One week ago today seems like forever past.  Although the events of last Sunday required an immense amount of planning and preparation, they unfolded in a fraction of the time.  Monday morning brought what seemed like a deserted space, so vibrant and energy filled just a few hours prior.  We gathered, we saw, we ate, we reflected, we toasted, we shook hands, and we departed slightly changed – a little more connected with our neighbors, our city, and a place within it that was so long forgotten in ambiguity was brought to life in a new way.  The poetics of all the juxtapositions of the project played out so close to the minds eye of the projects creators; infrastructure, scale, community, commodification, creativity, landscape, sustenance.  Very satisfying indeed, and motivation to go on creating more.

It is truly impossible to thank the hundreds of folks who made the day happen; from paltry paid organizers working out of passion, artists who flew in from far away places, volunteer table setters, animated servers, dedicated chefs and their staff, farmers, iron workers, fabulous photographers, grain elevator owners, neighbors with wheelbarrows and rakes, large format printers, people with the city who lent a hand, and sponsors and supporters who offered financial resources to something unknown and unprecedented, and of course those who blindly purchased tickets; the list is massive.  Thank you all.

Images courtesy Bryce Bridges Photographic & Andrey Mikityuk Photography
photos by
Bryce Bridges
Andrey Mikityuk
Corrie Suhr
Kameron Bayne

Watching Tim Shew in the kitchen at La Buvette is like witnessing a craftsman who has practiced his trade for decades.  He manuevers around the sparsely applianced, well aged space like second nature, while entertaining patrons eating and drinking at the bar with conversation about literature, obscure film, and his outdoorsman adventures.  The ease by which he multi-tasks is reason enough to sit at the bar.  In an hours time, I counted over 20 plates he composed from a couple of hotplates and a small counter oven.  Meats and cheeses, mussles with chorizo, clam fettucini, and creamy soups with beef cheeks.  Everything that comes from his hotplate is simple, elegant, and comforting.  Tim is a good fit in the space at La Buvette.

When asked about food, he talks about his fondness for simple, French cuisine.  Not fussy, but quality, recognizable, locally raised ingredients that can make even his eldest customers compare it to the olden days; when chicken actually tasted like chicken.  He raves about some of his favorite producers – mostly meat – and how ‘clean and real’ their products are.  If he had his own restaurant, it would be simple, farm to table, and lots of foraging – not growing, but truly foraging – finding things in the wild to incorporate into the menu.  The outdoorsman comes through here, and in some ways sets his personality apart from the other chefs.  He talks about being part of this project having exposed him to food technology – cryovacs, etc.  I suspect he will take it all in, but gladly go back to foraging in the woods.

Tim Shew is an Omaha native. He is a graduate of Central High School and holds a degree in Literature from Creighton University.  Tim’s mother was a home-ec teacher in the 1970′s, and though she was not in this line of work when he was born, she put great importance on learning to cook and family meals.  Therefore, like most cooks, Tim is a momma’s boy and learned to love the kitchen from a very young age.  After working at many local restaurants including California Taco and B&G Tasty Foods, Tim acquired a job cooking at La Buvette during his junior year of college.  He managed La Buvette for a year and a half and now cooks there four nights a week.

Baker Jacqui Caniglia works out of a non-descript one story green building on the corner of 29th and Harney that overlooks the whirling buzz of I-480.  Only a small sign above the door, almost imperceptible to passerbyers, indicates the buildings use: LA CHARLOTTE-CANIGLIA PASTRIES. This modest, three inch tall sign is representative of the modesty of the baker inside as she works diligently through the night while the rest of the world sleeps.  I visited Jacqui in her kitchen at 1am and realized what a thankless job overnight baking can be – no one sees her come and go from a full days (nights) work.  But the quiet of the world around was also strangely calming and almost rogue.  When the world wakes in the morning, her hard work will greet them with treats and what Jacqui hopes will begin their day with delight.

Jacqui has been baking, professionally, for more than 15 years.  After graduating from the Baltimore International Culinary College in 1995, she returned to Omaha and worked at Delice European Bakery. Several years after making the switch to La Charlotte, she decided to purchase the business in 2009 and became owner of La Charlotte-Caniglia Pastries. Jacqui continues with the tradition of excellent pastries while working to incorporate more locally supported produce. Everything that comes out of Jacqui’s oven is made from scratch using traditional methods, fruit from local orchards and farmers’ markets and eggs raised locally. Jacqui especially likes that her business is a family run operation born and raised right here in Omaha.

What do you make in your kitchen?

