Lowcountry Cuisine July 2018

www.LowcountryCuisineMag.com | www.MountPleasantRestaurant.com | www.CharlestonRecipes.com lowcountry cuisine LC 59 Chef Josh Keeler Restaurant: 492 492 King St., Charleston Q: How long have you been a chef? How long at 492? A: I’ve been a chef for 14 years, and it will be two years in September at 492. Q: How did you discover your passion? A: I’ve always worked in restaurants and really enjoyed it. Then I found myself driving out to Arizona for school, and I just couldn’t foresee it working out long-term. I knew it was cooking that I loved. I wanted the structure of a restaurant and the teamwork that goes with it. Q: What’s your favorite dish at 492? A: We have a seasonal menu, so it changes a lot, but typically clam dishes are always one of my favorites. I work with local Clammer Dave to get the highest quality and create dishes around that. Currently, we are doing a red clam pozole with ramps, radishes and avocado. Sometimes it’s super super with white wine and herbs – but always delicious. Q: Do you cook restaurant-quality meals at home? A: It depends on the time of year. If it’s summer, then we grill a lot. I consistently like to cook Mexican or Indian curry, though, because spicy is a favorite at home. We live in a 1,200-square-foot home, so easy, one-pot meals are a win, too. I even tried Hello Fresh recently and was impressed. It was really delicious, and then my wife gets to cook. We get the vegetarian options because, as a chef, I’m very picky about where proteins come from – they have to be high-quality and sustainably sourced. Q: What’s your guilty food pleasure? A: Hands down: Snyder’s pretzels. I’m from Pennsylvania, and, for some reason, the ones you get there are just better than the ones you can buy here in stores. My mom will send me bags of them and other local snacks like Middleswarth Potato Chips – there’s just something about them. Q: What do you like to do when you’re NOT cooking? A: I enjoy fly fishing and hanging out or hiking with my wife and two corgis: Walter,12, and Weezy, 6. Q: What’s your go-to cooking tip for the readers? A: I think the most important things are just learning the fundamentals: what heats to use, how to season properly and learning not to overcook food. People are always so surprised when I say that salt isn’t the only “seasoning” available; you can use fresh lemon juice or vinegar to bring out the natural flavors. Q: If you could cook with anyone in the world, who would it be? A: Frances Mallmann is an Argentine chef who does really Culinary Artistry Two Local Chefs toWatch