Meet the chef: Don Scott
Title: General manager/chef at On the River
Age: 39
Hometown: Memphis.
Who or what was your first cooking influence? My grandmother. She cooked everyday. My grandmother cooked breakfast and dinner, four-course meals. Caramel cakes and candied yams -- she made it just right.
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What was the first thing you ever cooked or baked? Eggs, probably about 8 years old. I cooked breakfast for my mother and father on their anniversary. It went well. I cooked scrambled eggs for my mom and I cooked sunny side up for my father. I had to stand up on the stool to cook them.
What made you decide to become a chef and when was that? My kids influenced me. My wife, she works a lot and I was out of a job and really couldn't find a job, so I would cook breakfast for them.
What was your first food-related job? I did a real small catering (job). Never did catering in my life. Did one for my cousin. And it turned out so well.
What was something important that a fellow chef taught you? Learn how to read the tickets in order to get the food out on time. Learn what to cook first.
What is the Don Scott style? Grilled. Grilled is more on the healthy side.
Describe a dish you created. Fish tacos. Soft taco shell with mixed lettuce with tomatoes and green onions with a Cajun mayo mixed in with it. With cheese and parsley sprinkled on top. And it is delicious.
What do you cook or bake at home, if anything? My wife has started cooking now. When I get here (On the River) I get so full of the smell of the food, I get so caught up in the aroma, when I get home I don't really want anything to eat. I snack on things. I like cooking shrimp and chicken Alfredo from scratch.
What's your least favorite ingredient? Salt. I don't like using salt. I go around salt and use other flavoring to keep the salt out. I'm just looking out for not only my health, but I've got a much older crowd and I just like looking out for their health.
Michael Donahue: 529-2797 or donahue@commercialappeal.com
On the River is at 51 South Main; 522-0052.
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