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Kim de la Villefromoy
Co-Founder, Chef Revival
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The Chef
Revival Story
Designed by
Chefs for Chefs®
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About the Company
In kitchens around the world, Chef Revival is known for its innovative line of chef apparel and products. From the White House to the Ritz-Carlton, flying high on Air Force One or sailing aboard the QE2, food service professionals and home chefs alike rely on Chef Revival for durable, quality clothing and functional tools for the kitchen.
How It All Began
Chef Revival was born in 1986 when two young chefs in Australia endeavored to revitalize the traditional chef uniform. Their main mission was to outfit the professional chef in such a way that durability, comfort and authenticity reigned supreme. But they also pledged to incorporate extra touches of fashion and innovation in every garment to truly set their collection apart. Each and every piece was-and still is-designed by chefs for chefs®.
Over the years, Chef Revival recognized there is more to the chef than just clothing, so the company broadened its efforts to address the total needs of the chef. Because of Chef Revival's roots in the professional chef world, the company believes in rigorously testing its own products first-hand. From head to toe and sink to stove, Chef Revival designed a line of professional products offering everything from cutlery and skin care to potholders and footwear. Staying on top
of the industry and inside the kitchen, the company continuously sought new ways to create top-of-the-line products that are long lasting and comfortable, without sacrificing performance.
Along the way, a growing interest began to emerge among consumers in all things culinary and professional. As celebrity chefs hit the airwaves and a plethora of new cookbooks and gourmet magazines hit the stands, Chef Revival decided to bring its professional product line straight to the consumer, via retail stores and catalogs. In 1994, the Chef Revival collection became available to home chefs and culinary enthusiasts at upscale gourmet and retail outlets such as
Williams-Sonoma and Sur La Table. In 1999, the company once again expanded its product line to include a unique selection of professional tools, many of which are designed exclusively for Chef Revival.
Dedicated to Innovation and Education
Today, Chef Revival is highly sought after by both professionals and home chefs for the finest-quality products in the kitchen. Innovation is at the heart of Chef Revival's business, and supporting industry causes, events and culinary education programs helps the company stay at the forefront of trends and ideas. Whether sponsoring the 2000 U.S. Culinary Olympic Team or the National Pastry Team Championship at Beaver Creek, Colorado (which involves such culinary connoisseurs
as Norman Love, corporate executive pastry chef for
Ritz-Carlton worldwide), Chef Revival remains well ahead of the business curve. By traveling to trade shows worldwide, the company maintains first-hand contact with a wide array of customers-from the Hilton, Hyatt and the Ritz-Carlton, to Aramark, Canteen, Sodexho-Marriott, and Harrah's, as well as the tremendous chef talents that make them run.
Products and Services
Chef Revival has a full line of products designed for professional chefs as well as consumers. From flexible fillet knives to flexi-sole clogs, we'll outfit your every need from morning until night.
Apparel - Chef Revival was the first to say what you wear in the kitchen doesn't have to be staid and starchy. Our apparel line is as fashionable as it is comfortable, and every feature has a purpose. For example, the Wrap-Style Pants without zippers or buttons have a unique sizing flexibility for ultimate comfort, and the Chef Tunic, a pullover style, also has no buttons to fuss with. Even the fabric used to make chef jackets, pants, aprons and hats is designed with
functionality in mind-the QC-2000® Poly-Cotton Fabric, which offers a soil release feature built right into the fibers.
Footwear Accessories - Working in a kitchen all day can be hard on the feet, so we've gone all the way to Sweden to find craftsmen who make comfortable clogs and nail the leather to the shoe rather than staple it. Details in our accessory line are just as important-we've even put a spin on the wristwatch. Our innovative hang watch attaches to chef jackets to reduce germs around food, keep hands free, and still allows chefs to time preparations with one quick glance.
Professional Tools - Our unique selection of professional tools is noted for its quality and performance. With many items designed exclusively for Chef Revival, it's a collection the culinary-minded won't want to miss. From sauce bullets that keep delicate sauces heated at 160 degrees for up to three hours, to pocket thermometers, ice chisels, and pâté molds, Chef Revival has the latest tools to make precision cooking easier and more creative.
Cutlery - All of Chef Revival's knives are made in Germany using the finest high carbon stainless steel and incorporate many unique features, such as ergonomically shaped handles. From knife guards to garnishing sets and carrying cases, the Chef Cutlery line delivers cutting edge technology second to none.
Other Products - Our professional anti-microbial skin care products, a full line of textiles and culinary-oriented jewelry round out the collections at Chef Revival.
Special Services - We also provide custom fabric printing and have a full-service embroidery facility at our headquarters in Lodi, New Jersey. All products are available for drop shipping and next-day delivery.
A Company for Professionals and Consumers - Kim de la Villefromoy, the General Manager and one of the "founding chefs" of Chef Revival USA, wears many hats and outfits. Today Chef Revival USA distributes its products in 14 countries and manufactures products in three countries. With distribution in Australia, Europe, North and South America, Chef Revival is a reliable resource for professional and home chefs around the globe.
For more information on Chef Revival's full line of products and services, contact Rachel Litner Associates at (973) 994-5167, e-mail at rachel@rlitner.com, or visit Chef Revival's website at www.chefrevival.com
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The Interview
Kim de la Villefromoy, former Chef and Co-Founder of Chef Revival.
