ABOUT THE CHEF
From an early age Chef Patrick Hagerman grew up with discipline and drive, being born into a military family with both his mother and father in the US Navy for over 20 years each. Patrick was born in Honolulu, Hawaii in September of 1984, and within 3 months the family was already on the move from Hawaii to Northern California. In early childhood Patrick spent time in the Bay Area before ending up in Rota, Spain, which is located on the Southern tip of Spain.
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The family’s time in Spain came to an end when both parents retired from the Navy. They relocated back to Northern California where Patrick would spend the larger part of his time from age 12 to 30. After high school, Patrick started college in Sacramento, California striving for a Journalism degree. Part way through this educational path he found his true love in the culinary industry and made the leap.
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On advice from a friend he went to tour a new Le Cordon Bleu that was opening in Sacramento and left that tour signed up for the next class. Chef Patrick graduated at the top of his class while participating in the Escoffier Club for the top cooks in the school. Towards the end of the culinary program the young cooks had to complete a “stage” in a restaurant for 12 weeks. Chef Patrick was graciously granted the opportunity to work at the Michelin-Starred restaurant Gary Danko.
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While completing his last few months in school, Patrick was diligently sending his resume out to the best restaurants, striving to work only for the best chefs, ones that matched and embraced his lofting and exacting culinary standards. Towards the end of his time in the classically run kitchen at Gary Danko, Patrick finally received word from the ‘crème de la crème’ of fine dining restaurants: Chef Thomas Keller’s French Laundry.
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It wasn’t for a job, or even an opportunity coming soon. He was told to write a “letter of motivation,” and the Chef would read it. If he liked it then Patrick would be put in line 9 months down the line for a try out. While this was bitter sweet news, Patrick wrote the letter and continued looking for a job at one of the Michelin starred restaurants in the San Francisco Bay area of Napa Valley. On his first day of a try-out at a restaurant in San Francisco he received a call from The French Laundry. He was told the Chef had read his letter and hoped that he could start on the following Monday. “Of Course!”
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Working for Chef Thomas Keller at the best restaurant in the country was his dream job and he was determined to make the most of this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. He procured an invitation to stay with a job offer from Chef Thomas Keller. Over the next 8 years he spent time working across several of Chef Keller’s restaurants, including The French Laundry, Ad Hoc, back to French Laundry and then into a management role as the Culinary Liaison at The French Laundry. This position would expand on his culinary skills and offer him opportunities to be a part of recruiting, hiring, menu writing, recipe writing, video and magazine shoots and even ranging as far as accounting and being an interictal part in all planning meetings involving the building of the new French Laundry kitchen. These years in Yountville, California would shape Chef Hagerman into who he is today.
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After almost 8 years with the Thomas Keller Restaurant Group, Chef Hagerman departed Napa Valley to pursue a General Manager position. This journey took him to Dallas, Texas and Sacramento, California and Albuquerque, New Mexico where he was part of the team at Los Poblanos. This long and winding journey has led Chef Hagerman to see that his culinary passions lie across many cuisines, including classical French, Italian, Spanish, regional American, and expansive knowledge of California cuisine. While some might not see it as his most ‘prestigious credential’, Chef Patrick was lucky enough while growing up in the Bay Area to have constant exposure to those generationally acquired tastes and traditions of Mexican Cuisine through the mothers and grandmothers of his best friends growing up.
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When he takes off his chef’s jacket at the end of the day, Patrick loves to work out and has recently found a passion for boxing at UFC Gym. He has a life-long love for animals, particularly dogs and cats. A big lover of sports, he is a diehard fan of the Oakland A’s, the Sacramento Kings and the Dallas Cowboys. He loves to travel and eat! He’s been all over America and has spent time in London and Paris. At this moment Chef Patrick is putting all his energy into his new company Culina ABQ.