About Katie Button
May 27th, 2009 by HHG
Katie Button (daughter) – I graduated from Cornell University with a degree in Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering and went on to complete a master’s degree at L´École Centrale in Paris, France. I didn’t realize that I needed a career change until I was about to start my PhD. I went from a PhD student studying neuroscience to server at a restaurant called Cafe Atlantico/Minibar in Washington DC. It was there that I fell in love with restaurants, food, cooking, and Felix Meana, a Chef de Rang from El Bulli, Ferran Adria´s famous restaurant in Spain. Felix introduced me to Spain, El Bulli, and applications for liquid nitrogen outside of the lab.
I spent 3 months working as a server at El Bulli and it was there that I made the decision that I really wanted to be on the other side, with my hands in the dishes, creating. I asked Albert Adria and Mateu Cassanas, the pastry chefs, if I spent the year gathering some experience if I could come back the following year to stage in the pastry kitchen and they accepted my application. So after some time working with Johnny Iuzzini at Jean Georges in New York and then at the Bazaar by Jose Andres in Los Angeles, I finally made it. I completed a 7 month stage at the best restaurant in the entire world, with merely a year’s experience but a ton of ambition and enthusiasm for learning. In January 2010, immediately after finishing my internship at El Bulli, I moved to Asheville, North Carolina to focus all of my attention on our restaurant. I am thrilled to be a part of this wonderful community!
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