Major Chenevert describes the perfect meal as something that relates to each person differently. Chenevert is executive chef at Portobello’s Grill in the Bocage Shopping Center.

Executive Chef Major Chenevert takes vegetables from the cooler while preparing for the lunch crowd at Portobello’s Grill in the Bocage Shopping Center.

Chopping parsley — it's a daily part of the job at Portobello’s Grill for executive chef Major Chenevert.

Executive chef Major Chenevert, left, and lead cook Claiborne Jasper share a laugh while preparing for the lunch crowd.

Executive chef Major Chenevert brings out vegetables from the cooler at Portobello’s Grill in the Bocage Shopping Center.

Football was Major Chenevert's priority when he left Baton Rouge for Northwestern State University in Natchitoches. He dreamed of a career in the sport, but as sometimes happens, that dream didn't come true.

Major Chenevert describes the perfect meal as something that relates to each person differently. Chenevert is executive chef at Portobello’s Grill in the Bocage Shopping Center.

So, Chenevert returned to his hometown and took a job at Vincent's City Club, which set him on a new career path where he not only could make a good living but incorporate his creative talent into the job.

Did we mention that Chenevert majored in music at Northwestern? He also was involved in the visual arts and these are the talents he assimilated into his job as a chef.

Now Chenevert's the executive chef at Portobello's Grill, where he looks forward each day to preparing food for his customers. And if his food "hits every note on the scale and touches your soul," then he knows he's done a good job.

Could you tell us a little bit about your background?

I was born here in Baton Rouge, at Earl K. Long Hospital. I attended middle school at St. Jude the Apostle School and went on to graduate from Redemptorist High School. I pursued a football career by attending Northwestern State University in Natchitoches, but it didn’t pan out as I thought it would in my head. (LOL!)

Executive Chef Major Chenevert takes vegetables from the cooler while preparing for the lunch crowd at Portobello’s Grill in the Bocage Shopping Center.

So, I returned home to Baton Rouge and tried to find a career in which I could express my creativity but also be efficient and sufficient at what I do. (Being that I majored in music composition and songwriting in piano at NSU, and was pretty talented when it came to the arts such as music, drawing and painting.)

What made you aspire to become a chef?

I got my first cooking job in December 2005 at Vincent’s City Club off of Florida Boulevard. This was a place that was located in New Orleans, but relocated to Baton Rouge after Katrina hit. I ended up becoming a sous chef in a short amount of time.

This place also gave me the opportunity to cook for a lot of famous people such as Angela Bassett, the Rev. Al Sharpton, Robin Thicke, Gerald Levert, Danny Wuerffel, Joe Horn and many others. I loved the fact that food could expose me to these type of things, so now I knew I wanted to cook. But I also wanted a more modern, clean style that still kept the Cajun Creole aspect as part of my style.

What are your duties as the executive chef for Portobello's?

Well, I feel my duty as the executive chef is to have my staff trained properly, introduce them to the new culture Making Raving Fans Hospitality Group (which owns Portobello's) is trying to instill inside of all the restaurants, teach my team how to be better every day in life, as well as with their jobs, while also making sure we send out amazing food to our guests, making their dining experience everything they hoped it would be or even more.

What is your morning routine before going to work?

Can I say traffic? (LOL!) Because I deal with this every morning. Yet again, the one thing that doesn’t change day in and day out is that I’m planning and going over each move I need to make for the day while I'm on my way to work — what needs to be prepped, what needs to be ordered, what time is everyone coming in.

I listen to a few songs that get me going, then once I step out the car it’s pretty much game time until I leave. But every day is different, so I try to just look at it as I get a new slate tomorrow, and I try to do better and more than the previous day.

What's your description of the perfect meal?

I would describe the perfect meal as something that relates to each person differently. It should be something you eat that puts you in a state of comfort, pleasure and, I would even say sometimes, nostalgia. It will hit every note on the scale, and touch you within your soul.

