Biography
When you get to taste a meal from Chef Stephan Berrouet Durand or you get to see him at work or again just listening to him talk about food, you can feel and taste his passion, and he shares it with everyone he meets. He always says, cooking is like sharing a piece of your soul, sharing a piece of yourself. The Consul of Liechtenstein had to say this during a dinner; “Chef Stephan cuisine is truly fabulous and every bite conveys the wonders of Haitian culture and cuisine”. Today, Chef Stephan has definitely taken a special place in Haiti’s culinary history as an champion and ambassador of Haitian gastronomy.
Born and raised in Haiti, Stephan Berrouet Durand is an award winning and highly acclaimed Chef receiving many recognitions for his work not only as a chef but for the creation and organization of Gout et Saveurs Lakay – Haiti Food & Spirits Festival and Taste of Haiti in Miami.
Using his passion for Haiti, Chef Stephan has represented Haiti in many events including his recent presentation at the White House for the celebration of Caribbean Cultural Month and the D.C Embassy Chefs Challenge representing Haiti with 31 other countries.
Today because of his work, Chef Stephan is not only a champion and promoter of Haiti’s cuisine but an international champion promoting local cuisine and the use of local ingredients in the Caribbean as an ambassador for Chefs for Development. He also just received the distinction from the Académie Culinaire for Creole Cuisine as an ambassador for Haiti.
Other invitations have included cooking at the World Bank, the Haitian Embassy in Washington D.C and the Haitian Embassy in Venezuela and Montreal en Lumière just to name a few.
Stephan is the initiator of the new culinary movement and was featured in the first video of Haiti’s national tourism campaign “Let me take you to discover Haiti”. The Minister of Tourism Stephanie Balmir Villedrouin has recognized Chef Stephan on numerous occasions for his support, dedication and contribution to the promotion of Haiti’s gastronomy and the development of the countries culinary industry.
Chef Stephan combines the flavors of his home country with other Latin and Caribbean flavors to create extraordinary food. He also draws inspiration from recipes of Louisiana’s Creole cuisine and American Soul Food. His love for food started since his early teens when he and his brother would cook together for their mother, but his “Baptême de Feux” came his senior year in high school when he got an opportunity to work with his cousin Chef Patrick Beaulieu.
During his early college year, he would start his own catering business and would cook for college friends and family while pursuing a degree in Hotel & Restaurant Management. While continuing his studies, he spent a year in Haiti interning at one of the top hotels “El Rancho”. When he came back to the states he decided to postpone his studies in Hospitality Management and attend Johnson & Wales, one of the most recognized institutions in the industry. While attending Johnson & Wales University, Stephan received many accolades as a young culinarian and was chosen to be part of the Taste of the NFL to support hunger in South Florida. Upon completion of his degree, he moved to Omaha Nebraska to do his internship at the DoubleTree Hotel and joined the American Culinary Federation chapter where he was featured as an up and coming young chef in the 1999 Discover American Cuisine. After his internship working for Sodexho Marriot and Bakers Supermarket, he continued to develop his skills by working with the ACF chapter president in developing a new concept in offering fresh items created by chefs in a supermarket setting.
Completing a Bachelor’s degree in Communication at the University of South Florida in Tampa he moved with his family to Ogden Utah as a military spouse and joined the United States, Air Force, as a civilian-catering chef in the Officer’s Club program. Chef Stephan served as the special event chef for the base commander and was promoted a year later to the highest-profile base in the US as an Executive Chef & Food and Beverage Director at Eglin Air Force Base. Awarded twice for excellence, Chef Stephan was presented the coin for outstanding service by the Chief of Staff 4 Star General and Secretary of the Air Force.
As a Culinary consultant, Chef Stephan has collaborated in several projects in NY, Miami and Haiti providing planning & logistics, training, and menu creation based on the needs of the project.
He assisted with the openings and management of the Chronicle in Orange, NJ, provided Food safety training for Sodexho’s hospital division and for the United States Air Force food service division. He is the owner of Culinary by Design, a Personal Chef, Caterer and Culinary Consulting services. Previously he owned 2 cafes and opened Durand Food Services, which provided catering services to Army bases all over the USA.
He also cooked for some notable personalities like Florida Governor Jeb Bush, United States Air Force Chief of Staff & Secretary General, Haiti’s President, Prime Minister and Doctor Oz. During his invitation to Washington, DC by Haiti’s Ambassador Paul Altidor, two of his dishes were featured at Celebrity Chef Jose Andres restaurant Jaleo.
His passion for giving back inspired him to become co-founder of Haiti Chefs for Education, which raises funds to support hospitality education in Haiti. Through the Haiti Food & Spirits Festival, he helped raise and donate over $20, 000 in culinary equipment’s and scholarships to the Haiti Hotel School and the Caribbean Hotel & Tourism Education Foundation – Haiti Program. He is a Culinary Ambassador for Celebrity Chef Cat Kora’s foundation Chefs for Humanity, and has worked as a Chef instructor for Young Culinary Masters, a non-for-profit organization founded by Culinary Curator Nadege Fleurimond of Fleurimond Catering in NYC which teaches young high school students to cook and eat healthier though the Healthcorp program founded by Dr. Oz.
