Chef Mason Hereford was born in Charlottesville, Virginia as the grandson of the University of Virginia’s president. He grew up around the college university, and in particular loved a turkey and cranberry relish sandwich–called the Jefferson–at a popular college restaurant. He went on to attend UVA and had an obsession with dining out.
His love of food–specifically sandwiches continued to grow. At a young age, he proclaimed he would, in fact, open his own sandwich shop one day. He worked at bars through college and got a taste of the service industry. It was then that he developed a passion for cooking professionally.
Hereford worked in restaurants around the country, including San Francisco and Charleston, before moving back to New Orleans in 2008. He became the chef de cuisine at Coquette and at Sweet Olive, which has since closed. He opened a sandwich shop, Turkey and the Wolf in the Irish Channel in 2016, which Bon Appétit Magazine named America’s Best New Restaurant a year later. The most famous dish on the menu is a fried bologna sandwich.
Hereford opened his second restaurant, Molly’s Rise and Shine, in 2019. This restaurant is a playful breakfast spot that serves American classics with a twist, such as the Grand Slam McMuffin and Sweet Potato Burrito. Both of his restaurants are casual with retro flare. It is clear that Hereford believes cooking and dining should be fun and creative.