‘Buff State Believed in Me’: Darian Bryan Talks Cooking, Career, and Confidence

From the small of a hill in rural Jamaica to the bustling kitchen of his acclaimed restaurant, the journey of chef Darian Bryan, '17, has been anything but typical.

Today, Bryan owns and operates two Buffalo establishments: the Plating Society-started with his wife, Jessica (Micha) Bryan, B.A. '14, M.S. '16-where he hosts private chef events, and Bratts Hill, a sit-down restaurant that serves authentic fast-casual Jamaican lunch and upscale Jamaican fusion dishes. He has been featured on major media outlets like the Food Network, CBS News, and ESPN; has worked as a private chef for high-profile athletes (including Josh Allen of the Buffalo Bills); and continues to earn regular awards and recognition. In late July, Bryan launched an online store called the Cook Shop and is currently working on opening a fine-dining restaurant in Miami, Florida.

It's a far different lifestyle than he ever could have imagined, said Bryan, who grew up with no electricity or running water. He discovered in his mother's cook shop (takeout restaurant) that food was something that always brought people together. When Bryan was 15, his mother left Jamaica and he took over the shop, in addition to caring and cooking for his grandparents.

"I'd see the joy and love that food brings to people," said Bryan, who holds a bachelor of science in hospitality administration from Buffalo State University. "I was like, 'You know what? I wanna be a chef.'"

When he was 20 years old, Bryan moved to the United States. His mother was living in San Diego, but it was Buffalo-where his sister resided-that he chose to call home.

"People asked me, 'What were you thinking coming to Buffalo?' I'm like, 'I guess I wasn't thinking. It's cold here, man!" Bryan said. "[But I wanted to] experience something different. I'd always seen snow on TV. I wondered what it felt like."

At Bryan's first job-Denny's on Delaware Avenue-he learned "all about American food."

"Never seen a pancake a day in my life. Never seen bacon," he said. "When I was a little boy, I'd hunt my food. I'd chase a chicken to eat it for dinner. When I came here, I was like, 'Man, this is easy! You can go to the grocery store and pick up a chicken!' All this stuff at your fingertips."

Bryan worked diligently to learn the Denny's menu and food names- "In Jamaica, an avocado is called a pear"-and develop his skills. Within two years, he was promoted to manager.

"I used to write down words I hadn't heard, go home, and look them up," Bryan said. "I practiced knife skills by buying bags of carrots, onions, celery…. I was cutting everything in sight."

After working at Denny's and Hutch's Restaurant, Bryan attended Erie Community College (ECC) for culinary arts. There, he soaked in knowledge and honed essential skills, but he realized he was going to need additional education to fulfill his quickly developing career aspirations.

"I wanted to learn the business side of it, too," Bryan said. "I knew I wanted to open my own restaurant. I needed the legal part of it, the front of house stuff, the back of house stuff, just to be successful, to be different. Most chefs, they stop with two years, [but I wanted] a four-year degree. There's no way you're going to go through a four-year program and not know what you're doing. People trust that; people will believe in you more. They will invest in you and see that you take what you do seriously."

Bryan said that many of his instructors at ECC specifically encouraged him to go to Buffalo State.

"I chose Buffalo State because I heard that it's the best in hospitality around town," he said. "I asked people I met, 'How do you know so much?' They went to Buffalo State. It has an amazing program."

At Buffalo State, Bryan encountered obstacles but took them as an invitation to strengthen his work ethic and develop a "dress to impress" mindset that remains with him today.

"I used to [spend hours] in the computer lab," he said. "I couldn't type-I didn't use a computer in Jamaica at all-but I would never show up to my class without my homework. My instructors were wondering, 'Who is this guy? Why is he here, front row, in a suit every day when other people are in pajamas?' Because I see myself being that guy, that businessman. You gotta walk in a room and command it like, 'This is what I do.' People thought I was so weird because they couldn't understand me. I didn't let that discourage me. I showed up every day."

Bryan credited Buffalo State with providing fun, hands-on experience dealing with real people both at Campus House-an on-campus restaurant that serves as a "teaching laboratory" for students as well as a social club for Buffalo State members-and through field trips to community locations, such as a visit to a school for children with special needs.

"That's what the culinary industry is all about," he said. "You never know who you're going to get to work with next to you. There are people with different skill levels and personalities. That stuff really opened my eyes to what was coming."

Bryan said Buffalo State and its faculty not only provided him with practical knowledge, but also interpersonal skills, support, and encouragement.

"What stands out most is the love and support my instructors showed me," he said. "I learned so much, stuff I use every day in my everyday life. The most important thing I learned is to be professional and stay professional. Hospitality is the way you make people feel. I happen to cook good food, but the way I make you feel when you leave my dinner party…that's through Buff State."

And what advice does Bryan have for students who aspire to be at his level?

"I wish there was a secret that I'm not sharing," he said. "There is no secret. It's hard work. You gotta get up and put in the work every day. You can't want to be great and be lazy. That doesn't go together. Pay attention in school. Learn as much as you can. Be a sponge. Soak it all in. Practice, spend time on yourself, and you'll get there-believe me. I believed in myself, and Buff State believed in me, too."

Photos by Buffalo State Marketing & Communications.