Fottocini

Chatting with former Atlanta chef Johannes Klapdohr
By Hope S. Philbrick

Photo by Rob McDonald

One of Georgia’s favorite chefs has returned to the Southeast after spending time in Ohio as executive chef of the Culinary Vegetable Institute at the Chef’s Garden Inc. Chef Johannes Klapdohr, whose resume includes stints at Nikolai’s Roof in Atlanta and the Lodge at Sea Island, is now heading up the culinary program at the Old Edwards Inn and Spa in Highlands, N.C.—just two and a half hours from Atlanta. Restaurants at the Mobil four-star, AAA four-diamond resort include Madison’s Restaurant, Old Edwards Club, the Spa Café, the Rib Shack and catering. The German native, born into a family with four generations of hoteliers, restaurateurs and chefs, has worked in the hospitality industry for more than 25 years.

What are some North Carolina food products that excite you and weren’t available on the Georgia Coast?

It’s springtime now in the mountains and we have some wonderful morel mushrooms, chanterelles, stinging nettles, wild watercress, ramps, fiddlehead ferns—all of which were not available on Sea Island.

How do you balance customers’ expectations of fine dining with health goals?

I think the guests don’t know the food they’re eating is healthy; we don’t advertise that too strongly on the menu. It’s really how items are prepared: We cook sous-vide [a French method of cooking that maintains the integrity of ingredients by heating them for an extended period at relatively low temperatures], prep with a lot of care and also research where the product is grown. We’re working very closely with farmers so vegetables are freshly harvested with the highest possible nutritional value—research is the first step to having excellent food. There are no growth hormones or antibiotics in our meats. I think nutritional value is something that has been underrated in our culture for a very long time and it’s something we need to pursue more strongly with the public, chefs and farmers working together.

How do you deliver value without sacrificing quality in this economy?

Product research and creativity is the best way for chefs to deal with food cost. It has been a challenge. We look at more economical cuts of meat and how to use everything (we buy whole pigs), how to prepare products differently and buy products in season. We’ve started working with farmers, giving them an estimate of what we need so they can grow the right amounts; that way they have a guarantee and don’t have to calculate product loss into price.

How can home cooks save money?

Using a FoodSaver saves a lot of money. You can buy in bulk, naturally paying less than individually packaged pieces, then cut, vacuum and store. It’s a great way of preserving. You can keep meat up to two weeks in the refrigerator without anything happening. You don’t have to worry about freezer burn for several months. You can prepare something like a whole pot of chili and vacuum individual portions—freeze flat, store and then when you want to eat, just put it in boiling water for 20 minutes, and then pour it in a bowl. There’s no loss of product moving it from one container to another, and you don’t have to worry about burning that chili or whatever. You can do the same thing with vegetables. Another thing is to wear hand gloves when prepping vegetables, which can extend shelf life by three to four days because they won’t get bacteria on them.

What’s planned for spring and summer?

This is the first year we’ll have our own vegetables on the menu. We started a two-acre farm and will have tomatoes, lots of root vegetables, herbs and more. I think that’s exciting. We’ve worked hard the last two months to get it ready. We also started doing business with Brasstown Beef in Murphy, N.C.; we’re excited to have this all-natural meat on the menu. We feature several different local products, including various syrups on the breakfast menu.

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The Old Edwards Inn and Spa is located at 445 Main St. in Highlands, N.C. For more information, call 866-526-8008 or visit www.oldedwardsinn.com.

Hope can be reached at:
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