Chef Brad Martineau walked out of Covel Commons dining hall’s kitchen during busy dinner hours to bring a plate of specially prepared roasted calamari and cauliflower to Kennedy Kessler’s table.
Kessler, a first-year physiological science student with multiple food allergies, is enrolled in a meal program for students with dietary restrictions. Students enrolled in the program meet with a campus nutritionist and work with assigned chefs in each dining hall who specially craft their meals every day.
Kessler said she felt constantly hungry during her first few weeks at UCLA because her multiple allergies prevented her from eating most of the dining hall food. She added she most frequently relies on Martineau to cook her dishes, ranging from seafood to chipotle-style barbecue, because he is friendly and open.
“Brad makes food using my favorite vegetables and meat,” Kessler said. “I always feel full after.”
Martineau said students enrolled in the program are sometimes allergic to soy, nuts, dairy or a combination of common ingredients.
“A lot of people are intimidated by that, but it’s actually pretty straightforward,” Martineau said. “You just have to know what they can’t eat, and then you make meals out of those ingredients they can eat, which leaves a lot of options.”
Martineau said he always walks by these students’ tables to see how much they have finished and ask if they like the food.
“You get to know them,” Martineau said. “It’s the fun part. I know Kennedy cycles, and always say to her ‘You gotta get some power food today!’”
Martineau said he has served around five students with severe dietary restrictions during his time at UCLA, along with guests from events like the Special Olympics held at UCLA last summer.
He added he is familiar with the task because he has provided similar services in his past workplaces.
“The longer you cook in different kitchens, the more confident you get in what you can and can’t do,” Martineau said. “You are okay with any challenges, with admitting that you don’t know something and then finding out about it.”
Martineau said he is thrilled every time he is able to serve food that satisfies customers’ real needs.
“I’m not the expert when somebody asks me to cook a meal for them,” he said. “They are the expert as to what they want to eat.”
Bruce Pearson, Covel Commons dining hall’s general manager, said Martineau’s experience has made him and Covel a popular choice for students with dietary restrictions.
“Brad has developed a reputation,” Pearson said. “Now, Covel has a reputation of being able to accommodate students’ restrictions.”
Pearson said he hired Martineau five years ago because his background and his passion toward food made him stand out.
Martineau said he has always liked cooking and hanging out in the kitchen to talk about food with his mom.
“My mom likes food as much as I do,” Martineau said. “About 90 percent of the conversations with my mom are about food, whether I was cooking as a chef or not.”
Connie Martineau, his mother, said Brad Martineau has always been creative with food as a child. She added she still loves cooking with her son whenever they get the chance.
“We would play with food all weekend, and we both love going grocery shopping,” Connie Martineau said. “Sometimes we don’t know what we are doing – we buy fancy things like saffron and experiment.”
Martineau said she remembers the day her son told her he wanted to go to culinary college instead of a regular university.
“We immediately visited the the Art Institute of Atlanta and registered,” Martineau said. “He just excelled there.”
After graduating from the culinary arts program, Brad Martineau worked in several fine dining restaurants in Atlanta and a country club. He also catered and customized menus for several private parties.
Martineau said food is usually made from scratch in fine dining restaurants, but many materials are prepared outside and then shipped to Covel.
“I do miss fine dining in a way,” Martineau said.
Martineau said he likes working at UCLA because there are many people who work to improve food services.
He added he and his friends operated a bistro in Atlanta in the past, and he would like to open another restaurant someday.
“As a cook, you always have some desire to have something of your own,” Martineau said. “I’m no different.”
Email Huang at jhuang4@media.ucla.edu and Ghosh at kghosh@media.ucla.edu or tweet them @josadventures and @kuhelika14.