Detroit culinary icon's legacy continued by next generation in Macomb County
CLINTON TOWNSHIP, Mich. (CBS DETROIT) - Growing up, we often look up to our role models for inspiration and guidance in our early years. For the Baldwin brothers, Michael and Jeffrey, they didn't have to look far.
They are the sons of Jeff Baldwin, a titan within the Detroit culinary scene and restaurant industry for over thirty years.
Some of Jeff Baldwin's accolades include serving as the youngest executive chef of the former Van Dyke Place, a French restaurant established in the West Village of Detroit when he was just 21.
He helmed the kitchen at the prestigious Whitney mansion in Midtown when it reopened as a restaurant in 1986. He also went on to run Mac & Ray's along the waterfront in Harrison Township until he felt like it was time for a new adventure.
"The people here on this side of the city, I mean, the whole city is great, but they really opened up their arms to me. So, when it was time to leave that job, I opened up my own place, J. Baldwin's in 2004, and we're about to celebrate our 20th year coming up," said Jeff Baldwin.
Jeff Baldwin reflected on the upcoming milestone of 20 years and the memories at J. Baldwin's in Clinton Township. A lot of those memories include his family, who became integral parts of the family business over the years.
"I'm fortunate, out of all the guys that are still in city, I have my family. So, I have my younger son, Michael, who is the chef between both restaurants, but he's the main chef at Testa Barra," he said. I'm very fortunate to have my family to back me up, and my wife was really my rock. And then, my older son, Jeffrey, he's the director of operations. He has led the team as far as front house service. And we currently have 14 wine sommeliers on staff, and he's led that program. And we're still adding to it to this day."
Michael Baldwin, who was 11 when the family restaurant opened, joked that despite growing up the son of a chef, his food preferences at the time gravitated to things like buttered noodles, pop tarts, and chicken fingers.
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After an instance where he says his dad tricked him into trying calamari for the first time, his palate was revolutionized, and he eventually joined the ranks at J. Baldwin's to begin helping the family business.
He started off as a dishwasher, but it didn't take long for him to start learning all the positions in the kitchen before eventually being drawn to his father's mantle.
"One of the things I always thought about is, I want to find the best chef to work forever. You know, I want to find the best guy to work for and learn everything," Michael Baldwin said. "And, one day I realized I was like, my dad is the best chef ever to me. You know what I mean? Like, he's been the coolest to me. He showed me everything, and I just realized I was already working for the best chef I could.. and it was my dad. So, that was a cool realization."
The saying, "Like father, like son," rings true in this family dynamic.
When Michael Baldwin was old enough, he was off to study at the Culinary Institute of America in New York, the same school his father attended and was one of the youngest graduates from at the time. Not only did he begin learning various international cooking styles, but he also met his now wife, Gabriella Baldwin.
"We went to the Culinary Institute of America, and that was big Jeff's alma mater, and then his son's alma mater, which was a pretty cool story. A lot of people from Michigan, pretty much anybody we knew from Michigan knew who Chef Jeff was. He's like one of the original bad boys of Detroit's culinary scene," Gabriella Baldwin said. "Mike's respect for his father is great and his father's respect for Mike's vision to kind of add these nuances into the whole scene and grow the company is a mutual respect is the best way I can sum it up."
While Michael Baldwin was pursuing his culinary calling, Jeffrey Baldwin Jr. was hard at work in the sales industry in Pittsburgh, utilizing his entrepreneur and business marketing degree. He also studied abroad in London and Paris, where he furthered his marketing experience and honed his hospitality knowledge.
The brothers grew up familiar with the inconveniences of a career in the restaurant industry, which often demands long hours into the night and sacrificing personal time with friends and loved ones.
Despite the challenges his father faced, Jeffrey Baldwin Jr. says his dad still excelled at wearing multiple hats and not just in the kitchen.
"We always had great food at the house, and he wasn't around that often, but when he was there it was an absolute pleasure. And to think about how intense this industry is, and to have him still be a dad when he comes home, it's pretty impressive," he said.
Jeff Baldwin Sr.'s ability to balance the kitchen and fatherhood clearly had a lasting impact on his sons.
"The man can speak so loudly with flavors and doesn't need to speak as frequent with words or with getting compliance from everyday tasks and stuff like that. But just, you know, he's a man of few words, but the few words that he speaks are so heavy… he's honestly a hero to me. Just a role model and a great chef," Michael Baldwin said.
The Baldwin brothers and Gabriella are continuing Jeff's legacy and expanding it now through their family venture: the Baldwin Restaurant Group.
Between J. Baldwin's and their second restaurant in Macomb Township, Testa Barra, the second-gen Baldwin's are kept quite busy, while also raising the next generation.
But Jeffrey Baldwin Jr. says growing up around the industry helped them, and it gave the brothers a great foundation to build from.
"We've had really, really strong mentors. My mom and dad have taught us everything that they know, and I still learn from them every day. And I think I think we're ready to take on this challenge," he said.
Jeff Baldwin Sr. says he has no plans of ever hanging up the apron entirely, but he does look forward to more time to relax, go boating in the summertime, and golf, knowing that the family business is in good hands.
A passing of the pan, one that his sons hope to continue for generations to come.
"They are my everything. When I see Michael and Jeffrey and Gabriella, and my wife, who still works in the business also, Rose. It's just… it's an amazing feeling. I can't even, can't even explain it without bursting out into tears," Jeff Baldwin Sr. said.
The Baldwin clan does have plans for future restaurants, including an upcoming concept in 2025. You can learn more about the Baldwin Restaurant Group and its restaurants by clicking here.
