About the Chef
Background:
My name is Tate Fairchild-Coppoletti, I’m 19 years old, and I live on Martha’s Vineyard. I’m currently a student at Brown University following a multidisciplinary major concentrated in neuroscience, but my first passion, from a very young age, was cooking. I’ve always found joy in anything that involves creativity or freedom of expression, and the kitchen has always been a place where I’ve been able to channel those values. I’m very interested in molecular gastronomy and the scientific elements of cooking, and I always aim to create an artistic experience rather than just a meal. Making and sharing food is as much about connection to me as it is about physical nourishment, because what I create is a reflection of who I am. Practicing what I love to do brings me a genuine sense of fulfillment, and I’m very lucky to have the opportunity to cultivate that feeling and share it with those around me. Another one of my passions is music, and I play shows all over the island in the summer. I’m also the lead guitarist in The Cut, a local band, and a verified artist on all streaming platforms under Tate F-C.
​
I recently took a gap year and spent about eight months traveling everywhere from North Africa to India. Whether in a Moroccan family’s home in the Medina of Marrakech or a hostel along the Camino de Santiago in Spain, I spent lots of time in different kitchens learning how to make dishes from a broad range of cultural backgrounds. I also spent six weeks living in a Buddhist monastery in the Swiss Alps, where I worked under three professional chefs to learn about sustainable cooking. We prepared multiple meals each day for dozens of people using only vegetarian ingredients, 80% of which were grown on their organic farm and brought up through the mountains on donkeys. I’m very grateful to have had such enriching experiences throughout my travels, and I look forward to sharing all of the unique preparation styles, rich flavors, and incredible cuisines I’ve had the pleasure of learning all about.
Qualifications:
I've worked as a prep chef and a line chef in a classic French restaurant and an authentic Mexican kitchen, and studied under a group of accomplished chefs in Switzerland, where I learned about vegetarian cooking and regenerative agriculture. The Hatchery has also organized a variety of events in previous years, through which I’ve catered a wedding, cooked in the galley of a 108-foot sailboat, and designed an 11-course tasting menu for a charity fundraiser. I’ve also taken multiple culinary classes and independent studies throughout high school, read countless cookbooks, and received a certificate in food chemistry from a series of courses I took through Harvard's continuing education program. I believe in learning through experience, and I'm very grateful for the people and opportunities that have allowed me to expand my culinary knowledge and share my passion for food.