After 4 years main the kitchen at Husk, chef Ben Norton is transferring to California to pursue different ventures in Los Angeles. His tenure within the Rutledge Hill kitchen represents a continuation of fantastic execs on the restaurant, and is the fruits of a decade working with the mother or father Neighborhood Eating Group.
Changing Norton on the helm of the kitchen will probably be a chef who has labored alongside him since they each began out at McCrady’s collectively in Charleston, S.C. — chef Bryan O’Kelly. O’Kelly began on the gone-but-not-forgotten Two Boroughs Larder after his time on the School of Charleston. Three years at Two Boroughs ready him to hitch the workers at McCrady’s just a few months after Norton arrived within the kitchen. Subsequent, O’Kelly moved to a different NDG property — Husk Savannah — earlier than becoming a member of Norton within the kitchen right here in Nashville in 2021.
The proficient duo of cooks have labored very intently and collaboratively throughout their tenure in Nashville, so O’Kelly doesn’t count on the transition to be too tough.
“I be ok with it,” he tells me on a latest name. “It’s bittersweet to lose a colleague and an in depth good friend, however I’m actually comfortable for him. I’m unhappy to see him go so distant, however I do know there’s loads of arduous work forward to maintain me busy.”
By my rely, this makes O’Kelly the fortunate seventh exec at Husk Nashville, following opening CDC Morgan McGlone, who labored alongside Sean Brock to begin up the brand new restaurant adopted by a brief stint by Tim Moody. Brian Baxter, Nate Underwood and Katie Coss ably led the kitchen from 2014 till 2021, so O’Kelly represents one more promotion from inside for Neighborhood Eating Group.
“The menus have all the time been a collaboration,” O’Kelly explains. “Ben had his dishes, and I had my very own, however we all the time labored collectively intently.”
Since Husk believes so staunchly in serving meals made utilizing domestically sourced seasonal substances, there’s a particular benefit that O’Kelly has been via 4 cycles of seasons in Center Tennessee.
“I’ve an understanding of the seasons, so I do know it may be fairly barren in January and February,” he says. “I’m excited to work with our native suppliers to seize the second of the height of every season. I’m excited to maintain the ethos the place it needs to be, pushing methods ahead and showcasing the gorgeous merchandise. I additionally look ahead to interfacing much more with our farmers.”
O’Kelly’s first official day as government chef is Monday, June 16, however I had yet another query I used to be interested by. Sean Brock famously hung a big picture of Willie Nelson within the kitchen, form of a “patron saint of smoke” to miss the ember grills. Coss introduced {that a} girl was undoubtedly in cost when she swapped out the picture for an empowering picture of Dolly. Norton embraced his personal trendy outlaw nation aspect with a portrait of Sturgill Simpson.
So who may be O’Kelly’s kitchen muse?
“Ben would possibly take Sturgill with him,” he speculates. “I’ve performed music my entire life, so I’m pondering perhaps Stevie Ray Vaughan.”
That might undoubtedly rock!