Tell us about your prep routine in the kitchen. Do you follow a daily ritual or is each prep time different?

We follow systems set in place for us to succeed with the day. Everything from prep on each station, to order guides, to recipes — if we follow these steps, everything should fall in place correctly.

Chopping parsley — it's a daily part of the job at Portobello’s Grill for executive chef Major Chenevert.

What's your most relied upon kitchen tool?

The chef's knife is very crucial to me. There are many kinds of chef's knives, but my top tools would be the chef's knife, followed by the paring knife right behind it.

What do you splurge on?

Honestly, I don’t really splurge on too much. I feel balance is everything. Balance keeps me at ease and comfortable with the situation I’m in. If I overdo it on something, I feel would be losing out somewhere else.

Are you a movie fan? What is your opinion of Hollywood's portrayal of chefs?

I love movies. I always say I’m big on story and plot, but I'm not really worried about the actual acting, because some are better than others. But I guess Hollywood shows chefs OK. I think they still miss the hours we put in, not seeing our kids or family as much, the stress we endure on a daily basis. I mean, it’s not a life for everyone, so you kind of have to like or love what you’re doing when you get into this field or life. I just feel they show more of the outcome than the grind. Like with sports, they show the games and championships but not the summer workouts, the boot camps, the year-round training and hard work that goes into it all.

Executive chef Major Chenevert, left, and lead cook Claiborne Jasper share a laugh while preparing for the lunch crowd.

What is your classic uniform?

My uniform changes, to be honest. I love to put on a chef jacket — a nice, crisp, white jacket — and some black pants. And everyone that’s worked with me over the years knows I’m wearing these semi-looking combat boots in the kitchen. (LOL!) But they are slip resistant, and they give me ankle support. I’m on my feet all day. So I have them laced up and tied.

But I try not to put my jacket on while working. I’m very hands on, so most of the time you are going to catch me in the kitchen with a plain white shirt, my black bandanna (chef ascot — LOL!), two aprons on, black pants, two towels and my boots. And I’m ready to get busy.

Do you listen to music while in the kitchen?

Personally, I don’t listen to music in the kitchen, but I don’t mind if my employees do while we are getting set up for the day. Not that music isn’t OK, but I like to be more focused on what I have going on, and I also want my chefs to hear me when I speak to them in the kitchen. But I honestly feel the less the distraction, the more focused we are. But before work you may hear me playing something upbeat to get me going — I’m not a morning person.

Executive chef Major Chenevert brings out vegetables from the cooler at Portobello’s Grill in the Bocage Shopping Center.

What dish creation are you most proud of?

I take pride in all of my dishes. I try to do things that aren’t copied and something that most people have never seen before but still has those familiar flavors. I like all of my dishes. We are our worst critics, so sometimes I may be harsh on myself but I love the pride and effort I always put into all of my food.

Tell us about your biggest disaster in the kitchen.

My biggest disaster in the kitchen … well, it happened while I was attending the Louisiana Culinary Institute. I was in the pastry part of the program at the time. That week, we were on cakes, so I’m putting my batter together and ready to go in the oven. I’m waiting and waiting, so after about 30 minutes or so I go to the oven and my cake is still liquid. I told chef Christina, "I give up."

I was so hurt that I didn’t even want to try again. She could tell I was hurt just by looking at me, but like I said, I always put my all into everything with my food, so when it didn’t work out, man, talk about a headache.

But the chef ended up helping me make a beautiful, small, all-white mock wedding cake that I was proud of toward the end of that class term.

And finally, we know that you love being a chef. But if you weren't a chef, what would your second choice of "dream job" be?

Definitely, this would have to be a music producer. Or maybe a studio musician that plays on people's records when they come to record. Anything dealing with creating or making music, I’d be all in just like with my food. I just love being able to share and express my creativity with others around me.

Email Robin Miller at romiller@theadvocate.com

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