Ridgewells Catering, one of the region’s largest and most celebrated caterers, recently announced the appointment of Kashif Browne as its new Executive Chef.
Chef Browne formerly served as the Executive Sous Chef for Ridgewells during a 6-year tenure, having left in 2017 to Sous Chef at the White House. After spending the last two years gaining tremendous experience catering for the White House, State dinners, and the first family, Kashif Browne returns to Ridgewells with a fresh culinary vision and contemporary menus.
“We are so excited to have Chef Browne back with Ridgewells,” says Susan Lacz, CEO & Principal of Ridgewells. “Kashif has an authentic and creative point of view which stems from a wealth of unique experiences. His dishes and flavor profiles are thoughtful and vibrant, and his experience in catering, with Ridgewells in particular, makes him the perfect Chef to lead our culinary program.”
A graduate of the International Culinary School at the Art Institute of Washington, Kashif completed a work study at the renowned Ristorante Zeppelin in Orvieto during his education. He’s cooked in some of the country’s most respected restaurants and kitchens in New York and Las Vegas, including the James Beard house. He’s also studied under several well-known and influential chefs to whom he credits much of his skill and success, including Angelo Sosa, Chris Beischer, Christophe Tanneua-Kervan, Alicia Stewart, and Lorenzo Polegri. His list of catering clients and events is extensive, comprised of intimate events for world diplomats and A-list celebrities, and major events with guest counts of more than 2,000.
Chef Browne was born in Guyana, where he spent his adolescence playing cricket and other sports, and cooking alongside his mother in the kitchen. It was there he developed a love of humble ingredients and bold flavors at an early age, and he carries those memories as inspiration for his culinary philosophy today.
“While much of my training has been focused on French technique, as well as Asian flavor profiles, I also love to have fun and innovate,” says Chef Browne. “There have been moments when I’ve been able to infuse some of my own story to classic dishes by adding a touch of Guyanese or Caribbean flavor, and I think those end up feeling very honest and successful to me. I love catering because it really allows me to explore and play with very diverse cuisine. At the end of the day, it’s all about using the best ingredients and just creating each dish with purpose and passion.”
Chef Browne is married to his high school sweetheart, Dr. Sulan Fung BDS, and they have two sons. He has already begun developing fresh menu concepts for Ridgewells’ culinary program to be rolled out immediately for Fall/Winter 2019, including both classic items executed in unexpected ways, and new culinary innovations with creative presentations for bespoke catered events.
About Ridgewells Catering: Ridgewells is a highly celebrated catering company in the Washington, D.C. area, in business for more than 90 years. The team is comprised of award-winning chefs, event designers, and corporate staff who cater high-end corporate and private events.
