Mise en Place: Jeff “Cheffrey” Workman on James Beard aftermath

Jeff Workman // Photo by Jenny Wheat

Chef Jeff Workman–Cheffrey if you’re close–has honed his skills at several top Kansas City culinary destinations, such as Corvino, The Campground, and now, Tailleur. His Midwestern-leaning dishes and care for his team play no small role in his accomplishments, most recently as a 2024 James Beard Award semi-finalist for Emerging Chef while at The Campground.

Fueled by cereal for dinner, Workman gives insight into his journey from troublemaker to nationally recognized chef.

The Pitch: Tell us about yourself.

Jeff Workman: I didn’t ever plan on cooking professionally. This kind of happened because I found myself in a position where I needed a job. I started as a dishwasher, and then a few weeks into that, the salad guy called out and they bumped me up. I’ve been cooking ever since. It kind of gave me direction at a time when I was kind of a hoodlum—just being a troublemaker. 

I started in Manhattan, Kansas, at CocoBolos, a staple at the time. I moved up pretty quickly, then realized I really didn’t know what I was doing. So I went to culinary school in Boulder, CO, worked for a few places out there, came back to Manhattan, and then made the move to Kansas City. My wife’s from here, so she wanted to be closer to her family.

Was it the creative process that you enjoyed, or was it more of the methodical processes, or was it just like the teamwork aspect? What lit that spark for you?

It was a little bit of everything–I think the camaraderie that comes with kitchen work, specifically. You’re in a hot space, very tight quarters, and when you guys get along and click, it’s a lot of fun. And then the creative side, too. Before I started cooking, I was doing graffiti which was my creative outlet, and then I got in trouble. So that kind of filled in that gap. 

What’s the first dish you remember making? 

The first thing I ever cooked was something my grandpa used to make for breakfast. And I’m not 100% sure if he was just limited as a cook, or if this really was his favorite breakfast, but it was just toast with over-easy eggs and ketchup. I started to love it. I still eat it today, but I remember getting in trouble by my mom because I would try to flip the eggs without the spatula, making a mess. And, of course, I’m a young kid, and I didn’t clean up after myself, so I would get in trouble. I was obsessed with trying to flip an egg, and once I did it, I didn’t pursue it anymore or even cook for a long time. So it is a fun story to say, ‘Yeah, I started cooking at five and got in trouble, so I carried on with my life.’

What’s an off-duty go-to meal for you?

I try not to cook at home. I’m a sucker for cereal.

But usually, on our day off, we try to go and eat at other local spots. This past year, being off on Mondays, Baccaro Primo has become a staple. We’re usually there at like 3:30 in the afternoon with another couple at the bar doing Limoncello shots, which is a lot of fun, but then I don’t accomplish much. We go to The Hi-Dive Lounge–it’s just fun. Jim’s Alley Bar has been a pretty standard spot lately. Every now and then we get taco salads from Cancun Fiesta Fresh. 

What is one lesson from The Campground that you are bringing here? 

Organization is a big one. I’ve been spoiled in the past with very big operations—like Corvino, it is a huge space for everyone. Same with Harry’s, and then Campground is very, very small, so it was like a game of Tetris—figuring out what stuff are you going to get in on your order, how are you going to break it down, when are you going to process it, how you’re going to store it. So it’s constantly a rotating situation. Now that I have a little more space, I want to keep that same mindset and try to be as efficient as possible. 

But the other thing from Campground is just a sense of community. The Campground kitchen faces the bathroom, so guests would be waiting to get in and would just start conversations and meet the kitchen staff. Pretty fun that we have that openness here at Tailleur, too, being able to talk over the counter with people walking in and out. Most kitchens are pretty separated from the guests. You don’t hear the feedback directly. It’s nice to get that.

Here at Tailleur, you have some unique, built-in connections with a bakery and bar (Cheval and Enchante share the same owner as Tailleur.) Is there anything you’re excited about cross-utilizing or working together on?

For sure. Yeah, still getting used to the space and the people, but we have talked to Cheval about utilizing scraps or byproducts, whether that’s infusing or maybe it’s a juice. We have to have that dialog going with Cheval, same with the bakery. They do the quiche for brunch for us, so we want to incorporate some vegetables or proteins we might already have instead of doing a set standard. 

Courtesy Jeff Workman

Is there an ingredient or method you’d skip forever if you could?

Microgreens—the pre-mixed varieties, because there’s always one that will go bad first. Oh, my God, they’re so much more expensive than using anything else, and people tend to just push it off the plate. So it is an edible garnish, but people aren’t eating it. It reminds me of floss. I’m against it. There are probably a few I would consider the time and place for it, but as a whole, microgreens. 

What inspires you?

Creating a great experience for people. I grew up in the Midwest, mostly, so I ate a lot of Midwestern comfort foods, and in the last few years of my career, I really made the connection between that and some classic global dishes: French food, Spanish food. I can see where we made the jump from one to another, so I’m excited about bringing those flavors back and having people eat it and say, this reminds me of mom’s dinner, my grandma’s. 

What has changed for you since the James Beard Award nomination in January?

It’s been crazy. My wife jokes about how I’m everyone’s favorite line cook’s favorite line cook, and I just happen to be a chef now. But really, it’s just the number of connections I’ve made to chefs, cooks, bartenders, etc., that are in a different realm of this industry. Being able to compare notes and, like, just talk to people in this industry and get their viewpoints on things, feedback, and ideas. It’s been really cool–it’s opened a lot of doors. 

What piece of advice would you like to have given your younger self?

Listen to my wife sooner. She has changed how I view creating dishes. She’s kind of instilled thinking about how people are going to eat it. She likes to say, “I’m a pretty girl. I don’t want to ruin my makeup, or I don’t want to feel dumb and ask how to eat this.” So from beginning to end, I’m thinking more about the experience, instead of being like, “I think this thing is cool, I’m going to put it on the plate.” And since it’s happened, I’ve had more success all because of her.

If you could improve any issue in the restaurant industry with just a snap, what would it be? 

I would say mental health and how we handle that with our colleagues. It’s getting better, for sure, but I think there’s still a negative view on it; like if you need help in any sort of way, it’s viewed like you’re not cut out for this industry, or you’re weak, or you need to man up… all those toxic behaviors of the past. 

It’s just simply not true. I struggle with mental health. A lot of my staff in the past have struggled. We’ve connected and supported each other.

I think we need more of that because it is a stressful job. It’s fun in a lot of ways. You got to experience a lot of things, but you’re, like I said earlier, you’re in a hot, tight space. You’re going to cut yourself, you’re going to burn yourself, you’re going to be tired, your feet are going to hurt. So, just support people and don’t put any extra pressure on them because they’re not weak—they’re anxious or suffering from depression.

It’s not going to be any one person that fixes the problem, but I do try to ask my staff how they’re doing, address it if they seem a little down, like, “are you okay? Do you need some time?” All that fun stuff. And hopefully that helps build a culture where, when they go forward and they’re in charge, they do the same thing. I think we learn from our leaders trying to be a positive influence and spread it out.

Tailleur is located at 3933 Main St, Kansas City, MO 64111.