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Geoff Bragg is experiencing a little déjà vu. You see, the executive chef and part owner of the reinvented Pewter Rose Restaurant in Charlotte’s historic South End, has been in this kitchen in the not-so-distant past. But why does it look so different this time around? Maybe it’s because he’s now responsible for everything that comes out of the kitchen.
“I lost some sleep, definitely. All these cooks, dishwashers, the whole staff, they were all depending on me for a job. That’s a huge responsibility.”
It isn’t his first foray with the weight of that executive chef title. After leaving his sous-chef position at the Pewter Rose several years ago, he became executive chef at the vegetarian Peaceful Dragon Tea House in Charlotte.
“I learned a lot there about giving the customers what they want, rather than what I want, and about my limitations as a chef.”
Bragg isn’t a vegetarian or vegan himself, so cooking without animal products brought its own set of challenges. “The owners would ask, how about a chocolate cake? Well, how do you make chocolate cake without eggs? I really had to do a lot of research to cook that way.”
After leaving The Peaceful Dragon, Bragg spent some time cooking at Dish, which is how he discovered the next stop in his culinary journey, Lulu. “I had really lost my love for cooking, so I was at Dish and it was really just killing time. My wife and I wanted to go out for New Year’s Eve and everywhere was booked. Lulu had just opened, so we tried it. It was phenomenal. We went back the next day for brunch and, again, it was just great. So I took a résumé to them the next day,” he laughs. “I really credit Marc Jacksina, the executive chef, and all those guys at Lulu, for helping me find my passion again.”
With his culinary background, Chef Bragg is grounded in the fundamentals of technique and flavor. When shopping for new menu items, he often goes back to the time-honored recipes he finds in his personal library of cookbooks. He is firmly rooted in the techniques he learned at Johnson & Wales in Charleston and in his experience cooking at a fine dining restaurant there.
“I tell all my line cooks, no matter what, I want to see your fundamentals on the plates,” he says. “That is what cooking at the Pewter Rose is about—a good sear on your fish, a properly braised pork shank; it’s real food, well executed,” says Bragg. The flavors on the menu are comfortable, like a great pair of jeans. There are no outrageous combinations at the new Pewter Rose, no frozen gin or carrot foams; just solid techniques and flavors that wrap pleasantly around your tongue.
Bragg says, “I spend a lot of time doing research. I look at TV, magazines and see what people are doing and find ways to make it my own, to put my own spin on it.” He has a well-annotated library of cookbooks and each one is a favorite. For instance, he credits Marcella Hazan’s ‘Essentials of Italian Cooking’ with helping to perfect his gnocchi. “I get really excited about all of my ingredients. I love everything on this menu.”
The love shows in his food. The large Apple Brie Panini is a judicious blend of sweet and savory, with sautéed green apples and creamy, mellow Brie. It melts between two crisp-grilled pieces of country bread; the bitterness of the arugula gives the sandwich a counterpoint for the sweetness of the apples and shallots.
The Lobster Chowder is a good example of a classic and familiar dish with a Pewter Rose twist. The multi-colored peppers explode through the cream like fireworks through fog. The broth is rich and warm, with a depth of flavor from the lobster stock. It is both delicious and invigorating.
“Yeah,” Bragg chuckles, “prepping the lobster for that chowder is a two day job, but you just buckle down and get it done.”
Bragg’s wife, Sara, is the pastry chef. Her Cuatro Leches Cake has become a customer favorite. It’s dense and moist, and, unlike some versions, not at all soggy. The cake is soaked in condensed milk, cream, evaporated milk and coconut milk and then topped with a light and fluffy meringue (rather than the more conventional icing), and lovely toasted coconut.
At the popular Sunday brunch a warm scone—sometimes it’s butterscotch—appears with coffee and a mimosa. Bananas Foster French Toast is an iconic Pewter Rose brunch entrée, with two thick slices of golden brown French toast stuffed with creamy bananas and the subtle touch of cream cheese.
Geoff Bragg has turned The Pewter Rose into a warm, comfortable place. He wears the responsibility of his position easily, with none of the posturing or arrogance that we associate with celebrity chefs. He is a craftsman and a family man, working with people that he likes and seeks to motivate.
“You have to find something to love every day, or burnout will definitely get you,” he says. With The Pewter Rose he has rediscovered and, on a daily basis, expresses his calling. And we are all the more fortunate for it.
~ Amanda McVay
The Pewter Rose
1820 South Blvd
Charlotte, NC 28203
Reservations: 704-332-8149
Lunch
Mon-Thurs: 11AM-2:30PM
Fri: 11AM-2:30PM
Sat & Sun: 10AM- 2:30PM
Dinner
Mon-Thurs: 5PM- 10PM
Fri & Sat: 5PM- 11PM
Sun: Closed for dinner
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