YOU CAN FIND INSPIRATION ANYWHERE

I'VE ALWAYS TENDED TO TAKE THE LONG ROAD

  Like trying to grow vegetables in the woods for instance.  My yukon potato plants seemed to come and go pretty quickly.  I planted them in old wooden barrels.  I filled the bottom with sticks and leaves to provide adequate drainage and filled the barrels with organic soil as the potato plants grew.  The location began in the sun in the spring and slowly transitioned to a shadier spot as the leaves came in. It is certainly not a complete failure but not the potato harvest I had hoped for.  I do have 5 more plants to dig up.  It's interesting the constant test of patience in life.  So I moved my glass box, for lack of a better description, to a new spot today hoping for better results.

  

  It is funny how some things in life seem to happen really quickly and other things, like the ones most desired, have a funny way of making us wait.  I do believe the timing is precisely as it needs to be.  At the end of last season I finally found my first spice bush.  I have found many things wild that I have searched for, but this was one that kept eluding me.  I have been waiting all winter for it to show itself again and today was the day.

  This plant below, still unknown, was a first for me today.  I will keep you posted as to what it is after some research.  It is very minty, floral, and a touch of menthol.  The stems are too small to determine if they are square, linking them to the mint family.  A great find that I am very excited about.

  Ok, so after closer examination, it does have a square stem.  I believe it is mountain mint, which would make sense.  

A BRIEF SUMMARY . . . . . AND HERE I AM . . . . . .

  Since moving to Asheville last May, I have had quite a few new kitchens to call home.  First it was Seven Sows Bourbon & Larder thanks to Chef Mike Moore and Chef de Cuisine Todd Woods.  It was a great team and a great way to come into town.  The Executive Chef opportunity at Lex 18 presented itself and of course all I could see was my golden ticket to get on the scene with the food I am passionate about and introduce Asheville to my take on Appalachia cuisine.  My flame of excitement stayed strong for a minute and then seemed to require more fuel than I could summon.  I have never worked harder, along with my great friend and Sous Chef Chris Militana, only to find myself, my passion, and all of the excitement that I had brought to Asheville quickly reduce to a mere smolder.  There were successes, don't be mistaken, and I am grateful I had the opportunity.  However,  I now understand what 'burn out' means and I would wish it on no one.  I was proud of our passion, dedication, crazy long weeks, and the food we were cooking, constantly thinking about Chef John Shields telling me I was a warrior, and thought it could carry me through the toughest of work situations.  I was defeated.  Exhausted.  Angry.  Depressed.  All of the things that no chef wants to give in to.  Of course we all get tired but to combine all of these variables at the same time was just too much.  Why should I be feeling this way?  I had a son on the way.  I have an amazing wife.  I have a great home.  I had a great team (of 4 including myself).  And I was sharing my passion in a city where people love food.  It led me to question more than just the job that was doing this to me.  Was it the 'spotlight' or the desire for some recognition for this hard work and the food that my diners were enjoying so much?  Absolutely.  Just as an addict says that they are in control of their desire to get their fix, they never are.  I fought with myself constantly and was convinced that the little bit of attention I had received would never get to me or my ego;  that I was still cooking solely to fulfill my creative passion and to give my diners a healthy and enjoyable meal.  How many of you reading this know who Ron Siegel is?  Or Gary Danko?  These are two extremely talented chefs in San Francisco who reigned supreme in the '90's.  Even though they are still cooking amazing food, their names are rarely read or heard anymore.  Is the 'spotlight' required for their restaurants to continue to keep their doors open or are they open solely based on passionate and truly delicious classic cooking?  I would guess the latter. Beware of the 'spotlight.'  
  After my six months as the Executive Chef of Lex 18, I was excited to join Katie Button and her team at Nightbell, under the leadership of Chef de Cuisine Chad Holmes.  It was a great experience, a much needed breath of fresh air.  The food was fun, thoughtful, and very well executed.  The team was fantastic and I really enjoyed working with everyone.  I was able to work 45 hour weeks rather than 75 hour weeks and slowly get myself back on my feet and looking forward again, rather than down in defeat.  I gave Nightbell four enjoyable months.  I would like to apologize to Mike and Katie for doing such short stints by the way, that is usually not my style.  Also, I can't thank y'all enough for giving me great opportunities in times of need.  Truly grateful!    
  So now I have picked myself up, had some time to enjoy my new son and our new home, and have taken the Executive Sous Chef position at The Cliffs at Walnut Cove under Executive Chef Bill Klein.  Chef Klein worked for both Siegel and Danko back in their heyday and is extremely talented and I am very excited to be working with him.  I found my passion for this business in a similar setting, cooking great classic cuisine, and I find myself back in the same kind of environment and it feels great!  Stay tuned for more frequent blog posts and I certainly appreciate you visiting Roots Culinary.            

The week before leaving Lex 18

By the way, the photos on the Lex 18 website are pictures of food that I did at The Gamekeeper back in 2013, not current food at Lex 18.  You will find them on this blog.  Gonna look into watermarks now.    ; >

THE LAST SIX MONTHS . . . . or so . . . .

