Going Private

After decades in restaurants, a professional chef returns to the home kitchen.

- By Hugh Acheson Food Photography by Victor Protasio

Add Crunch with Mushrooms

Crisp. That is how my clients like their food. They love texture. They love crunch. And they love mushrooms. So I came up with a method for crisping mushrooms using the oven. No air fryer or dehydrator needed—just a smart technique resulting in great texture. I love to use crispy mushrooms for garnishing salads, finishing a pasta, and providing crunch to roasted winter squash, grilled asparagus, or these charred green beans (recipe p. 82).

I have worked in restaurants for more than three decades.

Until recently, I owned 10 of my own. But two years ago, I decided it was time for a change. I sold my shares of my restaurants or shut them down. The restaurant world was a mess after the pandemic; I wanted to be closer to my kids, both of whom are at university in Canada, and I wanted a change of scenery. I had been living in Athens, Georgia, for 22 years, and, though thankful for everything that wonderfully quirky town gave to me, I was ready to see a different daily vista. Frankly, I was burnt out and wanted to do something in a parallel universe, but without undue stress. Call it a lane shift for self-care reasons.

After thinking through some options, I settled on trying a sabbatical in the world of private chefdom. I called a friend who is well connected in New York City. He didn’t have any leads but said he would ask around. In the most atypical NYC style, he called me about a day later and said that he was walking his dog at the park and had run into a friend. That friend had close friends, a couple, who needed a full-time chef. He would line up a meeting. Serendipity does exist.