Chef Rich Rosendale, CMC

09/01/2026

Congratulations to the candidates who came through our Certified Master Chef prep course last week; Yaya Rodriguez, Stephen Billiar, Ky-Wai Wong, and Nick Marchesano. Three full days of lecture, practical, and demonstration. Serious work, and it showed in that kitchen.

A special thank you to Chef Gerald Ford, CMC, our guest instructor. Your generosity with your craft and your time made a real difference for this group.

And a special thank you to Chef Luis Young, a past candidate of this course and now a Certified Master Chef himself, who provided a beautifully executed pâté en croûte for the class.

Something I shared with the group: I know what I know because of the people I've worked with over the years. We all start with the same boiling water. It's the ingredients, the people around you, that determine what your flavor will be.

I've been fortunate to be around a lot of master chefs. Chef Hartmut Handke in Columbus, Ohio, was my first experience at the CMC level. Chef Lawrence McFadden at the Ritz-Carlton. Chef Roland Henin, who helped guide my training for the Bocuse d'Or early on. My Culinary Olympic teammates Dan Scannell, Russell Scott, Joachim Buchner, and Ed Leonard. And I had the privilege of welcoming Thomas Keller into honorary CMC status at the Greenbrier, at a special event honoring him and Chef Ferdinand Metz. There are many more.

We dedicated the classical section of the training to Chef Peter Timmins, CMC, who I worked with at The Greenbrier. I brought back a refreshed version of a presentation he and I built together years ago at the Club Chefs Institute on classical cookery, and it was a real pleasure to share it with this group. His life's work has inspired countless chefs, mine included. That section belongs to him.

Thank you as well to the American Culinary Federation and American Master Chefs Order for the work of updating the CMC exam, and to all the chefs involved in that effort. To Yaya, Stephen, Ky-Wai, and Nick... keep the standard high, and lean on the people around you. You're in good company.

08/05/2026

I used to watch Emeril every day when I got home from school. Those afternoons played a huge role in inspiring me to become a chef. So getting to spend last week in New Orleans working alongside Emeril and E.J. was a true full-circle moment. As incredible as the food was, what stood out even more was the people. Emeril and E.J. were gracious hosts, and E.J.'s professionalism, generosity, and kindness left a lasting impression.
Some moments remind you why you fell in love with this industry in the first place. Grateful for the opportunity and the memories.

07/29/2026

The clock stopped in New Orleans.

Eight nations. Four days. A countdown that doesn't care how good the plan was.

🥇 United States — Vincenzo Loseto, with commis Tyler Higson and coach Mathew Peters
🥈 Canada — Keith Pears, with Joseph Mongillo and Johnson Wu
🥉 Colombia — Juan Buitrago, with Laura Osorio and Carlos Pajaro

And to Ecuador, Mexico, Brazil, Chile and Argentina — every candidate who walked into that box under the lights and delivered.
Serving on the Continental Organizing Committee means you see the parts the audience never does. The box checks. The rules meetings. The seconds nobody notices until they're gone. Keeping time for this competition is a privilege I don't take lightly.

Swipe to #8 — that's a juror photographing a plate against the drawing the team submitted months earlier. Every element judged against the promise they made on paper. That's the standard.

To the teams heading to Lyon: the real work starts now.

📸 Nicolas Reynaud / Alex Gallosi

07/13/2026

CMC Workshop with Master Chef Rich Rosendale

August 24–26, 2026 | Forklift, Leesburg, VA

For chefs ready to refine their craft, sharpen their ex*****on, and better understand what it takes to prepare at the Certified Master Chef level.

This immersive three-day workshop is led by Master Chef Rich Rosendale and features guest instructor Gerald Ford, CMC. Together, they’ll guide chefs through focused, hands-on training built around exam-level thinking, classical technique, discipline, creativity, and real-time feedback.

Workshop focus areas include:

Garde Manger
Terrines, Galantines, and classical cold kitchen

Plant-Based Cooking
Center-of-the-plate vegan ex*****on

Global Cuisine
Authenticity, research, and technique

Classical Cuisine
Precision, fundamentals, and modern relevance

Freestyle Market Basket
Creativity, timing, and ex*****on under pressure

Participants will also experience the RC Culinary Lab, a professional training environment built for testing, ex*****on, and growth.

$2,500 | Limited Seating

Book now: www.richrosendaleshop.com/collections/classes/products/cmc-workshop-with-master-chef-rich-rosendale-august-24th-26th-forklift-dc-metro-area-2026

07/02/2026

Sunday grilling on my new Cook With Kenyon Texan Grill.