I bake all kinds of sweet treats.  I offer a variety of European style pastries that you would find in the countryside of France or Italy. My favorite things to bake are seasonal tarts ( a buttery crust, piled high with seasonal fruit and streusel on top).

What do you enjoy the most about baking?

I love what cooking and baking can do to the atmosphere around me.  Good smells bring people together, lighten the mood and are excellent for conversation and gathering.

What makes your kitchen special?

I take great pride in the fact that everything coming out of my kitchen is made from scratch and by hand. It takes a lot longer but the results are worth it.  I also love taking advantage of the seasonal offerings in the midwest.  It starts off with rhubarb and goes right through the fall to pumpkins, apples and pears.

What does local food mean to you and your work?

Local food is of such great importance. It means supporting my community, better quality, better for the environment  and taking advantage of the bounty of each season.

Jacqui will be working with Pastry Artist Brigitte McQueen to create Apple Crisp, Carrot Cake with Honey Butter Cream, and Sweet Potato Cake with Candied Walnuts and Caramel Sauce as the grand finale to the October 3 Harvest Dinner.

This is a challenging chef blog to write, mostly because the experiences I have had at The Boiler Room leave me searching for words about food.  I live life looking for nothing but great experiences and I think this is the only solid direction from which to approach this piece of writing.  The Boiler Room is an experience; from the space, to the drinks, to the grotesque and wonderful Vera Mercer art on the walls, to the first bite.  Several times, as a guest, I have found my non-foodie self brushing a few tears from my face in an increasingly rare kind of a moment in our busy and saturated world.  The first time was an olive tepanade, second time pork belly, third time a carefully concocted cherry infused brandy, fourth time lemongrass sausage, and fifth time a house charcuterie pastrami. Despite the hundreds of meals I have enjoyed in various locations around the world, each aforementioned incident at The Boiler Room was similar: an almost arresting moment.  And powerful enough that the second bite or drink seemed inappropriate.  Maybe even disrespectful. The Boiler Room is a special treat to which I bring each and every out-of-town guest.  I can be assured they will never forget Omaha.

The Boiler Room Restaurant is the current project of self-taught chef, Paul Kulik. This ingredient inspired farm to table restaurant in the Old Market came to be after having worked in kitchens in Berlin, Paris, Chicago, Omaha and Washington DC.  Paul met Boiler Room Restaurant owners Mark and Vera Mercer while spending five years running their other small Old Market French eatery, La Buvette.

While studying Physics at the University of Nebraska, Paul began working for Ken Hughes at the Bistro in the Market.  After graduating with degrees in Physics and French, Paul worked in numerous other Omaha restaurants and for Stefane Lazle at Restaurant Montmartre in Washington DC before settling at La Buvette.  La Buvette’s daily menu changes and true bistro cuisine helped pave the way for the truly farm ingredient driven constantly rotating menus at The Boiler Room.  Time spent in the kitchens of James Beard winner Koren Grieveson’s Avec in Chicago, Restaurant l’Adresse in Paris and one star Michelin chef Peter Frühsammer in Berlin give Paul an international approach to proudly cooking local ingredients.

Paul’s insight and direction on this quickly approaching October 3 Harvest Dinner has been nothing short of the experience of his restaurant.  He is articulate and adept at simply, but meaningfully, creating experience.  We look forward to what he will bring to the table, and I secretly hope that in combination with the awe-inspiring surroundings, there will be a few indescribable tears.

You may wonder why we would include a ‘beermaster’ in our chef blogs.  While not technically a chef, Tyson, and the folks at Nebraska Brewing Company approach their craft as many a chef may approach each and every plate leaving the kitchen.

Tyson began his brewing career in 2004 as a self-taught homebrewer, brewing for personal enjoyment.  After 3 years of perfecting his technique, he entered his first competition at the Nebraska State Fair.  His honed skills netted a Best Of Show with a Rye IPA.  As luck would have it Paul Kavulak, President and Co-Owner of Nebraska Brewing Company was judging the Best of Show Beers that day.  Tyson was so passionate about his craft, he began working at Nebraska Brewing Company on a volunteer basis during NBC’s infancy.  He was quickly hired full time, and has held the position of Brewer at Nebraska Brewing Company since 2007 and more recently Lead Brewer since 2009, and the maestro behind NBC’s increasingly creative brews.  Nebraska Brewing Company has quickly established itself as a Midwest innovator of quality Craft Beers and artisanal Barrel-Aged Products.  Since NBC became involved in this event a couple months ago, it has been fun to watch them bring a new level of craft brewing to the Omaha area.  The quality of their brews is attracting the attention of brewmasters and craft beer connoisseurs on both coasts, giving a name for themselves and for the State of Nebraska, and causing ripples in the perceptions of beer here in the Midwest.

