Raised in Bergen County New Jersey, Proechel obtained a bachelor’s degree in economics from Wesleyan University and pursued a career in finance prior to working in a professional kitchen. Proechel began his culinary journey at ICE and completed an externship at Eleven Madison Park, where he became a full-time hire after its four star review in The New York Times. Proechel went on to join Blanca as sous chef under Carlo Mirarchi, where he helped the restaurant earn its second Michelin star, among many other accolades.
In 2017, Proechel opened Ferris Restaurant where he incorporated elements he acquired during his NYC career, showcasing the food he loves to cook. He was put on the Grubstreet power rankings and the Eater hot list immediately after opening and held onto those spots for multiple months. Ferris opened to great reviews and instant success and was featured on New Yorker Magazine’s Table for Two, Eater’s best dishes, Grubstreet’s Where to Eat 2018 before the first official review. He received an amazingly strong and positive 2 star review from Pete Wells writing for the New York Times, speaking about his creativity and incredibly solid food.
In 2015, Proechel opened popular Lower East Side destination Le Turtle, his first executive chef position. During his time leading the kitchen at Le Turtle, the restaurant garnered various accolades and was named one of Eater’s Best New Restaurants of 2016 as well as a stellar 2 star review from Ryan Sutton.
Proechel now looks forward to his next chapter in his professional career where he will be focusing full-time on his hospitality group – Pulpo Hospitality. He is excited for these new opportunities to reach a broader audience and continue to showcase his passion for ingredient-driven cuisine.
