Bronx celebrity chef to cater upscale event
By Alexandra Simon
Bronx-based celebrity chef,
Wenford Patrick Simpson, better
known as Chef Patrick —
is catering an upscale party
in Westchester County next
month. The Jamaican-American
culinarian will be cooking
up the food offerings for
the annual “Blue and Bougie”
event in Rye, New York on
March 10. The upscale blue
dress code-themed party is a
premier mansion party for the
sophisticated party-goer, he
said.
“It’s a high profile event with
a lot of classiness, and it’s a
really bougie event with great
music entertainment in a luxury
home,” said Simpson.
At the event, the chef and
his assembled team of four are
going to serve a fusion of Caribbean
and American cuisine.
On the menu are various dishes
from red snapper tacos, macaroni
cheese truffle, Guiness
glazed chicken skewers, to jerk
scallops, to name a few.
He said while ensuring that
his menu reflected the elegant
theme of the party, he also
wanted the party to be a place
where its guests can get introduced
to several new dishes.
“When I looked at how classy
the event would be, I felt that
these items would stand out
because of how different they
were and mostly because you
can’t order it anywhere unless
it’s made by a chef,” he said.
Pointing out that some Caribbean
Americans are hesitant
to try new foods, he created
several combinations that
would readily entice curious
eaters.
“I know Caribbean people
on the whole love snapper, so
by integrating that into a taco
— I have a Mexican dish with a
Caribbean twist,” he said.
Green-eating options to
accommodate vegan or plantbased
diets will also be incorporated
into the menu, according
to Simpson.
Continuing to flourish in his
career as a well-known chef
who has cooked for Hillary
Clinton, Barack and Michelle
Obama, and Janet Jackson,
among many others, Chef
Patrick still remains committed
to his craft, as much as the
people who have surrounded
him throughout his career.
He credits his humble mindset
Caribbean L 38 ife, Feb. 22–28, 2019 BQ
as a reminder of his journey
from poverty in Jamaica, to
becoming the executive chef
at the BB Kings Blues Club
and Grill — which closed last
spring.
“I like to stay grounded
and intertwined with what’s
going on in my community and
familiarize myself so that people
know who I am,” he said.
Next month, Simpson will
make his network television
debut with a show on the Food
Network. Even with all the continuous
and endless opportunities
that come his way, he said
he never wants to forget where
he came from and hoped to
gradually move up as opposed
to completely leaving his roots
behind.
“Of course as your career
grows, there are certain elements
that will change that
you can’t control and you’ll
have to make the necessary
changes,” said Simpson. “But
until I get to that point I don’t
want to turn my back on my
community.”
“Blue and Bougie” at Wainwright
House 260 Stuyvesant
Ave. at Van Wagenen Avenue
in Rye, New York, (914) 505-
Jamaican-American chef, Wenford Patrick Simpson, is catering
the upscale event “Blue and Bougie,” in Westchester
on March 10. Winston Rodney
7481, www.blueandbougie.
com. March 10, 4:30–10 pm.
$60–$200. Blue formal attire
required.
/www.blueandbougie
/www.blueandbougie