Highland CC’s Executive Chef says this was his biggest mistake when he first started as a chef.
Chef’s Thoughts is sponsored by barillafs.com.
Bryant Withers, CEC, AAC, began his culinary career in his family seafood restaurant on the gulf coast of Florida. He is now Executive Chef of Highlands (N.C.) Country Club, a position he’s held since 2011, has competed in numerous culinary competitions earning, gold, silver and bronze. He is also a member of the American Academy of Chefs.
- You’d be surprised to learn that I have a twin.
- One of my most memorable meals was Chateau Bourgogne in Dijon France. It was the first real gourmet meal I had in France when starting my apprenticeship with Rene Villard.
- My go-to drink is Crown Royal.
- My last meal would involve fried chicken.
- My worst culinary creation was when I was trying to learn how to make pate and sausages. I just had to keep practicing until I got the ratios right.
- If I could change one thing about my club it would be the dining reservations and how many to serve in a given period of time.
- My favorite junk foods are chocolate and peanut butter.
- If I wasn’t a chef, I’d love to be an outdoor/hunting guide.
- I knew I wanted to be a chef when at the age of 13 my family opened a coastal restaurant.
- You’ll never see BBQ goat on the menu at my club because my members would not enjoy the aroma.
- The most ridiculous member or guest request I’ve ever had was an egg white omelet with bacon, sausage and cheese.
- I love being a club chef because of the close family-like bonds we make and the lasting friendships I have developed over the years.
- When I’m not in the kitchen, I’m in the woods or on the water.
- My biggest mistake when I first started as a chef was not realizing that I knew very little about cooking. It’s a life’s work and constant learning that makes a great chef.
- I cook fried mullet at home, but I’d never cook it at the club.
- If I could have dinner with one person, dead or alive, it would be Auguste Escoffier.
- The most valuable piece of career advice I’ve ever received was to never stop learning, ride the subway, lead by example, and treat your people well.
- My favorite celebrity chef is Justin Wilson because he had so much fun when he cooked and was genuine in his approach.
- The most important piece of equipment in my kitchen is the CVap cook and hold oven by Winston FS.
- I want to learn more about healthy cooking because quality of life is very important to me and my membership.
- My favorite ingredient is fresh seafood. Avocado is the most overrated ingredient. Wild game meats are the most undervalued ingredient. I detest sea urchin, and I can’t live without onions.
- I don’t like to brag, but my team is great.
- My most embarrassing moment in the kitchen was at a party for 300 when the pastry chef undercooked crème brulee.
- If I could have one superpower, it would be to save the younger generation from self-destruction.
- My favorite cookbook is Jacques Pepin’s La Technique.
- I am motivated and inspired by the progress we have made in educating our generation about great food and the respect of seasonal ingredients.
- The hardest service of my career was every Saturday night when we squeezed 200 members through in one hour.
- The most popular item on my menu based on sales is fresh wild-caught seafood.
- Willingness to listen, learn and take the time when you are young to develop your cuisine and management style are the most important qualities in a sous chef.
- My go-to breakfast is strong coffee and toasted bread with butter and jam.
- When hiring, lack of detail and references kills a resume fastest for me.
- My biggest professional pet peeve is the lack of professional attire and visible tattoo or piercings.
- I will always purchase fortune cookies instead of making them from scratch.
- The most important question I ask during the interview process is, “What are your goals, and are you willing to put in the hard work to achieve them?”
- The best excuse I’ve ever been given for calling off work is, “I met a girl.”
- If I had to hire a family member, I would choose my mom because she is a CPA.
- The best culinary gift I’ve ever received was a 10-gallon copper pot from the Boston Club in NOLA after doing a guest chef dinner.