On the last day of PlateCraft, a Chef to Chef Experience, attendees visited Wildcat Cliffs (Highland, N.C.) where Executive Chef Will Bystrzycki opened his kitchen and clubhouse to share a behind-the-scenes look at the club’s culinary operation (see photo, above). During the club tour, Bystrzycki showcased a dish that encapsulates his culinary philosophy: a crispy quail breast paired with purple rice grits, shiitake bourbon jus, and bacon jam. This dish not only demonstrated Bystrzycki’s adeptness and innovation in the kitchen but also served as a nod to local producers and his own culinary heritage.
Club + Resort Chef (C+RC): What inspired you to create this particular dish?
Will Bystrzycki (WB): The dish came together organically with the ingredients we had on hand. The fried quail breast medallions are very popular, so we almost always feature them on the menu, rotating the accompaniments every few weeks. The purple rice grits, sourced from Congaree & Penn in Jacksonville, FL, are a fun ingredient. Our Assistant General Manager is from Jacksonville, so including them is a nod to him and his origins. We consistently use shiitakes from Elijah Mushrooms in Georgia, who always provide exceptional quality.
C+RC: What, in your opinion, makes this dish stand out as special, important, or successful?
WB: I inherited the fried quail recipe from a mentor of mine, Bryant Withers CEC AAC, who remains a close friend. It’s always rewarding to witness the positive reactions to the dish and mentally thank him for sharing it with me.
C+RC: What aspects of this dish give you the greatest sense of pride?
WB: The sense of pride comes from the reception of this dish by a group of chefs attending PlateCraft who visited our club. This dish was the most well-received among the small plates we offered. It’s always fulfilling when fellow chefs appreciate a dish and show interest in the techniques and ingredients used.
C+RC: How would you describe the dish’s flavors in your own words?
WB: The dish offers flavors that are familiar and perhaps even nostalgic for some. Essentially, it’s a southern fried bird served with cheese grits and mushroom gravy, but presented in a fun and interesting way.
C+RC: Out of all your creations, why did you choose to showcase this dish in particular during PlateCraft?
WB: At first, the prospect of serving PlateCraft chefs as the final stop after three days of incredible dining was daunting. My initial ideas were overly complicated, so I scrapped them and enlisted the help of my good friend Steve Boeger [Executive Chef] of Hendersonville CC. Together, we focused on creating dishes we would like to eat with well-balanced flavors and textures and that would present well given the nature of the event.
