Chris Dunn, the executive chef of the newly opened Devin Tavern, is proud to see how much he's accomplished in just five years in New York City. He went from extern to executive chef of two restaurants, with three James Beard Foundation events on his calendar. The Connecticut native started working in restaurants at 15, as a dishwasher in a sandwich and pizza place. Years of cooking his way up the line followed, with no long-term plans. What had been a job became a career when he and his wife moved to South Carolina to be close to her family. He then realized that cooking was what he was really meant to do, and decided to follow that path as far as it could take him. "I don't see why I should stop now," he says, laughing. "It's pretty successful." Despite the years of experience, he decided, when moving to New York City, that culinary school would give him the standards, credibility, and network he needed to establish his career here. Dunn worked as the opening chef of Trio while he was still in school, which left him exhausted. He then completed his externship at Dylan Prime, where he was subsequently hired as a tournant. Almost three years ago, he became the executive chef. When the restaurant's owner decided to expand his business with Devin Tavern, which focuses on regional American cuisine, Dunn moved to the new location, but remains involved in Dylan Prime and in future expansion plans.

"I love going to work. It's my hobby, it's my job, I find a lot of satisfaction in it," he says. "I'm certainly not a foodie, I don't really read food magazines, I'm not a name dropper. Going to work, having a great relationship with the front and the back of the house, working with the team, is what I do." His advice to aspiring chefs is to keep pushing themselves and to find a place where they can be comfortable. "It doesn't matter who you work for," he adds. "You can learn in any situation. Find something positive out of everything. Turn bad situations around. Don't burn bridges. You should be able to get back to that restaurant to get a job anytime."

Winter, 2007