At Brookline’s Bar Vlaha, she shares warm spices and warmer hospitality
Kat McCoart, 42, lives in the Back Bay, but her job takes her to the mountainous regions of Northern Greece, where she cooks wild boar and crayfish at Brookline’s new Bar Vlaha.
What led you to your current job?
I’m the executive chef at Bar Vlaha in Brookline. We do nomadic Vlach food from the northern region of Greece. I was brought in through Brendan Pelley. One of my past gigs was as a consultant for chefs who were given a six-month incubation period at Wink & Nod. I was always the lead line cook and helped everyone develop their concepts of the restaurants they wanted to do. I was Brendan Pelley’s little rock star. When they started coming up with the idea of Bar Vlaha, Brendan thought of me. You give me ideas, and I can conceptualize it, and I make it happen.
Where did you meet?
Right after he got done doing “Hell’s Kitchen,” again, I was helping out at Wink & Nod, doing incubation periods for upcoming, rising chefs. I did Akinto with Patrick Enage; I did Pelekasis with Brendan Pelley; I did Little Owl with Bill Brodsky … I worked with a bunch of these guys. I always had a great relationship with him.
Take me back to the very beginning: What led you to this career?
Funnily enough, I actually went to school for biochemistry, and I’m a chef. But, well, food is chemistry. I started cooking when I was about 6 years old. My family owns a lot of farms. I spent a lot of weekends and any time off that I had on the farm. We were always cooking. I never had McDonald’s as a kid. My mom made meals every night.
My mom and my grandmother actually were pastry chefs. They made wedding cakes. I decided to do savory. But, while I was in college, I was a server. I worked front of the house. One of the line cooks was constantly messing up the food, and I was just like, “Dude! What’s going on? It needs to be this way.” And he said, “Well, you think you can do a better job?” And I looked at the owner: “I know I could do a better job.” It was a $50 bet. I won the bet, and here I am to this day.
I just really love food because being on the farms, I literally would walk around with the salt and pepper shaker in my pocket and graze. I love the fact that it’s my job to just go through and taste everything constantly. I have a true passion for food. It’s just in my blood.
‘I love the fact that it’s my job to just go through and taste everything constantly. I have a true passion for food. It’s just in my blood.’
KAT MCCOART, executive chef at Bar Vlaha
What are some of your earliest food memories?
I grew up in Rhode Island. My earliest food memories are definitely being on the farm, being around 4 or 5, always having the gardens, eating kohlrabi and tomatoes like they were apples. Also being around my mom and my grandmother making these giant wedding cakes and having these big giant bowls of frosting everywhere. My brothers and I would have frosting fights and stuff. I’ve just constantly been around food. It’s a part of all of our lives, and it’s always been a part of mine.
What are the Boston food scene’s strengths?
The Boston food scene is definitely very diverse, being in such a large city and having many international people coming and going. You can literally walk down the street and try almost every international style of food, which is amazing. With that being said, people always complain about not finding help, but I find that there’s a lot of help around here. And I also feel like the people here in Boston are a little bit more accommodating toward their staff as well.
What could we do better?
Oh, that’s a loaded question. I mean, we could all do better. One of the major things is definitely making sure you check in on your staff. Mental health is definitely a huge issue with the restaurant industry. Not being able to take time off, not being able to spend time with your family. I know that we’re all trying to figure out a system in which we can have a better quality of life.
It’s interesting you say that, because some people in this series say it’s getting better. There’s so much more attention paid. Do you not agree?
Oh, no, I definitely agree with it. It was so bad before, where you’re grieving over your parent, or your child’s really sick — I’m one of those chefs who says, “I can get somebody else to work tonight” or, “I’ll work for you.” I don’t mind doing that. You go take care of your family.
I never have problems getting staff because I’m very fair to them. And I will always tell them family comes first. … Our culture doesn’t really allow that, unfortunately.
What will have to change? If you were in charge, what would you do?
That’s the dilemma that everybody’s trying to figure out: How do you do that? Because the biggest cost of running any restaurant is mostly staffing your kitchen. In order to get that higher level of skill, you’ve got to pay for it. I don’t know if I can figure it out better. I’d be a very rich person [if I could]. And a lot of people would be extremely thankful as well.
Let’s talk about some easier things. Bar Vlaha has an unusual menu. What do you serve?
We literally have no seafood. I do fish, but it’s all freshwater fish. Typically rotate walleye, catfish, snails, crayfish, and we’ll be doing eel very soon, too. But it’s all very nomadic-style foods. Lots of braised foods; stuff that, you know, your grandma would make, filled with love: lots of spices, tomato. It’s very comforting food.
What do you recommend?
The manitaria, which is a fried oyster mushroom with a parsley sauce that’s honestly our biggest seller. And the agriogourouno, wild boar with lots of warm spices, tomato, oranges, and lots of red wine. It’s a stewed wild boar with fried potatoes.
What restaurants can we find you at when you’re not working?
I would have to say Puritan and Company is one of them. I love chef Will Gilson. He’s a great guy, and his food’s amazing. I also do love going to the North End. I love eating at Lucca. Their bolognese is phenomenal. And, also, I love Grill 23. I love their steaks.
If you had to describe the Boston food scene in a few words, what would you say?
Fun. It’s very fun. Very eclectic as well.
Any favorite, cheaper belowthe-radar spots for takeout or delivery?
Oh, I would have to check out my Uber Eats. Honestly, Pizzeria Regina or late-night Bova’s.
What type of pizza?
I love the mushroom, pepperoni, and artichoke pizza.
What’s your snacking vice?
Cheese, cheese, cheese, cheese, cheese, cheese, and more cheese.
What type of cheese?
Whatever cheese I can put in my mouth.