Q&A With Chef Gerry Garvin

Acclaimed chef, cookbook author, television host, James Beard nominee, and philanthropist, all words that describe Chef Gerry Garvin, simply known as G. Garvin. Chef Garvin started his culinary career in his hometown, Atlanta, Georgia at the Ritz Carlton-Downtown, as the youngest line cook in the gourmet dining room. He was chosen to move to Palm Springs, California to open the Ritz Carlton-Rancho Mirage, where he worked under Chef Jean Pierre Dubray. With a promising career ahead, he relocated to Los Angeles, California, took on a position as the dining room Sous Chef at Noa Noa. After spending 3 years there, Chef Garvin then headed to the Four Seasons, Beverly Hills. He went on to become the Executive Chef of Morton’s and Kass Bah.

After spending some time in Los Angeles, Garvin returned to Atlanta to work with the Buckhead Life Group at Veni Vidi Vici and Pricci. He later returned to Los Angeles and partnered with Keyshawn Johnson to open Reign Restaurant. After Reign was off to a great start, Chef Garvin opened his signature restaurant, G Garvin’s, where he continued to cater to and host High Profile dinners for such clients as Former President Bill Clinton to Halle Berry to the Former Prime Minister of Israel.

Chef Garvin continued to make a name for himself, as he is in the homes of millions for 7 seasons on the TV One network with, Turn Up the Heat with G. Garvin (airing in the US and Brazil). His increasing popularity earned this talented artist a second series on the same network entitled G. Garvin: The Road Tour. Eventually, Food Networks’ Cooking Channel tapped him to host the series, Road Trip with G Garvin, currently filming its third season. He continues to make regular appearances on the Today Show.

Garvin is also a notable author. His first cookbook, Turn Up the Heat with G. Garvin debuted in October 2006. Its widespread success quickly prompted a second printing and won an American Literacy Award and a nomination for a NAACP Image Award. It was also chosen as a participant in the 2006 Library of Congress National Book Festival. Garvin’s highly anticipated sophomore effort, Make it Super Simple with G. Garvin, a collection of recipes for super simple, healthful and delectable dishes, was released in February 2008. A third cookbook, Dining In, released in October 2008, features all new, fine-dining recipes that will provide even the most inexperienced cooks with recipes and guidance to create the most impressive gourmet meals at home. Garvin is currently writing his fourth book, a seminal personal wellspring of New Southern cuisine.

Garvin has mastered offering a one-size-fits-all approach to cooking with sophistication and simplicity, proving that even the most basic cooking palate can create flavorful of dishes. He has developed recipes for such clients as Kraft Foods, Tyson Foods and The Coca-Cola Company. Garvin is also a prominent restaurant consultant, where he helps restaurateurs realize their vision by overseeing all aspects of new restaurant operations, policies and procedures, as well as recipe and menu development. He recently completed the redesign and installment of a menu for the IMPROV at one of the highest grossing live comedy club venues in the country.

Garvin recently opened the first location of his upscale-casual Low Country Restaurant, which aims to create a new southern style restaurant chain that appeals to a broad demographic. Ever the entrepreneur, Garvin has also developed his own line of spices, G. Garvin’s Spices and a line of Gourmet Nuts. These are available at ChefGarvin.com as well as on Amazon.com.

Garvin’s impressive resume and philanthropic efforts has warranted such accolades as the 2007 Man of the Year award by Women Moving Forward in Business and Third Best TV Chef by Southwest Airlines Spirit Magazine in 2006 (behind Jacques Pepin and Emeril Lagasse.) Additionally, Garvin has been a popular guest on both The Tonight Show with Jay Leno and Good Morning America.

To further make an indelible mark on culinary history through his One Bite At Time Foundation Garvin has launched his culinary boot camp which is geared towards kids ages 16-19, whom will experience not only the education side of the culinary field but also experience the hospitality, restaurant front of house, management and operational skills as well as hands on cooking experience. Through this seven day sleep over camp Garvin expects to change lives and introduce kids to a new career choice, culinary arts. Through Garvin’s efforts he hopes to aid in breaking down the diversity barriers within not only the cooking industry, but in society as a whole where chefs of color are often categorized more often by race than profession

Q: What’s your first memory of your love for cooking?

While I’d been cooking at home as a small boy, it wasn’t until I started working at The Ritz Carlton Hotel and I made my very first soup, which was Asparagus Bisque.

Q: Describe your style in three words.