The 1855 Black Angus Beef family includes an elite group of chefs who share a passion for creating unforgettable eating experiences with the consistency and quality of 1855 Black Angus Beef. Will you join us?
You can! To be selected as the next 1855 Featured Chef, there are a few requirements that must be met (we’ll send you more details after you apply):
Our Featured Chefs will be recognized on the 1855 Black Angus Beef website, as well as featured on the 1855 social media channels, resulting in broader awareness for your name and your restaurant, not to mention bragging rights for being selected as a Featured Chef. Additionally, 1855 will arrange for a prize package including a chef knife, bag, coat, and hat to be delivered to you.
Chef Jimmy Papadopoulos
"You can tell that there is a rigorous quality program that 1855 lives by - just by the fact that each of the different cuts all are so consistent in that rich, full flavor that you come to expect from high quality Black Angus beef. That is the highlight for me."
Executive Chef of ThirdWave Café and Wine Bar
"Asking me what favorite cut of 1855 beef is like asking me “what's your favorite song?” I can’t choose just one song."
Owner and Operator, Chatter Box Cafe
“There is no comparison…1855 is just better”
Chef/Owner/Operator, Caucus Club
"Our 1855 steaks are prized by our guests for their tenderness and flavor."
Executive Chef, Don Felix Café
"The 1855 beef we have been using is a superior product. We have tried other products that are marketed as being comparable, yet they have lacked the flavor, marbling, and texture of what we receive from 1855."
When did you decide you wanted to become a chef?
I have always worked in kitchens and around food. My first job was as a dishwasher at a local pizza place when I was 15. By the time I was 18, I knew I wanted to become a chef and enrolled in culinary school.
What is the most popular beef dish you’ve served on a menu?
In 2014, I was the opening chef of Bohemian House in Chicago. The food was beautiful, soulful, and refined riffs on classic eastern European cuisine. One of our most popular dishes was our beef cheek pierogi. We had a team member who spent 40+ hours a week just producing our beef cheek pierogi. They were a huge hit and super delicious.
Besides a traditional steak (NY Strip, Ribeye, Filet, etc.) what’s your favorite beef cut to prepare: Favorite non-typical/unique cut?
I love to braise a chuck roast. I also enjoy slowly cooking a flank steak because the texture of this cut is perfect for shredding and is just super flavorful. I also thoroughly enjoy some of the off cuts that might not be so popular. Beef tongue is so delicious, as are the cheeks, and I can even truly enjoy a perfectly cooked medium rare slice of beef liver. I have an admiration of cooking a variety of cuts as they are all so unique and each lend their own character and flavor.
What’s your favorite dish or type of cuisine to cook/eat and why?
I have cooked such a variety of cuisines throughout my career, but one of my favorites I will always come back to is grilling beef over live charcoal. There is something that I find so so satisfying about building a fire – controlling the heat and perfectly grilling a beautiful steak over it.
What are your top 3 to 5 tips or suggestions you’d give novice cooks or cooks at home?
1. Get everything you will need in place before you begin so that you can work fluidly without much burden or overthought.
2. Don’t be afraid to make mistakes – especially with cooking. Mistakes are some of our best teachers.
3. Continue to perpetually use and define your visceral intuition. Cooking is and should always come from the heart. Use your senses; if something looks like it is burning, it probably is. If your steak is not caramelizing nicely, your heat source is most likely not hot enough.
4. Never compromise quality. Your final product will only be as good as the quality of which you started with – so source the best product you can get your hands on.
5. It’s just food – have fun, make mistakes, and share with family and friends. Making others happy through food is truthfully what cooking is all about!
What do you enjoy most about being a chef?
Being a chef has always been making people happy through the joy that comes along with eating something delicious. The ability to be the conduit for that experience is a very satisfying and selfless feeling.
What is your favorite method to cook beef?
Really, it all comes back to the cut that I am working with – however, if I had to pick my all-time favorite, it would be grilling a beautifully marbled, thick cut strip or ribeye steak over hardwood charcoal.
What is your favorite aspect about 1855 Black Angus Beef?
As a professional chef, quality is king. My food is only as good as the products I work with. The thing that stands out about 1855 Black Angus Beef is the consistency across all cuts. You can tell that there is a rigorous quality program that 1855 lives by - just by the fact that each of the different cuts all are so consistent in that rich, full flavor that you come to expect from high quality Black Angus beef. That is the highlight for me. The marbling on all of the beef is great, not too much or too little, and the texture of each cut of beef is unique to its own, but comparable to one another from a tenderness standpoint.