He is involved in several organizations such as the Black Culinary Alliance & The American Culinary Federation. In 2012 he co-founded the Haitian Culinary Alliance, a global association, which regroups culinary and hospitality professionals all over the world of Haitian descent. The association also created Taste of Haiti in Miami for the past two years and is planning on bringing the event to cities like NY, Montreal and other locations.
Chef Stephan’s recipes are published in several magazines such as Magic Haiti, N.B Magazine, Rebelle Magazine & Sanctuary Magazine to name just a few. Several publications such as Le Nouvelliste, Ticket Magazine, World Footprint, Lakay Weekly & The Montreal Gazette have written about him. In addition, he created recipes, which appear in an E-recipe cookbook for the handy spiral slicer.
With a cookbook project in the works and several other projects, Chef Stephan is excited about the future and hopes to continue his work as a culinary ambassador.
Recognitions
Gout et Saveur Lakay – Haiti Food & Spirits Festival – Founder & Co-Organizer
Haiti Culinary Alliance Global – Co-Founder/Chairman-Président
Alliance Culinaire Haïtienne-Haiti – Founder & Board Member
Taste of Haiti – Food & Cultural Festival (Miami/Orlando)- Co-Founder/Organizer
Alliance Culinaire Haïtienne-Team Haiti-Culinary Team (CHTA Taste of the Caribbean) – Co-Founder
Alliance Culinaire Haïtienne-Haitian Gastronomie Month – Co-Founder
Alliance Culinaire Haïtienne-Chef in Action – a collaboration with World Central Kitchen to support victims in Cayes of the during hurricane Mathew
Haitian Embassy in Washington D.C – Culinary Ambassador.
Caribbean Cultural Heritage (Haiti in honor) – White House
Presentation of Haitian Cuisine – World Bank Haitian Heritage Month Celebration
Embassy Chefs Challenge
James Beard Foundation
Chef Stephan curated and cooked alongside seven other Haitian chefs cooked the first-ever all Haitian dinner at the James Beard Foundation House in New York. The dinner was held on May 18, 2018, in celebration of Haitian Flag Day and was the chef’s opportunity to pay homage to Haitian cuisine on a huge platform.
James Beard Foundation
Ocala Culinary Festival – Taste of Haiti Dinner for Friends of the James Beard Foundation
Chef Kat Kora
Chefs for Humanity, Culinary Ambassador/Global Representative
Cooks & Chefs Institute
Culinary & Brand Ambassador.
Chefs for Development
Global Ambassador (Haiti).
Chef’s Corner Magazine
Chef Stephan is a writer and contributor. The online magazine’s main focus is on Caribbean chefs and cuisine.
Les Toques Blanches du Monde
Culinary Ambassador (Haiti)
Haïti Chef for Éducation-Foundation
Founder (supports culinary education in Haiti)
Académie Culinaire du Monde Creole
Ambassador Haiti
Consejos Americas Chef Coalition
Haiti Representative
APPEARANCES & FEATURES
Embassy of Haiti in Venezuela
to present Haitian cuisine
Invited to represent Haïti in International Events
Montréal en Lumière, Haiti in Honor,
Invited to represent Haiti in International Events
A Taste of Haiti in Ireland
Invited to represent Haiti in International Events
Carifesta
Haitian Consulate in Atlanta – Culinary Ambassador
Invited to cook for the members of the International members of the diplomatic corps.
Invited for the annual Colors of Haiti event
Haitian Embassy in Washington D.C – Culinary Ambassador.
Caribbean Cultural Heritage (Haiti in honor) – White House
Presentation of Haitian Cuisine – World Bank Haitian Heritage Month Celebration
Embassy Chefs Challenge
Chefs of the Caribbean, Celebrity Chefs Brunch
Festival of Flavors – Sankofa Jazz Fest
Ultimate Flavors of Haiti – Executive Producer & Featured Chef
Chef Stephan appeared on several local and international news outlets such as:
– Miami’s Local 10 ABC News
– Dish it Out – with Nadege Fleurimond
– La Bonne Nouvelle
– Radio Télé Métropole Haiti
– Radio Télé Superstar Haiti
– Global TV, Montréal and more…
Chef Stephan has been featured multiple times in several online and printed publications such as:
– The Daily Digest – Ireland
– Ticket Magazine
– Haitian Times
– N.B Magazine
– Chef’s Corner Magazine
– Kreyolicious.com
– Ocala Style Magazine
– Cuisine Noir
– Le Debeur (Quebec)
– Montreal Gazette
– Magic Haiti
– Le Nouvelliste
– Rebel
AWARDS
Hill AFB Base Commanders Coin, Outstanding Performance and Contribution, 12/2003
Air Force Material Command, 4 Star General’s Coin for outstanding performance-Head of Culinary Team Eglin AFB, Officer’s Club, 07/2004
Certificate of Appreciation, Hill AFB Services Division Outstanding Contribution, 08/2003
Honor & Merit, Haiti Minister of Tourism – For the promotion of Haiti’s Gastronomy, 2012
Honor & Merit, Haiti Minister of Tourism –Outstanding Contribution to Haiti’s Culinary Industry, 2013
Certificate of Appreciation, ACTION Foundation, 12/2001
Certificate of Appreciation, ACF Omaha Area Chefs & Apprentices, Inc., 08/1999
Silver Medal for Seafood Rice Dish- BTC-Bolsa Touristico del Caribe, Festival Gastronomico.
Haitian Round Table 1804 List – Honoree
Creole Image Honors – Catherine Flon Award