Richard Kaplan, Weights and Measures
Richard Kaplan has been cooking - figuratively and literally - for over two decades. With a solid foundation rooted in the classics thanks to training at the Restaurant School of Philadelphia, where he earned a culinary management degree, Richard then honed his skills and style at some of the hippest and most happening restaurants in the nation.
His resume includes places like One Fifth in New York (sous chef); Claire, a seafood restaurant on New York's trendy West Side (head chef); and La Terraza di Marti in Key West (executive chef for seven years). From the moment he hit Houston (as executive chef of the instantly popular River Cafe on Montrose) Richard earned a reputation for signature dishes and creativity.
Now, as executive chef and co-owner of the catering company, Acute, his reputation continues to expand due to his capability of creating unique flavor sensations and his uncanny talent for finding both the freshest and most unusual items. In a way, he has kept his hand in the restaurant business with the very successful Acute Cafe. Don't look for this in the telephone book or dining directories, however. The Cafe is the popular dining spot in the Wortham Theater Center's Founders Salon, open only during the Houston Grand Opera and Ballet season. Of course, being a restaurant chef is only a starting point for the demands that face a catering company. Here too, Richard has proven a talent for handling the incredible challenges of feeding 1,000 diners at the same time or creating flawless events in the oddest of locations. More recently, Richard has turned a passion into another thriving new venture.
In 2004, while working with a chocolate recipe, an idea of creating chocolates with fresh, non-processed gourmet ingredients emerged. He began experimenting with different combinations, such as ancho chiles with tequila and dark chocolate or lavender with Pimm's No. 1 and white chocolate. Local press responded immediately to the stunning quality. Brown Paper Chocolates was born.
2018 Chef of the Year
Kevin Naderi, Roost
Chefs Advisory Board
Beginning in the late 1990's Chef Monica Pope joined in Gracie's efforts to establish a group of concerned chefs who were willing to get involved in a hands on way to teach kids to cook. Twenty-four answered the call and in 2006, we established our Chefs Advisory Board, a working committee with Monica as its Chair. Through the years, more and more chefs have joined our founding members, and today we have over 100 members in Houston and across the country. Monica Pope continues to lead the team as Chair Emeritus.
These busy professionals donate their time month after month, year after year, bringing their unique insight and perspective of food to the children, turning on their taste buds and opening their minds to new foods. It's a Recipe for Success! Would you like to join us? Drop Paris an email and get started today!
The Foundation's Chefs Advisory Board served as inspiration for the White House campaign for Chefs Move to School! Six members of our Chefs Advisory Board joined members of our Board of Directors at the White House in June 2010 for the kick-off of Chefs Move to Schools! where Recipe for Success was featured as a national model and resource. See pictures here. And read about the trip here and here.