Executive chef Scott Blackerby, Nashville City Club, Nashville, Tennessee
What are the highlights of your culinary career path up to this point?
Cooking with Marcella Hazan and eventually being the chef of her restaurant in Atlanta was one of the tops. She enabled me to refine my cooking style and sent me to some wonderful restaurants to work at in Italy. When I was at Nana in Dallas, we received rave reviews and the restaurant was one of the top five restaurants in the city.
What food reminds you of childhood?
My childhood memories are of fresh milk from the cow and fresh vegetables from the garden, so I relish going to the local farmers market and picking out the season’s best.
What is your favorite international cuisine?
I love Mediterranean cuisine. It has such a strong influence in the way I cook. Although I enjoy all ethnic foods and relish them, I always end up back at the French and Italian background of my training.
What is always in your refrigerator at home?
There’s always a cold bottle of champagne in the refrigerator. All that cooking makes one thirsty. Champagne is good for any occasion and any occasion is a good reason to drink champagne.
What is your most used cookbook?
I probably own more than 200 cookbooks — some over a hundred years old. I reference many of them, but I guess I keep going to Marcella’s, James Beard’s, and Julia Child’s books the most.
Do you have a favorite food indulgence?
I believe chocolate should be its own food group. It’s certainly my favorite indulgence.
What is your favorite food and wine pairing?
Pairing food and wine is way too much fun. My favorites have to be fresh sea scallops and Sancerre, duck breast with a delightful Pinot Noir, or a Meritage with bittersweet, warm chocolate cake. Just too many to choose from to pick just one.
What is your go-to ingredient that you use time and time again?
Great extra virgin olive oil is a mainstay in my kitchen at home and at work. It is the foundation or the finishing touch of many items that we prepare.
If you were not a chef, what might you be?
Probably an explorer of some sort or maybe a landscape artist. I love the outdoors.
When you’re not cooking, what are your favorite pastimes?
I indulge myself with reading and long hikes on my downtime — so relaxing and invigorating.
What is a cooking tip that most novices don’t know?
Keep it simple and fresh. Follow your recipes and you will have success as a novice cook. It is really quite simple.
Photography by Dean Dixon.