TABLE CHAT For Blind Horse chef, restaurant work beckoned
Brent Davis had every intention of being an artist. His dishwashing job at The Roxy in Oshkosh was just a way to get through high school and save money.
After high school graduation, he traveled to Europe. When he came back, everything changed. He wanted to cook.
He worked his way through kitchens from the Fox Valley to Green Bay and attended culinary school at Fox Valley Technical College. Four years ago, he landed at Blind Horse Restaurant & Winery, 6018 Superior Ave., Kohler, where his menus focus on local and seasonal ingredients, including Wisconsin cheeses. Blind Horse Restaurant & Winery includes a seven acre property where it features events, live music, and food truck festivals.
The 30-year-old executive chef is planning his own wedding for September at the restaurant, followed by a train trip to Seattle and San Francisco.
Upcoming events at the winery include The Big Cheese Festival Aug. 10 and 11, and the Harvest Festival and Grape Stomp Sept. 22.
A fork in the road
I grew up not thinking anything of the culinary world. I had an art background. I was about to embark on the MIAD program in Milwaukee. After high school I took a month and a half long vacation backpacking through central Europe and Ireland. That changed my mind.
At the time, I was a dishwasher at The Roxy, a supper club in Oshkosh. When I came back I said I want to start cooking. That’s where I learned some of the foundation for the industry. Then I went to culinary school.
An educated eater
When I started going to (culinary) school, I was about eight years into the industry but I felt like I needed to know the foundation and the hierarchy of how the kitchen works.
A lot of people say culinary school is not necessary, a waste of money, but I feel quite the opposite. It is definitely a benefit to your career and resume.
Working with a winemaker
We’ll do wine dinners, like two or three per month, and I’ll work with Tom Nye, the winemaker.
We focus on all West Coast grapes, unlike a lot of wineries in this area. We have one wine on the menu now with Wisconsin based grapes, and that’s an ice wine. For the most part, all our grapes are shipped from the West Coast. … Working here I’ve gotten to see the crushing, and the process of bottling is just cool.
Defining his approach
Seasonal and local, definitely. We get almost all our proteins in whole, so we also try for sustainability and using everything. We make our charcuteries, we have our own terrines we make with the pork livers. We work with Golden Bear Farm (in Kiel). They pasture raise Berkshire pork.
Current ingredient obsession
We’re trying to smoke, ferment, age and push some different flavors and textures in dishes.
Right now, we’re working with fermenting some ramps we got earlier this season to make into kimchi. We’ve been also cellaring a lot of our produce from Springdale Farms. Keeping carrots and cellaring them, that concentrates the sugars.
Cheese country cooking
We only use Wisconsin cheese, from big producers like Bel Gioso and Sargento to small. The SarVecchio is the only parmesan we use, that’s from Sartori. We have Dunbarton blue. We also like to use a lot of Hook’s out of Mineral Point. They have some good cheddars, but we really like their Little Boy Blue.
Cheese he can’t live without
Montamore from Sartori. That’s one that’s hard to keep around, because the staff likes to eat it. We also have Crescenza Stracchino, a very soft cheese. We mix it with figs, hazelnuts and a bit of balsamic. That’s one of my favorites, it is almost like Brie without the rind.
Signature dish
Our filet mignon is definitely the best selling dish. We use a Hook’s white cheddar puree and a seasonal vegetable. We’re now in the summer menu with asparagus, which I only use from May to July, because that’s when it is in season here. We use it from a few farms, including Red Belly Farms in Chilton and Big City Greens.
His perfect pairing
Our walleye with pinot grigio. The walleye has cashews, a bit of heat, but not too spicy, some chipotle roasted new potatoes, and we toss in some sauteed kale with andouille sausage, a remoulade. There are about 30 different ingredients. My staff hates me when they have to make it, but it is so good.
Surprise seller
Beet salad. Growing up, all of my friends and I did not like beets. As an adult, I love beets. We use beets now in three different applications: roasted red beets, pickled beets and shaved chioggia beets. That’s one I’ve been constantly tweaking for the seasons. It doesn't matter what I change, it always sells. That’s pretty surprising.
Table Chat features interviews with Wisconsinites, or Wisconsin natives, who work in restaurants or support the restaurant industry. To suggest individuals to profile, email nstohs@journalsentinel.com.