B y D a n M c C a r t h y P h o t o s B y G r e g o r y C h e r i n
THE BERKSHIRES is brimming with locally grown culinary and music talent of various stripes . But , hands down , there ’ s only one Gordy Hebler . The Housatonic resident has just launched a catering operation called Your In House Chef . News of a new bespoke mobile culinary and private event management company is fine and good . But it ’ s Hebler ’ s winding and storied past of touring with and cooking for a Who ’ s Who of music and entertainment that is cause for pause . “ I come to your house and cook , and I tell you stories from rock ’ n ’ roll ,” says Hebler . Beat that .
Born and raised in the Berkshires , Hebler originally left for a life in Hollywood in 1976 as an idyllic dreamer , his sights set on something beyond the borders of Western Massachusetts . He landed jobs in the costuming department for ABC Movies of the Week ; worked for the master behind Barbra Streisand and Neil Young ’ s live shows ; and later ran stage , lighting , and design for power ballad rockers Ambrosia . Hebler then went back to Hollywood to work as the dresser for actor John Ritter for two of his films .
“ Ritter told me , ‘ Gordy , you ’ re not happy . You want to go back to the road and do lighting and stage work .’ And that ’ s what I did ,” Hebler says . He was then called by Dinky Dawson , the sound engineer behind acts like Steely Dan , Fleetwood Mac , Mahavishnu Orchestra , Joni Mitchell , and others . They needed someone to be production manager and lighting designer for Hall & Oates .
As one can imagine , there was plenty of big fun and wild times for Hebler in his 20s , driving around the country in a van with the duo behind the hit “ Private Eyes .” Once , Hebler was kissed on the cheek by John Belushi at a Beverly Hills Hotel where he was staying with the Hall & Oates crew . What followed was nothing short of mayhem : The band announced their room number on a radio spot , and thousands of people descended for an impromptu party at the hotel . Needless to say , the whole lot was kicked out .
Holiday Spring 2024 2023 BERKSHIRE MAGAZINE // // 79