Efrén Hernández

The Path

Training at Tisch School of the Arts at NYU gave Efrén Hern an early discipline that shows up in the way he manages two kitchens. Since 2023, he has served as executive chef of Casa Susanna and Rivertown Tavern, a role that requires control, pace, and consistency across service. The work is defined by restraint and clear decisions rather than ornament.

The Work Today

At Casa Susanna, the cooking is framed by woodfire and local sourcing. That combination sets the technical and geographical terms of the menu: smoke, seasonality, and a regional supply line that shapes the plate before it reaches the pass. Mexican heritage is not treated as a fixed archive here; it is the source material for revision. Efrén Hern says, “My Mexican heritage plays a huge part of my vision for the menu because I take things that I grew up with often and we make them our own here.” In practice, that means familiar flavors are reworked in the restaurant’s register, with the Hudson Valley and the season acting as the counterpoint to memory. The menu also leaves room for surprise, but in small measures. A shift in texture, a touch of smoke, or an unexpected pairing can reset a dish without pushing it out of balance. The point is not novelty for its own sake; it is precision that keeps the food active on the table.

In Their Words “My Mexican heritage plays a huge part of my vision for the menu because I take things that I grew up with often and we make them our own here.” “We're a Modern Mexican restaurant with an emphasis on woodfire cooking and sourcing from the Hudson Valley.”

Acclaim

Efrén's honors include James Beard Award nomination.