Chef Jeffrey Baruch
London Lennie’s

Chef Jeffrey Baruch was born and raised on Long Island where he embarked on his journey into the restaurant industry at the age of 14.
He attended The Culinary Institute of America where he graduated with a degree in culinary arts. Immediately following graduation, he completed a one-year apprenticeship at the Four Seasons restaurant in Manhattan under the direction of Chef Sepi Rengle.

His culinary dreams then took him to Vail, Colorado, where for five years he worked for the Chart House Corporation where he was sent to their different restaurants as a troubleshooter to manage their kitchen and culinary operations. He then moved back to New York and worked in restaurants such as The Maurice in the hotel Parker Meridien with Chef Christian Delouvrier, The Rainbow Room with Chef Andre Rene and served as executive chef at Isabella's, part of the B. R. Guest Restaurant Corporation.

Baruch left Manhattan for Long Island where he owned and operated four restaurants. Establishments included Metropolis Restaurant in East Setauket, Bistro Blue in Greenport, Station and Park Restaurant in Wantagh and Harpoon Harry’s Beachfront Restaurant in Mattituck. Bistro Blue became known as a pioneer of cutting edge flavors on the North Fork. In an effort to spend more time with his family, he sold his restaurants and began his relationship with London Lennie’s where he has been working for the past four and a half years.

Oven Roasted Whole Branzini

Ingredients:

2 whole, cleaned, 1¼ lbs branzini
2 sprigs each of rosemary, thyme, and oregano
1 bulb shaved fennel (shaved on mandoline slicer)

Method:

Stuff each fish with the fresh herbs; season with salt and pepper. Place on baking pan, sprinkle white wine, lemon juice and olive oil. Bake at 450 degrees for 12-15 minutes.

Extra Virgin Olive Oil Drizzle

1 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 oz. lemon juice
20 capers
5 cloves of garlic

Puree all together, and put in a squeeze bottle to dress fennel.

Remove fish from pan, put onto oval platter and dress with fennel and extra virgin olive oil drizzle. Arrange fennel “solid” atop fish (and drizzle liberally with extra virgin olive oil mix).  Garnish with fresh lemon wedge and parsley.