Pay It Forward - The Next Great Chefs
Why we pay for culinary education for our team.
In our kitchens and businesses, we believe in training, education, and systems. Knowledge is power, and the more our team learns, the further we can all go together. My education at the Culinary Institute of America shaped me and really taught me that learning and growing is a lifelong discipline. It is something I really try to show and share with our team. We have been fortunate that our team here has created a great reputation, and we attract some great young talent to our kitchens.
To show our commitment to education and excellence, we pay for the culinary education for our employees. Carver Career and Technical Center is right here in our home city of Charleston. Community and technical colleges are a great place to start a career in food and hospitality. We love Carver and are grateful to have it in our community and even more grateful for the young people who want to learn, grow, and build a career in this industry.
This year's students who are learning in our kitchen and in the classrooms of Carver are a huge part of our team, and we know they will be a big part of our hospitality community for years to come.
- Chef Paul
Chef Paul with current staff continuing education at Carver Career and Technical Education Center.
Worlds of Flavor - Culinary Institute of America
Chef Paul is invited to share flavors of West Virginia in a conference focused on authenticity, flavor, and the future at the Culinary Institute Of Americas’ Worlds of Flavor Conference
I had the opportunity to present at the Worlds of Flavor Conference in Napa Valley, CA. It was an incredible chance to share some of West Virginia and reconnect with my Alma Mater, the Culinary Institute of America at their stunning Copia campus. The central theme was authenticity, flavor, and the future. This is one of my favorite things to talk about and a true core of how the team and I approach food in our restaurants back in West Virginia.
I got to share a little bit of the history of oysters in Appalachia, tracing their roots back to the accessibility brought by the B&O Railroad and how the whole town would gather together to enjoy oysters brought in by the train.
Early West Virginia was an incredible melting pot of different cultures and cuisines brought together by the mines. Many people don’t realize the diverse heritage of Native American, African American, Scotch-Irish, German, and Italian influences. All of those cultures help form the unique flavor of these mountains.
For me, growing up in an Italian family many of our recipes and traditions were as much influenced by our neighbors as they were old country. Getting a chance to share these stories and flavors with over 200 chefs was a real honor.
I truly believe slowing down to reconnect with our origins is essential for moving forward. It’s a big part of our approach, including sourcing locally to make sure our efforts are sustainable and letting those unique flavors shine. I got to share some dishes that featured venison, trout, mushrooms, ramps, and a unique ramp pesto.
A huge thank you to CIA for their hospitality and the opportunity for West Virginia to share the stage with so many great chefs.
-Chef Paul
Mac and Cheese Cook-off
Chef Paul and the Team from The Pitch bring a cheesy classic to a great event for a great cause.
It was an honor to support the Childhood Language Center with this year’s Mac and Cheese Cook-off. Capitol Market was the perfect venue and it was a great day supporting a great cause. The Childhood Language Center is the only cost-free speech and language therapy clinic in the Charleston area. No family has ever received a bill for their service and they serve nine counties in West Virginia.
We love cooking for a cause, and we really love Mac and Cheese. This year Chef Paul and the team from The Pitch brought a variation on a Chef Paul Classic, Lobster Mac and Cheese.
Thanks so much to everyone who came and supported this event and to all the smiling faces that kept lining up for our special recipe. Together with your help over $30,000 was raised.
If you want to try the original for yourself it’s on the menu at 1010 Bridge.
West Virginia meets South Carolina - Chef Paul is a Guest Speaker at SCRLA Marketing and Operations Conference
Chef Paul shares his story, the importance of coming home, and how sober kitchens are better kitchens.
I was honored to be invited to the South Carolina Restaurant and Lodging Association's Marketing and Operations Conference. I had the opportunity to share my story and explain why I believe in returning home to make a positive impact.
I spoke about my journey from West Virginia to various prominent places, discussing how I gained valuable knowledge and experience from The Ritz Carlton, Wine Spectator, and Disney, and then brought that back to share with my hometown.
I become quite enthusiastic when talking about West Virginia, and I wanted our friends in South Carolina to be aware of the growing culinary force and the new travel and tourism opportunities in my state, including our newest national park.
I also shared my journey of sobriety and mental health, which was a first for me, and I was incredibly grateful for the support. I discussed my commitment to maintaining a substance-free work environment and how I believe it makes a noticeable difference in our kitchens. Given the high-stress nature of this industry, the environment can sometimes lead to coping mechanisms that are not healthy for individuals or align with our goals for achieving a high level of food and hospitality. I am excited to share more about this in the future, but I had a fantastic time meeting everyone and promoting the Mountain State.
I even had the opportunity to teach an appetizer course to some students and they nailed it. Thank you so much for having me!
- Chef Paul
