Feb 13, 2008
Grill the chef: Bill Wavrin
* Age: 60 * Culinary training: French and European Training at Le Maison Grenouille, California Culinary Academy * Former gigs: The Fairmont Hotel, San Francisco; Timber Hill Ranch (Relaise Chateaux), Cazadero, Calif.; The Golden Door, Escondido, Calif.; Rancho La Puerta in Baja, California; Miraval, Catalina, Ariz. * Cooking specialty: World fusion and spa/healthy cuisine. * Inspirations: My grandmother and Sicilian aunts, Deborah Szekely (founder of Rancho La Puerta and Golden Door), Alice Waters, Luis Luzzatti (European chef), Ferran Adria (Spanish chef), Tom Keller (The French Laundry, Yountville, Calif.); Herve Le Biavant and Hubert Keller (San Francisco chefs) in my early years; chef Daniel Duran. * Favorite cuisine (to eat): Mine, Italian and Asian. I love food with heat. * Favorite food destination: French Laundry - great food, wonderful attention. El Bulli, Costa Brava, Spain - great inspiration. Masa's, San Francisco - just love it. Harry's Bar in Venice, Italy, because it's there. Babo, New York - great food made simple. Rao's, New York - if you don't know somebody, it's booked full. * Preferred kitchen footwear: Cloggs and Birkenstock Chef Clogs. * Favorite seasoning: I love garlic and chilies, most all fresh herbs and citrus in the correct combinations. * Least favorite seasoning: Cumin if too much is added. * Thing(s) you can't get through the day without: A long-distance good-night phone call from my daughters, BillieJeanne and Cheri. * Favorite quick meal: Grilled fish or Mexican lime and chicken soup with rice. * Overused ingredient: Fat, salt. Oversalted foods mask the wonderful natural flavors of its host. * Guilty food pleasure: All food is pleasure. There's not a bag of chips that's safe within my reach. * Food aversion you can't get over: Ill-prepared foods, lutefisk (a Scandinavian cod dish). * Upcoming food trend: Healthier look at all foods - I hope it is not (just) a trend. * When not thinking about food or cooking food, I am: Phoning my daughters, working out, hiking, writing or sleeping. I love fly-fishing. - Have a favorite chef you'd like to see "grilled"? Send nominations to dining@news-press.com.
via News Press
Read All 11 Comments
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Concerned for the family
Winston Salem, NC
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Chef Bill Wavrin is the soul reason for Dwyers Steak House closing. He was lazy. Never once was he the one in the kitchen cooking unless it was a meal for himself. He spent his whole day looking on the internet, drinking, eating in excess, and occassionally yelling at someone who worked there just to get his kicks. He talked about the family and there personal lifes with the staff and guests, he threatened to beat up a staff member in the dining room, because he had order a meal. He would get drunk and talk bad about guest who had disliked there food. He would never help the kitchen or other staff if they were busy. Bill Wavrin and him alone are responible for the lose of jobs to more than 20 people who had considered Dwyers there family. Seventy percent of the staff had worked there for over 3 years. Some had been there since it first opened almost 5 years ago. It is sad to see this beautiful and what was once happening location go under due to one man's worthless attempt at calling himself a chef. Thanks Bill Warvin what a great job you did!
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Fort Myers Pub MIA
Fort Myers, FL
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I Agree Strongly with the above comments.I was a customer for 2yrs of the former Steak House/Pub cant believe its gone. This so called Chef Bill sat at the Bar and Talked Shit and watched tv and filled is stomach, barked a couple orders, and I think he gave his advise once in a while, he must of cause from what I had heard about him, and now they are closed, what a shame, nice Family Those Dwyer Folks Too bad they were taken for a pricy ride from this Celebrity Chef Guy im sure. What gets me the most is the staff is well missed..
