The life of a chef is one of near-constant change. It was no different for the Northern California-born and -raised Natasha Yruel. From food catering and cafes to full service restaurants, Yruel used her myriad of experiences to work her way up in the culinary world. In August 2016, she took a giant leap, flying across the country to open the Bistro inside Brandywine Branch Distillers.
Yruel’s career began at an early age. She was waiting tables at a cafe when the chef pulled her into the kitchen.
“He saw something in me,” said Yruel, who found herself drawn to the discipline and pride she found in the kitchen. “You have to be very focused and very precise if you’re going to be good at what you do.”
The following eight years were full of transition. To name a few, she earned her dues in corporate food service, cooked at a conference center that catered weddings & private events and helped open a Latin American restaurant called Costa Brava downtown in Santa Cruz, Calif.
The grind of working nights was starting to wear her down, so she broke out on her own and started cooking breakfast. She also started a side business, offering personal chef and catering services. For a few years, she even stepped away from cooking, working at various positions in the hotel industry.
“I missed cooking terribly,” said Yruel, reflecting on her days outside of the kitchen.
So she dove back in, opening a cafe that offered breakfast and lunch. The timing couldn’t have been worse, though—it opened in December 2007, right before the economy bottomed out. A year and a half later, the cafe was closed.
After that stroke of bad luck, Yruel mustered up all the discipline and resolve that attracted her to cooking in the first place, and found a job at Whole Foods Market in San Francisco. Eventually, she was head chef, running the entire prepared foods operations.
Then on New Year’s Day 2016, she got a call that would alter her life and bring her from her Northern California home all the way to rural Pennsylvania. Yruel’s good friend let her know that the owners of Brandywine Branch Distillery were opening a restaurant, and they wanted to bring her in as the head chef. After a visit to the property, she was sold.
The Bistro is housed in a converted barn, which still retains much of the original materials. The bar and tables are all handmade by one of Brandywine Branch’s distillers.
“It has this very unique, cozy and welcoming feel to it,” said Yruel.
One of the reasons Yruel fits in so nicely at Brandywine Branch Distillery is because of her food philosophy. The distillery follows a “grain-to-bottle” philosophy, and Yruel believes wholeheartedly that the ingredients she uses should be as fresh and sustainable as possible. It’s not something she just pays lip service to—it’s something she lives by.
“I chose to eat a pescatarian diet for most of my life because of the serious problems with the way meat is processed,” said Yruel. “It wasn’t until I moved here that I started eating meat again, because I could see the quality, care and farming practices that were being used with the meat.”
With full control over the menu, Yruel gets to choose from the bounty of Pennsylvania farms that reflect her philosophy. She also gets to exercise her culinary style, which she describes as a “Mediterranean or coastal style of cooking.” That style was hard earned, and came to her over time and through her experiences under many different chefs.
The menu at the Bistro changes every two weeks, and Yruel spends much of her time creating each dish. Everything is made from scratch—Yruel even makes her own ketchup when a dish calls for the condiment. One of the more exciting aspects of her job is getting to incorporate Brandywine Branch Distillery’s spirits into her meals. But her absolute favorite thing to make is stock, which she admits sounds a little strange.
“Making stock is a long process, but when it’s done right, the end result is so incredible,” said Yruel.
After a year of being open, the Bistro started to offer lunch on August 17. The menu is smaller than dinner, but for the most part they mirror each other. The distillery decided to open for lunch because so many people drive up during the day, and those people need food to go along with their spirits.
“People coming together around a meal is one of the most enjoyable ways you can take care of somebody,” said Yruel, adding, “And I really like taking care of people.”
Visit the Bistro’s website for kitchen hours and to take a look at the ever-changing menu.
Find Brandywine Branch Distillers at 50 Warwick Rd. in Elverson; phone: (610) 901-3668.
- Photos: Deana Clement Photography
