Tracy Malechek-Ezekiel
Co-Owner and Chef at Birdie's
“It's not the cooks who start with the most raw talent, it's the cooks that don't give up and keep going that make it.„
EXPERIENCE
EDUCATION
With everything you cook, from family meal to in service, always try to make it the best version anyone has made.
When hiring, I look for positivity, flexibility, commitment, resilience, kindness, and thoughtfulness.
It's important to understand how to balance the minutia (because cooking is all in the details) and the big picture of running a business day to day.
I find a unique mixture of inspiration from French Nouvelle cuisine, regional traditional Italian cooking, layered with what our farmers are growing.
For self-care, I spend 30 minutes sitting at our breakfast table in my small garden every morning with my son and two dogs. Even though afternoons and evenings can get stressful, starting the morning peacefully sets the tone for my day.
I worked for the best chefs to learn the craft of cooking. I wasn't in it to get promoted quickly but rather to try to learn daily and improve; and to do the dance of service on each station I worked. It took me a long time to move up the ladder, and the highest rank I had in another kitchen was sous chef. But I think that my long journey is what makes me who I am today and helps define Birdie's cuisine and style. I knew when we opened Birdie's I was ready. I was 39, and that was the perfect time for me.
The craft of cooking inspires me to excel. There is always so much more to learn.
I can't live without Texas farmers and ranchers.
We opened Birdie's committed to closing Sundays and Mondays because that was always our favorite weekend to have off. (We knew most of our team would appreciate that weekend off as well.) We also decided to close twice a year for 2 weeks each (2 weeks in summer and 2 weeks over the holiday season) so everyone has time to recharge their batteries.
Twice a year vacation helps avoid burnout! It's so important to get out of your surroundings and get re-inspired.
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