Meet the chef
Bald Headed Bistro’s Wesley True has ‘Top Chef,’ James Beard credentials
Wesley True, a native of Mobile, Alabama, two-time James Beard Award semifinalist and former sous chef under celebrity chef Bobby Flay, has returned to his Southern roots as Bald Headed Bistro’s new executive chef. The restaurant, one of Cleveland’s most-popular eateries, specializes in smoked meats, which happens to be one of True’s favorite cooking methods.
“I have a passion for barbecue and take a lot of pride in it, so that I can create and serve a perfect smoky, tender piece of meat,” he says, adding that even on his days off, he can be found utilizing his Big Green Egg smoker. “I cook on it every Sunday — even in the cold weather.”
As a contestant on Bravo’s Emmy Award-winning reality show “Top Chef,” True showed his chops with his cooking skills and personality. And while he’s the first in his family to pursue a career in the culinary arts, he comes by his love of the grill naturally.
“My dad’s been known to grill a mean filet mignon,” he says.
But it was a job at City Grocery in Oxford, Mississippi, while in college that altered his decision from attending Ole Miss on a sports scholarship to attending the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, New York.
Q
Why the change from sports to food?
A: When I was a student at Ole Miss, I knew I had an interest in cooking, so I applied at City Grocery and came to a realization that I didn’t want to pursue athletics. I got a taste of what it would be like to pursue a career in becoming a chef. So I enrolled in the Culinary Institute of America. Going to school there and living in a vibrant food city really propelled me into wanting to become a great chef.
Q
How did you come to work under Bobby Flay?
A: Basically, I applied after seeing an ad looking for a sous chef for Mesa Grill and I got a call to come in and cook a three-course tasting menu. The rest is history. I never worked directly with him, though, just his restaurant group.
Q
How did training under Flay and David Bouley [New York chef and restaurateur] influence you?
A: I would say I was largely influenced by working at Bouley [the chef’s namesake restaurant]. Cesar Ramirez, the chef de cuisine at the time I was there, served as my mentor, and under him I learned valuable techniques and a mindset for perfection.
Q
You’ve been a James Beard Best Chef in the South semifinalist twice. What will you do to become a winner next time, and how do you think winning will help the restaurant and your career?
A: There’s a funny story about that time in my life. The first year I was nominated, I had no idea that the award even existed. I was just having fun cooking and trying to be the best