Back Home with Chef Heather West

by Christine Gerani

We interviewed Chef Heather West, 29 the winner of Hell’s Kitchen Season Two and now Executive Chef at Monterey in Long Beach. Chef Heather was a pleasure to interview. A natural beauty with a lot of great stories to tell, Heather talks about her love of cooking, her love for her parents Jack and Pat West and of course coming back home.

Christine: You’re back in New York; tell us what brought you back to Long Island.

Chef Heather: I’d been thinking about moving back, my family’s here. My father’s my best friend. I love that man more than anything. This is my 17th move in 5 years. I miss home and I said if I do come home it’s not going to be for just 6 to 8 months. I looked online and I saw that there was a job out here; I thought it would take a couple months. I emailed them and not even 24 hours later I got a call and not even another 24 hours later I got the job! I came back early just to work here.

Christine: Who inspired you to start cooking?

Chef Heather: Well I was an art major before I got my culinary degree. I always cooked and baked with my mom and my grandma since I was 4. I did my own apple pie from scratch when I was 11. I was cooking in restaurants when I was 13. It was always something I did. I worked at the Village Way (Port Jefferson) I worked everywhere. I started to get real good at it. I was 20, in my second year of college and my mom got diagnosed with cancer.

So I would look on epicurious.com because my mom does not know how to shop. She would buy 12 cans of pickles and 13 cans of dressings, I felt like MacGyver. I always call it “Cooking like MacGyver” I can make a bomb but can I eat it. I would look up ingredients on epicurious.com and I would cook for her to make her happy and I started to get good and it and I thought I might do this as a living.

I got into the best school in the country, which is called the Culinary School of America; I got in the first time. I was the last class in the old curriculum which means that I got a lot of stuff that the new kids aren’t getting now and I’ve been going ever since.

Christine: Did your experience as a reality star help you in the way you approach your career?

Chef Heather: Yes and no. If I didn’t win, it would be a hell of a lot harder because of the way you kind of get manipulated on TV and everything. They’re all excellent chefs, but when you deprive anyone sleep, food, smoke, and drink, then stick them in a room with no communication with anyone, something’s gonna happen and they’re going to cry and they’re going to mess up. And they do mess with them a little bit.

It has been hard getting a job especially in this economy. I’ll take any kind of restaurant that I like, I just want to cook! I just want food and I want to learn the job. I worked at ice cream parlors, I worked at bakeries, I worked at breakfast joints that just bang out breakfast.

Christine: So you keep honing your craft?

Chef Heather: Yea it’s not all 5 star but its good food.

Christine: What’s your favorite food?

Chef Heather: I eat a lot of Mexican, like chicken and rice, enchiladas, empanadas. I did traditional Mexican for a long time. I did that in the Hamptons at Almond/Almonditos. I was the executive sous chef. I was kind of a little bitch going back and forth but I did whatever they said.

Christine: Speaking of being a sous chef, aren’t you currently on Hell’s Kitchen Season 8? Can you tell us what it’s like being on the outside looking in.

Chef Heather: When I showed up on set, there’s a lot of meetings. There’s one meeting where you meet the cast there and they have a bunch of pictures on the wall; and they’re like … this person is so and so, this person doesn’t like to be called this and her fears are this. I’m looking around the room looking at the crew going “what the fuck did you say about me? You guys are bastards!” I can’t say too much but working in the back you see all the camera’s, that was a trip. I’d say something to a girl then look in the monitors to see if they were talking crap about me. It was fun! I would watch their confessionals I would watch them sleep.

Christine: Did everyone trip when Tennille and Chef Ramsey had it out?

Chef Heather: First of all how about Joseph from Massapequa? Thanks Joseph for making us look bad! [Joseph proclaimed to Chef Ramsey and the world that “he ain’t no bitch”]

I see her, (Tennille) she was like “you’re crap” I had a bug in my ear and I hear “ah-oh”. She left first. He didn’t follow her right away, the people at the door told her to stop. Then he came and I heard banging. Then I went in the back and I’m going what the fuck happened?

