Owner
NEIL FERGUSON
Executive Chef & Culinary Director
In today’s media circus of celebrity chefs, a gentleman like Neil Ferguson might seem old-fashioned. But the chef’s soft-spoken and unassuming manner belies a sure-footed passion behind the stove. Adept in all areas of his kitchen–from pastry to sauces–his well-researched and intelligent food at Allen & Delancey represents the culmination of a career spent in some of England and France’s best Michelin starred restaurants.
Born and raised in Hampshire, Southern England, Ferguson converted to the chef’s craft at age 12, inspired by a dinner prepared by British Master Chef Brian MacPhee. The intense experience ignited a spark, and he never looked back. Following three years at Highbury College of Technology for professional cookery (achieving top student status each year), he graduated to a commis position at the three-Michelin star Le Gavroche in London, where, he insists: “I learned more in three months than three years in college.” Next, a stint at the Claridges Hotel brought his natural talents up to speed and set into motion an educational journey through some of London’s finest two-Michelin star kitchens. Under the tutelage of Richard Neat at Pied a Terre he learned the flair of modern French style; under Pierre Koffmann at La Tante Claire he learned the deep, resonant flavors of classic Gascon cooking; at The Square with Phillip Howard it was modern eclectic amidst the chaotic pace of daily changing menus; and during two and a half years at Aubergine as Sous Chef for Gordon Ramsay (the position he held when the restaurant earned its second Michelin star), intense focus and attention to every detail were the invaluable lessons.
As Ferguson’s own culinary identity began to emerge, time spent in France delivered the greatest inspiration of all. First, a year in Burgundy at Marc Meneau‘s three-Michelin star L’Esperance. “In Burgundy, I began to truly understand French cooking,” he says. “I lived above the local butcher shop, waking to the smell of jambon persille and boudin noir. I saw the grape harvest, sank into the pace of country life and fell in love with a world in which food and culture are deeply interwoven.” Next, a year at the three-Michelin star L’Arpege in Paris with Alain Passard, a mentor he holds in highest regard. “Alain was the first to teach me to put product first and how to cook with all five senses.”
But further French epiphanies would have to wait. Offered a Sous Chef position with Gordon Ramsay at his new eponymous restaurant in Chelsea, Ferguson was enticed back to London to share in the achievement of the restaurant’s third star. A four-year run as Head Chef at the Connaught Hotel followed, where he earned one Michelin star within a year and learned the industry’s business side. The year 2005 brought Ferguson to the United States to open Gordon Ramsay at The London NYC as Chef de Cuisine, and where a tasting tour of the country’s 20-plus top restaurants left him impressed with the American restaurant community’s candid spirit and heartfelt support.
This expansive background forms the foundation of Ferguson’s culinary finesse, which draws insight from each experience into the amalgam of his own style. “To claim a captain’s status in the kitchen, a chef must understand every aspect of cooking and be able to jump into any station, pastry included.” Employing a modern, ingredient-based approach in the creation of his dishes, he takes the natural flavor qualities of seasonal and local ingredients as his departure point. Considerations in texture, temperature and color inspire enticing flavor combinations with technique following this organic lead.
Not afraid to forefront fats or deep flavors, Ferguson excels at subtle yin-yangs that tap the sharpness of acids or the intensity of sweets. Bone marrow, parma ham fat or the natural oil of avocado may be smartly matched against the strong essence of a pear vinegar, pink grapefruit or the sensual surprise of almond praline or candied ginger. Flavors are potent, yet self-effacing, always elegantly refined and intelligently applied. “I like contrasts in flavor,” says Ferguson, “but never an aggressive contrast. I let the central flavor stand, with other flavors flanking the qualities of this main ingredient.”
LORA KIRK
Chef
MARY FELDMAN
Creative Director
JACQUELINE CARSON-APONTE
Dining Room Manager & Private Events
JAMES ENDICOTT
Dining Room Manager & Beverage Director
TIFFANY MacISAAC
Pastry Chef
JASON VOLENEC
Interior Designer