HERE WE GO . . . .

IN THE BEGINNING AT LEX 18

BIG DREAMS, SMALL KITCHEN

YOUNG PINE CONES.  EVENTUALLY PICKLED TO FIND THE ESSENCE OF NUTMEG

MY GREAT SOUS CHEF, CHRIS MILITANA

THEN MY LIFE CHANGED!  A GREAT CARD MY WIFE MADE AFTER THE FIRST WEEK OF LEX 18 BEING OPENED.

BEETS, BEET GREENS, KOMBUCHA, SOFT EGG

CHOCOLATE AND CHERRIES

CAULIFLOWER AND CAT'S EAR DANDELIONS WITH PECANS, LAMB'S QUARTER, AND GRILLED GARLIC SCAPES.  A FEW DROPS OF FERMENTED HOT SAUCE AND A LITTLE HOMEMADE YOGURT REALLY TIED THIS DISH TOGETHER

COCOA SPONGE, CREME FRAICHE, CLOVER, BLACK RASPBERRIES

CARROTS, FARMER'S CHEESE, BASIL, PICKLED BEET STEMS

DUCK LIVER DOUGHNUT, BLACKBERRIES, GOUMI SYRUP

"SCOBY" MADE FROM KOMBUCHA

TESTING BREAD SHAPES

BEETS, SOFT EGG, 'SCOBY', QUEEN ANNE'S LACE, MICRO CHERVIL

BLACK RASPBERRY CURD, FROZEN WHIPPED CREAM, SUNFLOWER SEEDS, MAPLY SYRUP

MONSTER IVORY KING SALMON

WAX MYRTLE PANNA COTTA, BROWN BUTTER, OATS, CHERRY, SORREL

COPPA, PURSLANE, GREEN BEANS, PEPITAS, PURPLE BASIL, CURRANTS

THE COPPA WAS FROM MY FRIEND KYLE MCKNIGHT @ HIGHLAND AVENUE IN HICKORY NC

CANDIED SASSAFRAS LEAVES.  THE ESSENCE OF FRUITY PEBBLES

BEEF RIBEYE, YUKON GOLD, SQUASH, BUTTERMILK, CELERY OIL, BACON JAM

ANOTHER VARIATION OF OUR FOSSILIZED CHOCOLATE DESSERT

ANOTHER PRESENTATION OF THE BLACKBERRY CURD.  I THINK THIS WAS THE ONE WE STUCK WITH.  

NEW COOLER DAY!  IT WAS ACTUALLY OLD AND BARELY WORKED BUT WE WERE EXCITED ANYWAY

FROZEN BLACK WALNUT PRALINE, BLUEBERRIES, PINE, CURRANTS, SORREL, YOGURT, HONEY

TOMATO & STRAWBERRY ASPIC, MARCONA ALMONDS, SASSAFRASS

A VARIATION OF THE BLACK WALNUT DESSERT.  OWEN WILSON ORDERED THIS DESSERT.  

BEET MERINGUE

SQUASH SOUP WITH GRILLED PEACH & TOASTED FLAX

TOMATO, TOMATILLO, PECAN, PICKLED ONIONS, LIME BASIL, CREME FRAICHE

SUMAC, WILD GRAPES, ELDERBERRY

MOLASSES, PECAN, WHITE CHOCOLATE MERINGE & MELTED DARK CHOCOLATE

VARIATION OF THE TOMATO APPETIZER

MORE BREAD TESTING.  WE ENDED UP STICKING WITH THE LOAF YOU WILL SEE BELOW.

NC RED SNAPPER

THE FIRST DAY USING OUR NEW PROOFING BASKETS

AMAZING VINEGAR FROM MY GOOD FRIEND DAN @ LINDERA FARMS

ANOTHER VARIATION OF THE ABOVE BEET DISH

APPLE CREMEUX, LEMON THYME, APPLE PIE SOIL, CARAMEL, MALDON, FRESH APPLE

ANOTHER VARIATION OF THE TOMATO DISH

VARIATION ON THE CHOCOLATE & MERINGUE

MY SOUS CHEF CHRIS MILITANA AND CHEF STEVEN GOFF OF KING JAMES PUBLIC HOUSE DOING A DINNER FOR THE PREMIER OF 'GMO OMG'

CREAM OF FERMENTED WHEAT ON A CRACKER, WITH OXALIS AND GOLDEN ROD

FERMENTING TROUT BELLY

VARIATION OF ABOVE APPLE DESSERT

PORK SHOULDER, PURPLE POTATOES, SWISS CHARD, BACON JAM

ROASTED SUNCHOKES, HAZELNUTS, QUAIL EGG VINIAGRETTE, SORREL, AND PIMINT D' ESPLETTE

YET ANOTHER VARIATION ON THE APPLE DESSERT

BROWN SUGAR & BUTTERMILK PIE, MOONSHINE BERRIES, WHIPPED CREAM, SUCANAT

WE HAD A GREAT RUN AT LEX 18 AND ARE VERY THANKFUL FOR THE OPPORTUNITY WE WERE GIVEN TO CREATE THESE DISHES.