Meet Israel Reyes, Executive Chef of BLACKBARN

Executive Chef Israel Reyes, BLACKBARN Restaurant, NoMad

BLACKBARN has a new Executive Chef, and he has been with us since 2021. Chef Owner John Doherty has promoted Israel Reyes to lead the kitchen at BLACKBARN Restaurant in NoMad, a block from Madison Square Park and the Flatiron building. Reyes came in as a line cook and rose through sous chef and executive sous chef to run the pass. His promotion arrives as Hispanic Heritage Month begins on September 15, which is a fitting month to tell his story, though the promotion had nothing to do with the calendar.

Chef Israel Reyes' journey to the executive chef position at BLACKBARN is one rooted in perseverance, curiosity, and a rare, genuine hunger to learn. Born and raised in Puebla, Mexico, Reyes moved to the United States with his sister at age 15, beginning a career in restaurants out of necessity. Over time, that necessity gave way to passion and cooking became a true vocation.

Farm to table is in his blood

Growing up on his family's farm in Puebla, his father raised dairy cows, goats and chickens, and grew crops native to Mexico, such as corn and fava beans. Chef Reyes was especially inspired by his mother's ability to transform those simple, humble ingredients into memorable meals. That approach remains influential to his cooking philosophy today, and it lines up with how BLACKBARN was built: seasonal, ingredient-driven, and sourced from regional farms.

From the dish pit to the line

In New York, Reyes began his restaurant career as a dishwasher, learning the fundamentals of professional kitchens by watching and absorbing everything around him. When his own work was finished, he would move to other stations, asking questions, lending hands and learning techniques. This curiosity and willingness to learn carried him through kitchens such as Neptune and Burger & Lobster, from dish pit to prep and eventually onto the line.

At Docks on 3rd Avenue in Manhattan, Chef Reyes dove deeper into the world of seafood preparation. Starting as an oyster shucker, he mastered the art of opening shellfish precisely and efficiently, even going on to win three oyster shucking competitions on behalf of the restaurant. His hard work behind the cold bar paved the way for a more complex fish preparation: sushi. He fell in love with the art of sushi, relishing in the organization and discipline required to prepare the raw fish and craft each unique roll. Chef Reyes credits Docks for instilling many of the principles he puts into practice in the kitchen today.

Stepping into leadership

At Queens Bully, Reyes stepped into leadership for the first time. When the executive chef suddenly quit, he quietly took initiative in ordering, prep, and maintaining valuable vendor relationships without being asked, ensuring a smooth transition for the whole staff. The owner took note of Reyes' natural leadership instincts, and offered him the kitchen management position.

The tryout

Chef Reyes’ career at BLACKBARN began in 2021. As he demonstrated his culinary skills preparing a complex recipe, Chef Owner John Doherty watched from the dining room, unrecognized. He was immediately impressed with Reyes' speed, precision and composure, assuming these were skills built from years of formal culinary training. He was surprised to learn that Reyes had learned every technique station by station, teacher by teacher, from his mother's kitchen in Puebla to professional kitchens across New York. Chef Reyes was hired on the spot.

Chef Doherty knows the standard he was hiring against. He spent 25 years as Executive Chef of the Waldorf Astoria before opening BLACKBARN in 2015, and was named Chef of the Year by the Les Amis d'Escoffier Society of New York in 2024. Handing over the kitchen is the plainest thing he could say about the cook.

What he is cooking UP

Since 2021, Reyes has risen from line cook, to sous chef, to executive sous chef, before his most recent promotion to Executive Chef at BLACKBARN. In this position, Chef Reyes brings a globally inspired perspective to the kitchen, drawing on the flavors of his Mexican heritage while incorporating techniques from the many cuisines and kitchens that have charted his career.

Among the dishes closest to Reyes is the Heritage Chicken Fricassee, inspired by his mother's recipe and introduced to the BLACKBARN team at family meal. He also enjoys the challenge of preparing Chef Doherty's signature Cheese Souffle, a dish that demands precision and consistency every night. Reimagining familiar ingredients with Mexican spices and flavors, while supporting Chef Doherty and the team across the restaurant's many events and functions, is what fuels his culinary vision.

Not an endpoint

For Chef Reyes, becoming Executive Chef at BLACKBARN represents not an endpoint, but the next chapter in a career built on learning, resilience, and the belief that there is always more to discover. A father of two young boys, he continues to bring the same curiosity that first led him from the dish pit into the kitchen, to inspire the next generation of cooks the way he was taught: generously.

Next time you are in NoMad, visit BLACKBARN and try a few of Chef Reyes’ other favorite dishes, such as the Smoked Duck Breast Pastrami, the Grilled Filet Mignon, and the seasonal Compressed Watermelon Salad. See what else is on the menu, read more about the restaurant and Chef Doherty, or catch up on the rest of our upcoming events and news. The BLACKBARN Cookbook is in the shop if you want to cook a piece of it at home.

Come enjoy his cooking.