In Conversation With the Executive Chef at Bridges & Bourbon
Written by Amanda Buchman
Most chefs finish their education with a degree in the culinary arts, but Patrick Terry is not most chefs. The head of the kitchen at Bridges & Bourbon has a bachelor’s degree in culinary arts, an MBA from Point Park University, and multiple certificates in scientific fields, and he keeps going back to school for more. He is currently pursuing a dual associate degree in mechatronics and chemistry, a combination he insists will increase his capacity to fulfill his side projects.
Photo courtesy of Patrick Terry.
His love for the sciences comes from the same passion for hands-on work that drove him to the restaurant industry. In fact, he tells me that the government classifies the restaurant industry as “food manufacturing,” since chefs transform a raw product into a finished one by combining ingredients and cooking them through various processes. It makes sense, then, that Terry is so interested in the nitty-gritty of creation.
His educational endeavors have led him to a two-week nanofabrication course at Carnegie Mellon University (CMU), a year-long welding program at the Community College of Allegheny County (CCAC), and a project with the International Space Station. His accomplishments have not only demonstrated his extreme ambition, but have also conveniently made him the designated plumber and HVAC repairman at work. If there was a definition of “doing it all,” it’s Patrick Terry.
It seems there was never a time in his life when the chef wasn’t being kept busy. He grew up in what he calls “the boonies” of Maryland, where his family had their own bees, a vegetable garden, and fruit trees. He got used to canning food and getting his hands in the dirt. Even now, he enjoys “the homestead life,” though it can be a lot of work. The father of a baby also has two dogs, two cats, and several fish; plus, he maintains a garden in his backyard, where he tends to the occasional bonfire.
Photo courtesy of Patrick Terry.
Though his backyard projects keep him occupied, he always has the restaurant in the back of his mind. “I base seasonal ingredients on what’s coming out of my yard,” he says. Right now, his inspiration for the fall menu comes from perennial herbs like thyme and sage that are popping up, along with nuts, spices, and root vegetables that grow in the cooler weather.
Terry is also reminiscing on comfort foods his dad’s family would make down south. He may not be up to recreating his grandma’s pecan pie, but some sweet potato casserole sounds like it might make its way onto the menu, at least for a short time. At Bridges & Bourbon, plans can change at any moment.
Even if the kitchen makes something that every customer orders and loves, that item may not appear on the menu the next week. To keep things fresh, they rotate product frequently, and if Terry happens to come up with something new on the job, he’ll roll it out as soon as possible. “I keep everyone on their toes,” he admits.
On any given day, the chef might announce something like, “we’re gonna start making a potato gratin.” By the time the kitchen staff asks when, it’s already happening. “I’ll say, ‘I just made the first one,’ and then it’s out. That’s just how it goes.” Menu changes can also rely on product deliveries, since almost everything at the restaurant comes from local farms.
Photo courtesy of Patrick Terry.
In a fast-paced environment of his own creation, Terry relies on Excel spreadsheets and lots of paper. Recipes fill up three-ring binders, and he keeps track of inventory on a clipboard, earning him the nickname “The Clipboard Chef.”
Organization is key when you have as much going on as Terry does. Since the age of fifteen, he’s been working in hospitality, starting with diners and small spots in his hometown. He moved to Pittsburgh in 2010 to attend the Art Institute, where he completed his bachelor’s in the culinary arts. At the same time, he was working at the Fairmont Hotel. He began stewarding in 2012 but was promoted to the kitchen after just a few months.
At the Fairmont, he gained most of his technical skills and knowledge of international cuisine. Working alongside sous chefs from countries such as Argentina, Mexico, and Britain, he learned about the flavor profiles and techniques of different cultures, which he carries with him today. If it weren’t for that experience, he may never have come up with a dish an Iraqi customer loved: a juicy lamb shank with zhoug, which is essentially a spicy cilantro sauce.
After the Fairmont, Terry did stints at Meat & Potatoes and Gaucho, where he met a couple of cooks that came to work for him when he started at Bridges & Bourbon in 2021. “I’ve got a nice crew of people that I really enjoy working with, that I trust,” he says. Around 60-70% of his current staff are people that have worked with or for him for a long time.
Having a trusted and capable staff makes it easier for Terry to exercise spontaneous creativity in the kitchen, ensuring that his vision is carried out even on short notice. “Whatever happens, happens,” he says. “You just gotta roll with the punches.”
The chef may not be able to promise what’s on the menu a few weeks from now, but he can promise quality food. Bridges & Bourbon provides a true taste of what it’s like when someone with incredible culinary ambition is at the helm.
