Roy Ip, a Branford restaurateur, is one of the most critically lauded and acclaimed chefs in the United States. His cooking has earned him not only an ‘extraordinary’ rating from The New York Times, but has also landed his restaurant, Le Petit Café, a spot on Zagat’s Top 30 Restaurants in the country list.
But you’d never guess any of this upon meeting the man. Instead, Ip is a humble fellow, both grateful to and proud of Branford, the town he has called home for the last 17 years. He is an unassumingly eloquent chef, and when I sat down for an afternoon chat with him, I left a more enlightened man.
“Don’t take anything for granted,” he told me. “You have to go earn it”
Le Petit Café is a tiny establishment nestled on Montowese Street, facing the Branford Green. From its unassuming, quaint exterior, one might never guess it was one of the most acclaimed restaurants in the country. Inside, French and Italian art adorns the walls along with photos of Ip posing with such culinary superstars as Julia Child and Jacques Pépin. There is a comfortable, amber glow to the place, both welcoming, cozy, and dignified all at the same time.
Ip was born in Hong Kong, the fifth youngest in a family of six kids. “In traditional Chinese families, the oldest child is in charge and the youngest is being pampered,” he explained. “I was number five, so you can tell who was doing all the work.”
Early on, he was tasked with basic culinary tasks around the kitchen: washing dishes, chopping vegetables, etc. Eventually, these tasks blossomed into an education in cooking, by way of necessity, not pleasure. “It wasn’t like a lesson,” he said. “You have to do what you need to do. It became part of my life experience. I still remember it all. It became part of my foundation.”
Ip came to America in 1995 with his wife, Winnie, and landed in Manhattan. The couple soon found themselves enrolled at the French Culinary Institute in NYC. His wife, however, became pregnant halfway through the course, so Ip was left to finish out the curriculum on his own. He was the only student of that class to graduate with high honors.
Concerning his particular culinary fashion, a technique with its foundation in his Chinese upbringing and later honed in the French style, he had this to say: “I always liked French cooking because it’s very meticulous, very precise. French cooking with a Chinese background is American. This is a very open-minded country, full of opportunity. If you want to work, you can earn it. It’s a very fair country. You good? You do it and you can earn it. You can earn when you are capable and able to.”
New York City, however, was not where Ip wanted to raise his family. “I wanted to own my own business. Manhattan was always a very competitive area, but to raise a kid there was a whole other challenge,” he told me.
“It so happened at that time that we saw the offer of this restaurant up for sale in Branford.” And the couple liked what they saw. Ip found Branford not only friendly to business, being nearly equidistant between New York and Boston, but, more importantly, a hospitable place to raise his son. “Branford is one of the nicest towns on the shoreline,” he said, beaming.
“I like basic cooking, and I like a more cozy and rustic setting,” he said.
The prix fixe menu offers up a series of straightforward yet elegant and delightfully colorful dishes. Diners are often hard-pressed to choose between the several sumptuous options. After all, who could make an easy decision between such choices as “warm duck leg confit, bathed in Roy’s fresh fruit jam, delicious apple, and radish” and ‘“sautéed French escargot served with blue cheese and cognac sauce on herb accented puff pastry.” And those are only appetizers! Good grief!
At the end of the interview, when asked if he had any final thoughts, Ip scratched his chin thoughtfully and said, “Two things I’ve learned. I learned it’s very important to have a great family to support, especially the ‘boss’. She unconditionally supports me. And my son, too. Second, I don’t take anything for granted. You have to go earn it.”
Roy Ip is a chef who was born in China, trained in the French style in NYC, and now cooks nationally award-winning meals in the little town of Branford. He is the living, breathing proof of the validity of his own advice, “You have to go earn it.”
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Chef Roy is not only a great culinary talent, he is a warm and wonderful man who takes such pride in his work and consistently turns out masterful meals. I feel so lucky to have him here in Branford, and have enjoyed many happy evenings with friends and family in his cozy, welcoming restaurant. He is truly a treasure in town. Thanks to the Eagle for featuring him, and kudos to Evan for his excellent report and video.