The Charlottesville 29

Where to eat in Charlottesville
10/04/2019

Five Finds on Friday: Scott Meynig

Scott

The Charlottesville food community suffered a great loss this week. From Food and Beverage Director at Keswick Hall to Operations Manager for Pippin Hill and Red Pump Kitchen, Scott Meynig wore many hats over the years, but none he enjoyed more than father and husband in his family’s baking business. In celebration of Meynig’s life, Family Ties & Pies will be open for business at tomorrow’s City Market, as it is every Saturday.

Meynig’s passing leaves a pie-slice sized hole in the heart of the Charlottesville food community. In tribute to Meynig, today’s Five Finds on Friday are some of his favorites, as remembered by friends and family.

1) Breakfast Brioche from Family Ties & Pies. “My fondest memories of Scott and food always lead me back to Family Ties & Pies breakfast brioche. It always made me smile to see him snacking on one as Donna and I would join him and reminisce about the four years that we worked together in Fossett’s and Keswick Hall. He was one of the finest hospitality leaders that I have ever worked with, but more than that, he was a true friend.” – Craig Hartman 

2) Fall Wood-fired Pizzas at Pippin Hill Farm & Vineyards. “Every year Scott was enthusiastic when we started our Fall wood-fired pizza offerings at Pippin Hill. He checked first thing on the shift for each week’s offering and raved about them all, from the simple Three Cheeses to Hen of the Woods Mushroom and Basil. For Scott, it marked a seasonal equinox moment.” – Dean Porter Andrews and Lynn Easton

3) Chipotle Chocolate Gelato at Splendora’s Gelato. “Anytime Scott walked through the door at Splendy’s, I knew he was going to go straight for the bottom right corner of the first case, where Chipotle Chocolate would be if we were offering it. He would always cluck his disappointment if we were out, but get a small or a medium of other flavors anyway. There was one day where I had a front of house shift but the Chipotle Chocolate was going to be made as soon as I was through. Of course, he came in an hour too early. So, I brought him a cup to Red Pump as soon as it came out of the machine. What a great laugh that was. I’m going to make some Chipotle Chocolate today.” – PK Ross

4) Guests and Staff at Keswick Hall. “Scott really seemed to have no favorite dishes, just favorite guests and staff. He rarely sat down for a meal but would gather with the cluster of Keswick employees over lunch or dinner, dishing out amazingly creative one-liners with a marksman’s precision. He spent a lot of time meeting with the staff, individually or in groups, constantly endeavoring either to enhance the scope of their professional abilities or to give intelligent counsel on their domestic squabbles. When Scott was running the banquet department I loved to throw him ‘ringers’ that would challenge him. Scott: ‘Did you really promise the bride that the groom could ride in on a white horse dressed in armor’? I would just reply that I was trying to up-sell the event. Scott: ‘The horse and armor are fine but where are we going to get a lance?’
Scott really enjoyed our weekly wine-trainings and it was the only time he really sat and relaxed. One week we were doing New Zealand Sauvignon Blancs and, as usual, I was coaxing the staff to come up with appropriate descriptors. Scott blurted out that he though they tasted like cat pee. That was a common remark, I stated. Scott replied that they all tasted like a cat’s pee and wondered if the cats were all from the same family? There was never a dull moment with Scott and sometimes those moments were long and arduous as he worked late into the night making sure that a particular rehearsal dinner ended correctly. And then, next morning, at the City Market he was there early, sometimes napping on the back of the car, but always ready to jump up to greet a friend or help his family sell their pies and ties.” – Richard Hewitt

5) Coconut Custard Pie from Family Ties & Pies. “Scott was an extraordinary team player, peacemaker and darn good all around nice guy in his life and in the culinary world. Loved by so many, he always was ready, willing and able to help in the kitchen of our business, Family Ties & Pies. I am at a loss of words but he was my best friend, the father of our amazing children, a lover of fine dining, mentor to countless young restaurant workers, and the ultimate peace and pie maker. We love and miss you.” – Lynette, Chelsea and Max Meynig

Pippin Hill welcomes the food community, friends, and family to a memorial service in celebration of Scott Meynig’s life, Tuesday October 8 at 5:30 pm. RSVP requested.

 

09/27/2019

Five Finds on Friday: Kathryn Saul

Saul

Today’s Five Finds on Friday come from Kathryn Saul, of Vivace. Saul’s Picks:

1) Chorizo Tacos and Shrimp Tacos at Al Carbon. “You get four to an order, so I always get two of each. Al Carbon is a family favorite and I swear we are there at least every other week. I always get the spicy green salsa to go with it. Delicious.”

2) Panang Curry at Thai Cuisine & Noodle House. “I get chicken and medium spice. Something about the coconut curry sauce with the green peas is my comfort food. They have such a delicious and diverse menu that there is always something for everyone.”

3) Bacon Cheeseburger at Riverside. “This is probably my favorite thing/place to eat.  Everyone is so welcoming the food is everything you want it to be.”

4) Charred Carrots at Oakhart Social.  “I have to get these every time I go and honestly I do not love cooked carrots, and would have never ordered these on my own if it wasn’t for the sharing plates there, but now I’m hooked. Those sweet and spicy pecans with the buttermilk ranch are the perfect combination.”

5) Tortilla Espanola at MAS Tapas. “Thinly sliced, perfectly cooked potatoes and egg with crusty bread and the crunch of sea salt. Melts in your mouth. MAS is a favorite date night spot and it is so hard not to get everything on their menu.”

tortilla

09/23/2019

Chef Ian Redshaw Leaves Prime 109

ian

If the adage is true that there can be “too many cooks in the kitchen,” the Lampo/Prime 109 team defied it for years. Even from the time they opened Lampo in 2014, some wondered how three of Charlottesville’s top chefs could survive together in such a small restaurant. In the five years since, the three not just survived, but thrived — each separately winning C-VILLE’s annual Best Chef award: Loren Mendosa in 2015, Ian Redshaw in 2018, and Mitchell Beerens in 2019.

But, as successful as the trio has been, it could not last forever, as eventually one or more of them would want to pursue their own vision. For Prime 109 Executive Chef Ian Redshaw, that time has come, as the chef parted ways with the restaurant this month. A chef of boundless creativity, the 2019 James Beard award semifinalist says he has reached a point in his career where is ready to explore that creativity to the fullest, something the confines and demands of a Neapolitan pizzeria and steakhouse do not always allow. While Redshaw’s long term plans are still in the works, in the short term the father of two says he looks forward to more time with his family, while also planning a private dining series, launching soon. Stay tuned for dates and venues. 

As for Prime 109, Redshaw says he leaves in good hands the winner of 2019 Best New Restaurant. “I am confident that Prime 109 will grow under the talented hands of the kitchen staff and remaining partners,” Redshaw says. Stepping in to run the kitchen is Mendosa, who says he has no plans to change what Redshaw helped to build.

Mendosa also says that, though sad to lose a business partner, he is excited to experience Redshaw’s food as a customer again. “I’ll always remember the first meal that Ian made for me at L’Etoile: fried sweetbreads with Brussels sprouts and capers, and from that point on I’ve been blown away by his creativity and passion,” said Mendosa. “His pure enthusiasm for food is contagious and makes everyone around him want to be a better chef.”