Daniel Esses has had a life-long love affair with food. A graduate of the
Natural Gourmet Cookery School in New York, Mr. Esses has worked in the kitchens
of some of the most exclusive restaurants and spas on the West Coast and in
France, including the Wine Spectator Greystone Restaurant in Napa Valley,
the Michelin-rated Le Grand VeFour in Paris, and the Chateau de Montcaud in
Provence.
Since coming to New Orleans, Mr. Esses has honed his skills by working under such acclaimed chefs as John Besh at Restaurant August and Anne Kearney at Peristyle. Most recently, while serving as sous chef at the popular Café Degas, Mr. Esses co-founded the Savvy Gourmet Cooking School and leads its instructional classes on the fundamentals of cooking and the intricacies of ethnic cuisines.
At the Bank
Café, Chef Daniel Esses runs a meticulous kitchen creating enticing
dishes that are deceivingly straightforward and simple. Using colorful oils,
juices and purees, Chef Esses carefully unmasks and enhances the natural flavors
of his hand-selected ingredients.
Sous
Chef Michael Law (left)
Executive Chef Daniel
Esses (right)
"Food
is celebrated in New Orleans, and people have very high expectations for a
fine meal here. I have always believed there is no substitution for quality
and attention to detail in the kitchen... Our guests may not always be aware
of the careful preparation and hand-selected ingredients that went into their
meal, but they will definitely taste the difference."
Chef Daniel
Esses
The cooking style of Sous Chef and pastry chef Michael Law is a blend of culinary influences and experiences in the kitchen.
A native of Winston-Salem, N.C., Mr. Law began cooking at an early age in his family home, learning traditional recipes from his Dominican mother as well the regional specialties of the South.
He has worked at luxury restaurants in his native North Carolina
and in Seattle. In New Orleans, he gathered experience from the acclaimed
Restaurant Cuvee and served as Sous Chef at Restaurant Artesia, in Abita Springs.
In Europe, Mr. Law worked in fine-dining tapas restaurants throughout Barcelona,
a city known for its avant garde cuisine. He served as saucier at the elegant
and luxurious Hotel Romantik Speilweg in Germany.
