Tom Berry is Chief Culinary Officer of COJE Management Group, the Boston-based hospitality company with 11restaurants in its portfolio. Each of the concepts is unique, with cuisines ranging from Mexican to Chinese, Peruvian, Mediterranean, Cuban, American steakhouse and French.
Berry is as passionate about travel as he is about cooking, and many of the restaurants’ menu ideas are inspired by his trips around the world. Closer to home, the island of Nantucket off the Massachusetts coast is also a source of culinary inspiration. He worked as a chef in Nantucket restaurants, taking full advantage of the bounty of local seafood and vegetables. Berry also regularly participates in the Nantucket Wine & Food Festival.
Soon after graduating from Johnson & Wales, he was tapped by legendary chef Ming Tsai to help open his flagship restaurant, Blue Ginger. Since then, Tom has headed up kitchens and catering operations throughout the Boston area, culminating in his current position overseeing the diverse concepts under COJE’s management.
Listen as Tom talks about his journey as a chef, how Ming Tsai’s mentorship impacted his career and what’s in the works next for COJE’s restaurant collection.
Menu Talk is a collaboration between Restaurant Business Senior Menu Editor Pat Cobe and Bret Thorn, senior food & beverage editor of Nation’s Restaurant News. You can subscribe to it wherever you listen to podcasts.
