James Beard-nominated Tavel Bristol-Joseph delivered the keynote during this year's Art of Catering Food
Bristol-Joseph is the pastry chef and Partner at Emmer & Rye, Hestia, Kalimotxo, Canje, and Ezov in Austin, TX, as well as Ladino in San Antonio. He began his culinary journey as a young boy when he spent every Saturday afternoon baking cookies, cakes, and pies with his aunt. After moving to the United States from Georgetown, Guyana when he was 17 years old, Bristol-Joseph attended the New York Restaurant School.
Chef Tavel Bristol-Joseph preparing his sample in the Art of Catering Food kitchen. Photo courtesy Dana Gibbons Photography
Bristol-Joseph worked in a variety of restaurants in New York before moving to Tucson in 2006, where he joined Fox Restaurant Concepts. He worked within the restaurant group for two years before going to Zona 78 where he met and began working with Chef Kevin Fink.
Fink and Bristol-Joseph decided to move to Austin to open Emmer & Rye in November 2015. Emmer & Rye has been included in Bon Appetit’s “America’s Best Restaurants 2016,” list, as well as named Austin American-Statesman’s “2018 Best Restaurant in Austin.” In 2020, Bristol-Joseph opened Hestia with Fink, which has been named “#1 Best New Restaurant in America” by Robb Report.
Bristol-Joseph was named one of FOOD & WINE Magazine’s “Best New Chefs of 2020,” and in 2022, Canje was awarded “Best New Restaurant 2022” by Bon Appetit and featured in The New York Times as one of “America’s Best Restaurants of 2022.” BristolJoseph was also a 2023 James Beard Award semifinalist for “Best Chef: Texas.”
As part of his appearance at this year's show, Bristol-Joseph prepared a chicken curry sample for attendees. Check out the recipe below!
Photo courtesy Dana Gibbons Photography
Chicken Curry
Yield: 260 2-oz portions
Ingredients
Method
- Brine chicken 3% salt brine - pour it over. Let sit for 2-3 hours.
- Mix chicken and curry powder.
- Add oil to pan, brown garlic. Add in onions, ginger, and thyme. Simmer together.
- Add in chicken. Turn stove up to high heat. Simmer for 2 minutes.
- Add in water and deglaze. Add chili powder, tomatoes, mangos, and potatoes.
- Simmer together for about 10 minutes
- Add coconut milk and season to taste with salt and pepper.
- Cover and simmer on low to medium heat for 30 minutes or until potatoes are cooked.
- Cool and serve over white rice.
