FEATURED CHEF

Leon Bahlmann from Cafe Trio

Posted: 3/1/2009

BIO:
Before head chef, Leon Bahlmann, joined Cafe Trio as a sous chef three years ago, he also had worked at Frondizi's, The Fountain Cafe, Cafe Maison, and Plaza III. In addition, he completed a nine-month externship at the Ritz-Carlton during his two-year culinary program at the Culinary Institute of America, in New York City. "What made me decide to go to school was that I had always been interested in classical French [culinary] training," Bahlmann says. When Cafe Trio moves to the previous site of Frondizi's in late spring, he will feel like he's returned home. "I'm extremely excited to go back over there," he says.

PHILOSOPHY:
Café Trio serves casual, upscale, contemporary American cuisine, Bahlmann says. “If you start with quality ingredients and each is properly prepared, the dish will be better than the sum of its parts. We like to offer some great comfort food as well as upper end cuts of meats.” Bahlmann also tries to use a lot of local purveyors and the restaurant menu mentions individual farms and growers.

FEATURED CHEF ARCHIVES

Anourom Thomson
from Hereford House (posted 9/1/2010)

Executive Chef Andy Ward
from b:2 a burger boutique (posted 8/1/2010)

Marshall Roth
from Cafe Verona (posted 7/1/2010)

Robert Padilla
from Trezomare (posted 6/1/2010)

Chef Michael Smith
from Extra Virgin (posted 5/1/2010)

Executive Chef Charles d'Ablaing
from Webster House (posted 4/1/2010)

Chef Bob Brassard
from The Broadmoor Bistro (posted 3/1/2010)

Executive Chef John McClure
from Starker's Restaurant (posted 2/1/2010)

John Westerhaus and Chase Wilcox
from WestChase Grille (posted 1/1/2010)

Jennifer Maloney
from Cafe Sebastienne (posted 12/1/2009)

Jim Dennis
from Jardine's (posted 11/1/2009)

Linda Duerr
from Zest (posted 10/1/2009)

Mano Rafael
from Le Fou Frog (posted 9/1/2009)

Don Pepe
from Johnny Cascone's (posted 8/1/2009)

Tomas di Gregorio
from Em Chamas Brazilian Grill (posted 7/1/2009)

Amy Presson
from Marina Grog & Galley (posted 6/1/2009)

English Renshaw
from La Bodega (posted 5/1/2009)

Ryan Kelly
from Garozzo's Ristorante (posted 4/1/2009)

Leon Bahlmann
from Cafe Trio (posted 3/1/2009)

Greg Hunsucker
from V's Italiano Ristorante (posted 2/1/2009)

Patrick Williams
from Pierpont's at Union Station (posted 1/1/2009)

WHAT'S SO GREAT ABOUT INDEPENDENT CHEFS?

Independent restaurants mean fresher ingredients, chef dedicated to using the best ingredients in season, attention to detail, and many other things that you would expect.