Do you have a favorite wine to pair 1855 beef with?
This would again, foil back to what type of dishes or meal I was preparing, but I always thoroughly enjoy a good Bordeaux or Cabernet with just about any grilled steak I have ever had!
How would you define your cooking style?
Rustically refined and soulful is a good way to sum up my cooking style.
What’s your favorite ingredient?
My favorite ingredient is vinegar. There are so many unreal flavor profiles that you can achieve. Although vinegar is never the star of a dish, it accents just about every type of food. It pitches flavor and brings an exciting balance of acidity that just works with so many different types of cuisine.
What would you choose as your last meal?
I have long said that if I had the opportunity to choose my last meal, it would be a fresh loaf of sourdough and some of the best butter on Earth with some good crunchy salt. Also, a giant plate of beef fat French fries with garlic aioli & a whole dover sole meunière.
“My passion for being a chef has always revolved around two driving forces: people and food. A fascination with the art, style, and technique of cooking, coupled with the opportunity to enrich the lives of others through an amazing meal has been my motivation since the beginning of my career. My work in Chicago has allowed me to earn a variety of acclaim and accolades. I made Zagat’s “30 under 30” list, earned a Michelin Bib Gourmand, was named Eater Chicago’s ‘Chef of the Year,’ and noted as one of ‘The Best Young Chefs in America’ by the Robb Report.
“I currently live in the southwest suburbs of Chicago with my wife Ashly and our 4 children.”
How do your customers respond to having 1855 beef on your menu?
From the very first day I put 1855 on the menu, it was an overwhelming flavor profile that people reacted to. I constantly received guest compliments. Most notably is the umami richness that lasts long on the palate, the softness of the texture, and the richness of the Angus flavor.
How do you like to prepare the cuts you use?
My favorite way to prepare our meat is in the mouth of the wood fired oven. We like to cook our steaks at 800 degrees which gives the steak a beautiful crust coupled by 1855 flavor and texture, which makes for a perfect steak.
Besides a traditional steak (NY Strip, Ribeye, Filet, etc.) what’s your favorite cut of 1855 beef to prepare: Favorite non-typical/unique cut?
Asking me what favorite cut of 1855 beef is like asking me “what's your favorite song?” I can’t choose just one song. However, if I had to choose, I would say filet mignon because of the dominance it plays in my restaurant. My next favorite cut of 1855 beef would be the Top Round Angus because of all the robust flavor it gives my beef on a beef on weck/roast beef sandwich.
What’s your favorite dish or type of cuisine to cook/eat and why?
My favorite dish would be filet mignon along with Florida rock shrimp butter. It crosses a line of two favorites: the savory notes of meat and the sweetness of seafood. Mediterranean style cuisine is my favorite because of the purity of flavors and ingredients.
What are your top 3 to 5 tips or suggestions you’d give novice cooks or cooks at home?
My top tips would be:
1. Make sure you know what you're working with, what you are cooking it on, and what your outcome needs to be (temperature and degree of doneness) by understanding how heat and fire work on food.
2. It is important to have complete respect for the animal and/or plant that provided its life for you.
3. Be sure to be organized with each step you are going to take in the harmony (flow of cooking).
How does the fact that it’s Angus effect the eating experience?
I have always favored Angus. The attribute is the marbling; the fat is distributed evenly and thinly throughout. By having this, it gives it a consistent flavor and juiciness.
How does 1855 beef compare to other premium (Upper 2/3 Choice & Prime) programs?
I feel that the defining difference between 1855 beef and others starts at the program heritage and the specifications of their cattle. The angus genetics, along with the partnership with family ranchers in the grain-rich areas of the Great Plains, create an exceptional product. All of this is passed down to the dining experience.
Do you have a favorite wine to pair 1855 beef with?
My favorite wine to pair with 1855 beef is Chateau Rauzan-Segla 2010 Margaux 2nd Growth generation.
How would you define your cooking style?
My cooking style is a classic approach combined with a rustic old-world look. I have always loved cooking with fire combined with nouvelle approach.
What’s your favorite ingredient?
