finding a zest for life with chef david cruz

Walking into Reconnect Foods is like walking into someone’s home that I’ve had the privilege to be invited into. Bad Bunny is playing as Chef David Cruz bustles about the kitchen, the scent of pork belly and fresh pico de gallo filling the air.  I review the specials on the menu in front of me, hand written on a chalk-board in multiple colors. I’m tempted to get the bowl of the day which consists of yellow rice, black beans, choice of protein, pineapple pico, guac, spicy mayo and micro-greens, but I came in with my mind set on the Ramen and I’ll be damned if I don’t get to try the hand-made noodles.

Is your mouth-watering as you read this or is it just mine? (Note to self: do not start writing interviews with chefs on an empty stomach).

I immediately realize that the way Cruz navigates the kitchen is no other than a form of art. There's a creative process that goes into it, one that any creator can immediately identify and appreciate. And I can tell this process is something he has worked at for a while now, taking the time and effort to craft it to perfection. The creative process is there – in the way he meticulously preps his food, no bao bun or seasonal vegetable not being catered to. In the way he is laser-focused on what he is working on. In the way his confidence shines through. In the way he speaks to his employees with kindness and compassion, no question ever being dismissed. His process is patient, yet precise.

“Take those mistakes and hone them like you would your knives”, Chef Cruz later said during our interview.

Before even starting the interview, I can already tell Cruz is a successful Chef. How do you ask? It goes beyond him being able to create dishes that leave customers scraping the plate for that last crumb, making them undoubtedly fall in love with the Mexican heritage that he brings to life through his meals, but his success is obvious in the way his employees respect him.

That is what makes Cruz stand out amongst others; not only is he a good Chef, but he is a good leader.

But Cruz’s accomplishments were not an overnight success, he had to lose everything in order to gain clarity on what was important to him.

“Through all of the negativity I went through during Covid, lots of flowers and lots of blooming happened within.” Said Chef David Cruz as we sat outside of his brick and mortar, Reconnect Foods, a farm-to-table establishment that specializes in providing patrons with nutritious and local foods. “I lost my job as an Executive Chef during Covid. It was really tough; I had to let people go. I was doing all of the work, from cleaning the dishes to making the food. I had a five year plan and lost it all in one day. I started to lose hope in the restaurant industry itself. It made me really depressed. I didn’t want to cook and almost changed my career path because of it.”

Cruz didn’t give up hope, but instead shifted not only his perspective but his goals as well. He had to disconnect, in order to reconnect with himself as a Chef. 

“I started to sell meals out of my house. I started small, by just selling to friends, but then that quickly picked up. I bought my own burner and put that twist on Mexican food that I loved to cook. I was slowly starting to find my way again.”

Cruz decided to go a non-traditional route, turning Reconnect Foods into a mobile food truck that could go anywhere and serve anyone in the Hudson Valley. “The food truck business plan that I have is actually based on a model that I made at the Culinary Institute of America with my friends. We drew it all out. We were going to source locally and grow it all. Now I turned that into reality; I manifested it. But it’s only because I lost my job, so in a way, I’m grateful I lost it.”

But the food truck was only the beginning for Chef David Cruz. Reconnect Foods has continued to expand throughout the Hudson Valley, now residing in the Eastdale Village and at Reason and Ruckus in Poughkeepsie. Cruz also recently started hosting Farm to Table dinners at Taliaferro Farm. “That gave me the opportunity to step outside of my comfort zone and master my public speaking skills” he says. Which has clearly paid off, because Cruz does not stumble once when answering the questions I ask him.

What is your advice to someone who is struggling after losing their job?

“Not being afraid to risk it all”, says Cruz. “Don’t give up while you’re risking it, because you are going to lose a lot. You’re going to have to let go of a lot of things mentally and physically to reinvent yourself in a way. Always focus on the dream.”

What is your greatest accomplishment as a chef?

“Being able to educate the people that work for me. Being a leader, not micromanaging and letting my employees know it’s ok if they have questions. I’m here to answer them and help them get better.”

How do you go about setting goals?

“I set mini goals in order to get to the big goals. It’s like a stepping stone process.”

Chef David Cruz lights up when he speaks about the connections he has made with various farms throughout the Hudson Valley. It’s obvious he takes great pride in being able to serve his community fresh and locally sourced foods. He inherited his love for farm-to-table from his mother, who was always tending to her plants and vegetables in the garden. “This got me thinking…what happens before the cooking? Before you even cut into something? Do you know where your vegetables are from? That stuff matters. From there, I started my own garden in my backyard. Once I grew my first vegetable I was like ‘Oh shit, I can do this.’ I began to realize all the farms that are in the Hudson Valley and knew I needed to embrace them. I got excited about using fresh-grown food from where I was born. There’s more to it than ordering a bunch of frozen shit and putting it in the oven.”

As my interview with Chef Cruz comes to an end, I begin to notice customers anxiously waiting for Reconnect Foods to open. A family of three walks up to the door, realizes it doesn't open until noon and begins to play corn hole which is set up on the nearby turfgrass while waiting it out. 

I get it. I want to be first in line for those hand-made noodles, too.

I asked Cruz my final question in the interview. One that I purposely left until the end. He answered it with confidence, because he’s been thinking of this answer for quite a while now. “What do you see Reconnect Foods looking like in the future?” I ask him. 

And Cruz answers, without missing a beat, “It’s going to be world wide.”