The Chef at Richard Gere’s Bedford Post Inn
Brian Lewis, formerly of Vu in Scottdale, Ariz., and a Northern Westchester native who has cooked at Oceana in Manhattan and Bix in San Francisco, will be the chef at The Bedford Post Inn, the new Richard Gere restaurant in Bedford Hills Village.
In the ad he placed on craiglist looking for staff, he says “Our American Farmhouse Cuisine will be rooted in; Slow Food Cooking, delicious seasonality, and driven by small family farms with the highest of quality products available.” He also says the restaurant could be open as soon as mid-December, but when I talked to him on the phone, I heard hammers in the background  so we’ll see.
The ad also describes the inn as an “8 suite Luxury Inn, a 110 seat Fine Dining Restaurant, serving dinner only, and a 50 seat Bakery Cafe Restaurant, serving breakfast,lunch and a pri – fixe dinner three nights per week.”
Here’s a bio I found of Brian from his time in Scottsdale. He’s promised to check with the owners of the restaurant and get back to me with some information so we can preview the place properly. Stay tuned!
Photo Caption: brianlewis1.jpg
Richard Gere’s restaurant is not in Bedford Hills; rather, Bedford Village (Route 121).
Whoops Mel  typo. Thanks. I corrected it above.
Hope you will make a photo of restaurant too.
Is there web link?
Can’t wait for opening of Richard Gere’s Bedford Post Inn. We drove by there yesterday, and looks like it is still under construction. We live over the border in Connecticut, so we hope to get news of the opening, etc. Tell Richard to advertise in Connecticut ! There are many people here that would certainly want to visit the Inn.
“The Barn at Bedford Post” is open for breakfast, lunch and pre-fixe dinner, three nights a week.
I had breakfast there this morning with my son. To call it awful is giving it too much credit. Everything was bad, from the snooty service to the uncharming decor to the overpriced food.
The eggs were obviously mass prepared – a la college dining hall style where ten or so dozen eggs are whipped up and microwaved. The home fries came from a bag in the frozen food aisle. And the sausage had the taste and texture of a rock.
After my breakfast was served, we waited at least ten minutes for my son’s. I finally got up and went over to the kitchen window where his plate had been sitting for as long as mine was on the table.
The waitress committed the ultimate crime of assuming I was leaving the change as a tip – I had to get up and follow her to get my change. I finally decided to let it go and leave her a couple of bucks which I should not have.
The space itself has all the charm of the breakfast nook at a Ramada Inn.
Save your money and your stomach – go elsewhere or just stay home.
Ouch, David. Couldn’t disagree more. Between the roaring fireplace, wood stacked beneath the stairs, and rustic tables, I thought the space was positively charming. And your critique of the eggs is borderline absurd. For starters, the egg dishes were more creative than just about any other restaurant around. I snagged a menu, so I can transcribe a few here:
• soft farm egg with creamy polenta, chorizo and marcona almond romesco
• crisp farm egg with cauliflower, mache, and black truffle viaigrette
• sunny side farm egg with maple glazed pork belly and cavelo nero
I can only vouch for the first, but it about as different from “college dining hall style” as you can get. Polar opposite. Either you went to college at culinary school or maybe see IHOP as the pinnacle of breakfast dining.
Anyway, I’m sure looking forward to going back to Bedford Post (or rather, Barn at the Bedford Post) for breakfast—and, I hope, dinner—soon.
I have to agree with Ted – big ouch on the review from David. I’d be surpirsed if you had breakfast on Fri 4/4 and you were back home and on the computer writing a review by 8:56AM because they don’t really open until 7-7:30AM. I truly believe that you weren’t at the place you were reviewing because I have been there at least 7 times for breakfast/brunch/lunch and every time it has been great. Yes they still have some help problems at times but they are still new and evolving. The food choices are original and as a chef myself I can assure you nothing is coming out of a bag or is commercial grade. Dinner was excellent also – I would tell you to try it again but I have a feeling you have made up your mind. But your review couldn’t have been more wrong…
A bigger headed and more pompous chef does not exist in this world. The amount of contempt dumped upon the heads of the poor front-of-house employees is simply astounding. I hear the drillsargentry and disrespect continues behind the line as well. All honest and competent “team members” have either quit or been fired. The only resemblance to a “team” that Lewis has assembled I liken to a team of mercilessly whipped horses pulling a gilded carriage. Fear, false promises and downright meanness have no place in my kitchen or any other. Consider the vibration being put into the foods you eat by those who handle it. Heads up from one who knows.
