meet the chef

William Baskin, Chef

Chef William Baskin has been interested in the culinary arts since a very early age. While in second grade in West Texas, he bought his first cookbook at a book fair and helped out in the school lunch cafeteria. Farmer grandparents put a big emphasis on always cooking fresh food with the seasons. Harvest was always a family affair. Years later, he began working as an apprentice for Chef Lawerence Gaurtreaux at Chez Suzette. After traveling and cooking across the country, Baskin took a sous chef position at Lone Mountain Ranch in Big Sky, MT where he was able to mold his passion of creating daily menus with only the freshest foods from local producers. Next, he had the opportunity to continue working with sustainable foods in Portland, OR under Chef Anne Cuggino at Veritable Quandary. Baskin then took an opening sous chef position for Hilton Hotels. He assisted in creating a new concept restaurant in Omaha, NE featuring foods from small American farms and artisan producers. In the summer of 2005 Baskin met Chef Seth Bixby Daughtery and took a lead cook position at Cosmos in Minneapolis. As the chef at Red Stag, Baskin will showcase fresh food from area farmers and producers.

Throughout his career, Baskin has made an effort to continue growing as a culinarian by staging in restaurants around the world whenever possible. He has been fortunate enough to cook in the kitchens of Raymond Blanc (Le Manior aux Quat’ Saisons) , Heston Blumenthal (The Fat Duck), Grant Achatz (Trio), Barbara Lynch (No 9 Park), Ken Oringer (Clio), Melissa Perello (The Fifth Floor), Scott Boswell (Stella!) and Mark Hellyar (Blue Duck Tavern). Baskin has a Culinary Management degree from The Culinary Institute at Metropolitan Community College in Omaha, NE. His interests in food and wine have taken him to study/work in a traditional Mayan kitchen in Guatemala, a tour with KWV wines in South Africa, and take wine classes at the Culinary Institute of America Greystone. Baskin is active in local and national non profit organizations including Real Food Initiatives, Chefs Collaborative, Farm Aid, Share our Strength, and James Beard Foundation.