Meet Chef Neville Baay

Restaurant: El Barrio, Birmingham, AL 

Niman Ranch Products: Brisket, sirloin flap 

When Chef Neville Baay was, as he puts it, “a wee lad” in New Zealand, he was first introduced to the hospitality business during a gap year working for a hotel. He had every intention of going to college, but the hotel offered him a chef’s apprenticeship, and he’s never looked back. “I took it not really knowing what I was getting into, and kind of liking the idea of it more than the actual cooking,” he says. “But I discovered something that I loved doing and was moderately good at. And after years and years of traveling and cooking all over the world, I somehow ended up here in Birmingham.” 

Baay says he was initially drawn to cooking because he grew up poor and the idea of being able to eat whatever, whenever, and however he wanted was appealing. But as he’s evolved as a chef, the fast pace, problem solving, and creativity are what drive him. “As a cook, you can come up with an idea or try a new ingredient and have a lot of fun with it, and you see the fruits of your labor quickly,” he says. “And then there’s the added bonus of being able to feed people and have them enjoy it.” 

At El Barrio, the focus is on regional Mexican-influenced dishes made with as much local seafood and produce and humanely raised meat as possible. “We’re trying not to screw up the planet,” Baay says with a laugh. While the menu includes a wide variety of standards like tacos and enchiladas, diners will also find specialties like chorizo meatloaf and a barbacoa quesadilla made with Niman Ranch brisket. 

Baay admits that he wasn’t a Mexican chef when he and his partners started the restaurant, but he brings his classically trained French approach to a whole new set of ingredients and techniques. And judging by El Barrio’s success, that approach is working.  

Niman Ranch was what he calls a “lucky find.” A chef friend introduced him and he was immediately drawn to the quality, but he continues to use the products because of the company’s transparency. “There are a lot of places that are a little opaque,” he says. “I think they want to do the right thing and they’re probably trying to do the right thing, but they’re not as committed and fervent about it as Niman Ranch appears to be.” 

Baay enjoys working with lesser-known cuts, and even though Niman Ranch’s price point may be a little higher than commodity competitors, he finds great worth in the quality of cuts like sirloin flap and brisket. “I think part of the value we chefs bring is that we have the time and skill to take something most people won’t want to fool with and say, ‘hey, look, this is great too.’ You won’t do it at home because it takes all day, but you’re getting the added value by coming to this restaurant,” he says. 

In addition to delivering great food at a good price point, Baay sees the role of El Barrio as benefitting the community at large. “We take care,” he says. “We understand what effect we have on the community around us. We pay more for products from local farmers because the more local farmers you have in your community, the better it is. I think all of that’s important.”