Russell Platoff

Petit Ermitage Executive Chef Russell Platoff

CHEF RUSSELL GREW UP IN MIAMI, FL THE YOUNGER OF 2. HE BECAME INTERESTED IN COOKING WATCHING HIS FATHER PREPARE MEALS FOR LARGE FAMILY GATHERINGS. WHEN RUSSELL WAS ONLY 17 HE WAS SENT TO MILAN ON A MODELING CONTRACT. HE DIDN'T LIKE MODELING; HOWEVER HE BECAME CAPTIVATED BY THE SIGNIFICANT CUISINE OF MILAN. SOMETIME AFTER, HE JOURNEYED TO ISRAEL AND FELL IN LOVE WITH THE FRESH SALADS, MIDDLE EASTERN SPICE AND THE PRODUCE AVAILABLE THERE. UPON HIS RETURN TO THE STATES HE MOVED TO LOS ANGELES TO PURSUE HIS ACTING CAREER AND OF COURSE SPENT MOST OF HIS TIME WORKING IN RESTAURANTS IN BETWEEN GIGS. WHEN HE WAS HIRED AS A SERIES REGULAR ON YOUNG AND THE RESTLESS HE KEPT WORKING IN THE EVENINGS AS A BAR BACK DURING HIS OFFICIAL 2 WEEKS NOTICE. ALSO AFTER BEING HIRED AS A POWER RANGER FOR THE KIDS SERIES IN 1999 HE KEPT COMING BACK TO THE WORLD OF RESTAURANTS.

IN LOS ANGELES HE WAS EXPOSED TO THE FLAVORS OF CENTRAL AMERICA AND TEMPTATION SOON TOOK OVER. HE SPENT A YEAR TRAVELING THROUGH MEXICO, GUTEMALA AND BELIZE EXPERIENCING EVERYTHING FROM PROPER MOLE TO JOHNNY CAKES FROM STREET VENDORS IN BELIZE. HE SKINNED DIVED FOR FRESH FISH OFF OF THE COAST OF THE YUCCATAN PENINSULA AND FINANCED HIS JOURNEY BY COOKING FRESH FISH FOR TOURISTS. IT BECAME VERY APPARENT WHAT HIS TRUE CALLING WAS WHEN HE WAS WORKING AS A DISHWASHER AT CAFE FIGARO IN LOS ANGELES. ONE EVENING WHILE HE WAS FINISHING UP THE PILE OF POTS AND PANS IN THE KITCHEN, THE OWNERSHIP ARRIVED WITH 20 FRIENDS FOR A PRE PLANNED PARTY. DUE TO A MISCOMMUNICATION THERE WAS NO CHEF OR FOOD TO GREET THEM. RUSSELL STEPPED UPTO THE CHALLENGE BY CREATING AN AMAZING SPREAD. NEEDLESS TO SAY, HE WAS PROMOTED TO TAPAS CHEF THE NEXT DAY.

SOME TIME AFTER, HE ACQUIRED A PREP COOK POSITION AT THE FAMED BAR MARMONT. IN NO TIME HE ROSE THROUGH THE RANKS TO BECOME HEAD LINE COOK AND THEN SOUS CHEF SIMULTANEOUSLY TAKING ON THE POSITION OF FLOOR MANAGER THERE. AFTER 3 YEARS HE MOVED ON TO A MANAGERIAL POSITION AT CLIFF'S EDGE. SOON AFTER HE BECAME THE GENERAL MANAGER OF PANERA BREAD WHERE HE LEARNED A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT ABOUT PROFITABILITY, TRAINING AND MANAGEMENT. HIS FULL CIRCLE JOURNEY WOULD LEAD HIM TO WHERE HE IS TODAY. A 6 MONTH STINT AT THE EVELEIGH WORKING UNDER CHEF JORDON TOFT WOULD RELIGHT THE FIRE THAT WAS GROWING INSIDE ALL THE WHILE. HE WAS THEN OFFERED A POSITION BACK AT THE BAR MARMONT WORKING UNDER CHEF CAROLYNN SPENCE HOWEVER A TWIST OF FATE WOULD POINT HIM IN A NEW AND EXCITING DIRECTION. HE ACCEPTED A POSITION AT THE PETIT ERMITAGE HOTEL AS A JR. SOUS CHEF.

THE REST IS HISTORY.