Today's menu: Grilled Pork Coppa Steak with Mascarpone Polenta, Cherry Tomatoes, Basil, and Fennel Pollen Butter.

One of the most underrated cuts in the butcher shop. The same muscle used for traditional Italian coppa and what pitmasters know as the money muscle. Incredible marbling, great flavor, and it grills beautifully.

While the pork is on the grill, I'm using the induction side burner to finish a creamy mascarpone polenta. One of my favorite things about this setup is being able to cook the entire meal outdoors in one station. You can find the recipe below:

Pork Coppa Steak
Ingredients:
• 4 pork coppa steaks
• Kosher salt
• Fresh cracked pepper
Season generously with salt and pepper and grill until beautifully caramelized.

Mascarpone Polenta
Ingredients:
• 2 cups chicken stock
• 2 cups whole milk
• 1 cup fine-ground polenta
• 6 tbsp butter
• 1/2 cup mascarpone
• 1/4 cup grated Parmigiano
• 1 tsp kosher salt

Directions:
1. Combine stock, milk, and salt.
2. Bring to a simmer.
3. Slowly whisk in polenta.
4. Cook 45–55 minutes, stirring occasionally.
5. Finish with butter, mascarpone, and Parmigiano.

Cherry Tomato & Basil Salad
Ingredients:
• 2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved
• 1/4 cup fresh basil, torn
• 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• Kosher salt
• Fresh cracked pepper
Toss together and let sit for 5–10 minutes.

To finish:
Slice the pork, serve over the polenta, top with the tomato salad, finish with fennel pollen butter and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil. Simple ingredients. Great technique. Let the food do the talking.

07/02/2026

No matter where you work, what you cook, who you cook for, or your level of experience, you don’t have to change who you are. What we ask of you is that you evolve.

Join us and the Rosendale Collective Culinary Team for Modernist Plating & Technique, a hands-on professional workshop designed to help chefs elevate plating, presentation, creativity, and real-world ex*****on.

📍 Forklift Virginia
📅July 20–21, 2026
💲 $875
🎓 ACF-Accredited | 16 CE Hours

Seats are limited.

Book through the link at https://richrosendaleshop.com/collections/classes/products/modernist-plating-technique-july-20th-21st-2026-forklift-dc-metro

Proudly sponsored by RAK Porcelain, Felt+Fat, Waring Commercial, Jade Range, Corby Hall, and Steelite.

06/25/2026

Sunday grilling on my new Cook With Kenyon Texan Grill.

Today's menu is the famous Roots Cheeseburger, cooked on the griddle for maximum caramelization and flavor.

For this version, I'm using dry-aged beef from and potato rolls from .

You can find the full recipe below 👇
Ingredients:
- 2 (4 oz) beef patties, preferably 80/20
- Deli paper or parchment paper
- 2 slices of American cheese
- 1 potato roll
- Shredded iceberg lettuce
- Thinly shaved red onion
- Tomato slices
- Dill pickle chips
- Heinz ketchup
- Yellow mustard
- Salt and pepper
- Butter
- Lemon wedge

Directions:
1. Place burger balls between deli paper and press thin using a heavy pot.
2. Refresh shredded iceberg with cold water and a squeeze of lemon juice.
3. Rinse the shaved red onion and combine with the lettuce.
4. Season patties with salt and pepper.
5. Cook on the Kenyon griddle until deeply caramelized.
6. Flip and top each patty with American cheese.
7. Butter and toast the potato roll.
8. Season tomato slices with olive oil, salt, and pepper.
9. Build with lettuce/onion mixture, tomatoes, pickles, ketchup, and mustard.
10. Serve immediately.

05/31/2026

I wanted to share this wonderful tribute to one of my mentors, Chef Peter Timmins, CMC, HoF. This powerful recognition truly captures his larger-than-life personality, unwavering standards, and incredible impact on the culinary profession. We lost him far too soon, but his legacy continues to live on through the countless chefs he mentored and inspired throughout his remarkable career.

Seeing so many heartfelt posts celebrating his recent birthday has been incredibly meaningful, and I want to thank Club + Resort Chef for recognizing Chef Timmins’ many contributions by honoring him as the 2026 C+RC Hall of Fame Inductee. It is a well-deserved tribute to a chef, teacher, and leader who helped shape generations of culinarians.

Chef Timmins was more than a master craftsman in the kitchen, he was a mentor who demanded excellence, discipline, and respect for the craft. Those lessons continue to guide so many of us today. I feel fortunate to have learned from him and to carry forward a small part of the standard he set every single day.

A visual tribute to Peter Timmins, CMC, HoF, a 2026 Club + Resort C...