Chef Andrew “Drew” Bernadine joined us for his second Chow on June 21 & 22. This time he's walking us through his culinary journey one plate at a time.
Oxtail Chalupa
Drew’s first job in the food industry was at Taco Bell. He started as a cashier, and after 8 months he moved up to the food line making tacos, burritos, and of course chalupas! We’re starting Drew’s culinary autobiography with his Caribbean take on the fast food chain’s chalupa. He fills crispy fry bread with shredded oxtail and tops it with a homemade jicama slaw.
Vegan: Oyster Mushroom Chalupa
GF: Oxtail on crispy GF pita bread
“Roz con Pollo” Arancini
Brio, an Italian restaurant, was Drew’s introduction to a a full-scale commercial kitchen. He stared as a dishwasher. Soon he was responsible for the mash potatoes, which he made fresh every two hours. Then he moved up to the pantry. For this dish, Drew takes inspiration from his grandmother’s Latin kitchen and Brio. Arancini is a deep-fried Italian rice ball. Drew fills his with the flavors of Arroz con Pollo (a traditional Latin American dish of rice with chicken). Pulled chicken, green olives, cilantro, onions, peppers and a Bay leaf flavor the rice. Which is breaded with Panko before being fried. Served with a green spice aioli, made with parsley, cilantro, garlic, ginger, onions, bell peppers, thyme, oil, and vinegar.
GF version available.
Vegan: Corn, tomato, onion, and bell pepper arancini with a vegan sauce
Curry Salmon with Coconut Rice, Cabbage Slaw, and Plantains
Before the Pandemic, Drew was working at True Food Kitchen, an eco-chic chain serving health-conscious fare. In 2019 when the restaurant closed (thanks, COVID!), Drew launched his own brand, Cooks with Passion. He took to social media and the first plate he offered was a curry bowl. His red curry salmon is paired with coconut rice, a refreshing cabbage slaw, and fried plantains.
GF. Vegan: Roasted Tofu Curry Bowl
Baja Blast Sorbet
We’re going back to the beginning of Drew’s culinary journey for the dessert. On summer days in New York, there’s one thing that’s never hard to find, the Icee Truck. The vendors chant their enticing offer of mouthwatering flavors. Drew’s water ice is inspired by the flavors of Taco Bell’s Baja blast. The tangy and sweet infusion of fresh citrus, pineapple juice, and blueberry.
Vegan and GF
Chef Bio
Chef Andrew “Drew” Bernadine grew up in the Bronx, the son of a Honduran father and a Jamaican mom. On Sundays, he helped his grandma cook for the church. She’d wake up at 4am to bake fresh bread. It was a lot of work, but he saw how much respect her cooking garnered. Drew’s mom sat him in front of “Food Network” where he fell in love with the popular chefs of the time – Emeril, Mario, and Alton Brown.
His family moved to Atlanta in 1999. Right after high school he started cooking in restaurants and stayed in the industry for about a decade. He was working at Season 52 and True Food Kitchen when the Pandemic hit. When the restaurants closed, Drew knew it was time for him to strike out on his own.
“I always wanted to be a professional chef – get my ideas out there. I’d worked on everyone else’s dream, not my own. I wanted to be in front, be in charge, my vision.”
He started selling plates by posting on Instagram and Facebook. After a few weeks, a patron asked Drew to cater a birthday dinner. It was his first gig as a private chef. During his first pop-up at the Peachtree Road Farmers Market, his breakfast waffle sandwiches were such a hit that they sold out.
Drew’s culinary voice reflects both his Latin-Caribbean roots, his childhood in New York, and his time cooking in professional kitchens. Under his brand, Cooks with Passion, Chef Drew creates custom menus for clients featuring sustainably-sourced ingredients and elevated plating.
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