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matt
Los Angeles, CA
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It is clear that this guy had a personal problem with Chef Bill. I think chef kept him on just to help his family. Allot os the waitstaff though chef should have let this guy go. The economic times are what closed this place. Chef Bill kept it going. He was equally as sad to see it closed. I started with the change over. Chef Bill brought a great change to a place that was turning into a cheap bar with fights and a bad crowd. He brought pride and great food. He showd evryone how to cook his style and was in the kitchen every night. Chef worked everyday and paid for evry meal he had which was usually after 9 pm. He tipped over 30% to almost everyone and when we first started and were very slow he'd tip out at least 100 from his own pocket just to keep money in our pockets. His son told me he gave Chef Richie 1000.00 to help him out and paid for Buzz the assit manager's health club. The only time I saw chef upset was when a cook came in drugged out and he told him he was messing up his life.He did get mad at Buzz cause he didn't try to know the wine list or menu. He let Chef Richie stay in charge so he could still be respected. Chef Bill has diabetes so he couldn't drink much but he did drink red wine and allot of times it was with Mr. Dwyer, the owner. Mr. Dwyer told me that if Chef had not come on board the resataurant would have closed last year. Chef Bill isn't here to defend himself.
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Chef Richie
Palatine, IL
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Judged:
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I worked for Dwyers for over 4 years it was a adventure for sure. Im not here to point fingers and hide behind names and so on, The Truth is what it is. It was a great place when it began that struggled through times some good and some bad and it ended up that way as well, part of life right, it sucked to see people suffer at the end. but we all learned something and we all new what we were getting into, I wanted the new changes with Chef Bill and his healthy culinary style I learned like I do and now moving on spending time with my family and looking for a new career. The economy is a part of the closing, and the risk to change what we once was to what we bacame within this time period. Chef bill did lend me 1K and refused it when I tried to pay him back. I Thank You Chef Bill. And to All Enjoy Life. Thanks to everyones hard work we kicked Ass. Rich
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Chef Richie
Palatine, IL
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Judged:
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Oh and one comment to the above statment, I stayed on as Chef Richie cause I worked my Ass Off and was at work everyday 70 hours avg. I get the job done and see it out. If Chef didnt need me they would have fired me. we all know why I stayed on as Chef cause I Ran the Kitchen so take it deep you have no Idea what your talking about.
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The real Buzz Green
Prosperity, SC
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Judged:
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I am here defending my name to (matt) aka Johnny Wavrin to not post anything about me or my family. What a classless attack on me and we all know why Chef is not there anymore. If you tell me to stop feeling sorry for myself of a firing then you're going to get yours in the end. So good luck Wavrin family and dont jump to conclusions. And dont ever mention my name in a stupid blog. It is obvious you are not that smart Johnny so dont try to run with the big dogs. Never mention my name again
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Katie
Estero, FL
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Judged:
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Hey "Matt", get a grip and grow up. Everybody knows why the Pub closed (except you apparantly). If you really are as clueless as you appear to be, then may god have mercy on you !! Good luck in your future endeavors..and try to move on..everyone else has.
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hector
Fort Myers, FL
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Judged:
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hey yall its good to see yall together again to bad its like this.i was a young man when i joind the team eager to learn and it was a time of life.... wait fuck all that shit i was in the pub for six months to be honest it was the job ive held the longest to date. i loved going to work there it wasnt one of those places were youd be like fuck is so and so working today cause errr 1 was cool as shit . plain and simple the pub closed down because of the economy unless bill was also running other nearby restaurants that had the same fate.could he have choosen more price savy foods maybee could he have cut my pay from 10.50 maybee could he have closed sundays to save on bills maybee could he have put a manager to host instead of having to hosts maybee could he have turned the attic back into its original form maybee would doing all those things make what mister dwyer invisioned definitley no.so whos fault is it fuck if i know all i know is tthat i work for target and i hate it. i guess what im tring to say is its in the past and we cannot dwell or point fingers we should apreciate the memories and move foward good luck friends
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your cousin vinny
Fort Myers, FL
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f--ck u
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guapola california
Brea, CA
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im currently working for chef Bill. what can i say but good things. Chef has been an insperation to me and to everyone in the kitchen. Chef has come in to help us bring our place to a new level of. Chef treats up like his own family and only wants the best for us and our cafe. Chef is along side us at all times cooking with the rest of us. never once has Chef ever disrespected any one of us. We love him, and hope to have him with us for a long time.
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Phil and Les Plymouth UK
Bristol, UK
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We spent many an evening eating Chef Waverin's excellent food at Dwyers and he took Dwyers to a new height in quisine, just a pity it was not understood and supported by the locals, fast food is not a thing Chef Bill served, just tried to teach fine dining.
Chef Waverin also took the time to discuss his ideas and food with clients and took on board their requests, you have lost a cooking champion.
If anyone knows where he is now we would be interested.
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Judge it!
Leo
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