Executive Chef – Brad Farmerie

Brad Farmerie grew up in Pittsburgh in a food-loving family, where his mother exposed him to a variety of cuisines from a young age, always insisting on home baked bread and vegetables straight from the family garden. 

After a brief college hiatus spent exploring the cuisines and wines of Europe, North Africa, the Middle East, Southeast Asia and the Antipodes, Farmerie followed his love for food to the UK and earned his “Grande Diplome” at Le Cordon Bleu in 1996. 

He further rounded out his education and technique at acclaimed restaurants Coast, Chez Nico and Le Manoir aux Quat’ Saisons. Most influential to his own style was his experience working with Peter Gordon at the Sugar Club, and he went on to assist Gordon and Anna Hansen in opening the critically-acclaimed The Providores and Tapa Room in 1996.

In 2003 Farmerie moved back to the States to help conceive PUBLIC, AvroKO’s first self-propelled restaurant.  There, his creative, global approach was described by the New York Times as one that “swings for the fences with each and every dish”, and Michelin awarded the restaurant a coveted star in the 2009 Red Guide.  2006 saw the opening of The Monday Room, a 20-seat wine bar within PUBLIC, where Farmerie offers some of his most creative dishes yet, designed expressly to pair with the Monday Room’s eclectic wine selections.   

In the fall of 2008, Farmerie extended his culinary reach as executive chef of AvroKO Restaurant Group’s Double Crown and Madam Geneva, which takes as its inspiration the unique cuisine that emerged when the British colonized the countries of South Asia and the Far East.  Shortly after opening, the restaurant received a 2- (out of 4) star review from the New York Times. 

Farmerie showcased his culinary talent on national television on Iron Chef America, which aired Sunday, August 23^rd, 2009. He was the winner of his ‘kitchen battle’ in a ‘maple syrup’ challenge. Following this achievement, he was invited to be a contestant on the Food Network Next Iron Chef America which aired in October & November of 2009.

AWARDS AND RECOGNITION

FOOD ARTS’ EMERGING TASTEMAKERS, 2006
Chef Brad Farmerie was honored for his pioneering brand of global cuisine, joining an elite group of ten young chefs recognized for “influencing what, where and how we dine out on a national level.

STARCHEF’S “RISING STAR CHEF AWARD”, 2005
The StarChefs board, made up of twenty of the country’s leading chefs, chose Farmerie as a rising star, based on criteria that included creativity, ambition, and exquisite presentation.

GLOBAL MAGAZINE TOP 50 “CHEFS TO WATCH”, 2005
Global Magazine acknowledged Brad Farmerie for his unique cooking style in their “Ones to Watch” issue. Farmerie was noted among 50 chefs that will influence cuisine at a global level.

NEW ZEALAND FOOD AND WINE AMBASSADOR, 2005-2006
The New Zealand Trade Commission annually selects outstanding culinary professionals to represent their food and wine around the globe. Farmerie was selected along with Scott Bryant of Veritas and Roger Dagorn of Chanterelle.

Pastry Chef – Ellen Mirsky

Executive Pastry Chef Ellen Mirsky expresses her culinary philosophy in tandem with PUBLIC’s free-spirited fusion. Incorporates exotic ingredients in her seasonal desserts, Mirsky’s specialty is combining classic, sweet flavors with salty, acidic, and savory ingredients to create desserts with an unusual twist.

Mirsky began her career as a fashion designer. After studies at Syracuse University, she spent a postgraduate year in London at St. Martin’s School of Art to study design. She soon decided to follow her true passion and attended New York’s Institute of Culinary Education (ICE), graduating with a degree in pastry arts.

Her dessert creations are fueled both by her design training as well as a love for travel. Ellen continues to pursue her penchant for international cuisine and culture, visiting pastry and chocolate shops around the world to taste local sweets and broaden her palate. She has built a well-deserved reputation in the kitchens of some of the country’s most celebrated chefs, including Charlie Palmer, Todd English, and Pichet Ong.