A Bite of Baltimore - Baltimore Foodies Interview Series

Chef Damon R. Hersh, Executive Chef at TRUE

“When True Passion Meets Willing Hands, Art Is Born.”

A fourteen year veteran of the restaurant industry, Chef Damon Hersh started working in the front of the house as a server. Quickly he moved up to bartending and then management positions at Plata Grande/ Margarita Maggie’s and The Cheesecake Factory. Finding him constantly gravitating to the back of the house to learn recipes and techniques, Chef Hersh finally decided to follow his interests. He attended L’Academie de Cuisine in Rockville, Md. (an intensive one year certification program in classic French and World Cuisines).

Upon graduation, he assume a Sous-Chef and Banquet Chef Position at The Occidental Grille in Washington D.C. In February of 2000, Chef Hersh opened Louisiana Restaurant to rave reviews and critical acclaim in Baltimore Md. Since then he has also worked in Toronto, Ontario at OPUS, in Ellicott City, Md. at The Blue Pointe Grille, and at Washington D.C.’s acclaimed TOSCA.

Returning to Baltimore and Louisiana Restaurant in April 2004, Chef Hersh was excited to prepare and serve his own particular style of “Classic French Cuisine, by way of the Big Easy.” Most recently, He has taken over the Admiral Fell Inn’s historic and healthful boutique restaurant, TRUE. In addition, he will be developing and advancing the catering and special events dining there.

What and where did you eat last night?

Family meal at True

Who would you invite to your fantasy dinner party?

My grandfather

What’s always in your fridge?

Condiments, soy/rice milk, leftovers

What is your favorite restaurant?

Red Fish. Always something great there

What food reminds you of childhood?

Fried Bologna over rice or Matzo (mamma) Ball Soup

What food makes you think of holidays?

Wild Rice

What is your favorite foreign cuisine?

Korean

What is your most used cookbook?

Larousse Gastronomique

Iced tea or coffee?

Herbal Tea

Scrapple: love it or hate it?

Love it

Who’s your favorite TV chef?

Paula Dean

What would you have for your final meal?

Grilled Cheese and Root Beer

What food do you dislike most?

Gefilte Fish, Mayonnaise, Okra or Lutefisk

Favorite indulgence?

Ice cream in the middle of the night standing up in front of the freezer in my pj’s

What’s your favorite comfort food?

My mother’s London broil

Do you have a favorite snack food?

Anything with peanut butter

What’s the most memorable meal you’ve ever had?

Lunch at Mario Battali’s Po in Greenwich Village NY

NOW, about Baltimore………

How do you think that Baltimore restaurant scene has changed?

The diner is becoming more sophisticated. There are also a coterie of young talented driven chefs that are wrestling their way past the old school chefs. Look Out!

How does your restaurant fit into the Baltimore mix?

I hope to be one of the leaders in developing new styles of cuisine and a return to healthful comfort food, coupled with technique and forward thinking

When it comes to food, what do you think makes Baltimore special?

There’s so much amazing potential. Seafood from the bay, and a huge local agricultural community

When you joined your current restaurant, what do you think it offered Baltimoreans that they didn’t all ready have?

An attention to the details. The elevation of the simple to sublime.

How do you define your menu?

A modern approach to natural, organic, artisanal, and locally grown foods in a manner that is reminiscent of classic technique and historic sensibility

What ingredients are you using a lot of right now?

Fresh herbs, pea shoots, berries

Are there any ingredients that you tend to avoid?

Anything pre processed. If I can’t do it in house, I don’t want it.

Do you cook often at home?

I’m at home in my restaurant.

What foods/ingredients could you not live without?

Butter, wine, fresh herbs, flour, salt

Where do you eat in Baltimore?

Red Fish, Portside Tavern, Canton Market, Nam Kang

Where do you see the Baltimore restaurant scene headed?

Growing quickly, over the next 2-3 years becoming on par with Washington DC and Philadelphia