Chefs & Restauranteurs
This Chef is on the Money
Inside a vault, you might find bundles of cash, valuable heirloom jewelry or important legal documents. In Summersville, West Virginia, one particular bank vault contains fries and mussels in a garlic and white wine broth and a bone-in pork chop brined in cider and served with risotto, roasted Brussels sprouts…
Bon App-alachia: French Food and Wine Find Home in WV
White linens drape the tables, and champagne-filled flutes line the bar. Soft classical music plays in the background. The featured menu item of the day is escargot – cocoa and chamomile cure, plum compote, chamomile sauternes jelly and toasted brioche. But this isn’t Paris. Or Marseille. Or Nice. It is…
Christmas Cookies & Pizza: Stepping Stones for One Successful Morgantown Chef
“Some say, I got into cooking before I have any memory of it,” said Nate Meadows, executive chef at Bourbon Prime & Morgantown Event Center in Morgantown. “There is a particular photo of me standing on a stool in my Mother’s kitchen helping her make Christmas cookies. I couldn’t have…
Hot Tamale: Chef Brings Authentic Flavors to the Mountains
Authentic tamales in the capital city of West Virginia might seem like a far-off dream for many, but Amanda Ivy has brought them to reality. Some tamale variations Ivy has offered include: Salvadoran chicken; chicken mole; green chile pork; pork chile verde; ham, greens and black-eyed pea cornmeal; chorizo pastor;…
Morgantown Chef Makes High-End Flavors Available to Everyone
What do you get when you cross a classic New England-style lobster roll with a West Virginia-style hot dog? A lobster dog. Handcrafted by Chef Chris McDonald at Von Blaze, the lobster dog is made with fresh lobster and shrimp sausage, napa cabbage slaw, brown butter mayo, and fingerling potato…
Don’t Call It a Comeback: WV Chef Nourishes Community with Homemade Food
Italian food plays a large role in West Virginia’s culinary makeup – with red sauce, meatballs and pasta making frequent appearances on menus across the state. But, Chef Tim Urbanic takes those flavors to a different level. Urbanic, who operates Bop & Nana’s Bakery and Catering with wife Melody, is…
Wanderlust Chef Returns to Roots in Appalachia
vag·a·bond /ˈvaɡəˌbänd/ noun a person who wanders from place to place without a home or job. For Matt Welsch, the word “vagabond” helps define his wandering spirit. When he began traveling the country via motorcycle, eating his way through cities and documenting his experiences, he dubbed himself “The Vagabond Chef.”…
Spill the Tea: Appalachian Tea Is One of West Virginia’s Only Tea Rooms
When you think of a tea room, you might think of well-to-do women in pearls and large floppy hats sipping from antique china. But, there is much more to them than that. Tea rooms became popular in the 1900s when middle class women opened up a room in their home…
Aaron and Marie Clark : Timing
Most things in life – the truly special things, anyway – depend on timing, and there probably isn’t anyone who understands this better than Aaron and Marie Clark. From their first meeting at Bennigan’s in the early 1990s to years spent working together and separately at iconic Charleston restaurants like…
Morgantown Chef Eschews Popular Food in Favor of ‘Real’ Food
You won’t find Chef Marion Ohlinger donning a toque blanche and playing top 40 music at his dinners. Instead, the Morgantown chef is more likely to be seen in a black chef’s coat with a red skull and crossbones on the chest. Punk rock music plays in the background. Stories…
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Paulie’s Fine Italian: Part 1
A conversation with chef-owner Paul Smith on Italian Heritage and championing West Virginia
Chef William Dissen: A Conversation on Appalachian Cuisine, Sustainability, and Thoughtful Cooking
Charleston-born, James Beard-nominated chef William Dissen was recently interviewed on stage at the Lewisburg Literary Festival by TasteWV’s Josh Baldwin. While there to discuss his cookbook Thoughtful Cooking, topics ranged from his time at The Greenbrier and the importance of mentorship in the industry to his views on Appalachian cuisine…
A Marriage of Food and Music at Beckley’s Black Circle Bistro
From the vinyl record logo plastered on the windows and the extensive sticker collection that adorns the front door and metal dining tables, to the Appalachian-tinged menu with burgers, sandwiches and other items named in honor of some of her favorite songs and singers, Black Circle Bistro (BCB) owner April…
The Olive Tree Cafe and Catering Strives to be All Things for All People
The Olive Tree Cafe and Catering owner Michael Jarrouj draws on his upbringing for the restaurant’s eclectic and Mediterranean inspired menu. Growing up in a Syrian and Carribean family, he credits his grandparents, who owned a restaurant and loved to cook, with sparking his own culinary flame. “My grandmother was…
The Peddler Celebrates 10 Years in Downtown Huntington
A Huntington restaurant celebrating a decade in business, The Peddler is all about customer experience down to the very last detail, and it’s evident owner Drew Hetzer enjoys every minute of his job. From brews to burgers or Sunday brunch, you’re guaranteed a delicious time. _______________________ Drew Hetzer’s culinary philosophy…
Simplicity is key at Coco’s Kitchen + Cafe
Good food doesn’t have to be complicated. It doesn’t require intricate cooking techniques or rare ingredients. It doesn’t need classical training or multiple courses. For one Charleston restaurant, good food just needs fresh, local ingredients, seasonal produce and balanced flavors. That’s according to breakfast and lunch restaurant Coco’s Kitchen +…
Savoring Success: Chef Christopher Dixon’s Path to Opening Christopher’s Eats
Before opening his own restaurant, Christopher’s Eats, in Barboursville in January 2013, Chef Christopher Dixon spent several years working in all sorts of kitchens throughout Florida and Louisiana. “Between privately/family-owned establishments, corporate restaurants, quick-service, full-service, country clubs, an exclusive, seasonal living community and even a barbecue joint — they’ve all…
Sergio’s: Blending background experience working in Mexican and Italian restaurants, Sergio Lugo-Mata has created two successful brands
Sergio Lugo-Mata may not have trained professionally as a chef, but growing up in restaurants, he gained all the experience he needed to open three successful culinary businesses of his own. A bit unruly in his school days, whenever he’d get in trouble, Lugo-Mata says his mom would pick him…
Gustard’s Bistro: A Chef Returns Home to White Sulphur Springs
Nestled in downtown White Sulphur Springs, Gustard’s Bistro stands as a testament to Chef Stephen Gustard’s remarkable culinary odyssey. From his roots in Virginia Beach to his influential roles across West Virginia, Chef Gustard and his partner Delphine Houssin have crafted a bistro that combines their rich culinary experiences with…
Hart of the Kitchen: Clarksburg Chef Crosses Road with New Restaurant
Which came first: the chicken or the egg? At Hart Kitchen in Clarksburg, it’s the “Deviled Eggs of the Moment” first as an appetizer and then the “Oven Roasted Half Chicken with pan sauce, herbs, roasted vegetables and mashed potatoes” second as an entree. The deviled eggs, which are hard-boiled…
