Truffles. Rooted in the flavors of the season.

Chef Brandon Benack

Born in Rochester, NY, one could say Chef Brandon Benack's rich food memories as a child helped guide him on a path to become a chef. Having grandparents from Calabria, Italy, Brandon learned at an early age to roll meatballs for Sunday dinners and harvest grapes for homemade wine.

After his culinary beginnings in Hilton Head, SC, he spent five years at Emeril Lagasse's legendary creole restaurants in New Orleans. His next stop would be the most impressionable on is culinary palate, as he embarked on a three year expedition to Antigua, West Indies. The island's rich Caribbean culture and diverse variety of produce inspired his study of authentic Caribbean cuisine. In 2007, Benack returned to the US and became Chef de Cuisine at Emeril's Miami Beach. After four years at the helm of Emeril's he was recruited by Master Chef Norman Van Aken, known as the "Father of Fusion Cuisine", as a corporate chef at Norman's Orlando and Norman's 180.

In pursuit of a new home for his young family, Benack discovered St. Louis, with its great Midwestern values and emerging culinary scene. Reconnecting with Aleks Jovanovic, with whom he had worked both in New Orleans and Antigua, Chef Brandon found a new home as the Executive Chef of Truffles Restaurant. Together, they are continuing Truffles’ commitment to local, fresh ingredients, bringing passion, intensity and meticulous attention to detail in a seemingly simple yet daring approach to the Modern American restaurant. While incorporating southern classics with local influences, Chef Brandon’s cooking provides the perfect complement to Jovanovic’s “fun” dining approach.

Chef Brandon has appeared on NBC, CBS, Food Network and Plum TV Miami.  He has also been featured in publications such as Miami New Times, Orlando Sentinel and Food Buzz.

We have been trying to put this "band together" for some time now. Chef B is one of the most passionate people I had a privilege to work with. I am beyond excited to have him on board!

Aleksandar Jovanovic