When Gerron Douglas was a little boy, he learned how to cook from his Alabama-born grandmother, Anna Douglas. “I learned to cook with love,” says Douglas. “Everything that was made, was made with care. This was instilled in me at an early age.” Now at 43, it’s easy to see why this family philosophy has been a foundation for Douglas, executive chef at Conrad New York.
Here, we chat with the 6’3’’ genteel chef about everything from what goes in to making the perfect pizza to the principles that set him apart from other everyday chefs.

Responsible for the hotel’s culinary menu, the culinarian oversees catering, room service and the plates that are served at ATRIO Wine Bar & Restaurant. “The cuisine is labeled New American but I would describe it as bold, slightly ambitious and soulful without being soul food,” he says.

Gerron Douglas

HOMBRE: Your granny taught you culinary basics. How did you fine tune your skills in the kitchen?
Gerron Douglas: Culinary school taught me technique. I was born and raised in Los Angeles and I attended the California School of Culinary Arts in Pasadena. My food is simple but complex at the same time—it’s just not 5,000 ingredients complex. With the layers and techniques that I apply to something as simple as mashed potatoes, the complexity will come across to you. There is a level of refinement. You might not see it visually but you can taste it. I tell guests that ATRIO just happens to be a restaurant inside of a hotel but we are not a hotel restaurant. … And people are starting to notice.

H: Something as simple as a pizza, you manage to take to the next level. Share more about the stone-fired potato pizza you serve at ATRIO.
GD: It’s all about finding the right balance and execution. Everybody does a potato pizza but not everyone does it well. And anybody can make pizza dough—cooked properly, making sure it’s seasoned before it’s served. Potatoes take salt but you don’t want it to be too salty. The herb mixture enhances the earthiness of the mushrooms and it brings out its nuances.

H: Where do you source your food from?
GD: We source from all over. Because we’re a part of Hilton, we use big-box vendors. But we also have the flexibility to source from other resources. I’m always looking for quality ingredients and local ingredients as well. If you have great rooftop herbs, I’ll get that from you even if they are double the price. I take sourcing very serious. It’s my job to take the ingredient and to harness what it is and put it on the plate.

H: You have been in the business for 17 years. What do you love about what you do?
GD: Being able to create is special. And delivering a consistent, solid product and exceeding people’s expectations is a motivating factor for me. I prepare food as if I’m going to be making it for my own family or loved ones. I’m not your typical chef.

H: What do you envision for the future of the culinary program here at the hotel?
GD:The short-term plan is to provide a consistent product that people can count on. In today’s world, you go to a restaurant and it might be great this trip and then you go back and it’s not—that is frustrating. Consistency is key. As for the long-term plan? My job is to continue to elevate and push the boundaries of what we’re doing. I don’t want to be a trendsetter—I don’t want everybody doing the same that I am doing. I’m not going to create the next foam on a plate. I want to bring back the basics of solid consistency and solid execution. That’s where I’m looking to take this restaurant into the future.

Conrad New York

102 North End Avenue,
New York, NY 10282
Telephone: +1-212-945-0100