Chef

restaurant, True.

The morning of the announcement, I was getting a lot of congratulatory calls, and then it dawned upon me that it was a big deal!

While the past nominations have validated me as a chef, being recognized a third time would be fulfilling. But I can’t say that my goal is to receive another. I’d like to go back in time and be the young chef that had no idea and was just having fun cooking and striving to do my best. If any positive rewards come about, then it would truly be appreciated for not only me but my staff as well. It takes a team to expedite a vision.

QHow would you describe your culinary style?

A: My style has evolved from cooking upscale dishes based on French techniques and molecular gastronomy to rustic but still refined. I like to utilize my surroundings, so my goal is to have my menu reflect my environment by utilizing local farms and growers.

QWhat regional fare do you enjoy cooking the most?

A: I’ve been having a lot of fun taking Southern dishes and using international influences like Asian and Mexican to put a fun spin on a dish.

QYou’ve cooked in larger cities, such as New York and Atlanta. Why did you now choose to settle in a smaller town in Southeast Tennessee?

A: I was offered an unbelievable opportunity by the Jones family [BHB owners], and I had wanted to go back to being a chef in a small restaurant where I can be creative and live in a town where I can raise my son and actually have the time to see him grow up.

QDo you plan to restyle the menu at BHB?

A: Of course. My goal for the overall success of my menu is to have prices and dishes that translate to a neighborhood restaurant. My cooking style is ever-changing, and I do aim to cook seasonally, so the menu will change for each season, give or take some mainstay items.

QWhat’s the dish you’re most proud of on the menu?

A: While I love the whole menu, my favorite dish is the slow-smoked brisket.

QWhat’s one thing people may not know about you?

A: I have a pilot’s license and can fly them in an airplane.

QWhat’s your guilty food pleasure? A: Sometimes I use steak sauce at home

QWhat’s one of your favorite dishes for a cold January day?

A: Cioppino. I love, love, love seafood, and most people don’t utilize seafood in the winter. Cioppino is a great option to eat fish and shellfish and be warm in the winter months.

Cioppino

Broth:

1/2 onion, sliced

1/2 fennel bulb, sliced 8 garlic cloves, chopped 3 cups crushed tomatoes Vegetable oil 1 1/2 teaspoons ancho chile

powder

1 1/2 teaspoons paprika 4 cups lobster stock Salt, to taste

Seafood:

1 pound white fish, cut

into 1-inch cubes

1 cup white wine 24 mussels

16 shrimp, cleaned and

shelled

Equal parts dill sprigs, parsley leaves and scallions, chopped (1/4 cup total)

For broth: Saute vegetables in oil until translucent. Add ancho chile powder and paprika. Deglaze pan with lobster stock, and add crushed tomatoes. Bring to a boil, and simmer for 20 minutes.

For seafood: In a 6-quart pot on high, heat 1 tablespoon oil, and cook fish in hot oil for 2 minutes. Deglaze pan with wine; add mussels and cook for 2 minutes. Add shrimp, and cook for another minute. Add the broth, and cook for 3 minutes or until shrimp are fully cooked. Serve, garnished with herbs. Makes 4 servings.

Email Anne Braly at abraly@timesfreepress. com.