The HandCut Foods team is brimming with culinary talent from across the country and around the globe. Brendan McDermott, one of our on-site chefs, hails from Manhattan where he cut his teeth as a dishwasher and line cook before attending culinary school and climbing the ranks in fine dining.

Brendan has worked at renowned restaurants including Mesa Grill (Bobby Flay), Olive’s (Todd English), Patria (Douglas Rodriguez), Alta (Enrique Olvera), and RM (Rick Moonen)—and that’s just the beginning. Outside of fine dining, Brendan has a background in bladesmithing and culinary education, coming to HandCut Foods after his most recent post as a culinary instructor at Kendall College. He has also taught at the Institute of Culinary Education, Porchetta, and Brooklyn Kitchen, the last of which earned him New York Magazine’s award for Best Cooking Class in 2010.

At HandCut Foods, Brendan serves not only as a skilled chef, but also as a team trainer and community educator. He regularly works with our customers at K–12 schools, universities, and businesses to develop custom classes and workshops.

To improve your culinary prowess from the comfort of your desk chair, check out Brendan’s free knife skills video courtesy of Craftsy, which also hosts his classes for 20 Essential Cooking Techniques and 25 Essential Grilling Techniques.

If you’re interested in hosting a class or workshop with one of our chefs at your school or business, send us an email at info@handcutfoods.com.