And yes, David, the potatoes DO come from a bag in the frozen food aisle.
I hope you have BOH experience and have been in the BOH at Bedford Post to have such a loaded opinion. This is like cyber bullying – I hope you have approached him directly with your comments because you must be a former employee to have so much info. If you haven’t worked for him, you have no right spreading hearsay. Good restaurant chefs are a tough bunch and have to be because they are constantly judged on the last thing they served but we’re to the point we aren’t even talking food anymore here. If you or someone you know doesn’t like him then leave and know there are all kinds of people waiting to take your place. Are you a chef yourself because I would think you understand the stress. And which potatoes come from a frozen bag? Be specific if you are going to accuse.
Margaret my dear,
My, how you let the assumptions and emotions fly! If you can commit to read on calmly, I will respond to your outpouring of outrage, in the order of its expulsion.
Yep, I have front, back, and owner of the house experience over the last 19 years. Yes, I did work under Lewis at the Barn and observed him in action there. I witnessed personally the systematic firing of an entire staff of very competent employees- barista, servers, hostess, expiditer, without giving any reason. I witnessed a tangible outpouring of contempt and hate upon service workers who were giving it their all to do what was ordered by their chef.
I still have 3 friends who remain in employ at the Old Post and Pony, and I receive regular reports from the line about the ongoing atmosphere of fear there; this is not hearsay.
I agree with you that good restaurant chefs are a tough bunch. However your reasoning for said toughness being based in the fear of judgement passed on their last created entree…
You are coming at the role of chef from the standpoint of a technician. A ‘good restaurant chef’ experiments, considers, and produces an entree with the delight of his guest in mind, and with pure intention there can be no wrong; there is no bad chef, and anyone can cook. Taste is a personal thing, and one guest’s rant is always another 10 guests’ rave.
The funniest part of your response was your ‘but we’re to the point we aren’t even talking food anymore here.’ In fact, Maggs, I never made mention of food; this thread is about—
The Chef at Richard Gere’s Bedford Post Inn—.The creativity and quality of the menu is not in question- some great ideas there. What I have tasted was sensational. However, I am tasting so much more than the flavor of the food when I experience a restaurant- so what are you trying to imply that I should understand about the stress of being Chef? That it’s Okey-Dokey to abuse the staff and create an atmosphere of fear? Naah, I don’t follow your logic. A cool chef keeps calm- a fool chef cuts thumb. I hold it to be truth that the most important factor influencing the experience of presented food lies in the emotional state of its preparer.
Finally, unaccusingly, I hope this is specific enough information. I was ordered to buy 6 bags.
Alexia Sweet Potato
Julienne Fries
The carefully balanced sweet and savory flavor of Sweet Potatoes together with a hint of Sea Salt make this Alexia favorite a wonderful alternative to the everyday fry.
Ingredients
Sweet Potatoes, Canola Oil and/or Sunflower Oil and/or Safflower Oil, Modified Food Starch (From Potatoes), Rice Flour, Dextrin, Salt, Leavening (Disodium Dihydrogen Pyrophosphate, Sodium Bicarbonate), Extractive of Paprika, Xanthan Gum, Disodium Dihydrogen Pyrophosphate (Added To Preserve Natural Color).
Yummy!!!
Wow. This is getting personal. Ok, let’s be level-headed about this. If Chef is getting tough with his employees, it is because the service there has been fair at best. The FOH manager is gone because he was not strong enough to manage his staff properly. When they get a stronger FOH manager, they will do better. They’re already getting better (little by little). With respect to the BOH, they have excellent and talented staff. Those who were let go were let go for good reason. Those who left, did so for better opportunitites. The pressure of a start-up is unbelieveably high and they’re trying to find their way, so if Chef is tough right now, it’s for good reason. The potatoes I ate were wonderful; frozen or not. Potatoes… jeez… hey, Potato Karma is not to be trifled with, so tread lightly. I’m sure that when they hit their stride, they will make good on their promise of all-natural and organic ingredients. I mean, if Martha came back 5 times to eat there, they must be doing something right. Not that she’s the end and be all, but their client base is consistent. They will be fine. Either way, let it go. By the way, no, I’m not Chef, nor am I employed there. I do have the inside scoop, and no, I’m not going to prove it.
Wow, man. Far out. It is certainly personal; the food we consume contains the life force that animates us, a very personal thing is food. The person we trust to prepare the foods we eat garners our deepest respect.
