Efrén Hernández is the Executive Chef at PEZ and Casa Susanna in Upstate New York. A first-generation Mexican-American raised in Los Angeles, Efrén moved to New York City to attend film school at NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts. While living in Brooklyn, Efrén took a job working in the kitchen at Nitehawk Cinema in Williamsburg, which kick-started an unexpected love of cooking. From there, Efrén joined teams behind various city hotspots, including Faro, an acclaimed Italian restaurant in Bushwick, where his team earned a Michelin star. Following this prestigious award, Efrén became Executive Chef at popular West Village sister restaurants MIMI and BABS.

After relocating Upstate in early 2020 with his wife and daughter, Efrén has since taken over the Tavern at Rivertown Lodge in Hudson. In March 2023, he opened Casa Susanna at Camptown in Leeds, NY. Efrén’s menus offer a variety of flavorful dishes that highlight the bounty of the Hudson Valley. In 2024, Efrén was recognized as a “Rising Star Chef” in Esquire’s list of The Best New Restaurants in America, while Casa Susanna was named on the same list as one of the Best New Restaurants in America.

He was nominated for a 2024 James Beard Award for Best Chef: New York State, was nominated again for the same Award in 2025, and was recently nominated for a third time in 2026.