My favorite ingredient will always be the ingredient that enhances all food and is a must have: spices. Whether it is salt or pepper or whatever, spices always seem to make food sing and when you don't have spice, well everything is just a little plain.
Chef Dave’s love for cooking began as a young boy, inspired and encouraged by a creative and supportive family. His mother was from Maryland and a true country farm girl. Both his grandparents and great grandparents were working farmers and instilled in his mother a respect for the land and a passion for fresh ingredients that she passed on to Dave. She played a huge role in his life, filling his boyhood memories with garden fresh aromas and flavors of her kitchen. His father, born in Ecuador was the son of Spanish immigrants and an accomplished artist, his canvases displayed his passion for color. Chef Dave’s dynamic heritage is reflected in his culinary style. He embraces the influences of his European and South American ancestors as well as his mother’s southern roots. After attending culinary school near Washington DC, Dave moved to Port Orange, FL in 1990. There he took his first kitchen job at Down the Hatch Restaurant in Ponce Inlet and was introduced to Florida coastal cuisine. Now with over twenty years of culinary experience, Chef Dave draws from these powerful influences, creating dishes at Third Wave Café & Wine Bar in New Smyrna Beach, FL, that blend international, coastal and southern inspiration. He is a member of the American Culinary Federation and a culinary professional of the James Beard Foundation. As the Executive Chef of Third Wave Café and Wine bar, his specialties are in traditional Mediterranean and Southern Coastal Cuisine.
How do your customers respond to having 1855 beef on your menu?
My customers notice the difference in quality and texture that 1855 Beef provides to their eating experience. They also notice the greater amount of meat on the 1855 ribs I prepare.
How do you like to prepare the cuts you use?
Right now, I prepare short ribs and burgers because I like to stick to the basics. 1855 beef allows me to prepare great-tasting ribs and juicy burgers.
Besides a traditional steak (NY Strip, Ribeye, Filet, etc.) what’s your favorite cut of 1855 beef to prepare: favorite non-typical/unique cut?
1855 beef steaks are great, but I like to stick to ribs and make those the best way I can.
What’s your favorite dish or type of cuisine to cook/eat and why?
I like to test out different flavor profiles and textures. Korean and Chinese cuisines are my favorite. Fried rice is something I really enjoy and I’m currently experimenting with Kimchi. I like to use different meats with different rice and grains to see what pairs the best. I also like to make my own sushi.
What are your top 3 to 5 tips or suggestions you’d give novice cooks or cooks at home?
1. Preparation: This is the most time-consuming thing in the kitchen. When you take the time to prep, it makes the experience of cooking more enjoyable.
2. Time Management: You don’t want a dish to sit and get cold before reincorporating it. To make the best dish, you want to learn time management, so you can incorporate all the right things at the best times.
3. Temperature Control: A fluctuation in temperature affects the end dish. Temperature control makes a difference. For example, brisket should be slow and steady while watching the temperature. If the temperature changes too much, it could end with a bad result.
What do you enjoy most about being a chef?
I enjoy being able to create good food. I also really enjoy building relationships with my customers over a meal. Growing up on a farm, a lot of my relationships were built and grown around food. As a family, we ate meals together every day including with friends and family. I can remember my uncle smoking pigs and the family having a great time all because we were enjoying what he cooked. Food played a huge part in my life and relationships.
How does the fact that it’s Angus affect the eating experience?
1855 beef is a quality product, and anytime you start with a quality product, you get a better eating experience. When I compare 1855 beef to others, the texture is better than others.
How does 1855 beef compare to other premium (Upper 2/3 Choice & Prime) programs?
In my opinion, there is no comparison because 1855 is just overall better.
Do you have a favorite wine to pair 1855 beef with?
I don’t have a wine, but I do like to pair it with Chattanooga Whiskey
How would you define your cooking style?
Simple. I don’t cook anything I can’t spell. I start with the basics, master those, and then add creativity to those. I like to use southern staples and add my own twist. A lot of my inspiration comes from my grandmother.
What’s your favorite ingredient?
Granulated honey because everything can use a little bit of sweetness even if it’s a salty dish. Granulated honey adds a little sweetness to a dish without it being too overpowering. I like to use it with my rubs. A close second is truffle olive oil because it’s a good binder for rubs and has a unique flavor.
What would you choose as your last meal?
