York in the United States. As of the 2010 census, the village had a total population of 4,655.Island Park is located in the town of Hempstead.-Geography:...
from 1990 to 1991. 1991 to 1993, he was the co-owner and chef of the North Street Grill in Great Neck
Great Neck, New York
The term Great Neck is commonly applied to a peninsula on the North Shore of Long Island, which includes the village of Great Neck, the village of Great Neck Estates, the village of Great Neck Plaza, and others, as well as an area south of the peninsula near Lake Success and the border of Queens...
.
In 1996, he decided to settle down in Ridgefield, Connecticut, opening the praised Elms Restaurant and Tavern (now called Brendan's at the Elms). The Elms Restaurant was featured in the Thanksgiving special of Martha Stewart
Martha Stewart
Martha Stewart is an American business magnate, author, magazine publisher, and television personality. As founder of Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia, she has gained success through a variety of business ventures, encompassing publishing, broadcasting, and merchandising...
. New York Magazine, Esquire Magazine, USA Today, Food & Wine, The New York Times
The New York Times
The New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...
, and Martha Stewart Living
Martha Stewart Living
Martha Stewart Living is a magazine and a television show featuring entertaining and home decorating guru Martha Stewart. Both the magazine and the television program focus on the domestic arts. Martha Stewart Living began as a quarterly magazine in 1990, published by Time Inc..and is currently...
all published feature articles about the restaurant. It was given an Award of Excellence from The New York Times, The Hartford Courant
The Hartford Courant
The Hartford Courant is the largest daily newspaper in the U.S. state of Connecticut, and is a morning newspaper for most of the state north of New Haven and east of Waterbury...
, Stamford Advocate, Greenwich Time
Greenwich Time (newspaper)
Greenwich Time is a daily newspaper based in Greenwich, Connecticut, USA. The paper shares an editor and publisher with The Advocate of nearby Stamford, Connecticut...
, Crain's Business, Connecticut Magazine, and Brooks Community Newspapers.