Bruce Kalman

BRUCE KALMAN
James Beard-nominated Chef, co-owner of Knead & Co in Los Angeles and Soulbelly BBQ in Las Vegas
HCCC Culinary Arts Institute

Born and raised in northern New Jersey, Bruce Kalman is a James Beard-nominated chef and co-owner of Knead & Co. Pasta Bar + Market in downtown Los Angeles as well as the chef-founder behind BK Brinery, his artisanal pickle company. He began his career at a local pizzeria in New Jersey and later attended a small hands-on culinary program at Hudson County Community College in Jersey City, NJ. After school, Bruce cooked with Paul Bartolotta at Spiaggia in Chicago and headed back to New York for an opportunity to work with David Burke at Park Ave Cafe. From there, Bruce went on to become the executive chef at Okno, Green Dolphin Street, and Coco Pazzo. He eventually left the city and took on executive chef stints in Santa Fe (Il Piatto) and Phoenix (Chelsea’s Kitchen) before making a move to Los Angeles to open The Misfit in Santa Monica. At The Misfit, Kalman served farmer’s market-driven fare, with a strong emphasis on Northern Italian and Mediterranean flavors and preparations.

What factors led you to decide to attend Hudson County Community College?

I was accepted there as well as CIA [Culinary Institute of America], and I really liked the size of the classes, how strict the program was, and that it was incredibly hands-on, more so than writing reports, etc.

What is your favorite memory of the College, in or out of the classroom?

When we carved ice and tallow for the NYC Restaurant Show with Chef O’Malley and spent the night in the dining room in sleeping bags.

What advice do you have for those students who are just starting their college careers?

Work in a restaurant while you’re going to school. This will do a few things: it will help you see things more clearly in the classroom, because you’ve kind of done a lot of what you’re being taught, which gives you the opportunity to take it to the next level. It also helps you decide quickly if this is the career for you. It’s an incredibly tough and unforgiving industry, but we do it because we love it. I especially love to make people happy – guests and staff.