The Brewers Association defines craft beer as only made by a craft brewer, then goes on to define craft brewers using a three-pronged approach. The brewery must be small, with an annual beer production of less than two million barrels. It must be independent, with less than 25% of the brewery owned or controlled by a member of the alcoholic beverage industry that is not also a craft brewer. And it must be traditional, with either an all malt flagship beer, or with at least 50% of its volume in either all malt beers or beers that use adjuncts to enhance flavor. We were attracted to NBC for this event because of their legitimacy as a craft brewer, their rapidly growing creativity in producing unique and distinctive flavors that aren’t typically associated with beer, and especially their attention to pairings of beer with food, as is traditionally done with wine.  When beer is distinctive and flavorful, it becomes part of the meal.  There is nothing more ‘fall’ and ‘harvest-like’ than beer, a fact that still rings true with Nebraska’s german roots.  Omaha was 57% German in 1910, and many communities throughout the state continue to observe Oktoberfest religiously.

Nebraska Brewing Company owners, Paul and Kim Kavulak, along with brewmaster Tyson have chosen two beers for the October 3 Harvest Dinner, after carefully considering the menu as it developed amongst the chefs:

Brunette Nut Brown Ale
NBC’s version of the classic English-style Brown Ale has a blend of six different malts and a hop schedule that results in a low hop character. The unique malt character brings to mind the taste of a blend of various nuts. Coffee, toffee, caramel tend to come to mind in this excellent session Ale. Best With: BBQ, Smoked Gouda Cheese, grilled/roasted/braised meats.
2010 World Beer Championships Bronze Medal – English Style Brown Ale
2010 United States Open Beer Championship Gold Medal – English Brown Ale

Wick for Brains Pumpkin Ale
Wick for Brains, about to enter its 3rd year, is a classic and painstakingly produced Pumpkin Ale.  Instead of simply using spice, NBC uses real pumpkin which lends a sweetness and pumpkin flavor not found in many Pumpkin Ales. Wonderful pumpkin pie spice intertwined in an Amber Ale creates a pumpkin sensation which is elegantly crafted.  Notes of Cinnamon, Nutmeg, Clove, Ginger and Allspice blend perfectly in this seasonal Ale. There are many Pumpkin Ales out there crafted by some wonderful breweries – we feel that ours stands among them and in some cases – stands apart.
Best With: Other semi-sweet desserts, poultry, and perfect alone.

We cannot wait!

Brigitte McQueen, the Manager of the UNDERGROUND with the Bemis Center for Contemporary Arts, and previous owner of Pulp — is once a month, without fail,  asked the question:

“Are you an artist yourself?”

The habit of answering “No” began with a painful semester blowing glass in college, misshapen coffee mugs hidden in the basement from a stint as a ceramicist and residual resentment from a particularly nasty critique during a foray into photography. These experiences led Brigitte to believe there was no right to align herself with the “real” artists she works with and serves each day.  Until recently when one of these amazing artists commented that he wished he could do the ‘art’ of baking like Brigitte.  She was floored to hear this and to realize that she never viewed her talent and skill in baking as an artform.  Brigitte was well practiced speaking of the science behind baking – but had never realized the creativity and beauty — the artistic merit — held in the bits of sweetness she so passionately produces.  That conversation changed everything about the way she views the pastry she bakes, and in many ways, food in general. It is beautiful and artistic.. from the marbling in a great steak, to the perfect red/orange of a ripe tomato, to the structural magic of a frosting swirl on a favorite birthday cake. It is art. Maybe not as enduring, usually not as expensive, and a bit trickier to collect… but it is art.

Thank goodness for Brigitte’s artist friend that day, and the realization he caused, because it led her to our chef team, paired with the amazing Jacqui Caniglia of La Charlotte-Caniglia Pastries (stay tuned for her blog) to work her magic and love of carefully crafted desserts as the finale for our dinner guests on October 3.  Brigitte recently told us how excited she is for the opportunity to share this with the dinner guests. To momentarily move from curator working behind the scenes, to create something beautiful to touch and delight those partaking. Her medium will be butter and flour and her brushes covered in egg wash… as she proudly adds ‘artist’ to her list of accomplishments from now on. And we proudly present Brigitte as a crucial part of this special collaborative event.