How many of my fellow foodies out there know Mom’s Secret? The reason why Mom’s is the best, why nobody makes it like Mom, Apple Pies, etc? The secret is that Mom prepares the meal with LOVE, a key ingredient to any recipe. The love that Mom manifests into the food as she is creating something she hopes will make her family happy as they eat it. Mom’s intention is to make her family vigorously healthy. Mom’s intention translates into unforgettable food.
I hold it to be truth that the most important factor influencing the experience of presented food lies in the emotional state of its preparer.
See that there.
Be Peace.
So you’re saying the restaurant’s food will suck because it’s not made with LOVE?
So were you one of the people who left on their own or were you fired?
Just don’t go anymore but stop dragging anyone you can down with you. Food is food, people are people. Move on.
Ted – yes, I read the same menu as you did. And I worked in quite a few restaurants in my day, from the dining hall at my college dorm, to a Denny’s to a high end Italian restaurant in my hometown. And I know when eggs are flash baked in a microwave. And the scrambled eggs I had that morning were flash baked.
If you are in Bedford and want a decent breakfast, drive over to the Coach Diner in Mt Kisco or Blind Charlies in Pound Ridge. Otherwise, if you are blinded by a fancy name and some frilly words on the menu, feel free to stay at Bedford Post.
That is absolutely false David.
You guys are scaring me! Im going for an interview next week to see if they have a spot for me. Im not afraid of crazy chefs, but want to serve great food that comes out of the kitchen when it’s supposed to and make people happy.
Im a really strong happy person….am I gonna go running out there like a little girl?!
Don’t know what happened to my earlier post (left yesterday), but I have to support what David is saying 100%. I had dinner at this glorified dining hall this past Saturday night and I can honestly say it was, by far, the worst dining experience I’ve ever had. I’ve dined at the finest restaurants in the world, and have a great appreciation for creative, groundbreaking cuisine, and the pretentious, overpriced, frippery they serve at The Bedford Post…isn’t it.
The staff (God forbid if this is the new staff, hired to replace incompetence) was universally dim, clumsy, and completely ignorant of the food on the menu. Our waitress had no idea what the two cheeses were on the cheese plate dessert option. With only 2 deserts on the prix-fixe menu, you’d think they MIGHT be able to learn the main components?? When she finally did go look it up, she came back, very proud of herself for being able to read, and said “that one is piave”—She pronounced it PIE-AV. If the Chef had bothered to walk his staff through the menu, she might have known the pronunciation is “pee-ah-vay”—unless of course, Chef Lewis doesn’t know it either…which wouldn’t shock me.
From the room-temperature sparkling water, to the stale bread rations, and the narrow, pompous menu of salty, fishy, rations…I left $250 poorer and absolutely starving.
Maybe the reason Martha Stewart keeps going back is because she’s developed an affection for prison food.
J. Peck, Your comment from yesterday is on a different post:
http://lizjohnson.lohudblogs.com/2008/02/01/the-scoop-on-the-richard-gere-restaurant/#comments
I’ve been for breakfast on three occasions and each time have been disappointed with the terribly slow service and lack of warmth from the staff. On one morning, my over-easy eggs were brought out fully cooked and cold. When I chased down our server to let her know, she replied with, “I thought they looked a little overcooked.” Not good. The food is so-so and the service is lacking and slow. We can get a great breakfast at Blind Charlie’s for a 1/4 of the price, it’s cooked to order, comes out hot and the service is great.
That said, we will be back. We want to give them time to smooth out the wrinkles and find their groove.
food is ok but wait staff are absolutely appalling! I have been four times now and each time has been worst than the last. Food: average and overpriced. Service: the worst, will never go back.
I’ve dined there (great food) and I go there at the weekends to pick up pastries. The staff are beginning to drive me crazy however. Too many pretty rich girls (if that was possible) training. Everything takes forever. Today I was second in line as one girl was trying to make two coffee drinks. All the rest of the staff were just chatting and one stood in front of me carefully checking her text messages. Yesterday they didn’t know the price of one of the items; much looking on the register, looking for someone who knew. That too five minutes to fix; and apology for the delay would have been nice, but service isn’t the strong element of this place.
I did look to see if they had a web site and a email contact rather than posting here. Couldn’t find one.
The next celebrity sighting for this place should be Gordon Ramsay. Getting the front office staff sorted out would be perfect for one of his ‘Kitchen Nightmare’ episodes!
The food sucks! The price is outrageous! The portions couldn’t fill a 5 year old! The employees are clueless and unfriendly. If you want a good hearty, healthy meal for a reasonable price served by people who are genuine and whose egos are in check, go to the Meeting House in Bedford.
