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| Chef Richard Austin |
Chef Richard Austin has a tiny little secret. Although he
excels in the art of Southern cooking, he isn’t a native Southerner. In fact,
he grew up in New Jersey, in a predominantly Italian neighborhood. But that’s
okay. You can officially bestow the honorary title of Transplanted Southerner
upon him with complete confidence.
Chef
Austin learned to cook growing up, in a family kitchen, as many great chefs
have done. When he went into the Army as a young man, however, he had not
planned to pursue a career in food. He began on kitchen duty– not an unfamiliar
memory for young recruits– peeling potatoes and chopping vegetables.
“I
had the good fortune to be stationed at Fort Stewart in Hinesville, Georgia,
one of the top small-garrison facilities for culinary achievement in the entire
military,” he recalled. “As I moved on to more advanced areas, I overheard the
guys out in the main prep area, where most of us were not allowed to go. I
heard them bragging about how good they were– and they really were good! It motivated me to move up to that area, to do
the final prep of the meals and to participate in the competitions.”
It
didn’t take long for Richard Austin to progress into the competitive arena.
“The military gave me the opportunity to learn the true structure of the
culinary arts. The final prep chefs at Fort Stewart had the attitude of a
champion, and I realized I wanted that, too.”
After
his military career, Chef Austin moved on with a stack of awards to his credit.
He became a Certified Executive Chef, trained other chefs all over the world,
participated in taping innumerable demonstration videos, owned and operated a
restaurant and is now working on developing a signature line of seasonings.
Today, he operates a full-service catering company in Brunswick, Georgia, Chef
Austin Catering. He and his team are ready to compete at this year’s A Taste of
Glynn for their third year.
Chef
Austin is a long-time supporter of the event’s beneficiary, Glynn Community
Crisis Center. The Crisis Center operates Amity House, Hope House and offers a
wide range of outreach services for those who have experienced domestic
violence. Not only does he participate in the competition, he has shared three of
his signature recipes in A Taste of Glynn Cookbook, a collection of
exquisite food from the Georgia coast. The cookbook is available through the
event website, www.atasteofglynn.com,
and at the event.
When
asked for a definition of Southern cooking, Chef Austin has a unique outlook.
It doesn’t involve butter, nor does it overpower the palate with sugar and
salt.
“If
I had to use one word to define it, that word would be comfort,” he asserted. “It’s not the actual dishes, but what
happens when people get together, with many family members contributing what
they have, and what they can do. Every region has its own version of Southern
cooking. Some aspects of other nationalities come into it as well. It’s an appreciation
of what your parents went through to get you where you are now. It’s how you
feel when you get together.”
What
an uplifting answer! Typical of Chef Austin–and of A Taste of Glynn, as well.
Twenty-six area caterers and restaurants, from the brave entrepreneurs whose
success started on a kitchen table at home, to historic landmark resorts.
Everyone presenting their best, in a spirit of community to help those who need
it most. You can’t get more Southern than that.
The
annual celebration of food, fun and music is on March 25, 2012, from 5-8 pm. at
the King and Prince Beach & Golf Resort. Tickets are available at the King
and Prince, Palmer’s Village Café, Doug’s Bar & Grill and SunTrust Bank
locations on Demere Road and Sea Island Road on St. Simons. In Brunswick,
purchase tickets at LaiLai’s, Hattie’s Books, color me happy, Zachry’s Seafood
and Steak, Baby Mack’s, McGarvey’s Wee Pub and Moore Stephens Tiller LLC. Or
call the Glynn Community Crisis Center at 264-1348.
Photo by Lindy Thompson of Golden Isles Photography
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