Chattanooga area chefs have a flair for flavor and an artful eye when it comes to preparing gourmet dishes that rival the best foods anywhere in the U.S. Local culinary creations are prepared by talented chefs who bring their passions, inspirations, and attention to detail to every meal. Here we present six dishes recommended by some of the area’s top chefs. Bon appétit!
Canyon Grill
Rainbow Trout Filet
Executive Chef Johnny Holland learned the art of cuisine from owner Lawton Haygood who took him under his wing. He has been wowing guests with incredible dishes at Canyon Grill since 1998. With a menu that changes daily with the availability of fresh products, the Rainbow Trout filet from Pickett Trout Ranch in Whitwell, Tennessee is one dish that’s not to be missed.
According to Chef Holland, the trout is cooked on a wood burning grill for special flavor and served with Chimichurri sauce, which consists of roasted garlic cloves, extra virgin olive oil, and lemon juice. The dish is also served with fresh vegetables including zuccinni, squash, red and green peppers, portabella mushrooms and yellow onions from local farmer Gilbert Moore of Moore Farms, from whom Johnny gets much of his produce. This flavorful veggie medley is roasted over a wood fire and tossed with extra virgin olive oil and
kosher salt to complete this light, yet filling dish.
212 Market Restaurant
Eagle’s Rest Bison Short Ribs
The culinary expertise of the team at 212 Market is evident in the seasonal menu prepared by Chef Ryan Cutchins. With over 15 years of restaurant experience, Cutchins trained at Cullinard Art Institute in Birmingham, Ala. and has worked on cruise lines, as well as in Hawaii and New York City.
The Eagles Rest Bison Short Ribs at 212 Market are an Asian-inspired local favorite, as well as a favorite of Ryan who specializes in tropical Asian cuisine.
Chef Cutchins braises the local bison ribs with a Ginger-miso sake soy sauce, and serves them with wasabi roasted sweet potatoes that have a punch of spicy flavor. Asian slaw also accompanies the dish, made with daikon radishes, carrots, purple cabbage and miso vinaigrette. The final topping on this beautifully plated entrée is a local, Signal Mountain tempura Shiitake mushroom, marrying Asian inspiration with local taste sensations.
Bald Headed Bistro
BHB Game Platter
After experiencing a French restaurant for the first time, Bick Johnson embarked on a culinary journey that took him to British Columbia, Seattle, San Francisco, and even the Caribbean. Returning to the U.S., Chef Johnson settled in East Tennessee. Four years ago, he opened the Bald Headed Bistro in Cleveland, where his expertise and influences are showcased daily in the delectable cuisine.
The rustic yet upscale elegance of the Bistro is highlighted by the BHB Game Platter which includes New Zealand elk tenderloin, Australian lamb rack, and domestic fried quail breast. The hickory-smoked lamb is tender and juicy; the dark-meat quail is fried to crispy perfection; and the elk is pan-seared so it retains much of its rich, hearty flavor. Served with quartered Yukon gold potatoes, this dish is served over juniper berry cabernet sauce, and topped with chipotle remoulade.
Bluewater Grille
Miso Seared Sea Bass
With a Fine Arts degree from Middle Tennessee State University and 18 years in culinary arts, Chef Scott Eiselstein is active in the Chattanooga arts community and presents his culinary creations at Bluewater Grille. The bold flavors and artful presentation of Chef Eiselstein’s work delight the senses, as is evident in the popularity of the Miso Seared Sea Bass.
Topped with savory miso vinaigrette, black sesame seeds and crispy won tons, this dish is served with ginger rice and fresh vegetables. The Japanese miso, made with soy sauce, comes together with Chilean Sea Bass for this light, but full-of-flavor entrée, made even more interesting by the texture of the crispy won tons and sesame seeds. The ginger rice gives a subtle kick of flavor, and the fresh vegetables balance the dish.
Hennen’s Restaurant
Rack of Lamb
Trained in culinary arts in Arizona, Executive Chef Joshua Wool of Hennen’s Restaurant says that he is influenced by French and Spanish cuisine. These inspirations can be seen and tasted in the simple, elegant, flavorful dishes that distinguish the menu at Hennen’s, including the pan roasted Rack of Lamb.
A nationally experienced chef, Wool tells us that the Rack of Lamb dish is consistent with the French style that gives this entrée its signature flavors. Made with a Dijon-herb crusting, the lamb is paired with roasted fingerling potatoes from middle Tennessee and sautéed spinach from Georgia. The plate is gracefully topped with a traditional French bordelaise sauce, a red wine and veal stock reduction. This marriage of French and local cuisine is sure to delight as Chef Wool describes this dish as “rich, flavorful, but light fare to be enjoyed all year round.”
St. John’s Restaurant
Maine Lobster Ceviche
Mentored by Owner and Chef Daniel Lindley, Joshua Safford, Chef de Cuisine at St. John’s Restaurant, began his career in visual arts but now presents a beautifully plated Maine Lobster Ceviche with raw steel head trout as a specialty at St. John’s Restaurant downtown. Chef Safford notes that his influences are world-wide travel and diverse culture, and he knows the value of local produce and of community. St. John’s is known for its upscale, fresh, seasonal menu and the lobster dish holds no exception.
Described as “light and lively,” this seasonal fare uses fresh produce from Crabtree Farms and includes Carmen and Romanian peppers for sweetness, fresh tomatillos and banana peppers as compliments to the lobster and trout. The dish is finished with lime vinaigrette, which gives this entrée its ceviche style, meaning that the seafood has been cooked by the citric acid of the lime. The raw ingredients bring forth the flavor of summer, and the dish is garnished with extra virgin olive oil, chives, black lava sea salt and micro basil.