Faces of Brown: Drew Yerich, executive chef

Faces of Brown is an occasional feature to introduce the Brown community to colleagues.

A modest style: A 1986 graduate of Johnson & Wales, Drew Yerich has been cooking most of his life and says, "I love what I do." Part of the reason he loves being executive chef of the Faculty Club at Brown is because of the tremendous team he has to work with. "Never for one minute do I let people think I'm the show," Yerich says in his characteristically modest style. "I always credit my staff for making me look good." For instance, when he was applauded recently after serving the Board of Managers and their spouses, he retrieved the staff and brought everyone out, including the dishwasher. "He gets special treatment," says Yerich, "because it's a tough job and I try to make it as humane as possible."

Brushes with fame: Since joining the Faculty Club in 1993, Yerich has met his share of celebrities. "Many well-known people have graced our presence here," he notes, "but I'd have to put Hillary Clinton at the top a) because she's the first lady and b) because she made an effort to come across the lobby to talk to me. I didn't approach her. I thought that was very classy and I have so much respect for that. I don't have my finger on a button or rule the world, yet she went out of her way to compliment me on the pan-seared salmon with mango chutney she had for lunch."

Another celebrity customer who stands out in Yerich's memory is Jesse Jackson. "He's a very big, tall man," Yerich notes, "and he totally dwarfed me." He recalls that two Brown students approached Jackson with their copies of "Green Eggs and Ham" by Dr. Seuss for an autograph. "They were goofing on him because he'd done a dramatic reading from it that week on 'Saturday Night Live.'"

Photo of Drew Yerich by John Abromowsky, PAUR

Kitchen nightmares: When asked about the worst catastrophe he's ever encountered during his tenure, Yerich shares anecdotes of two "inconveniences rather than catastrophes."

There was the time the University lost electricity during a kosher wedding reception at the club. Yerich called an ice company and had four 300-pound blocks of ice shipped to the walk-in refrigerator. "We could run the stove or oven only briefly because there was no ventilation, and we couldn't grill at all." All of the food was served and the celebrants "ate by candlelight. It was very romantic, but it was not an easy situation."

Another near-catastrophe came when 100 wedding guests wanted to start a New England clambake an hour early. Yerich tried to accommodate them only to discover that the steamer wasn't working properly. "Every time you opened the door, a wave of water would come flying out," he recalls. "I got a few gray hairs that day."

Facts and figures: There are about 2,000 members of the Faculty Club, including Brown parents, alumni, faculty and friends of Brown. In an average week, Yerich and his staff handle about 40 functions. At Commencement time, the weekly number climbs to closer to 60.

Awards: While with the Nathaniel Porter Inn, Yerich won The Silver Fork in the 1991 Pasta Challenge for Best White Seafood and Best Overall Sauce.

When not at Brown: As an active member of CARI - Chefs Association of Rhode Island - Yerich is involved in the group's charity fund-raisers. This year, CARI is holding a charity dinner on March 12. Yerich is the group leader on the meat course and has planned a chop of wild boar with roast venison Wellington. - Tracey Z. Poole