Kermit Sullivan

A LIFE WELL FED Chef Kermit Sullivan’s full circle moment came in the form of a well-prepared tasting menu for Colavita Olive Oil Company. His passion delights and appetites have led him from his beloved Mother’s table to become one of Restaurant Associates’ finest chefs. Growing up with a strong Mother,six sisters and one brother on New York’s lower eastside, Chef Sullivan was surrounded by loving people and loving foods. There was always something on the stove or in the oven, and every meal was prepared with meticulous care. It could be salmon croquettes with dill sauce made in mid-summer; a cool cucumber and tomato salad accompanied by a tall glass of homemade lemonade with a drizzle of Fox u-bet strawberry syrup; delicious flap jacks and apple compote on a weekend morning; or a hot pot of stewed chicken legs served with crumbled soda biscuit and smothered in onion gravy for a cold winter supper. Chef Sullivan’s youthful palate developed as he moved from his Mother’s table to the international foods served up throughout New York’s diverse neighborhood eateries and iconic street fairs. After finishing school at Seward Park High, an ambivalent young man headed to Baltimore, Maryland’s Morgan State University where after two years of moderate success, he took a part-time job at United Parcel Service. Eleven years would pass before he finally made a decision to turn his life-long passion into a career. After a short stint as a prep cook at Mariner’s Seafood Restaurant in Baltimore’s Inner Harbor, he headed back to New York to receive formal training at the French Culinary Institute. He quickly realized that while classroom learning was instructive, hands-on learning would be defining. THE TASTES OF THE WORLD Sullivan’s culinary curiosity and ambition begged him to seek those places in the world where the foods that he had both learned about and loved were begun. He spent two weeks at Le Marais in Paris, dining at famous eateries such as Au Pied De Cochon, Allard in St Michel and Miravile. He learned about simple fresh cooking while traveling extensively in Italy, such as the impeccably fresh fish on the Amalifi coast, home-made sausage in Sicily, Rosotto Ai Seppie in Venice and terrior in Basilicata. With a full understanding of French and Italian cuisine under his belt, he returned to New York to begin his career in earnest. His search for cultural authenticity continues however, and it has since taken him to Shanghai, Guilin and Hong Kong. During the down season, he makes trips to Mexico and the Caribbean, and was recently privileged to be the guest of chef and cookbook author Patricia Quintana at her home in Mexico City where he studied the Central American palate. His travels to Jamaica, St. Lucia and the Dominican Republic have also informed his already extensive experience with Latin and Caribbean food. His current favorites include Asian Fusion, Southern Cuisine, Comfort Food, Mediterranean Cuisine, Tapas, and Artisanal Foods. PASSION IN ACTION Upon returning to New York City, Chef Sullivan began working as a line cook at Sara Beth’s Kitchen on the Upper West Side. In search of the diversity he loved, he moved on to become a Chef Tournant at Kokachin in the Omni Berkshire Hotel. Their extremely innovative approach to Asian Fusion helped Chef Sullivan develop his inimitable style and continues to influence his cooking. His meteoric rise continued as he then went on to become the Executive Sous Chef at Restaurant Charlotte at the Millennium Broadway Hotel. He was then asked to come on board to launch Q-56, a World Seafood concept at the elegant Swiss Drake Hotel. IN DEMAND AND ON THE MOVE The demand for Chef Sullivan’s particular brand of culinary excellence continued. After completing one final turn as an Executive Sous Chef at the Ritz Carlton – Central Park South, he assumed his current role as Executive Chef at New York University’s famous Torch Club. Here, he oversees an annual sales of $ 5 million, and has elevated the level of food service to include international and regional buffets, and an Ala Carte menu for each season. He has also had the pleasure of creating catered event menus for high-end corporate clients such as Colavita USA, Perugina Chocolate, and Winebow Wines, Inc., and his delightful charm offensive is in full display when entertaining celebrity guests, such as Queen Noor of Jordan, EMMY winner Mariska Hargitay (NBC’s Law & Order), Richard Gere, Deborah Harry, Prime Minister of Great Britain Gordon Brown and Chelsea Clinton. He also prides himself on having fostered a work environment where diversity is valued, quality of life is enhanced, individual aspirations are fulfilled and the company's mystique is strengthened. PAYING IT FORWARD When not creating a world-class dining experience for his customers, Chef Sullivan passes on the lessons he learned in his Mother’s kitchen and in café kitchens around the world. He spearheads a mentoring program in vocational training and an intern