The Hard Work of Fine Dining
By Cynthia Furey • Photography By Rick Bolen
In the pressure cookers that are restaurant kitchens, chefs spend long, stressful hours ensuring that your evening of fine dining is leisurely and unforgettable. Chef Jeffrey Cerciello, a Laguna Hills native, furthered his career in the kitchen of the acclaimed Thomas Keller restaurant The French Laundry, in Yountville, in the heart of Napa Valley. Since then, Keller promoted Cerciello to culinary director for casual dining, overseeing daily operations at six of Keller’s restaurants, including the Bouchon and Bouchon bakeries in Las Vegas, New York City, and Yountville. He understands better than most the work ethic and commitment needed to succeed at the highest level of the culinary arts, as well as the need to balance work with his family—wife Kira, and children Ava, 7, and Tess, 4.
How did you learn your work ethic?
My time in Spain working in a couple different restaurants and certainly my time at The French Laundry really provided a foundation for my work ethic. When I worked in Spain, just seeing the long hours and dedication that people put in made a huge impact on me. This was certainly true about the people I worked with at El Bulli. They just committed themselves 100 percent to their restaurant. Thomas [Keller] was no different. He was completely dedicated to his craft, and [he] was more dedicated than anyone I had ever worked with.
But what about balancing work and home?
Your home life has to come first. It’s difficult, and I don’t have the magic formula, believe me. I think I’m the luckiest guy in the world; my job is so great. I try to bring my family with me on certain [business] trips. Just like you strategize in your work and plan your days, you have to do the same thing at home.
And the stress? How do you handle that?
Deep breathing [laughs]. While I was in the kitchen, every single day I was under time restraints. [It’s] a stressful environment, and sometimes people lose their composure. First and foremost, you never reprimand someone in front of other people. You take the time to pull the individual aside and find out what happened. Provide the feedback, or make another plan, and follow through. Be able to take a step back, reflect on what happened, regain your composure, and then proceed.
Any advice for aspiring chefs?
A lot of young cooks come out of culinary school and think they can be a chef right away. You have to be patient and really try to understand the craft that you’ve chosen. It takes time, and there are no shortcuts.