What It's Like To Be... An Executive Chef
Sep 23, 2025
Cindy Wolf, a James Beard-winning executive chef and owner of Charleston in Baltimore, shares her culinary journey. She dives into the art of butchering whole alligators and crafting dishes like grilled sweetbreads. Cindy reveals what it was like to cook for the legendary Julia Child and discusses her desire to remove certain popular items from her menu. The conversation also touches on the challenges of managing a fine-dining kitchen, from staff dynamics to precise cost calculations for her signature dishes.
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The Alligator That Came To The Kitchen
- Cindy ordered a whole alligator, received a tiny frozen sample by mistake, then later broke down a full whole gator with her chef de cuisine.
- They filleted, grilled, fried, and braised parts and found the meat tender and surprisingly easy to work with.
Always Cost New Ingredients Per Portion
- Cost every new ingredient by calculating product cost per portion before you buy it.
- Include garnishes, batter, and every small ingredient when you compute the plate cost.
Train Hands-On; Use Software For Pastry
- Teach cooks by doing rather than relying on written recipes for every dish.
- Document consistent pastry recipes in software, but train most kitchen staff through hands-on instruction.
