Laurie and Gordon Hamm, proprietors of the historic Ho-Ho-Kus Inn & Tavern, announced that Gregory Torrech has been named new Executive Chef. With a background that combines his expressive-progressive cuisine style with the goal of creating a successful and memorable, upscale food experience, he looks forward to sharing his culinary talents and sensibilities to the Northern New Jersey region.

With a passion for cooking, he believes food has the ability to inspire creativity, connect and bring people together, and entertain the senses.  Most recently, Chef Torrech opened Union Republic in Jersey City, which was awarded 4 out of 5 stars from the New York Times and voted Most Notable in the State of New Jersey by NJ Monthly Magazine.

Torrech began his career working at the Ritz Carlton in West Palm Beach while attending Lincoln Culinary Institute.  His New York experience started at the trendy downtown La Esquina and Resto where he started working with Chef Ryan Skeen.  He went on to work at Irving Mill, New York Magazine’s 4 out of 5 star General Greens and the Michelin starred Allen & Delancey. After Allen & Delancey, Torrech took on the role of Chef at Brown Cafe on the Lower East Side followed by a Chef position at the media-darling Sixth Street Kitchen.

Chef Torrech’s spring menu at the Ho-Ho-Kus Inn & Tavern, which will be introduced this week, can be described as inspiring and having roots from all over the world, using only the highest quality, sustainable ingredients, which marry well with the goals of the Inn.  According to Torrech, he’s “a big fan of Charlie Trotter and when the French Laundry cookbook came out, Thomas Keller stole my heart.” In keeping with Keller’s philosophy, “food should be fun but execution, ingredients and technique should be taken seriously.”