Acqua chef RJ Cooper goals for ‘eating journey’ for seafood lovers
Ah, the cooking lifetime: Chef RJ Cooper will notify you that, for “only a little one from Detroit” it’s been a heckuva journey.
His profession has taken him from Anchorage Alaska to New York City. In 2004, he landed at Jeffrey Buben’s lauded restaurant Vidalia in Washington, D.C., the place he acquired good acclaim — a Mounting Chef award in 2006 and James Beard Most interesting Chef Mid-Atlantic in 2007.
Cooper made his Nashville debut 6 a few years in the past at Henley, the place he launched, amongst different points, The Rabbit Hole, his multi-coursed tasting data. In 2019, he launched his personal thought, Saint Stephen, in Germantown. A short time in the past he took greater than the impartial 2,000-sq.-foot place in the back of the cafe, beforehand occupied by Tailor, and opened Acqua.
Was coming to Nashville basically a operate-driven selection?
No. I’d visited Nashville varied conditions forward of transferring proper right here. I all the time severely favored it. There may be improbable energy proper right here. Feeling of group. I used to be able to depart D.C. and felt like this could be a terrific put to lift our twins.
Very first seem: RJ Cooper debuts Italian seafood cafe Acqua
Let’s chat about each of these of your eating institutions. How did you arrive on the technique for Saint Stephen and later, for Acqua?
With Saint Stephen, there was not a genuine strategy. Methods, you recognize, are overrated! Allow us to simply have thrilling and cook dinner dinner the easiest we all know how. Corey (chef de delicacies Hargis) has been with me a minor greater than two years now and has issues functioning correctly. I’ve stepped again. We search the recommendation of, and my thumbprints are on the menu. With Acqua, I wished to do some one thing fish-driven, that explores the elemental tones of the Italian coast. Sicily. Sardinia. Showcase the pristine character of those sea creatures in a modernist however not gimmicky method.
You provide 12-14 tasting courses, proper?
Certain. And now we have a sturdy beverage program. Martinis. Negronis, All Italian wines. It’s a consuming expertise for my guests.
Inform us about a number of the dishes you’re psyched about at Acqua.
We’re discovering some gorgeous fish from markets in Seattle, Tokyo and San Francisco.
The Bluefin tuna abdomen is affluent and correctly marbled. We pair it with a Toro pepper filled with artichoke product and full it with 12-calendar year-previous balsamic vinegar. The black cod is so delicate, barely cooked and positioned in extra of roasted raisin puree. We greatest it with creamed scallop and ogo (seaweed.) Of system I prefer to current a recent pasta — the spaghetti alla chitarra with Kaluga caviar is extraordinarily improbable. The caviar just isn’t, by the best way, from Russia.
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Mentorship is important to you — who’ve your mentors been?
I’ve had fairly a couple of terrific mentors alongside the best way. Foremost Jeff Buben. We nevertheless discuss to each single different! When he employed me at Vidalia, he knowledgeable me, in his gruff North Philly method, I’m gonna educate you function a restaurant. And he did. He really did. For lots of a number of years, it was like father and son. He instilled this type of respect and outcomes. We went by way of the hardships of the housing/fiscal catastrophe of 2008. Due to him, I uncover shift — perform with what you may have. Which, provided the labor and power and supply chain issues proper now, has served me very effectively.
It’s been a difficult time. How have you ever managed all through the pandemic?
Twister, then pandemic. We had been shut for 10 instances simply after the twister — no energy. We arrived again once more for 3 companies after which arrived the lockdown. I skilled to furlough workers. The hardest challenge as a chief I’ve skilled to do. I loaded them up with meals stuff and despatched them residence. Later, we partnered with Subsequent Harvest Meals stuff Financial institution, cooking lots of and lots of of meals. After we arrived once more, we skilled to do some factor to reestablish loyalty. Our common menu doesn’t translate successfully in meals kits or to go, so we shifted. We skilled matter weeks, like The Sopranos. Producing real veal parm, meatballs, hen cacciatore. Italian comforts.
Learning empathy was not within the “Kitchen Bible.” Not the kitchens I got here up in. I skilled to find this, humbled by my actions. I desired to reopen and proceed to be open up as a result of reality of my workforce. We have now to proceed to be helpful and power by means of the troubles. And have entertaining. Creativeness and collaboration — it delivers a great deal of pleasure.
You’ve acknowledged that cooking opened up a imaginative side you didn’t know you skilled. Are you able to talk about somewhat bit about your meals stuff and creativity?
Inspiration will come quick. It’s important to get on to it previous to it vanishes. For Acqua, the underlying concept is that it’s one factor eclectic nonetheless simple, flavorful. Honor the ingredient, that beautiful sea creature. Get the imaginative and prescient, and recreate it. Go away the field open for a distinct to affect, and make a superior dish. My workers is actually superior at that. Magic comes about. I nonetheless like being close to to the data. Related. I’m 53 many years aged. What else would I do?
In case you go
Acqua by RJ Cooper
Information: saintstephennash.com acqua-nashville.com 615-974-0121
Wherein: 1300 third Ave. N., Nashville
Reservations: Crucial, at www.exploretock.com/.
Price ticket: $150 per explicit individual moreover $80 beverage pairing
Anticipate: 12-14 spectacular tastings (open air of dessert, there may be one explicit non-sea creature tasting)
