By: Jordan Baker

A prominent Long Island chef once worked as personal cook to disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein and made several trips to his private Caribbean island, according to government records the NY Post first reported.

Francis Derby, now working at the upscale Halyard Restaurant in Greenport, was employed as Epstein’s private chef from May through November 2012. As the NY Post first reported, Derby’s name appears more than 1,300 times in hundreds of emails recently released by the US Department of Justice.

The records detail Derby’s duties during his roughly six-month stint, which primarily involved meal planning, food procurement and preparing large quantities of jerky — a food Epstein appeared to consume almost exclusively at times.

After leaving Epstein’s employment, Derby went on to serve as the top chef at the now-closed New York City meat-focused restaurant The Cannibal. There is no indication in the emails that Derby was aware of any criminal activity, and he has firmly denied any knowledge of wrongdoing.

“In May 2012, I was hired as a cook for Jeffrey Epstein,” Derby said in a statement, according to the NY Post first reported. “At the time I accepted the position, I had no knowledge of who Mr. Epstein was and was unaware of any allegations of misconduct.”

He emphasized that his responsibilities were confined to the kitchen and food service. “My role was to procure food, plan meals, and provide culinary service,” Derby said, adding that he was directed to avoid common areas of the residence. He stated that he left the job voluntarily in November 2012.

At the time Derby was hired, Epstein had already been a convicted felon and registered sex offender following a 2008 plea deal in Florida. Epstein was later arrested on federal sex-trafficking charges and died in a Manhattan jail cell in 2019 while awaiting trial.

The newly released DOJ emails show Derby coordinating food shipments and discussing storage logistics, particularly involving unusually large quantities of jerky. In one October 2012 email cited in the files, Derby wrote that Epstein planned to resume eating “regular food” and might reduce his jerky intake. However, the chef noted that six bags remained in the freezer for an upcoming trip.

As the NY Post first reported, Epstein at one point emailed Derby directly to complain about the supply, stating bluntly, “I only eat one thing.”

The documents also indicate that Derby traveled multiple times to Little St. James, Epstein’s private island in the US Virgin Islands, in his capacity as personal chef. Epstein reportedly referred to the island as “Little St. Jeff’s,” while critics and media outlets have long described it by a far more infamous nickname.

In another email exchange, an unidentified individual asked Derby whether he would be willing to teach others how to prepare his signature jerky before leaving the job. Derby responded that he would consider leading a class if Epstein agreed to provide additional compensation.