The Waldorf Astoria Atlanta Buckhead has named two new chefs to spearhead its culinary experience. Chef Bermyson Dorvil, former head chef at St. Regis Atlanta, has been named Executive Chef. Chef Keith Hyche, former sous chef at Michelin-starred Atlanta restaurant Atlas, serves as executive chef at Brassica, the Waldorf’s signature brasserie-style restaurant.
Although The Waldorf Astoria announced their leadership in September, the seeds of their partnership were planted years ago.
Dorvil and Hyche said they always knew they wanted to work side by side. The two crossed paths regularly over the years with their roles on St. Regis Atlanta. As Dorvil jokingly put it, the pair often ran out of or lacked an ingredient or tool and regularly went to each other’s restaurants for help. The constant back and forth built mutual respect, a drive for excellence, and a sense of family that has carried over into their new roles at Waldorf.
“It was like second nature. When two people come together and are alike, and you have a common goal to do great things, it’s like night and day. It’s just easy,” Hyche said.
When it comes to the Waldorf, the common goal is to elevate the dining experience and culture of the luxury property. From changing the menu format to how dishes are prepared, the chefs knew they wanted to create refined meals packed with flavor and style. In Brassica’s intimate setting, which combines French cuisine with a Southern twist, the chefs serve meals such as mushroom-stuffed chicken breast with a collard green croquette and a dish called “Mardi Gras Squab” with sous-vide chicken and red raspberry sauce. with colorful cauliflower.
For Dorvil and Hyche, their love of food, like almost all things, began with family. While other high school students may have spent their summers outside or at camps, Dorvil was in the busy kitchen of his uncle and renowned chef Ivan Dorvil’s restaurant. When Dorvil told his uncle he loved helping him in the kitchen, his uncle didn’t hesitate to send him to culinary school at Johnson & Wales. In a kitchen in a small town in Alabama, Hyche watched as the matriarchs of his family prepared meals together for various occasions, where food became a community around the dining table.
If you happen to hear singing in the middle of a song of “yes cooks” and “corner”, it’s probably Hyche having a tune as he cooks and returns to his childhood.
“These are some of the happiest moments of my life,” Hyche said. “I like to bring that feeling to everyone. I like that it’s contagious and hope it’s contagious to all the cooks, even the chef; I also make him sing in the kitchen. Yeah, I know we looks crazy, but the food is good. It’s all love and passion.”
The chefs use that love and passion to find new ways to unite French and Southern cuisine that tells a story. That story begins in their birthplaces of Cap-Haitien, Haiti (Dorvil) and Lithonia, Georgia (Hyche). Haitian food is a Creole cuisine that blends Caribbean, Spanish, Arabic, African and French flavors. Dorvil said that when he thinks of Creole food, it’s about bold flavors and lots of spice, and he’s brought that cooking style to dishes on the menu.
“When I first arrived we had a snapper on the menu, but it was just a bland snapper. But now that I can come in as a Caribbean guy, I can actually marinate it with a nice little Haitian marinade and then still give it that nice flavor,” Dorvil said. “Even though we’re still building French menus, you still need flavor.”
Hyche said he feels a sense of pride when he thinks about being a Georgia native and strives to showcase the nuances of Southern cuisine and its ability to incorporate flavors from around the world.
“From Paschals to The Busy Bees, the foundation of Atlanta cooking, Southern cooking, I always just try to show that in every dish,” Hyche said. to Michelin status, and all these high-end places are just coming out, I want to make sure the Waldorf has something to say.”
The culinary journey of black chefs is one filled with ups and downs. Yet in the South, they continue to make a name for themselves by creating seats at the table and building that table themselves, winning James Beard Foundation Awards and taking their place as chefs at acclaimed restaurants. Dorvil noted that naming two young, black chefs to lead the dining experience at the luxury hotel speaks volumes for the growth of the Waldorf Astoria and the city.
“It’s hard for young, black chefs. It’s hard for us to get the role and for us to make sure we strive for top quality. It’s hard for us to get our feet in the door, but when we get our feet in the door , everybody sees what we bring to the table. Everybody sees how we can change a whole culture. Everybody sees that there’s a certain quality that we bring, a certain attitude that we brings.”
The story of young black chefs striving for excellence continues for Dorvil and Hyche. Dorvil said that when people talk about luxury, storytelling is a big piece, and their stories are no different.
“When I look at someone like Chef Keith, you’ve got a guy who’s been in the business for over nine years, started in the stewarding department and is now the executive chef of The Waldorf. What’s the bigger story? You’ve got a guy who basically came from Haiti, came to America, pursued a career in the business and became the executive chef of The Waldorf. What better story is that?”
As they take Atlanta’s Waldorf Astoria’s culinary offerings in a new direction, Dorvil and Hyche want people to know two things: they deserve it, and they’re taking over.
“Nothing is going to stop us. We visit obstacles and obstacles every day, but this is just another pedestal to say: look what we did and what we will continue to do. This is our home and we will do this to the best meal you’ve had in town,” said Hyche.
“We’re here to stay. Regardless of what was said before, it’s a new culture now. It’s new management. It’s a new vibe. It’s new everything. We’re coming,” Dorvil promised.