Question: When you came to the states, did you ever imagine that you'd have such a successful business in just 10 years?
KIM: I guess I always imaged that it would work, it worked in OZ it's just a bigger sand pit here to play in. Rest assured I am grateful that it has worked out!!
Question: Are there any Chef Organizations that you support and why?
KIM: ..We support as many as we can..ACF it was the very first one we got to know and over the years we have built many great relationships. RCA
another great organization.. it's about the people.AICP Networking , AIW&F a lot of great charity and industry support efforts.James Beard..Great industry supporter and networking
Question: We know that you are an outdoors kind of guy that enjoys gardening and such. When you entertain guests for a BBQ at your house, what do you serve?
KIM: a lot of Australian Lamb ,Baby back ribs or Brined Salmon fillets..plenty of grilled vegies
Question: What direction does your culinary talents swing today after being out of
the professional kitchen for a while?
KIM: pretty diverse I do it all..read a lot of mags and cookbooks.
Question: When we feature a Chef of the Month, we ask them for some recipes. What's your recipe for managing a successful company in such a competitive market?
KIM: be open to change, be prepared to go out on limb evey now and then. Treat your people well, make them feel they are part of the fibre of the company.Don't loose site of why you started the company.
Question: When looking for inspiration for new products for your extensive line, do you employ or seek the advise of working chefs?
KIM: Yes. Absolutely!
Biography
Chef Revival USA and its Roots
Kim de la Villefromoy, General Manager of Chef Revival USA, wears many hats – and outfits! As a co-founder of the global corporation, Kim is widely recognized for changing the way professional chefs worldwide think about apparel. Chef Revival has taken the basic "whites" uniform and turned it into something chefs actually want to wear – an ensemble of comfortable, fashionable, practical garments and accessories that are always on the cutting edge.
The original concept for Chef Revival came from Tim Grubi, Kim’s partner in Australia.
The company was established in that country in 1986 with the two young chefs and two sewing machines. After lobbying for a business loan from the local government and winning a local entrepreneurial contest, the partners got their firm off the ground by creating a series of innovative garments, such as the Chef Tunic (the industry’s first buttonless, pull-over-style chef jacket) and their signature wrap-around pants, another industry first (U.S. Patent # 5,003,125).
Within four years, the Australian company was generating solid sales and the partnership was developed enough to begin marketing to the United States by enlisting distributors. A new company, called Chef Revival USA, was formed from scratch in America. with Kim, Tim, and business partners, William Rosenblum and R. Jerry Rosenblum. Today, Kim’s former partner, Tim Grubi, successfully runs the original company based in Australia.
In 2003, Chef Revival USA distributes products in 14 countries and manufactures products in three countries. Year after year, under Kim’s astute and knowing eye, Chef Revival introduces a variety of innovations to the foodservice and gourmet industries, such as: the QC-2000® soil-release fabric, lightweight denim clothing, orthopedically constructed chef footwear from Sweden, anti-microbial skincare products for chef’s hands and tools, German-made Chef Cutlery®,
children’s kitchenwear and full-service custom embroidery facilities.
The company stays on top of trends and ahead of the business curve by traveling to trade shows worldwide and maintaining personal relationships with its stunning array of customers –- from Hilton, Hyatt, Starwoods, and the Ritz Carlton to Aramark, Canteen, Sodexho-Marriott, Harrah’s and the tremendous chef talents that make them run. Chef Revival has also become the number one supplier to culinary education in the United States, touting such customers as Culinary
Institute of America, Cordon Bleu and the Art Institutes, to name a few.
In 1995, recognizing the growing home-chef trend in this country, Chef Revival applied its professional culinary expertise to the consumer market by launching a product line to upscale gourmet and housewife retailers.
Under Kim’s direction, the company now boasts such well-known specialty retail customers as Williams-Sonoma, Linens ‘N Things, Hammacher Schlemmer, Neiman Marcus and Sur La Table of Seattle, and its diversified product line can be seen in kitchens nationwide.
Chef Revival’s commitment to the culinary business extends beyond the retail arena, however. The company is an avid supporter of various culinary causes and organizations and was recently given the high distinction of being the official sponsor/supplier of apparel and cutlery to Team 2004 – the Culinary Olympics Team from the United States.
About Kim de la Villefromoy
Kim was professionally trained in Australia as a pastry chef in a special apprenticeship program that took place simultaneously with his professional chef training; his instructor was a Maitres Cuisinier de France. Following his four-year apprenticeship, Kim spent nine months cooking and working in a charcuterie in France, and was then accepted into a pastry school in Brest, France, where he completed an intense, high-level pastry course. After further travel, Kim worked in a
pastry shop in Vienna, Austria, where he expanded his repertoire with Viennese cooking and actually introduced the first carrot cake to that country.
Following his European travels and training, Kim returned to his native Australia, where he and a partner opened their own café, Captain Croissant. After selling the business three years later, Kim traveled even more extensively, this time honing his culinary and entrepreneurial skills throughout Southeast Asia.
Kim is a member of the American Culinary Federation, the International Association of Culinary Professionals, the James Beard Foundation and the International Foodservice Editorial Council. He resides in New Jersey with his wife and business associate, Wendy, and their two sons, Luc and Reese, where he not only enjoys cooking and spending time with the family, but gardening, golfing and rock climbing as well.
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