The Art of Pastry: Brigitte McQueen

Originally from Detroit, Michigan, Brigitte McQueen earned her B.S. in Journalism from St. John’s University in New York City. After graduation, she worked in advertising, as a pastry chef and spent 10 years as a Production Manager with Teen People magazine. After leaving NYC, she headed west and received her certification in Pastry Arts from the Seattle Art Institute. Since moving to Nebraska in 2002, Brigitte has been actively involved with the local arts community and spent two years as the owner and curator of Pulp | Paper & Art, a small gallery and boutique located in downtown Omaha.  In January of 2010, Brigitte accepted the UNDERGROUND Manager position with The Bemis Center for Contemporary and curates exhibitions and programs for the bemis|UNDERGROUND. The gallery serves as a venue for emerging and established artists to explore process and projects, while actively stimulating discussion and conceptualization of contemporary art.

Chef Brian O’Malley is associated with words like “passion”, “dedicated”, “pleasure”, “local”, “sustainable”, “mentor”, “excellence”, “active”, “integral”, “contributions”, “relevant”, “commitment”, “artisan”, “unbridled”,  and “joy”.   These descriptors are fitting to this chef instructor who plays a pivotal role in the local food movement in Omaha and the surrounding region and was the first chef consulted for the dinner event.   The rest of Brian’s resume and bio leave one’s heading spinning with the ambition, achievement, and willingness to jump in and try new things.  Perhaps that is why he agreed to join the chef team even though it “freaked” him out more than a little.   We are confident in his experience, connections to the growers, ideas for creating, presenting and advocating food, passion for education, and high energy for pulling off unique events,  in helping to bring it all together.

With wit, insight and knowledge he can guide a crowd to understand why they should care about where their food comes from.  And with his inventive love of delicious food, local foodies can see what is possible with familiar staple ingredients.  When Brian agreed to take on the bison course as a team with Chef Matthew Taylor of the Arbor Day Lied Lodge and Conference Center, he did not question the possibility.  A banner artist flying into Omaha from Hawaii for the event remarked that the bison course confirmed his decision to embark on the long flight to attend the dinner.

From Eagle Scout to distinguished graduate of the prestigious New England Culinary Institute in Montpelier, Vermont to beginning many new initiatives at the cutting edge Metro Community College Institute for Culinary Arts, Brian brings leadership, vision, and enthusiasm to everything he sets out to do.   As past chef in Vail and Santorini as well as many other kitchens around Omaha he has developed a deep sense of what needs to be done and how to do it well.  His voice continues to be important as our team nears the weekend of execution for what has the potential to be the greatest local food event in Omaha.

If you are following our chef blogs, you may begin to think we view these individuals through rose colored glasses.  In some ways this is true – as we went into this project not knowing what might transpire, or who would come forward. All we knew for sure is that we were committed to sleuthing out the innovators and risk takers who are motivated by the connection between beautifully feeding people and the land and processes that underlie their passion, and furthermore merges these processes towards completion: human experience and sustenance.

When Chef Clayton Chapman walked in the door for the first chef meeting, the project took a leap in quality and consideration we hadn’t yet entertained.  Just in his mid-twenties, Clayton is known as a wunderkid in Omaha’s restaurant world, as the first Chef to launch a series of tasting and Prix-fixe menus as the youngest ever Chef de Cuisine at V. Mertz, known for its attention to careful selection and composition of ingredients.  At the meeting, Clayton described how his days are less chef and more general contractor as he oversees the building of his new restaurant The Grey Plume opening December 2010 at Midtown Crossing.  The Grey Plume will serve Contemporary American cuisine with a daily changing menu that embodies seasonality and is greatly influenced by local farmers’ supply. Chapman’s dedication to the heritage of food and to the consciousness of its origin lies at the heart of his vision. The Grey Plume is working with The Green Restaurant Association to become the first certified Green Restaurant in the tri-state area. This man is on a mission.

Chapman started his culinary career in the dish pit of North Omaha’s Mother’s Good Food when he was 15 years old.  While completing his culinary degree at the Illinois Institute of Art in Chicago, Chapman earned the Chef de Partie position at world renowned TRU restaurant under the direction of celebrity chefs Rick Tramonto and Gale Gand. After traveling and eating his way through Europe and western Africa, Chapman moved back to Omaha to establish roots and ignite the culinary scene.  After revolutionizing V. Mertz he spent time as the Executive Chef at Spencer’s for Steaks and Chops.

Considering how much Clayton has on his plate right now, he has made time for this community engaging, community inspired weekend of undoubtedly hard work preparing and executing a course for 500-people in a location without the infrastructure of a kitchen.  We are grateful for the opportunity to work with Clayton and his passion and skilled talent.  We can’t wait to experience his carefully considered platters for 500 on October 3.