Bill Peet

As Executive Chef of Aretsky's Patroon, Bill Peet presents a menu featuring refined adaptations of classic American comfort fare. Peet first entered the kitchen in 1973 at The Inwood Manor in Teaneck, New Jersey, before moving on to work at other local restaurants throughout his teenage years. He enrolled at the Culinary Institute of America in 1978 and upon graduating in 1980, moved to Manhattan to join the city's burgeoning fine dining scene.
Peet took a position as line cook at the upscale French restaurant Clos Normand before becoming Chef de Poissonier. He then transitioned to the four–star French restaurant Lutéce, where he remained for 15 years. During the first three years of his tenure, he became the Sous Chef under André Soltner in addition to serving as the restaurant's Pastry Chef. During his time at Lutéce, Peet ensured that the dining establishment's high standard of excellence was maintained.
Peet found himself desiring a new venture and in 1995, he and his wife Anna opened the French restaurant La Petite Rose in New Jersey. At La Petite Rose, Peet applied contemporary touches to traditional French cuisine. In its first year, the restaurant received the AAA Four Diamond award and a glowing review from The New York Times. Two years later, Peet missed the energy of New York City and returned to head the kitchen at Merlot Bar and Grill/Iridium Jazz Club. While there, he created a seasonal menu to complement the wine-inspired restaurant's expansive cellar.
Peet was asked to oversee the popular dining spot Asia de Cuba in the Morgan Hotel in 1998. During his two years at Asia de Cuba, Peet managed the seamless execution of the restaurant's Asian–Latin menu. Seeking a new challenge, Peet accepted the Executive Chef position at 44, the restaurant at the Royalton Hotel, where he ran the French-American kitchen.
In 2001, Peet was contacted by the ARK restaurant group, which had purchased Lutéce from Soltner, to become the Corporate Executive Chef. He seized the opportunity to oversee 26 restaurants in locations that included Manhattan and Las Vegas. After three years in the corporate world, Peet signed on as Executive Chef of famed dining institution Café des Artistes in Manhattan. Two years later, Peet left to open his own New York restaurant, Pair of 8's, which featured contemporary American cuisine.
His work at Pair of 8's caught the attention of iconic restaurateur Ken Aretsky, who approached Peet about directing the kitchen of his landmark restaurant Patroon in 2006. At Patroon, Peet serves a modern American menu with crowd-pleasing dishes such as jumbo lump crab cake with lemon and tarragon aioli and the grilled smoked prawns with a roasted tomato vinaigrette. When not at Patroon, Peet enjoys spending time with his wife, Anna, and two sons, Will and Tim. He is also an avid fly fisherman.