Navy Chef Camille Becerra's Guide To Downtown | Tasting Table NYC

If you've had the pleasure of clinking a glass of rosé and feasting on roasted whole trout (popped-collar puff pastry and all) at Soho's Navy, chances are you're familiar with chef Camille Becerra, who moves effortlessly through the room in her signature blue uniform and charming hat.

Maybe, like us, you're already obsessed with her Instagram feed—the former Top Chef contestant is also an accomplished food stylist. We asked the chef what she gets up to when she's not in the kitchen, and it's just as dreamy as we imagined.

8:05 a.m.

"I always get a cortado at La Colombe. In fact, that's how I met Matt Abramcyk and Akiva Elstein, my partners at Navy—we all live in the same neighborhood and we started hanging out in the mornings when we got our coffee."

9:15 a.m.

"I like to get to the Greenmarket before 10:30. I picked up some rhubarb to bake and serve with oats and goat's-milk yogurt at breakfast time, and to pickle and pair with bass crudo at dinner."

10 a.m.

"Haven's Kitchen is the perfect place to stop after the market for something to eat—a quiche or asparagus soup. I love their owner, Alison Cayne, so much. She's an amazing, inspiring woman." 

Perusing the shelves at Canvas | Photo: Tasting Table

11:37 a.m.

"I'm working on some cooking videos right now and doing some prop styling, so I checked out some beautiful wooden spoons and cutting boards at Canvas. Their aesthetic is just so awesome." 

1 p.m.

"SOS Chefs is a total gem. The shop imports beautiful spices from all over the world—dried mushrooms, orange blossom tea, it's endless. I like going there and seeing what's new and what owner Atef Boulaabi is excited about." 

2:08 p.m.

"The owners of Warm Boutique are friends. They're surfers, so it has this beach-culture aesthetic and they run a really well-curated shop. I go for the most beautiful body fragrance oils, incense and candles." 

3:30 p.m.

"Despaña in Soho has a wonderful array of Spanish hams, great cheeses, sardines and olive oils. In summertime, I love making paella outside, so I always come by." 

4:20 p.m.

"The Odeon is one of the city's best dining rooms. It's timeless, but also has this '80s NYC spirit—plus a great burger. During the day, you can see all the couples who just got married at City Hall come in afterward." 

5:15 p.m.

"The gem of Navy is the raw bar, where we serve crudo and oysters. We always have a mix of East and West."