Christine: Were you ever cursed out by Chef Ramsey

Chef Heather: I got chewed out once, thank God they didn’t show it. I think its hysterical now. At the time not so funny. I’m getting direction from Chef Scott, producers, I was cooking but before service I cut my finger, I was bleeding for 2 ½ hours. There was nothing to stitch cause the tip was gone. Meanwhile Robert had a heart problem, Amanda has Lupus, and one guy has a cast on his wrist. I’m not going to be like “excuse me chef? I cut my finger.” Why would I say anything? He’d be like grow up!

So during service I guess I bumped it and had blood everywhere. I talked to the person in my ear, that I need a medic. Chef Ramsey is always telling you to plate with two hands. I only had one hand. Chef Ramsey yells “Two Hands!” I tell him I’m waiting for the medic to come and he yells “don’t be such a baby” in front of the entire dining room, both contestants, everybody. And of course when you walk out he has to tell you in the back after service “I’m really sorry I yelled at you, I was caught in the moment. When you’re cut just tell me.”

Christine: What have you taken away from Chef Ramsey? One thing specific?

Chef Heather: I learned a whole lot as far as sharpening my skills. How he describes salt. How he describes what salt does to the chemistry of food. There’s to a point that you add salt to the food where it gets salty. For lot of people it’s under seasoned.

Christine: Are you friendly with any of the Hell’s Kitchen Contestants?

I worked with Robert before Hell’s Kitchen at the Patio in Westhampton. We worked together. I talk to the alumni from all seasons. Tuesday nights they are going to come to Monterey to watch the show.

Christine: You became head chef of Terra Rosa Italian restaurant at the Red Rock Casino, Resort and Spa in Las Vegas. Was your experience what you expected?

Chef Heather: Yes and no. I did learn a lot at the restaurant. I was the senior chef. It jump started my career. I talked to everyone, doing publicity but I just want to cook. I learned every single line. I talked to everyone, I worked 7 days a week. I worked on my days off and worked every restaurant from that casino. I followed the executive chef around, I learned every single restaurant, the café, the breakfast line and I did tastings.

Christine: What will you bring to Monterey Restaurant as far as cooking style and leadership?

Chef Heather: Leadership style, as long as you’re doing everything right and you’re working hard and working clean there’s no reason why we can’t have a blast. I like high fiving the guys, I’m dancing, I scream, I’m always singing. I’m absolutely out of my mind to be in this business but its fun.

I took the whole menu apart. I changed all the plate designs and changed all the flavors, making sure everything is seasoned and fresher, no thick sauces, light fresh seafood.

All of our desserts are homemade. The cakes are homemade and so is the ice cream.

Christine: How about the Drink Menu?

Chef Heather: The drink menu as well. We’re bringing in Firefly, it’s a sweet tea vodka. It’s amazing! It’ll be a wicked Arnold Palmer. We’ll be fresh making lemonade as well. The bar menu has changed as well.

Christine: Any advice for up and coming chefs?

Chef Heather: Never go for the paycheck. Someone told me that. A chef by the name of Katie Brown, she’s out in the Hamptons. I went for a job with her to help make a cookbook and I didn’t get it. But I asked what advice she could give me and she said never go for the paycheck, go for the experience. I went from, when I was working at The Patio, making $1200 a week, a lot of money; especially back then, working 60 hours a week to working at Almond/Almondito 85-90 hours a week making $500 take home. But I was the happiest, happiest I’ve been and I loved it. She gave me that advice and that was the job that led me to gain my reputation and that’s how I got on Hell’s Kitchen. They came and saw me there.

Christine: So they work scouting around?

Chef Heather: They were scouting around that area and they came into the restaurant and I was like “Who the hell are you? Get out!” and they were like “Are you Heather West? We’re the casting directors for Hell’s Kitchen.” And I said “Oh, hi, sorry about that!” We’d like you try out and I was like really all right.

And my Dad said… “I’m not gonna tell you that you can’t do anything anymore because you always get it.”

