Seasonal Food - Regional Focus
Executive Chef, Stephen Hertz, currently heads the kitchen at Blue Water Seafood Company & Wine Market in Hendersonville, NC. He hasn't always been on a culinary track. Â Chef Steve was headed for a career in Sound Engineering, earning a degree from Brevard College. As it turned out, he was studying for two careers at the same time; one in campus classrooms, the other in real-life classrooms - local restaurants. What began as a way to help pay for college turned into a career … [Read more...]
Jesse, along with husband/Chef/Co-Owner Edson and her mother/Co-Owner Pam, brought a new energy to Hendersonville, NC when they opened Never Blue in 2008. Cutting edge, sometimes just edgy, Jesse is one of those "bigger than life" personalities that is destined to go places. For the sake of  Hendersonville's dining scene, let's hope whatever she does - wherever she goes, she keeps her base right where it is. If you have trouble viewing the following video, click here. Jesse … [Read more...]
Meet Peter Fassbender, Executive Chef - Season’s at Highland Lake Inn. As you read this interview, don’t be surprised if you begin to imagine Chef Peter’s voice in your head and catch his enthusiasm.By the time you're done, expect to be impressed with Chef Peter and his world-wide culinary journey from Chile to Flat Rock, NC.Hello Chef. I'm glad we've gotten a chance to do this interview. I'd like to begin by asking where were you born and raised?I was born in Punta Arenas, … [Read more...]
This Meet the Chef interview posed an unusual challange: Chef David was a little unsure of his English and asked another of Umi's three co-owners, Mary Fon, to participate in the interview process, clarifying and interpreting for both David and myself. This worked well, although it turned out Mary wasn't needed most of the time.Interesting points about Umi: first, someone - usually Mary - makes a run to the Asheville Airport two times a week to pick up shipments of fresh seafood. David and Mary … [Read more...]
(photo courtesy of NCDA&CS)Normally, my identity is kept a mystery when interviewing chefs for a Meet the Chef feature by using email and the phone. In the case of Scott Douglass Adams, Executive Chef/Owner of Blackwater Grille in the Laurel Park area of Hendersonville, I made an exception.Chef Scott had so much to say, the usual methods wouldn't work. My first thought when meeting Scott was that he's one of those people who have a "bigger than life" personality, with a voice that could … [Read more...]
Interviewing Executive Chef/Restauranteur, David A. Sparacino, for a "Meet the Chef" feature article was fun and fascinating. He refers to Hendersonville's La Riserva Ristorante and Wine Bar as his "Flagship" restaurant and a lifelong dream come true.This is a long post, but well worth the read if you're interested in getting a glimpse into the life and motivations of an accomplished chef along with a peek into the world of restaurant ownership. Be sure to read about the prank Chef David plays … [Read more...]
Who are those people working furiously behind the kitchen doors at your favorite restaurant? You rarely see them. You almost never know their names. They are the Executive Chef, Sous-Chef, Pastry Chef and others responsible for that fabulous food you're enjoying. They are the creative energy and talent behind the restaurant's cuisine. They are the reason you're there."Meet the Chef" is a new category on the Hendersonville Epicurean blog where local chefs will be featured. We'll get to know who … [Read more...]
