We have been blessed at Rue Cler with a first-rate staff, most of whom helped us open our doors for the first time in 2006.
The owners, John Vandergrift and Chris Stinnett, who also own Pop’s Restaurant in the Brightleaf Square/Peabody Place district, direct a crew of 10 chefs, cooks, and dishwashers, and 9 waitstaff.
Chef/Owner Chris Stinnett is a veteran of Durham’s dining scene, who has also worked on the island of Truc. What free time he has is spent with his growing family, golfing, and booing the Tar Heels.
Chef/Owner John Vandergrift has cooked in France, Montana, and Colorado. He ended up settling in Durham, is catching up to Chris in the baby department, and loves it when Duke loses.
Master Baker Kevin Farmer is the heart of our wholesale and retail breadmaking operation, and also happens to be the chair of the Durham Democratic Party. His bread really is awesome.
Chef Aaron Benjamin: Interested in cooking from a young age Aaron had his first taste of a professional kitchen working the counter and doing catering prep for his aunt at C.F. Folks in Washington DC. After working in various restaurants in Crested Butte and Denver, Aaron moved to Durham on the advice of his old friend john Vandergrift who is now one of the owners of Rue Cler and Pops. After a three year stint at Pops Aaron attended the University of Gastronomic Sciences in Italy where he spent time traveling Europe studying the food and wine of the “old world”. Aaron has been a member of the Rue Cler family now for over a year, and continues to maintain a regional and seasonally influenced menu of unique and delicious French inspired cuisine.
Filling out our ranks, our servers, cooks, and plongeurs are all dedicated to bringing our uniquely affordable and simply delicious cuisine to your (hand-made, recovered wood) table.
We look forward to serving you soon. It’s joie de vivre, y’all.
Aaron Benjamin – Chef
aaron@ruecler-durham.com
Chris Stinnett- Chef/Owner
John Vandergrift- Chef/Owner
