At the age of 15, Ralph Perrazzo took his first job at a local restaurant to earn money for a car, and quickly decided that life in the
kitchen struck something deep inside of him. With a commitment to learning his craft, Perrazzo attended The Culinary Institute
of America in Hyde Park NY. On weekends, driven by his passion, he would take his knife kit and hop on a train to Manhattan to
volunteer in the city’s top kitchens. Often Perrazzo would happily turn down paying positions in order to intern for some of the very
best chefs in the business. In these kitchens, he learned and honed his skills.
After graduating from culinary school, Perrazzo was hired under then Chef de Cuisine, Gabriel Kreuther, to work at multiple stations
in the acclaimed kitchen of Jean Georges Vongerichten’s eponymous restaurant in New York City. At Jean Georges, management
was so inspired by Perrazzo’s talent and dedication that, in a decision that would prove prophetic, he was moved into the pastry kitchen
to learn and work under Eric Hubert. Over the course of the next few years, Hubert inspired his creativity and encouraged him to use his
mind along with his hands. To this day Hubert and Perrazzo remain pastry sparring partners, throwing new ideas and techniques back and forth.
Next, Perrazzo returned to Long Island, where he worked at Nick and Toni’s, a restaurant suggestive of a Tuscan farmhouse that focuses on
farm-fresh ingredients, making use of the restaurant’s garden, local farmers and local anglers to compose their seasonal menus. There,
Perrazzo returned to working with savory ingredients, mastering the grill and wood burning oven, both of which he misses to this day.
In 2004, Las Vegas came calling for Perrazzo’s increasing talents. He signed on as the pastry chef for Bradley Ogden’s at Caesars Palace
and made a move to the world of desert, inspired by the freedom to explore his ideas and philosophies at a restaurant that would win the
James Beard Award – Best New Restaurant, a first for Las Vegas. To ensure a fresh and clean flavor for all of his desserts, Perrazzo
vigorously avoided pre-made pastry products such as frozen purees, extracts, food colorings and doughs. This would become a philosophy
and commitment he still adheres to today by supporting and endorsing small organic farms like the Original Hawaiian Chocolate Factory.
These small companies and farmers are happy to work with Perrazzo because they share the same priorities of refusing to compromise
strict standards of quality and freshness.
It was at Bradley Ogden’s that Perrazzo’s talents really started to get noticed with the Star Chef’s organization named him Rising Star Pastry Chef of the Year.
Attracted by his successes, he was selected by PURE Management Group (PMG) to help spearhead the nightclub company’s expansion into the
restaurant business, which named him Corporate Executive Pastry Chef in 2006. Once again his skills and knack for thinking out of the box would
be on display, throwing out all of the rules and challenging the old pastry master’s tried and true methods.
While at PMG, Perrazzo was instrumental in leading the pastry programs at Social House, Venus Pool Club and Company American Bistro.
With his talent for the unexpected as well as desserts reminiscent of another era, Perrazzo’s creations helped push both Social House and Company
Bistro to win Best New Restaurant awards and he to receive even more personal accolades from distinguished food and beverage publications and
organizations. He was invited to the James Beard House to prepare a meal for the board of directors and members and stole the show with some of
the most creative and unusual desserts that have ever been served at the dignified venue.
In 2008, Perrazzo made the decision to pursue his dream of starting his own restaurant group, teaming up with long-time friend Hugo Moreno
to form Rare Concepts Group. Perrazzo is also working with O’Malley Productions to develop several programs that will air on televisions
across the nation later this year. For Perrazzo, his unique flair, and passion for creating tasty food have made the future very sweet indeed!
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