Getting to Know No. 246's Chef Andrew Isabella

Tuesday, April 14, 2015

_{Photo Cred: Emily Marie Schultz}

At the helm of the No. 246 kitchen is Executive Chef Andrew Isabella, who has Italian tradition coursing through his veins. His love affair with cooking started from an early age and has evolved to compliment the seasons. His Be The Chef meal of Green Garlic Pasta with Sausage, Mushrooms & Spinach is the perfect example of how Chef Andrew let's fresh ingredients shine in each dish he created. 

Isabella’s globe-straddling recipes—riffs on his family’s own recipes—juxtapose Italian heritage with Georgia peaches, local cheeses, and ingredients grown by the restaurant’s back patio. And he celebrates cheffing in a restaurant where digging in family-style is encouraged. Not to mention he is known for his uncanny ability to pickle anything and everything (hence his Instagram handle, @icanpicklethat)! We caught up with him to find out more...

G&G: Did you always want to be a chef?

Chef Andrew: I grew up in the kitchen. My mom is a great cook, and I simply learned by example. I always sat on the kitchen counter, watching and helping her.

G&G: What was the journey to becoming a chef like for you?

Chef Andrew: Honestly, it's a lot of sacrifice and discipline. Most importantly, having a supportive wife makes the journey all the better. I started out in Hospitality Management, only to discover there was a different calling for me, and I wanted a more creative career. I went to culinary school at age 18 and worked my way up. I think my eagerness to learn and grow is practically innate.

G&G: What do you love most about your job?

Chef Andrew: Being creative, hands-on, and serving others.

G&G: I'm sure it's not all fun and games. What is the most challenging aspect of your job?

Chef Andrew: Trying to find more hours in a day!

G&G: You recently revamped the menu at No. 246. What was your inspiration?

Chef Andrew: I grew up in an Italian family, with five brothers, so my mom always cooked family style. I go back to my roots, because that's what's important to me, while incorporating my passion for local produce, local cattle, and seasonal menu changes.

G&G: What is your go to dinner when you cook at home?

Chef Andrew: Fish tacos -- they're damn good.

G&G: What have you thought of your Be The Chef experience?

Chef Andrew: It has been a great experience. It's nice having a change of pace, and knowing people are enjoying my recipe at home. The G&G community has been very pleasant and accommodating!

G&G: Why did you choose the Green Garlic Pasta recipe for your Be The Chef meal?

Chef Andrew: Everything is currently in its peak season: mushrooms, green garlic, and brebis cheese. I like to focus on locally-sourced menu items, so it all just came together. Sometimes it's best to have the seasonal produce come together.

G&G: You are making the pasta in house at No. 246. What makes your pasta special?

Chef Andrew: Imported Molino Spadoni flour from Italy - it takes a lot of time to perfect a pasta recipe, and make it your own.

G&G: What advice would you give a home cook?

Chef Andrew: Don't follow a recipe, but think of it as just a guideline.

G&G: What could you not live without in the kitchen?

Chef Andrew: Olive oil!

G&G: If you could be any fruit or veggie, what would you be and why?

Chef Andrew: Tomato--because everyone thinks it's a veggie, but it's really a fruit. I'm a Florida boy, and where I’m from, they're seasonal almost all year round.

Order Chef Andrew's Green Garlic Pasta with Sausage, Mushrooms & Spinach by 4/15 at midnight to transform your kitchen into No. 246.