Get to know a Sous Chef in town named Ben Brennan, an artist in the kitchen and an asset to the Huntsville culinary scene.
This interview was initially published in CHUM Vol. 8, interviewed by Jordan Murphy but DIBS also reached out to Chef Brennan to ask a few more questions.
CHUM: Ben, who the hell are you?
Ben Brennan: I’m figuring out who I am every day. I am from just south of Denver, and I’ve basically lived in every time zone.
(Heaven Beside You is playing, and we taking shots of … I’m going to guess Jim Beam and Tequila because I do not remember)
DIBS: Why did you decide to become a chef, and who inspired you too?
So my dad cooked dinner almost every night. We didn’t eat out a ton cause there were five of us kids. One of my sisters is a winemaker, another is a chef, and I started working with her when I was 16. Fell in love with the camaraderie in the kitchen, and then the science of food is what really piqued my interest.
There are tons of inspirational chefs. But I’ve also been very fortunate to have worked with and for some really amazing people. I really just fell into it, and I feel very fortunate for the opportunities I’ve had and worked hard for. I’ve seen a lot of friends struggle to find things they’re passionate about and was very lucky cooking kind of found me, I guess. It sounds super cliche, I know.
CHUM: What makes a chef a chef?
BB: Honestly, you’re only as good as your last plate. I guess that’s what’s beautiful about food. Someone can be having the worst day of their life, and food can turn that all around. We’re here to nurture people. I never thought about it like that until I read the article by Thomas Keller (French laundry) about “Why Cooks Cook” (Nations Restuarant News, 2019). He touches on a similar sentiment that I love that Alice Waters spoke on: “it’s around the table and in preparation of food that we learn about ourselves and about the world.”
CHUM: I love that. What do you like to eat?
BB: It depends on my mood. I love simple diner food, but I like the elegance of nice roast chicken. Judy Rodgers, this badass chef in California, makes roast chicken, and I always use her recipe. Normally, though, chicken grosses me out. Like, have you ever seen a chicken coop? (reference this Larry David video start watching from 1:45) They’re one of the most mistreated animals we eat. The term to put your neck out on the line comes from killing chickens. So I’m picky about where my chicken comes from.
CHUM: What do you like to cook?
BB: Almost nothing. It’s widely known that chefs eat like children. I fucking love Marie Callender’s chicken pot pie. Also, I love champagne and potato chips. Sue me. I also honestly eat a stupid amount of red meat. If I don’t, I get shaky. My dad used to cook every night, like Zatarain’s couscous and pork chops - That’s comfort food for me.
CHUM: What makes cooking thoughtful to you?
BB: One thing you should know is I really hold Alice Waters close to my heart. She is affectionately known as the godmother of farm-to-table. She focuses on simple, quality ingredients cooked in a proper way, so I’ll start there. It’s about how the animal is treated and where the food is grown. It’s in the right soil and understanding salt. Did you know salt has a similar etymology as the word “salary”? Salt is the only rock we can’t live without. You can eat as much as you want as long as you drink enough water.
DIBS: What is the most challenging part of your job
BB: Definetly managing staff. Every employee comes from their own strengths and weaknesses as well as their own sets of problems
DIBS: What is the most rewarding part about your job?
When you give somebody a dish, it brings back a memory or an emotion. That’s my favorite. I made a simple eggs Benedict to share with one of my bartenders the other day and it literally made her tear up a little cause it reminded her of her dad’s. It made my week! The only time I want to bring somebody to tears (lol).
CHUM: Anything else we should keep in mind?
BB: In general, GMO has so many definitions. It depends on the farming practice. Do your homework and eat according to the harvest seasons and sharing food is super intimate. I think that’s why it’s generally a first-date thing.
You can enjoy Ben Brennan’s cooking at CO/OP Community Table, a Huntsville farm-to-table concept located in the Embassy Suites Hotel Downtown Huntsville, AL