I danced for years. I did jazz, point, ballet, lyric ballet and all that. There was an audition, like The Grind. It was for Global Group, to be one of the dancers for MTV. I wanted to do it, I was 19 years old I was going to college, I really wanted to do it. My dad was like “No, there’s going to be professional dancers…” he had never really seen me dance. I was like “I’m going to do it!” First he wouldn’t take me in, and then, I couldn’t get a ride. He said “I’ll take you” and I said no I got a ride.

My best friends took me in. I went to the city, and I went in and I did the audition. I was waitressing at the time, it was 5 days later and it was Sunday. I was at work and my parents came in to eat and I was thinking if they do call it will probably be 5 business days not 5 regular days so my Dad looks at me with a smile and says “What makes you think they’ll call?” And I say “Did I get it? Did they call! Did they call!” he’s like yea they called. So I was working for MTV for about a year and a half dancing for them.

At my parents house Hell’s Kitchen was on I’ll never forget. Hell’s Kitchen was on the first season and I said I want to do that! My Dad looked at me and said I’d be the first booted off. He said because I couldn’t take the yelling. I told him its different when you yelled at me as a kid, it’s different when it’s my dad. You yelled at me all the time! I can take it, I was like you prepared me for them.

They didn’t know how I was. My parents are very protective – I am their baby. I watched the show, I wasn’t the 18 year old that goes out and swings from the chandeliers. I wanted to show them that I was just as good as everyone else and just because I was just working at a restaurant, I wanted to show them what I had. So I went to the first audition but my Dad kept reminding me that a lot of people will be trying out for this. We kept on getting calls and finally it was down to 50. They sent me out to LA and then I come back and it was down to 25, so I was on pins and needles. I come by my parent’s house once a week to do laundry.

One week, I said the same exact thing I always did, I looked at my Mom and said “they probably won’t call today, it’s too late.” And 5 minutes later, the phone rings. I say hello, I go in the hallway and my mom’s in the kitchen and I say, oh my god thank you that’ s awesome! They tell me I got it, you’re on, we’d like to have you… and my Mom, I hear “Jack, she got it” I’ll never forget it was hysterical! She woke my Dad up my Dad came in and I was so excited, I called work right away and said I’m going to be gone for a month. Cause they relied on me a lot. My Dad said listen it doesn’t matter if you’re the first booted off or anything. You got it, you made it past thousands of people, you’re one of 12!

My Dad and I haven’t gone without talking more than 2 days my entire life. So this is 28 days without talking to my Dad or seeing him. There’s no friends, no family no TV, no radio, no internet, no music, no writing anything down, no reading, no books. Nothing. I had their picture in my back pocket, I was doing it to show them I wanted them to come there so I can say “see, I freaking told you I’m good at what I do!”

I work hard and I play hard and outside of the kitchen I’m crazy. But when I’m in the kitchen I’m serious and I get my work done. I have a really good worth ethic and I wanted to show them. So when it was down to the final two they brought in the parent’s. When the door opened I lost it “Daddy!”. Dad’s crying and my mom just kept on going “can you believe it” she was so cute “can you believe it” that’s all she said. My Dad couldn’t even say anything, he had no words, and he kept patting me on the back, ya know the Dad pat. “I haven’t gone without seeing my baby for more than two days”. They got it on camera “I told you I would do it.” And we hugged and he said “Yea you did!”

My sister is in the United States Naval Academy. I made the competition within myself we never really competed. I always felt what she did was so great and I’m like I’m just a cook or I’m just a chef. I graduated from the best culinary school in the country and graduated with an art degree as well. When my sister graduated the United States Naval Academy my Dad cried. I want to make my Dad so proud. I wanted to make him just ball! So when I graduated the best school in the country he didn’t cry, because he said I know that there’s better out there for you.

