We recently connected with Caleb Hernandez and have shared our conversation below.

Caleb, appreciate you joining us today. What did your parents do right and how has that impacted you in your life and career?

My parents always taught me the value of hard work and dedication. They come from a rigorous, religious background where good morals are essential to our everyday lives. They raised my older brother and I with a firm hand while teaching us the importance of love & compassion. My mother took care of us during the day while my father ran his business, She cooked almost every night bringing Puerto Rican flavors to the table which seared their memory into my brain. My mother is of Puerto Rican descent and my father is Mexican-American. Both cuisines were our primary meals but sometimes my mother would dabble in Italian cuisine. That would be a rarity but amazing either way. My mother always poured her heart and soul into what she made for dinner. That exact action made me understand the value of using love as an ingredient. She taught me that it doesn’t matter who you are cooking for, what you present on the plate is a version of yourself, a window into your mind. She also taught me that cooking for someone else is a form of love and acceptance, bringing friends to the table and enjoying each other’s company. That is what sparked my love for cooking.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

My name is Caleb Brandon Hernandez and I am a Michelin-trained private chef. I started cooking in gastropubs and wineries out by Temecula when I was 18. From that point, I was trained by Chef Daraugh Matheson who taught me everything I needed to know about finesse and pride in the kitchen industry. He had a few books from Thomas Keller that I would read when I had a quick 10 minutes of free time in the kitchen which was rare. On my off days, I would go to Barnes & Nobles to buy a quick drip coffee from Starbucks so that I could read his books for a few hours. The cleanliness, organization, plating, and cooking techniques his books showcased inspired me to reach even further for perfection. In time I was able to land a job at Bouchon Bistro where I fell in love with French cuisine. I spent 4 years cooking at the bistro where I honed my skills and techniques, always improving in my passion. I had the opportunity to work for a bit at The French Laundry where perfection and attention to detail were pushed to near impossible limits. Once I moved back to Los Angeles, I spent some time cooking for celebrity chef Curtis Stone. His plating aesthetics as well as family-style cuisine brought me to my current journey of cooking for guests in their homes. Taking techniques and flavors from French cuisine and incorporating them into Michelin-style family plated dinners.

What do you think helped you build your reputation within your market?

There are a few things I believe;

Taking pride in my work

Not being pretentious and charging insane prices

Always treating the customer with the utmost respect

Fast responses and customization

Are there any books, videos, essays or other resources that have significantly impacted your management and entrepreneurial thinking and philosophy?

The three books that changed my entire perception of cooking were Alinea, The French Laundry, and The Flavor Bible. Every chef must read and study the successful ideas of other chefs to garner inspiration and keep it. The Flavor Bible is a must for every chef no matter the experience or age.

Contact Info:

• Website: thymetarragon.com
• Instagram: @thyme_and_tarragon