Yes, Chef! Feature: Bob Sferra

Not many chefs can say they have sandwiched macarons, laminated dough for pain au chocolat or caramelized the perfect Tarte Tatin at prestigious places such as the French Culinary Institute in NYC, Cooking School of the Ritz-Escoffier in Paris or l’ecole Lenôtre in Plaisir, France.

After a year abroad in 1997 following his journey through the French culinary scene, Chef Bob Sferra returned to Cleveland to make his mark at places like Inn at Turner’s Mill in Hudson and The Harp Irish Pub in Cleveland.

In 2007, he founded his own catering company, and in 2022 opened his renowned French-inspired patisserie café, Sophie La Gourmande, as an homage to his beloved yellow lab, who spread a certain joie de vivre for 18 years.

The Youngstown native got his start apprenticing with Cleveland restaurant guru Parker Bosley, helping him establish the Cleveland Restaurant School.

Q. How old were you when you started cooking? I was 8. Coming from an Italian-American family that loves to eat, I spent a lot of time in the kitchen with my mother, uncle and aunts.

Q. Who is the most influential chef in your life? Hands down Julia Child. The quiche we make is her base recipe and we sell tons of it.

Q. What’s the most memorable meal you’ve ever experienced and why? It was at Blue Hill at Stone Barns in Sleepy Hollow, New York. It was a 10-course meal where you moved through different settings within the restaurant to experience the courses. My friends and I moved from the dining room to the barbecue grill to around the fireplace. The food and service were exceptional. There was a house-made hot dog cooked on a very fancy grill that was incredible, like nothing I’ve ever tasted. 

Q. What’s your favorite item on your menu? I love our Basque Cheesecake. Unlike most cheesecakes, it’s cooked at a high temperature for a short period of time, which creates a caramelized top and exterior ring and an interior that’s creamy and soft like crème brûlée. 

Q. What music do you listen to when you’re working? I love to listen to the leading ladies of the 1970s—Carly Simon, Linda Ronstadt, Carole King and Bette Midler. 

Q. If you weren’t a chef, what career path might you have followed? I’d be somewhere in the hospitality business, probably an event planner. After I earned a degree in business from John Carroll University and got a job in marketing, I quickly realized the culinary field was where I belong.

Q. To garnish or not to garnish? For sure, as long as it’s edible and adds to the dish. We do a lot of interesting edible flowers like nasturtium and snapdragons.

To nominate a chef for Mimi’s “Yes, Chef!” column, please email Mimi@MimiVanderhaven.com. Sophie La Gourmande is located at 2277 Lee Road, in Cleveland Heights. Call 216-973-6271 or visit SophieLaGourmande.com for more information.