A well-known chef from Long Island worked for Jeffrey Epstein as his personal cook and reportedly made multiple visits to the notorious financier’s private island, as revealed in recently made public government documents.
Newly released emails from the Justice Department show that Frances Darby was employed as Epstein’s chef from May to November 2012, primarily to cater to his strong preference for “jerky.” This position came before Darby became the head chef at The Cannibal, a now-closed restaurant in New York City.
With over 1,300 mentions in Epstein’s files, Darby currently works at Halyard Restaurant in Greenport, Long Island. There’s no evidence in these emails suggesting he was aware of Epstein’s illegal actions, and he has consistently denied any knowledge of wrongdoing.
“In May 2012, I was hired as Jeffrey Epstein’s cook,” Darby stated. “At that time, I had no idea who Mr. Epstein was or about any allegations against him,” he said, adding, “I was just tasked with sourcing food, planning meals, and cooking.”
Darby explained that his responsibilities were limited to the kitchen, only stepping out to serve food in staff areas and was directed to avoid common spaces. He voluntarily left his role in November 2012.
Epstein, a registered sex offender since 2008, died while awaiting trial in a Manhattan jail in 2019.
While working for Epstein, Darby was often seen arranging and transporting large amounts of jerky for his employer, which included sending numerous emails discussing the logistics of it.
In one exchange, he mentioned that Epstein planned to eat “normally” again, implying a potential reduction in his jerky consumption, with Darby commenting, “That means he has six bags in the freezer to get him through.”
There was even a time when Epstein complained about not having enough jerky, stating he would only have one while making bizarre comparisons related to food to a colleague.
In another email thread, someone, whose name was redacted, asked Darby if he’d be up for teaching others how to prepare his well-known jerky before he left, to which he responded that he would agree if Epstein offered additional pay.
