Chefs Tell All: The Best and Hardest Chefs to Work For

For our January issue, we asked 24 chefs to give their candid—and anonymous—opinions on overrated colleagues, underappreciated restaurants, embarrassing ingredients, and nightmare customers. We're posting the results throughout the month.

Written by Washingtonian Staff | Published on January 21, 2011

Michel Richard, left, was cited as one of the hardest chefs to work for. Robert Wiedmaier, right, "rewards people who do well for him."

Which chef is hardest to work for?

Jeff Buben (Vidalia, Bistro Bis): “If anyone worked for Buben, I automatically hire them.”

Michel Richard: “You can only work for him if you’re French.”

Which chef is best to work for?

Ris Lacoste (Ris): “The sweetest woman.”

Robert Wiedmaier (Marcel’s, Brasserie Beck, Mussel Bar, Brabo): “As challenging as he might be, he rewards people who do well for him.”

This article appears in the January issue of The Washingtonian.

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