Barry Maiden
Barry Maiden started working in kitchens to make some money. He and a friend got jobs when they were sixteen at Shoney's and then moved to The Martha Washington Inn in Abingdon, Virginia. This was an old historic inn with classic French cooking. Barry worked preparing the hotel dining basics, but watched as Chef Alan McKinney prepared special dishes for an elite group of diners. Chef McKinney was old in Barry's book (late 20's). He had long hair, smoked cigarettes and was incredibly intense. But Barry sensed something special. He watched as Chef McKinney prepared amazing dishes with an artistic flair. Soon, Barry was working directly with the Chef and started to learn all that encompasses the culinary world.
Even with all this experience under his belt, Barry was only 18 years old. Not having any idea what he wanted to do, Barry joined the Army and became a mechanic in the Army Reserves in Missouri. He only spent two years in the army but his time there was well spent.
Once out of the Army, Barry fell back into cooking jobs at local restaurants. When he was ready to step it up a notch, Barry applied for a job at the new Marriott in Kingsport, Tennessee. It was a brand new convention center and Barry became a member of the opening team. In order to continue learning and stay ahead of the curve, Barry worked his way through the classic CIA cookbook. But he knew that corporate, hotel dining was not what he wanted to do. The turn and burn cooking to put out 300+ dinners just wasn't fun.
Barry moved to Nashville next so he could work with some real chefs. He got a position at Magnolia's working for chef/owner Richard Hamilton. There were many French chefs in the kitchen and he was taken under the wing of Emile Labrousse, the pastry chef. A number of cooks in the kitchen were heading up to NECI and Chef Emile told Barry he should go too. Barry looked over a small brochure that was being passed around the kitchen and something felt right. Vermont was a whole different world from the south where Barry had grown up and lived for so many years. The butterflies in his stomach were moving fast and furious and he was scared and nervous. But the opportunity to attend as an Advanced Placement student sealed the deal.
In order to arrive as a second year student, Barry took an intensive six week baking course with Brian Severance. Arriving for the second year, Barry found it hard to connect with his classmates. He was only on campus for nine months and found the NECI way to be incredibly intense. He particularly remembers learning from Chef David Hale and Chef Andre. To break up the intensity of his classes, Barry was drawn into the beautiful Green Mountains and much of his spare time was spent hiking. By keeping his head down in his books and working hard Barry got the most out of his short time at NECI.
Barry's internship was at L'Espalier in Boston. Soon after he started he heard about a new restaurant being opened, Sel de la Terre. He was brought over to help open the place and spent his time working days at L'Espalier and evenings as a line cook at Sel de la Terre. When he was promoted to Sous Chef at Sel de la Terre it was time for Barry to stop the craziness and work in only one restaurant!
After a number of years, Michael Levinson brought Barry to Lumiere in Newton, Massachusetts as the new sous chef. Barry thought that by this time he knew how to cook. How wrong he was! Chef Leviton worked with Barry to clean up his act and change his ways. Sloppiness (in work and appearance) was turned to cleanliness. Rebelliousness turned to discipline. For 2½ years Barry worked at Lumiere and the end result was a chef who really knew how to cook and was ready to move forward.
Barry had some friends from his time at Sel de la Terre and they were ready to break out and open their own place. Barry joined Alon Munzer, Rachel Miller Munzer and John Kessen as an equal partner in the venture. They started to conceptualize the new restaurant and look for locations. Rachel and Alon owned a small breakfast place in Bay Village and there was a perfect, vacant building right down the block. It was large, had two floors, multiple bars, space for music - everything to open a really wonderful place. But the Bay Village neighborhood association killed the project. The team was disappointed.
Needing a vacation, Barry headed out of town. But he wasn't gone long before he received a call. There was a space in Cambridge, but the kitchen was small…really small. Would he have a look when he got back? Barry checked out the space. It was empty, dark but he saw potential. Just to make sure, he called in his chef friends to get their advice. Barry was insisting with his partners that he had to renovate and claim some of the restaurant space for the kitchen. But his friends asked "why?" Efficiency was key. By envisioning the space as doable it would work. Next thing Barry knew, the investors were lined up, the lease was signed and it was theirs!
With a lot of help and advice from his chef friends, Barry turned the small kitchen into an efficient space. Everything had its place and would work like a well oiled machine. The partners started to look for a name. The original name "Village Table" wouldn't work. That was for a restaurant in Bay Village. Barry wanted to cook the food he knew - southern tinged food with flair. Cruising around the internet one day he pulled up a map of his home town, Marion, Virginia. There was Hungry Mother State Park. Barry remembered going there as a kid. And he remembered the story of the name. A woman and child who were captured during the Indian settler conflict were left behind. When the townspeople found them, the mother had died and the only words the child spoke were "hungry mother." A sad story, but a perfect, edgy name for a new restaurant!
Hungry Mother restaurant opened and quickly took off. It was getting a lot of press and good reviews. They were having fun, and everything was going well. Barry always purchased the July issue of Food and Wine. The issue highlighting the 10 best new chefs of the year was fun to read and dream about. But Barry never thought it would happen to him.
During a meeting with his partners last March, Barry got a call from a 212 phone number. Having no idea who it could be, he went into the office to take the call. Dana Cowen, President of Food & Wine magazine was on the phone informing him he'd been chosen as one of 2009 Best New Chefs of the Year! Barry first checked that she hadn't dialed the wrong number and then listened further. Ms. Cowen told him to let it sink in, and then get prepared for a whirlwind of events. But the most important thing was he COULDN'T TELL ANYONE until the press release came out 2 weeks later.
Barry left the call and returned to his partners and told them on the spot (as if he could have kept it a secret, they had watched his face while he was on the call!) They made a pact to keep it secret.
The whirlwind of activities began in April with a trip to New York City for the official ceremony. He and the other chefs were invited to Dana Cowen's home for a cocktail party and she served the favorite snack foods of each of the winning chefs. He felt welcomed into this new tight knit family where everyone was interested in your success and would help you along the way. At the same time, he was humbled to read the comments that were being put up on Facebook about this honor. The comments were supportive and encouraging and were great to hear.
Chef Barry wants to make sure NECI's students remember that what they see on TV is not reality, just reality TV. Ignore it and recognize it for the entertainment that it is. Instead, be humble and know that you must start at ground level and work you way up. Learn everything you can and travel. Work for as many chefs as you possibly can. And of course, eat out! It is hard work to become a chef and you must be dedicated to your craft.
The best piece of advice Barry remembers getting from a NECI instructor came after he prepared a certain dish. The instructor was disappointed with the result and told him, "I don't see you in it." Barry was told he had to cook from his heart and soul and to know where he came from. Infuse your cooking with this and you will succeed.
Barry married his long time sweetheart, Graziele, two years ago and has recently become the proud father of Dylan. It's been a crazy year for Barry and he's ready for things to settle down. But he wouldn't give up 2009 for anything. New son and accolades for his cooking and restaurant. Barry is ready to make sure no one goes hungry!
Barry Maiden (AOS Culinary Arts, 2000) was named one of Food & Wine's Best New Chefs of 2009! Barry is the Executive Chef/Owner of Hungery Mother in Cambridge, MA. To read the complete Food & Wine profile, go to: http://www.foodandwine.com/articles/best-new-chefs-2009-barry-maiden