Chef Ed Cotton. Finds The Right Recipe For Success

Ask Chef Ed Cotton, Jr. what advice he gives to people who want to succeed in the highly competitive culinary world and he replies with the formula that has catapulted him to the pinnacle of New York’s ultra-exciting restaurant scene.

“I’m a firm believer in always asking questions,” says Cotton.  “Be a sponge.  Never stop learning.  Have patience.  Listen to criticism.  Believe in yourself.  Don’t second-guess yourself.  If you put all these things together, you should be pretty good.”

By anyone’s standards, Cotton has vastly surpassed the “pretty good” level and is truly one of the young chefs to watch in Manhattan thanks to his talent, drive, impressive credentials, creativity in the kitchen and boundless, lifelong passion for cooking.

Currently, Cotton, 32, a Waltham native who was educated at Minuteman Career & Technical High School in Lexington, Class of 1996, and the Culinary Institute of America (CIA), one of the premier schools of its kind in the nation, is chef de cuisine at BLT Market at the Ritz-Carlton New York, Central Park under Chef Laurent Tourondel.  Opened in August 2007, it’s an upscale French-American bistro seating approximately 100 that focuses on dishes made with the freshest seasonal ingredients.

Cotton got his start as a child by observing his dad, a CIA graduate who was the executive chef at the now-closed Cottage Crest Restaurant on Trapelo Road in Waltham.  Young Ed would perch atop a counter and eagerly watch his father until it was time to head to his nearby pre-school.

Another crucial step in his training came years later at Minuteman, where Cotton studied Culinary Arts under Chefs Joseph Pitta and Rich Kohlstrom.  Today, Pitta, who is Chair of the Human and Commercial Services Cluster at Minuteman in addition to his responsibilities in the school’s Culinary Arts program, admiringly says of his former student: “When I first met Ed, he was a freshman at Minuteman, and his natural talent for cooking and love of food was obvious. There was no doubt that we would see great things from him. From his part-time high school jobs in local restaurants to his externships at some of the best restaurants in Boston, chefs who worked with Ed praised his skills and work ethic. Ed has brought great pride to the Minuteman community through his accomplishments, generously sharing his experiences with culinary students who have followed him.  This fine young man has much more to offer in his bright future.”

Cotton’s rise to prominence has been swift.  While still in high school, he won medals in prestigious cooking competitions sponsored by VICA (Vocational Industrial Clubs of America), presently known as SkillsUSA.  That’s a national organization for high school and college students enrolled in technical schools and programs that holds rigorous competitions in a host of vocational specialties at the local, district, state, national and international levels.

Cotton earned a coveted first place gold medal in cooking at the statewide level during his junior year at Minuteman, then went on to rank 11th in the country at the national contest held in Kansas City.  At that point, Cotton says he realized the significant caliber and potential of his ability in the kitchen.

A slew of enviable opportunities quickly came his way.  While still at Minuteman, Cotton worked under Chef Todd English at Olives in Charlestown honing his knife and pastry-making skills, then helping English open another eatery, Figs in Wellesley.  Cotton proved himself so able that he was asked to open yet another Olives at the Bellagio in Las Vegas, where he was sous chef.

Cotton next spent several years working with Chef Barbara Lynch at the restaurant No. 9 Park in Boston’s Beacon Hill as executive sous chef.  Beginning in 2003 and continuing for the following five years, Cotton worked under Chef Daniel Boulud in New York at db Bistro Moderne and Restaurant Daniel.

He has also appeared on TV on the Food Network as Cat Cora’s sous chef on “Iron Chef America.”  Cotton says, “A friend of mine called me up one day and asked me about doing the program.  I emailed Cat Cora my resume, she met with me, and I’ve been doing the show for four years.”

Cotton certainly has a strong work ethic and plenty of stamina.  He says he arrives at BLT Market around 10 or 11 in the morning and readies for a whirlwind day filled with activities and preparation.  He checks the produce, fish, meat, and other items in the restaurant’s inventory, briefs the night crew and assists them in setting up their stations before the restaurant opens at 5:30 p.m., plates and sauces the food before it is served to the clientele, then at the end of the evening, Cotton dashes off a prep sheet for the morning crew.  All in all, it’s a hectic 12-hour-plus day that ends shortly before midnight.

His eventual goal is to have “a great restaurant or two” of his own in New York.  “Cooking is something I will do for the rest of my life,” Cotton declares.  “You have to love what you do to be successful.  I’m very blessed.  I’m very proud of who I am.”