As I read these negative comments, I just realize how sad it is that people would want to ruin something good for the restaurant. People in Bedford complain that there is nothing, and when finally something exciting happens.. nobody is happy. This would happen in a place such as Bedford with snooty folks who are envious of other people’s advances. Move on.. if you quit, or got fired… go get that job at the Mt. Kisco Coach.. and good luck to you.. but PROFESSIONALISM is key.. which you lack. Sorry you had a bad experience, but it’s time to move on!
I agree with Suzanne, people are envious of Gere and his success.. in regards to the staff, remember they are college kids, it’s a cafe, you’re going to get coffee and pastries…not the KittleHouse… GET OVER IT PEOPLE! The Post is such a fun low key spot for us to enjoy… why do you want to ruin it for anybody?
Envious of Gere and his success? Get a life. As a Bedford resident I’m very happy that the Post opened, and I go there. But it is premium priced and because of that one deserves better than ‘college kid’ service.
And this isn’t in the same league as the Kittlehouse?? Low key? Ever picked the tab at the Post ‘Jackson’ and ‘Suzanne’?
The Post will get business from it’s association with Gere, and good luck to it. But it also needs local residents like me to keep coming back particularly in the coming fall and winter months.
Incidentally I think the Post knows that it has a problem and is working on it (or at least the stage whisphers from the more experienced staff to their younger colleagues are becoming more evident!)
Well…..I have one thing to say about a place I’ve never been to nor seen…there was an add on craigslist for a pastry chef
would like to see the MENU of BEDFORD POST RESTAURANT. Is it posted on line?
Darlene,
The menu is here:
http://lizjohnson.lohudblogs.com/2008/12/04/richard-geres-bedford-post-farmhouse-is-open/
I think there’s been a noticeable improvement recently. The morning staff at least seem to be working better as a team and are more focused on work (and not their cell phones). There seems to be a lot of new faces there as well, with a lot of training going on. Pretty impressive turn around.
i read all these negative comments, it was last week i had dinner at bedford post im sorry but i have to agree on some things the money i pay that night was not worth it, the food was ok the service was not good at all they need good waitstaff,serious people, i didn’t have a good time there. and i dont care who owns it and im not Envious of Gere and his success paul. He doesn;t own the restaurant by himself dont forget Mr Russel Hernandez. bedford post needs to change manager . not hiring the right people for the right job thank you
Brian Lewis, Bedford Post’s chef par excellence, has created a menu filled with the most delectable, intriguing and delicious foods we’ve ever tasted.
We are looking forward to visiting Bedford Post again very soon, as well as riding our horses up from Connecticut this Spring and enjoying lunch at this beautiful, inviting, convivial, country restaurant.
Happy New Year!
I pray for their success. There are always trials and errors when beginning a new business.
I was so excited to be going for brunch tomorrow for my birthday… wish I didn’t read the reviews first.
i will leave my review after my visit. I hope things have improved.
You’re reading comments here form a year ago (and before the actual restaurant was open) so I don’t think they have any current bearing. Please tell us how it was.
Michelle McGuire
I just wanted to tell you my Husband John enjoys your Banana Pancakes, We come all the way from Cold Spring, N.Y. it is worth the trip down to The Bedford Post Cafe My Husband Has his own company and he meets with allot of clients there and discuss business over breakfast.He is a Plumbing & Heating Contractor and does allot of Business in Bedford and Poundridge so the spot is perfect, John also watched it develop over time from that little farm house that it was. to now I am a cook by trade and let me tell you, John says no one can make those Banana Pancakes better than the Bedford Post. Then before we head home when john and I come for Breakfast we stop in at Plum,Plum and see Wendy and bring some cheese home to enjoy with the wine that my Husband John makes Keep up the Wonderful breakfast pancake!!! My Sister is in from out of town this Thanksgiving Holiday and we will be visiting you Sunday for brunch!!!
I agree that negativity is contagious. This is an amazing place and Gere and his partners are to be commended for keeping with the history and style of the area. That comes at a price. the chef is top notch and the ingredients as well. If you don’t choose to go there for whatever reason, don’t. If you do that is great. It is nice that the Inn did not fall to ruin and that someone tried to do something out of the box that could in such a small populated area.
I know this is an old posting but…For the record (Suzanne) do not down another business to make your point. As a matter of fact the Mt. Kisco Coach has the best wait staff around(I am a patron not an employee). The owners are very strict about service, politeness, attitude, dress code, and cleanliness. The food is the freshest ingredients around as the turn over is high. The chef will make you anything you request however you want it made. Sounds like a personal chef.
Where ever you go, enjoy and look at the positive!