Last night I was fortunate enough to shake hands with Chef Brady at an event we worked. It’s the brief interactions and observations that are the most telling, as I watched Craig make final preparations for the table he was about to cook for. He was calm, methodic and ready to work.
Chef Brady will be attending OC Weekly’s Fresh Toast brunch event next month.
Want to be a part of the festivities? Then follow this link for information and to purchase tickets.
And if you’re hungry for more, we’ve got a link to the first part of his interview right here.
What were you studying in school before attending the French Culinary Institute?
My dad made me take a mandatory year at a JC to be sure it wan’t just a phase I was in I picked history as my major, which is fitting because food is nothing without history.
What was the turning point in your life when you decided you wanted to be in the hospitality industry?
I must have been 16— it just sort of dawned on me that it was the obvious choice. I had always been infatuated and experimental with food. I was cooking at home since I was very young.
What should culinary school teach that you didn’t learn until you worked in restaurants?
I’ll be honest and say my schooling did a fantastic job of prepping me to enter this world.
Where did you grow up, and where’s home these days?
I grew up in Chino Hills and currently reside in Corona del Mar.
Last song playing on your radio.
Happy Idiot by TV on the Radio.
Tell us something most people don’t know about you.
Gene Autry is my first cousin, twice removed.
Your favorite childhood memory:
Helping my mom bake and eating that first slice of her cinnamon swirl bread.
Last thing you looked up online:
Pho broth recipes.
Hardest life lesson you’ve learned:
Remembering to make time for my own life.
What would you like to try if you weren’t in this business?
Orthopedic surgeon because people from my generation jacked themselves up from Xtreme sports, so I’m sure it’s steady business.
Any idea what you’ll be cooking up at Fresh Toast next month?
Something seasonal and exciting, no doubt!
A contributing writer for OC Weekly, Anne Marie freelances for multiple online and print publications, and guest judges for culinary competitions. A Bay Area transplant, she graduated with a degree in Hospitality Management from Cal Poly Pomona. Find her on Instagram as brekkiefan.