\ Chef's Table \

The Chef’s Table

Zero Restaurant at Zero George Hotel

Where does your food story begin?

I’d say my food story begins at home. My dad worked a lot and when he was at home we cooked together. I have a big Italian family and Sunday dinners were super important. We started dinner around three in the afternoon and dinner continued until 9 o’clock at night. Everybody was a little bit drunk, a little bit funny, and really really happy.

What was your first job in the industry?

My first job in the culinary industry was when I was only 15. I had learning disabilities growing up and struggled in school. Because I struggled I did some stupid things along the way and got kicked out. If I worked, they would allow me to stay in school. I went into a work program and got my first job in a restaurant, at the Parsippany Hilton.

Where did you culinary journey bring you from there?

I wanted to go to culinary school but I did so terrible in school they almost didn't let me in. 

 My only focus was food so I kept trying and eventually got into Johnson and Wales in Providence, RI. I attended for a couple of months, then transferred to the campus in Charleston for more sun and beaches. I worked two jobs, went to school and keept cooking and learning. I was self-taught.

I wanted to get fine dining experience so I went to work at No. 9 Park in Boston with Barbara Lynch, and then at Toppers at the Wauwinet in Nantucket, MA. with chef David Daniels. He would stand behind me every day and tell me I needed to be better. They were long days; It was seasonal so it was in at 5 am and out at 1 am, seven days a week. 

I would say David, is the chef that inspired and pushed me to be the chef I am today. He turned into one of my really good friends. I came back season after season for four years.

After I went to New York City. I worked at Cavair Russe on Madison Avenue, Abe and Arthur’s, and I opened Prospect in Brooklyn. I wanted to go around and to see how everyone was organized, how their kitchens worked and make connections. 

I always wanted to get my foot in the door at Per Se or Eleven Madison Park but they did not think I had my experience at. The time. It took me a while to find my way as a chef, now i’m 23 years in..

Who do you think you are today as a chef?

It’s always a process when you are a chef. How you create your own identity is one of the hardest things to becoming an actual chef. It is difficult to get to a place where people can identify your food as your own with your own style and defining characteristics. I’ve never copied other styles. I don't make the same dish twice, I push boundaries. It takes time.

It sounds like your kitchen is a very creative place with a lot of respect for people and food; a kitchen with a moral compass~What are some of your culinary values?

Everyone is always welcome to come up with ideas. It’s part of the process. I strongly encourage it. We also respect nature, the seasons, and the growing cycles. “Things that grow together, go together” and in every season there are lots of things to use to create new recipes. 

One thing we are really passionate about is we try not to waste things. So I make projects out of our food. I often ask my team, “What are you doing with those onion peels or potatoes skins?” and it becomes a recipe.

Is there a dish that came out of that process.

Leeks are the biggest wasteful foods, most people want the white parts on the bottom.

The tops are woody and fibrous. One day we had lexans and lexans of leek tops and I asked “What are we going to do with them?” We made a leek ash puree with a poached egg.

Here’s how…

“For the leek tops, we burn them and turn them into a leek ash, freeze the tops in liquid nitrogen and then dehydrate to make a crispy leek crunch. We then salt and massage with 3% salt to lacto ferment and make a puree as well that is folded into a vichyssoise-style puree that the soft egg sits in.”

I know Zero George has a pretty esteemed cooking school Can you tell me about your involvement with the cooking program and your approach?

We do a cooking class every Saturday and Sunday. I lead the cooking class on Saturdays and my sous chef Tyler Chavis, who has been with me for 7 years, leads on Sunday. It is an interactive chefs table where guests sit back and watch how a chef would approach and prepare a dish in our restaurant. It is a three-course meal with wine from 11-1 pm.

Why the food industry?

Because I’m honestly not very good at anything else. It’s the only way I know how to express myself and it’s my safe place.

And my favorite question….Hey Chef, What does your table look?

I think my table looks like what I remember growing up as a kid. I can’t imagine it any other way. I try to recreate that with my family every Sunday. I have two amazing kids, and lots of neighbors. I work a lot and the only way I can provide food for my kids is we cook on Sunday for the week. The whole day revolves around food and people. There are people standing, and sitting, its a full house, It’s not as cool and fun as I remember being when I was four and five years old, back then my aunts were sneaking me beer. 

What we make is what everyone eats, and its a mix oof traditional and new foods. I think it's important to try new foods. My table on Sunday is my life.

For a seat at Chef Vinson Petrillo’s table, visit him at Zero George, 0 George Street, Charleston, SC www. zerogeorge.com