Farm-to-Table: A Southern Tradition
How do you choose the dishes on
the menu and what dishes are you
most proud of?
PHIL: Jim Noble has recipes that are
the base of the menu, but he gives me
a great deal of creative freedom with
the daily special sheet. I am able to
focus on what is fresh each day and
make my dishes around those ingredients. I am most proud of execution,
consistency and simple chicken being
excecuted properly. Seasonality, locality, simplicity and southern-inspired
with European techniques is the inspiration behind the menu.
Rooster’s is such a popular spot. To
what do you attribute its popularity?
PHIL: Attention to detail and consistently
looking at ways to make things better
is number one. Overall leadership, Jim
Noble is a great leader and he passes
that down to the team. Consistency.
One of my favorites on the menu is
the tomato soup. Do you use fresh
tomatoes at times or canned?
PHIL: Tomatoes are very seasonal and
we need to have great soup year-round
so we use Alta Cucina canned tomatoes.
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PEACHY
What local ingredients are you using?
PHIL: We have fantastic relationships with
lots of farmers. We get fresh eggs, chickens, pigs and grass-fed beef. Fresh should
go without saying…farm-to-table is the
only way to do it. We really feel strongly
about supporting our local farmers.
What do you see being the next big
restaurant trend?
PHIL: Farm-to-table is here to stay, but
we are always pushing to try new
things. I think the next trend is a modern
twist on classic cooking. We are seeing
French techniques making a comeback,
the twist is reimagining how to do
things—a creative twist on French.