How a Ritz Carlton chef and a sustainable fish maven became an unlikely duo.
Imagine a young boy growing up in Germany cooking next to his mother. The son of a German father and a Korean mother, learning the nuances of two cultures in his family home. Now picture, halfway across the world, a young lady living in Chicago. The daughter of a banker and a lawyer. Do you think somewhere in their destiny they knew they would connect years later in Boston?
Introducing Frank Kassner, executive chef at the Ritz Carlton and Laura Foley Ramsden, owner of Foley Fish. Together these two form a professional alliance with the goal of bringing local seafood to lucky Bostonians.
Chef Kassner and I met during my recent trip to the East Coast and spent the better part of two days together bonding over fabulous food chat and discussing how both decadent and healthy can interact incredibly well together.
Frank discovered his love for cooking as a teenager and was blessed to receive an elite German hotel apprenticeship at the age seventeen. Although, Chef Frank will be the first to tell you that the hard work was anything but preferential. His apprenticeship began with the requirement to learn all the front of the house duties including luggage handling. At the age where most young men are barely beginning to touch the reigns of adulthood, Frank was working four days a week to learn his craft, and completing his studies on the fifth day. He washed dishes, peeled potatoes, and happily performed any task asked of him. Eventually he paid his dues and was offered his own kitchen. His skill as a promising chef soon became evident and a career was launched.
In 2002 Chef Frank was offered a role at the Ritz Carlton Florida. He describes the feeling of adventure during his inaugural trip to the United States. He also tells me the challenge that comes with being a young man away from home, speaking very little English, and learning the ways of a new culture. We both laughed when he describes the shock of the Floridians when they learned he had never heard of a crab cake! Not only does Chef Frank now know his way around a crab cake and other American foods he has become a successful Executive Chef utilizing wonderful local seafood.
Because at LoveSelf we know the importance of gluten free and earth friendly foods, I was thrilled when Frank began telling me of his recent experiences with food intolerances and even the concern over GMO. We talked about the necessity of providing healthy allergen free cuisine for his guests (while always staying true to the amazing Ritz Carlton decadence of course!). Chef Frank even noticed how good he feels when he takes gluten out of his diet! Yes! I responded. Remove that gluten and those Glyphosates and your body and mama earth will thank you for it! He describes with pride the “sense of well being” he brings to those he feeds so well.
Frank, along with his Vietnamese born wife Thao, recent transfer to Boston have brought the best of Asia, Europe, and the Southern U.S. to the East Coast. Meanwhile Laura Foley was completing her education at the University of Michigan, studying English and Public Relations (definitely not fish!) and building a happy Midwestern family with her husband Peter.
Laura’s great grandfather started the Foley Fish legacy in 1906. In 2005 destiny came knocking and Laura, along with her husband took over the reigns of the family fish dynasty. Both Laura and Peter took this calling very seriously and performed every job for four years before being told by Dad, the family patriarch, that they were ready.
The day I met Laura Foley and her team was a cold day on the Boston shore. Frank ‘s team had been ordering the fish from the Foley’s yet in the busy schedule of an executive chef, he had yet to visit the fishery himself. Together we started a day in the life of a fisher-person adventure. (Being a Midwestern born girl, I will confess this was first time I was on such an excursion). Bill Gerencer, a 28-year veteran of Foley Fish took Frank and I to see the hard work that starts before the sun comes up. Bill, an expert in all things fish, tells me how he has a phone with him 24 hours a day and will take an order even at midnight to deliver the next day to a happy chef. Even better, he stated this as if it were normal for everyone!
After spending time at the docks, we traveled over to the Foley headquarters. Picture a cold small room with fish everywhere. Men in tall boots and aprons, all with the most amazing smile of hard working pride I have seen in a long time. Frank and I were introduced to Laura and an alliance of seafood and chef began. Laura described her pride by telling me “We do everything truly all natural… No playing games”. Another confession from me… I wasn’t sure what this meant. In my naive non-fisherman view, I thought hmmmm…. isn’t all fish natural? So I asked her. And guess what, it isn’t?! (Why are we surprised, ey?) It turns out that many other sources add chemicals and other bad stuff called particle injections to their fish. Did you know that many scallops have an additive called Sodium Tripolyphosphate and another called Altessa? Yikes. And some companies even pump the more expensive species, such as Chilean Sea Bass, with slurry (ground up) different types of fish trimmings to falsely increase the weight of the fish?! More yikes! Here is the good news. Not the Foley family! No way! They are all about protection, sustainability, and integrity. Thank goodness Ms. Laura. Curious about the fish you buy? Ask questions. Education is key dear LoveSelfers!
With all this promise and decadence, wouldn’t you love to be invited over to the Kassner house for dinner?! Imagine the combination of Vietnamese, Korean, and German flavors, created with a local American flair. If the invitation has yet to arrive in the mail, don’t worry. Just book a flight to Boston and make a reservation at the Ritz Carlton Artisan’s Bistro. Chef Kassner’s team is sure to have selected and prepared Laura Foley’s finest local seafood just for you!
Both Laura and Chef Frank told me that all this “doesn’t feel like hard work” because everyday is a reward.
Dear Hungry LoveSelfers. Great news! Laura Foley has provided us with her wonderful family fish recipe, Italian Cod. And guess what? Chef Frank will be providing us one of his secret recipes! Stay tuned for the big reveal and don’t forget to subscribe to our newsletter for the current and future fabulous recipe decadence. Gluten free and love for your body!
Laura Foley’s Italian Cod Recipe
I am recently retired from Foley Fish and proud to see the recognition given to Laura, Peter & all the great people who are Foley Fish. When it comes to Seafood fresh is best and Foley’s is Fresh!
I am a Seafood Manager in the Supermarket business in Ma. We are proud to sell the Foley fish products. Best of the best, nothing comes close.