Candid conversations with the dining scene’s most engaging chefs
Patrick Kaderka, Executive Chef, and
Elizabeth Thompson, Chef de
Cuisine, Bruneaux Restaurant
Bruneaux Restaurant
409 Beaver Street, Sewickley; 412.741.9200
bruneaux409.com
On the Menu:
American menu inspired by French cuisine
offers local farm-to-table, organically fed
and open-range steaks, chops, and chicken.
Seafood is ordered in fresh from sustainable
sea-to-table fisheries. Freshly made sauces are
savory, flavorful and prepared daily to enrich
menu items. Executive Chef Patrick Kaderka
executes the dinner menu items as Chef de
Cuisine Elizabeth Thompson focuses on lunch
and brunch menu items. A full- service bar
offers a menu of mixed drinks of fresh herbs
and house-made syrups and martinis. A
varied wine list offers bottles from around the
world, Stella Artois beer on tap and unique
specialty bottled waters.
What led you to become
chefs at Bruneaux
Restaurant?
P.K.: In the fall of 2014 I returned
to Pittsburgh to become the head
chef at Mambo Italia in Sewickley and am now
Bruneaux’s EC.
Q A
E.T.: I joined the team at Bruneaux as the Chef de
Cuisine last May where I design menu items for
lunch, as well as collaborate with Chef Patrick on
the brunch fare.
E.T.: At home I have an 8-inch Myabi chef ’s knife
with a birch handle. It’s such a beautiful piece and
can handle any task. And, I need a tasting spoon
so I can make sure whatever I’m cooking is just as
flavorful as it is balanced.
What are your favorite go-to ingredients?
P.K.: A good, high-fat-content butter. Whether
it’s adding silkiness to sauces, helping to get a
better sear on meat or simply spread on a slice of
bread, it’s extremely versatile. The tough part is
remembering to use in moderation.
E.T.: I really love how citrus makes food pop
and how you can manipulate it, such as grilling
or preserving it, to get a totally different flavor.
However, recently it’s been beef. We work with a
great local farm, Serenity Hill, and their product
has such a high standard of quality and flavor.
Best advice for a novice?
P.K.: You should always have a goal. My goal was
to work with Chef Katie Button [a four-time
James Beard nominated chef]. I left the Biltmore
for the opportunity to work with her. During
my tenure with Chef Katie I worked at Curate,
a renowned authentic Spanish Tapas restaurant.
Subsequently, I assisted in the opening of
Nightbell, a unique, speakeasy-inspired restaurant
specializing in reimagined American cuisine.
Those years were a real turning point in my career.
I learned so much from Chef Katie and was
encouraged to become better after observing and
learning from her talent.
Chef Patrick’s Escargot Bourguignonne.
12 724.942.0940 TO ADVERTISE | Cranberry
Chef Patrick’s Lamb Chop.
Chef de Cuisine Elizabeth’s Croque Madame.
What’s the next big food or dining trend?
P.K.: I’m not sure about the next big trend, but I
know the one that I hope sticks around for a while
yet: Pop-ups. From Rene Redzepi taking Noma
to different countries and Massimo Bottura’s
pop-up soup kitchens on the international level to
“underground” supper clubs and chefs using pop-
ups to test new menus on a local level, they’re
great ways for everyone to learn about and to be
exposed to different foods and techniques.
What kitchen tools can’t you live without?
P.K.: Throughout the years I’ve come to realize
that my go-to tool changes regularly. It can change
based on line station, menu or ingredients.
Currently my 7-inch flexible filet knife seems to
never leave my side. Butchering fish and breaking
down steaks has become a very big and welcome
addition to my day.
Bruneaux’s French-inspired interior design was
developed by Robin Fernandez in collaboration
with Sewickley-based architectural firm
Studio St.Germain.
Bruneaux Restaurant’s Chef de Cuisine Elizabeth
Thompson and Executive Chef Patrick Kaderka.
The 3,000-square-foot patio features radiant
heated floors and brick fireplace. Bruneaux also
offers a Chef’s Table with private enclosed seat-
ing for four guests located at the open kitchen.
E.T.: The next big trend isn’t really a trend as it is
a tried-and-true technique that has gotten a lot of
buzz lately: Sous Vide (steaming food in vacuum-
sealed pouches). We use the technique in the
restaurant and it’s a wonderful cooking technique.
It’s been around since the mid-1960s, but was
only really used in commercial kitchens. Now you
can stop by your local Williams-Sonoma and pick
one up for the home. n
—Reese Randall
INGOOD TASTE