It would be a grilled center or a ribeye steak because it is the most tender piece of steak with fresh-made crab cakes using king crab. I’d also include mac and cheese with cavatappi pasta with smoked gouda, white American, and mild cheddar. Also, grilled cheese with American and cheddar cheese with panko breadcrumbs with grilled asparagus and grilled French bread on the sides.
Brandon Ellis was born and raised in Franklin, Kentucky. As a child, his family raised hogs and tobacco. Raised by a single mother who often worked multiple jobs to make ends meet, Brandon is no stranger to hard work. After being arrested for trafficking cocaine and marijuana, Brandon found himself facing 43 years in prison. In 2006, he was given the opportunity to attend the Teen Challenge Midsouth in Chattanooga, Tennessee, as a second chance. While in the program, he was assigned to work in the kitchen. Although work assignments typically last 30 days, the staff and students fell in love with his cooking making his first job assignment a permanent position. Working in the kitchen taught Brandon how to cook for large groups and maneuver in a commercial kitchen. Currently, Brandon is the owner and operator of Chatter Box café – specializing in southern wood-fired BBQ. Chatter Box Café has a storefront in Chattanooga in addition to its catering and food truck services. In his free time, Brandon enjoys riding 4-wheelers and dirt bikes.
How do your customers respond to having 1855 beef on your menu?
Guests appreciate the brand quality associated with 1855 once the servers explain the significance. Our 1855 steaks are prized by our guests for their tenderness and flavor.
How do you like to prepare the cuts you use?
Bone-in cuts are dry-aged, seasoned with olive oil, kosher salt, and coarse black pepper, seared on a plancha, and finished on a wood-fired grill burning oak and ash.
Besides a traditional steak (NY Strip, Ribeye, Filet, etc.) what’s your favorite cut of 1855 beef to prepare: Favorite non-typical/unique cut?
My favorite non-typical cut is the skirt steak, which I find to be one of the most flavorful cuts of beef to grill. The skirt steak, when done correctly, has an intense beef flavor that is only matched by a ribeye cap. It has wonderful marbling and large muscle fibers that make the steak very bold.
What’s your favorite dish or type of cuisine to cook/eat and why?
I love Greek and Italian cuisine, and my favorite dishes are typically braised, such as short ribs of beef or veal osso buco. I love the rich development of flavor that comes with braising meats with wine and herbs.
What are your top 3 to 5 tips or suggestions you’d give novice cooks or cooks at home?
1. If you can, buy a gas stove.
2. Keep your knives as sharp as possible (dull knives cause more accidents than sharp ones.)
3. You don’t need a lot of equipment, but what you use should be of good quality.
4. Take your time with dishes, be patient. If you fail the first time, don’t get frustrated - just learn from your experience and try again!
5. Always taste what you’re making throughout the process.
What do you enjoy most about being a chef?
I love the process; I love the transformation that takes place when creating a dish. I also love meeting farmers because they are the people responsible for cultivating our foods.
How does the fact that it’s Angus affect the eating experience?
The flavor and consistency of Black Angus beef are critical to our reputation. We dry age our cuts for up to 30 days, and the marbling of Angus beef is critical to that process. Dry aging does to beef what the sun does to grapes before they are crushed to make Amarone; it concentrates the flavor, adds intensity, and tenderizes the steaks as well. Our process typically goes for around 30 days for most cuts, enough time to tenderize the beef but not so long as to excessively dehydrate the cuts. It allows us to personalize the already amazing 1855 beef into something to be truly savored.
How does 1855 beef compare to other premium (Upper 2/3 Choice & Prime) programs?
For myself, I appreciate the yield that comes with 1855 cuts. The short loins yield amazing porterhouse and T-bone cuts. The exports consistently yield Chicago cut ribeyes without excessive waste. The tenderloins are also very nicely trimmed and large, giving me great control for various cuts.
Do you have a favorite wine to pair 1855 beef with?
My favorite would have to be Eisele Altagracia, 2012, a value wine from one of the best producers in Napa. Made in the tradition of great European Cabernet blends, very balanced, complex, and ready to drink. This wine stands up to the bold flavor of 1855 steak without overpowering it. Velvety tannins complement the juicy, well-marbled steaks, and leave the palate wanting another bite.
How would you define your cooking style?
I was taught to butcher and cook from my parents, who were both immigrants from Greece. Because of that, I would say my style is very humble and authentic.
What’s your favorite ingredient?
