Chef Brian Pekarcik sits down with TABLE Magazine to talk about his life as a chef and the future of his business, Local Provisions. Local Provisions is a market, cafe, and catering company that offers seasonal produce, specialty grocery, and delicious bites of Chef Brian’s food. It’s a way of elevated convenience which connects the city’s best chefs and food purveyors with the community.
10 Questions with Chef Brian Pekarcik
What are your favorite qualities in a restaurant or chef?
Brian Pekarcik: A warm and inviting hospitality. I have a pet peeve for when chefs or restaurants say no just for the sake of saying no.
Can you give us one word to describe your restaurant/business?
Multi-faceted.
What inspired you to become a chef?
I’ve always loved to cook but I really started to love the atmosphere and dynamic of kitchens before actually wanting to become a chef. From there, my love of cooking grew along with the satisfaction of taking care of people through food. Food has always been about sharing with friends and family, so becoming a chef was a natural way of doing that for me.
What’s your favorite ingredient?
This is a tough one. I don’t think I have just one favorite ingredient, but it’s hard to pass on butter, garlic, and cream.
What’s your idea of a great evening out?
Relaxing at home and cooking for my family. I know it’s cliche but as I get older and my kids are now at the age of leaving home soon, those family dinners are invaluable for me.
Tell us your guilty pleasure meal!
Chicken wings or Cheetos.
If you weren’t a chef what would you be?
A storm chaser. Well… at least the guy driving all the smart people who actually analyze all the data.
What’s the best meal you’ve ever had?
Honestly, too hard to call. There are so many memorable ones for different reasons. But, the most memorable for me was Alain Ducasse’s Louis XV in Monte Carlo.
If you could make a dinner reservation anywhere in the world, where would it be?
Probably Osteria Francescana in Modena or Francis Mallmann’s private island/restaurant in Patagonia.
What are you most looking forward to in the future? What should be on our readers’ radar?
Definitely the continued growth and evolution of Local Provisions. It is so multi-faceted with our market, cafe, and catering, that the sky’s the limit of what it can grow into.
Story by Kylie Thomas / Photography by Laura Petrilla for Local Provisions
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