Waldy Malouf is a critically-acclaimed chef, whose love of family, food and feeding others drives him to deliver delicious cooking in high-end and fast-casual restaurants. He is the chef/owner of Beacon in midtown Manhattan and has run The Rainbow Room and Hudson River Club kitchens also in New York City. Waldy designed High Heat for his own family first.
Waldy developed this fast-casual concept in order to offer the best burgers in New York, expertly cooked under his watchful eye. While burgers may seem like simple food, they are difficult to get right, especially for a perfectionist. This restaurant concept has been percolating in Waldy’s mind since the late 80’s.
Meanwhile Waldy penned two books, including High Heat in 2006 and in 1993 The Hudson River Valley Cookbook, which focused on the local foods he served, a practice that he began and spawned the locavor movement .