We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Brandon Walker. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Brandon below.

Hi Brandon, thanks for joining us today. What did your parents do right and how has that impacted you in your life and career?

My parents did a lot of things right which have impacted my life and my career. My mom taught me about having faith in God and instilled in me principles about God that I carry with me till this day. I have found memories of learning my way around the kitchen with my mom, helping her bake cakes, and making numerous dinners for my family. Along with showing me what real hospitality was by providing a safe space in our house for friends and family when in need. My dad on the other hand was a jack of all trades whether it be carpentry, construction, or car repairs you name it he did it, And I would be right by his side soaking it all up, which led me to be able to lean on those skills as an adult when I started to build my own family. Both of my parents showed me what work ethic was, respect for people and for oneself was all about and for this I’m truly grateful for their tutelage and impact on my life and career.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

Chef Brandon Walker, a Brooklyn native, is the executive chef/owner of Essie’s Restaurant in Poughkeepsie NY. He is a graduate of the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park NY
and has a range of professional experiences in the culinary arts. His experiences have been
in renowned New York City restaurants along with traveling around the world to further
expand on his global knowledge of culinary arts.
Chef Walker was drawn to Poughkeepsie, NY and the Hudson Valley Region because of its
rich culture of artisans. Immersing himself in the food scene; he has worked in some of the
best local restaurants in the Hudson Valley and received numerous accolades for creating
seasonal menus that uniquely displayed his cooking style, along with utilizing ingredients
from local farmers and purveyors.

Chef Walker founded B&L Hospitality in 2014, B&L Hospitality is the Hudson Valley’s
premier restaurant group. His mission is to “Create Memories with Exceptional Food and
Service” through all of his restaurant concepts. In June 2016 Chef Walker opened Essie’s
restaurant. Essie’s is a place that showcases Walker’s globally influenced cuisine but also
pays homage to his grandmother and the women in his family who are great cooks and are
the reason his interest in food was ignited. Since the opening of Essie’s Chef walker has
received reviews and accolades from the Poughkeepsie journal, Hudson Valley Network
News, Khaleej Times, Parlour magazine, Daily Voice, Chronogram, Edible Hudson Valley,
Verizon FiOS Restaurant Hunters, and Best of the Hudson Valley 2017, 2022, 2023 from Hudson Valley
Magazine for delivering outstanding food and service and best southern food. Chef Walker has also made television
appearances on food network show Re-wrapped, Chopped, PBS, and HGTV’s My Lottery
Dream Home.

Chef Walker believes in his community and gives back by getting involved with local profit
and non-profit organizations. He currently serves on the Dutchess Tourism Board of
Directors, Dutchess Outreach Board of Directors, and the Dutchess Workforce Development
Board. Annually he educates a women’s group that focuses to improve their eating and
cooking skills using local products, workforce development and mentoring to young men
and women seeking a career in the culinary arts, and several fund raisers that provide
services to his communities underserved.

Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?

The Story that really illustrates my resilience is when I decided that although covid 19 had a terrible impact on restaurants that I was not going to give up. Because of staffing challenges and some of my employees not returning although they were furloughed. There were several times during the pandemic where I literally operated my restaurant on my own. I was the host, the waiter, the bartender, the chef, and the dishwasher. When you have a dream, passion for your craft, and you own a business you will do whatever it takes to keep the ball rolling. Don’t ask me how I did it, because till this day I wonder how I did it.

How’d you build such a strong reputation within your market?

What I attribute to building my reputation in my market is getting involved in the community. Networking with the stalk holders of the community in business. Being consistent with providing a quality product and services.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.essiesrestaurantpk.com
• Instagram: www.instagram.com/essiesrestaurantpk
• Facebook: www.facebook.com/essiesrestaurantpk

Image Credits
Brandon Fiege Vanessa Williamson