Christopher Albrecht
Chris Albrecht, a passion-driven chef that takes tremendous pride in his culinary style, focuses on high quality, nutrient dense, seasonal ingredients from small family owned and operated farms and ranches, delivered at the peak of flavor. Albrecht is adept at combining those ingredients with the proper attention to detail, integrity, and technique
he has learned over his successful twenty-five-year career. Born and raised in the garden state, he got an early taste for kitchen leadership, which sparked a passion that led him to the Culinary Institute of America.
Upon graduating from the CIA in October of 1996, Albrecht went to Manhattan to work at Danny Meyer’s world renown and Zagat rated, Gramercy Tavern. There he worked
closely with “Top Chef”, and James Beard award winner Tom Colicchio for 3 years becoming the Saucier. He then studied the next 3 years with James Beard award-winning pastry chef Claudia Fleming, working his way to Assistant Pastry Chef. As Claudia’s right hand, Albrecht worked directly with her to publish The Final Course, while traveling extensively to promote Gramercy Tavern, Danny, Tom, and Claudia.
Chris then accepted the opportunity to become the opening sous chef at Colicchio’s innovative Craft Restaurant in New York City before being promoted into the role of Executive Chef at Craftsteak Las Vegas at the MGM Grand Hotel and Casino, a post he
held for 4 years, ultimately overseeing the entire Craft operation there including the Wichcraft Sandwich concept. Under his guidance Craftsteak in Las Vegas was named the Best New Restaurant, Best Steakhouse, and Best American Restaurant by Las Vegas Life magazine. It was also named Best Overall by the New York Times and Best Steakhouse in North America by Travel and Leisure magazine. Following his time in Las Vegas Chef Albrecht returned to New York City to open the much-anticipated Craftsteak New York, and after its successful opening, elected to complete a 12-year run with Chef Colicchio.
Returning to his home state, Chef Albrecht partnered with the Terra Momo Group opening Eno Terra in Kingston, NJ, and subsequently Canal Farm the two-acre farm that produced most of the produce used at Eno Terra; soil fertility, seed selection and crop diversity were at the forefront of Canal Farm. Eno Terra received 4 stars from the New York Times, 3.5 stars from the star Ledger, and was a perennial top 25 in NJ Monthly’s Top Restaurants.
Food is Medicine, and we don’t need a prescription to reap the benefits, just a table and a fork.
Christopher Albrecht
After 7 years at the helm of Eno Terra, Albrecht left his home state of NJ to work with the Farmer’s Restaurant Group in the Washington DC Area. After almost two years on the road, missing his home state and family, Albrecht returned to the Garden State to assisted in the reopening of the legendary Park and Orchard Restaurant in East Rutherford NJ.
Since then, Albrecht’s awareness and disgust of the processed food industry has led him back to the soil, the place where flavor and nutrition intersect. Feeling a responsibility to feed people not just delicious flavorful food but food that makes you feel good about eating, has led Albrecht to arguably the most prestigious restaurant in NJ, The Ryland Inn.
“I am thrilled to put my mark on the great legacy of the Ryland Inn, there is no better platform for all things Food & Beverage in the Garden State” says Albrecht and thus the stage is set. Albrecht continues “My food reflects an understanding of technique, seasonality, flavor, and nutritional density, while taking inspiration from American, French and Italian regional sensibilities”
Albrecht has worked in charity and industry events such as the Master of Food and Wine, Taste of the Nation, Bon Appetit Focus, and frequent dinners at the James Beard House. He has cooked with a veritable who’s who of America’s culinary celebrities such as
Thomas Keller, Jean-Louis Paladin, Jacques Pepin, Emeril Lagasse, Wolfgang Puck, Nancy Silverton, and countless others.
Chef Albrecht has often been invited to lead cooking seminars, give a TEDx talk, participate in panel discussions at Princeton University and give live demonstrations, besides appearing on numerous radio, and television segments as well as trade magazines.
When not in the garden or kitchen at the Ryland Inn, Chris enjoys time with his two wonderful daughters, Olivia, and Lily, both of whom share a passion for spending time in the kitchen and exploring local farms and food with dad.