The onion! Whether it’s a shallot, Cipollini, Vidalia, Spanish, or green, the onion is the foundation to any great, savory dish.
What would you choose as your last meal?
I’ve become more sentimental as I’ve gotten older. I lost my dad 8 years ago and my mother is 80. Honestly, anything my mom would make for me would be a perfect last meal. She’s an outstanding cook. I love her braised dishes; her preparation of vegetables and greens is magical. Her desserts are incredible. I’d just want mom’s cooking.
George Sboukis has been a chef/restaurateur since 1996. As a proud father of 3 (soon to be 4!) and the son of Greek immigrants, George learned the value of family and hard work early on. George graduated from the University of Michigan with a degree in accounting but found his true passion in creating memorable meals for his patrons and loved ones. In 2017, George reopened the Caucus Club where he currently serves as chef, owner, and operator.
The Caucus Club is a historic, iconic restaurant that opened in 1952 and is credited with launching the career of Barbra Streisand. They have an on-site dry-aging room featuring a Himalayan salt wall and butcher all cuts of beef on-site, finishing them on a wood-fired grill. When he’s not working, George spends as much time as he can with his family.
How do your customers respond to having 1855 beef on your menu?
Our customers have loved the quality of 1855 beef on our menu. They can clearly tell the difference and continually comment on the quality of the product.
How do you like to prepare the cuts you use?
We use the Outside Skirt Steak for our carne asada tacos. To prepare this dish we do a quick (1-hour marinade), then grill the portioned steaks on about a 900-degree grill, before resting for 5 minutes, and then slicing against the grain.
Besides a traditional steak (NY Strip, Ribeye, Filet, etc.) what’s your favorite cut of 1855?
The Outside Skirt Steak is one of my favorites for its bold flavor and tenderness. When prepared correctly, it provides the texture and flavor I am looking for (and at a great price). (I also am a big fan of the Rib Cap or Spinalis steak, which is, in my opinion, the best cut there is.)
How would you define your cooking style?
My style is definitely fusion cuisine that focuses on balancing and contrasting flavors and textures.
What’s your favorite ingredient?
Various types of vinegar. The different flavors and acidity in vinegar can really transform, brighten, or bring life to a dish.
What would you choose as your last meal?
Jerk chicken with coconut rice and beans.
How does the fact that it’s Angus affect the eating experience?
The fact that it is Angus is a great selling point. It communicates that they are receiving a quality product and that we care about the food we are serving. The Angus name carries an expectation and 1855 delivers on those expectations.
How does 1855 beef compare to other premium (Upper 2/3 Choice & Prime) programs?
The 1855 beef we have been using is a superior product. We have tried other products that are marketed as being comparable, yet they have lacked the flavor, marbling, and texture of what we receive from 1855.
What’s your favorite dish or type of cuisine to cook/eat and why?
I really like fusion-style cuisine. It allows one to enjoy the flavors and techniques from different cultures. It also provides the opportunity to highlight traditional dishes in a new way.
What are your top 3 to 5 tips or suggestions you’d give novice cooks or cooks at home?
1. Season your food well
2. For precision, use a thermometer when cooking. For added precision, use a scale too.
3. Focus on mastering basic techniques, and you will be able to make nearly anything.
4. Do not be afraid to fail when trying something new.
5. Enjoy the process.
What do you enjoy most about being a chef?
The opportunity to share a part of yourself with someone in a way that combines science, art, and hospitality.
Chef James Kelsey has been in the foodservice industry for 24 years, starting as a dishwasher back in 1998. Over the course of his career, James filled various roles such as garde manger, fryer, grill, and sauté stations. In 2007, he earned his A.S. in Culinary Arts (with honors) from Sullivan University in Louisville, KY. Upon completing his degree, he began looking for more challenging opportunities and took his first chef position in 2007 in Westcliffe, CO. Over the subsequent years, he worked in various chef positions in KY, IN, NM, TX and CO before finding his current position as the Executive Chef at Don Felix Café in Mesilla, NM. New opportunities lie on the horizon for Chef James as he will soon be transitioning to the Development Chef at Don Felix, focusing on further recipe development and special dinners. Never a dull moment! Chef James lives in Las Cruces, NM with his wife and daughters. In his free time, James enjoys spending time with his family, watching KY basketball, reading, and hiking – all activities that help him relax and find balance in his life.