Photo by Michael Donahue, MIchael Donahue/The Commercial Appeal // Buy this photo
Title: Sous chef, McEwen's.
Age: 31.
Hometown: Birmingham, Ala., moved to Memphis in the fifth grade.
Who or what was your first cooking influence? It would have to be Jeff Dunham at The Grove Grill. I took a job there as a dishwasher (at age) 20, and a position opened up on the pantry side, and I started picking up shifts and enjoying it.
What was the first thing you ever cooked or baked? I would help my mom grill food as a kid.
What made you decide to become a chef, and when was that? During the time that I worked at The Grove Grill. Just working different stations and getting better and enjoying what I was doing.
What was your first food-related job? I worked at Three Little Pigs barbecue shop on Quince when I was 15.
What is the Chip Maley style? Very simple stuff. It's not too "wow." I try to just do the best I can with the ingredients that I use.
Describe a dish you created. A traditional cassoulet with a smoked coriander-dusted duck breast with a reduced Arkansas muscadine syrup.
What do you cook or bake at home, if anything? I have a very small Midtown kitchen, so it's kind of hard to cook in. I do enjoy cooking over at other people's houses. At my mom's house in Nesbit, they have a very nice kitchen, and I'll do anything from grilled pork loins -- they love it when I make big batches of chili out there.
What's your favorite food? Sushi.
What's your least favorite food? Crawfish.
McEwen's is at 120 Monroe; (901) 527-7085
-- Michael Donahue: (901) 529-2797; donahue@commercialappeal.com
- |
Comments » 0
Be the first to post a comment!
Share your thoughts
Comments are the sole responsibility of the person posting them. You agree not to post comments that are off topic, defamatory, obscene, abusive, threatening or an invasion of privacy. Violators may be banned. Click here for our full user agreement.