'Louisville lost a good one': Chefs reflect on Dean Corbett's legacy

Bailey Loosemore | Courier Journal

Show Caption Hide Caption Chef Anoosh Shariat remembers friend of 30 years chef Dean Corbett Anoosh Bistro and Noosh Nosh executive chef Anoosh Shariat reflects on the loss of his friend of 30 years, Louisville chef Dean Corbett.

It's the phone calls that some already miss the most — often out of the blue, but always at the right time — from the "godfather" of Louisville's restaurants, chef Dean Corbett.

The longtime restaurant owner, who died Saturday at age 56, had compassion in his blood. And whether he knew a chef well or not at all, he was always ready to jump on the line with a word of encouragement or piece of advice.

In 1994, Corbett was one of the first people to congratulate Peng Looi on his opening of Asiatique. In 2017, he kept Geoffrey Heyde calm through the launch of Fork & Barrel. And this summer, he was a consistent companion to Anoosh Shariat, a restaurateur who underwent treatment for colon cancer.

"He would call me every day, and I would call him to check on him," said Shariat, who owns Anoosh Bistro and Noosh Nosh. "Sometimes I pick up the phone now and don't believe it that he left us."

For three decades, his friends say, Corbett served as a link that tied Louisville's chefs together.

Between his four local restaurants and his involvement with a number of fundraisers, Corbett was credited with training and inspiring hundreds of rising cooks, many of whom went on to lead their own successful careers.

Background: Dean Corbett, the chef behind Equus & Jack's Lounge, has died

It's not always like that in other food-focused cities, said Bobby Benjamin, the chef-owner of Butchertown Grocery.

"In a lot of cities, there's one chef who's always trying to pass the torch [to another chef]," Benjamin said. "Dean was trying to pass the torch to everybody, because he wanted the whole city to light up."

Lexington chef Ouita Michel said she's long been jealous of Louisville's chef community, and she attributes its closeness to Corbett's generosity and leadership.

Corbett started cooking in the city at a time when independent restaurants were few and far between, Michel said.

A Trinity High School graduate, Corbett began his culinary career in Dallas before returning to Louisville in 1982, according to his obituary. At that time, Casa Grisanti ruled the restaurant scene, and Corbett quickly found success within its kitchen, moving from line cook to sous chef in a short period of time.

By 1985, Corbett became a graduate of a Grisanti class that saw many of its members go on to run businesses of their own. But instead of regarding his fellow chefs as competition, Corbett sought to unify them — instilling an attitude of support among local restaurateurs that has been passed down to the next generation.

"His real legacy is one of culinary education for young chefs of Louisville and also his sense of conviviality and sense of hospitality to each other," Michel said. "I hope as the market changes and generations change that they can hold onto that."

In interviews with more than a dozen community members following Corbett's death, several younger chefs said they're ready to take up the charge.

In the Highlands, Dallas McGarity said he modeled his first restaurant, Fat Lamb, after Equus, where he worked under Corbett for about three months.

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Corbett purchased Equus from Rodulfo Pantoja and his father, Jack Corbett, in 1985. It was the first of four restaurants that Corbett owned or co-owned, including Ward 426, Jack's Lounge and his namesake restaurant, Corbett's: An American Place, which closed in 2017. Earlier this year, Corbett sold Equus and Jack's Lounge (which is now one entity) to Lou Lou Food & Drink owner Jared Matthews.

McGarity's time at Equus wasn't long, he said, but it was long enough for the then-fledgling chef to realize Corbett was the real thing — a hardworking dynamo who ran his kitchen with respect and finesse.

"No one can compare to what Dean did," McGarity said. "We should all in the restaurant industry try to be like him."

Nick Sullivan was given his first management opportunity at Corbett's: An American Place, and he is currently organizing a dinner that will bring the city's culinary community together in Corbett's honor.

Sullivan said Corbett treated his employees like family, taking them to dinners at nice restaurants and on days-long vacations. Now the head chef for the Turf Club at Churchill Downs, Sullivan said he can only hope to return the favor.

"We all want to do him justice and honor," Sullivan said. "Everybody's going to pick up and move on. It's going to be tough, but we'll get there."

Outside of his restaurants, Corbett had a long history of supporting charities, including Norton Children's Hospital, the Salvation Army and Gilda's Club.

Ten years ago, Corbett joined the Norton Children's Hospital Foundation to organize a benefit dinner to raise money for the organization while honoring one of its patients. The event eventually became Bourbon & Bowties, an annual fundraiser that drew more than 1,000 people this June and that has raised about $1.7 million total.

Cook's Corner: Corbett's pastry chef: You don't need formal training to nail a good dessert

"He really cared about the children and developed a personal relationship with all the honorees," said Anne Cannon, director of events and donor relations for the hospital foundation. "It was so neat to watch."

At the Salvation Army, Corbett helped organize fundraising dinners for the Chefs for Success program, which certifies mostly low-income students to work in the restaurant industry, said Johanna Wint, director of the nonprofit's Center of Hope.

Corbett often volunteered to lead sessions of the program, and he employed more than one of its graduates in his restaurants.

"I don't think the program would have lasted 13 years if we didn't have involvement from Dean and other chefs of that quality," Wint said. "The benefits have been immeasurable."

Shariat, of Anoosh Bistro, said Corbett had a unique way of mobilizing chefs to participate in fundraisers. And he intentionally worked to pass that spirit to the next generation.

"When we got older, we were doing this fundraiser, and he looked at me and said, 'I think we need some younger blood in here,'" Shariat said. "These younger chefs need to take the reins. We went out of our way to incorporate the young, upcoming chefs in the fundraisers. That's how he was able to kind of teach them how to not just be a great chef but also be a caring chef."

8UP chef James Moran never worked for Corbett, but he worked alongside him at several fundraisers.

Moran said Corbett's death hit him hard, and he wondered if Corbett knew just how many people he inspired in his career.

"I feel like he put Louisville's culinary scene on his back," Moran said. "He paved the way and opened some doors for the new generation.

"Louisville lost a good one. That's about it."

Try these recipes from Corbett's: An American Place

Dan Thomas worked with Corbett for six years at Equus and said he believes the chef's memory will live on in the industry he left behind.

But no one will ever be able to replace the man who helped make Louisville's dining scene what it is, Thomas said.

"It's a hole that's never going to be filled," Thomas said. "His spirit's going to live on with everybody. But you really can't replace somebody like Dean."

Bailey Loosemore: 502-582-4646; bloosemore@courier-journal.com; Twitter: @bloosemore. Support strong local journalism by subscribing today: http://www.courier-journal.com/baileyl.

HONOR DEAN CORBETT

Chef Dean Corbett, 56, died of a heart attack on Saturday, Oct. 13.

His funeral service will take place at 10 a.m. Wednesday at St. Albert the Great Catholic Church, 1395 Girard Drive.

Memorial gifts may be made to Corbett Children's Education Fund, c/o Republic Bank, Attn: Greg Bromley, 11330 Main St., Middletown, KY 40243.

Several chefs are planning dinners or specials in Corbett's honor.