So at the finale I knew my parents were there and I was like I’m not getting so close and letting this girl take this away from me. My parent’s are here, and nothings going to stop me. So I open up that door and I look down and my Dad was balling. Balling! You see I’m about to cry. That was what I was waiting for my whole life. Not the money, not the title, nothing, not to win Hell’s Kitchen just to make my father proud. He was crying for 3 weeks later. Every time he would think about it he would tear up. Still to this day when he can’t sleep he watches Hell’s Kitchen. He’s like you’re so different, so strong the way that you did things. I’m so proud of you. He’s always saying that’s my little girl. He would say I always wanted to raise my daughters as strong individual girls that don’t need a man, that don’t need anybody to do anything for them. But at the same time I thought that they would always been around me because when I won I was going all around the world. So now he’s more than thrilled that I’m home and I’m staying with them. I drive an hour back and forth to come here.

Christine: Thanks so much for meeting with us Heather and we wish you lots of luck at Monterey. One last question, Butter or Margarine?

Chef Heather: Oh butter, Unsalted.

You can watch Chef Heather West currently on Hell’s Kitchen every Tuesday Night at 8pm on FOX or better yet come down to Monterey Restaurant in Long Beach and try out their new menu. Bon Appetite!

Check out our July Review of Monterey here!

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Photographer: Annette Gerani

20 W. Park Ave.
Long Beach, NY
516-208-8992

http://montereyny.com/

Touring Monterey Restaurant in Long Beach

By Christine Gerani

Photographer: Amanda Gerani

Nestled in the lively town of Long Beach New York lies one of the most beautiful restaurants I have ever seen, Monterey. With its creamy hues and extensive moldings, this piece of heaven turns a simple night out to dinner into a full visual and tasty pleasure.

Catering Manager Lisa Villafane gave us a full tour before the start of Friday Happy Hour. “Everything is fresh,” Lisa said. “No preservatives, no msg and no food enhancers.”

The smell from the kitchen is pulling us in. We meet Executive Chef Brian and Sous Chef Jaime. Sous Chef Jaime is handling colossal-size shrimp that made my mouth water, and as I snap myself out of the shrimp obsession, I notice how organized, friendly and approachable the staff is.  

In the main dining area, you are greeted with a fireplace surrounded by candles placed within the walls.  So perfect for a night out with your partner, yet cozy enough for family get-togethers. The Captain’s Table’s elegance is fit for a Queen – Queen Christine!

The acoustic duo John Cavazza and Andy Heyman from the band Greenhouse Effect are about to start performing and a crowd is gathering near the bar.   The dining room is also filling up and Lisa has an appointment coming in soon, so she takes us upstairs to view the private party room.  This room is huge and perfect for a Rehearsal Dinner, Bridal Shower, Engagement Party or even a Wedding. I am in awe as I notice that this dream room overlooks the main dining area and is next to the rustic wine room. “Where was this restaurant when I was getting married?” I thought to myself. 

The designs of both the Main Dining Room and The Private Party area were so well thought out.  No one would guess the surprise in the bathroom – from the raised sinks with the waterfall spouts to the antique style knockers in the men’s room even the bathrooms took my breath away.

Lisa now politely meets with her customers, a young couple looking to book an Engagement Party. She introduces us to her husband and manager of Monterey Joe Villafane. Filled with pride, he shows us a glowing Newsday review and Monterey’s incredible menu.  The budding photographer, Amanda Gerani, and I order the Sizzling Chili Calamari from the regular menu and the Crab Cakes from the bar menu.  As we wait shortly for our appetizers, I enjoy a nice house merlot.  The bar area is packed, the music sounds good and I dream of moving to Long Beach.

Our appetizers arrive at the bar and we both have an overjoyed look on our faces. The food is as good and as beautiful as the restaurant. Whoever thought to collide calamari with a general tso’s-style sweet and sour goodness is my new best friend.  The crab cakes were scrumptious and fresh.  We were happy, but sad at the same time, because we had another engagement that evening and could not stay for dinner. My husband and I will be back for a full dinner review…do you think I’ll get the Captain’s Table?

Update: September 1, 2009, Chef Heather West is now Executive Chef at Monterey Restaurant! Click here to read our interview.