Yes, Chef! Feature: Dustin Grady

At The Tilted Farmer, Chef Dustin Grady is making a name for himself taking the familiar comforts of a neighborhood pub and giving them creative twists—think smoked brisket with house-pickled veggies, unexpected sauces and elegant plating that looks as lovely as it tastes.

At just 33, he has spent more than half his life in restaurant kitchens, working his way from bussing tables and washing dishes to manning the line and then donning his chef’s toque. Mimi caught up with him to find out where his endless inspiration comes from and how a chef with a mini zoo at home might have ended up studying marine biology if the kitchen hadn’t come calling.

Q. How old were you when you started cooking? I started in the industry when I was 14, working in every role. I’m self-taught, growing up on the east side of Cleveland, then cooking in Florida and eventually making my way to Seville. Over the years, I just kept learning and looking for ways to make things more creative. 

Q. What’s the most memorable meal you’ve ever experienced and why? When I lived in Florida, I got interested in trying exotic foods like kangaroo, shark, snake, turtle, things like that. That influenced the way I cook today. I like being adventurous and thinking outside the box. 

Q. Do you have any favorite cooking shows on television? The original Chopped was a favorite because it forced chefs to think on the spot and figure out what to do with ingredients they might never put together. 24 in 24 is also a fair representation of the industry, since the show takes place in real time over 24 hours. It goes to show even Michelin-starred chefs can be affected by long hours. We’re all human. 

Q. If you weren’t a chef, what career path would you have followed? Well, there are more than 60 animals at my house. It’s like a mini zoo. I have a big soft spot for any animal … everything from reptiles, snakes, frogs, fish, dogs and cats. If I wasn’t a chef I’d have loved to go into marine biology.

Q. To garnish or not to garnish? Yes, but it has to be edible and not boring, like a sprig of parsley thrown on the plate. It should be intentional and elegant, like pea shoots or colorful chopped slaw. 

Q. What’s your most indispensable kitchen gadget? Favorite ingredient? For gadgets, I can do a lot with molds for plating, and a good whetstone sharpener to keep the knives in prime condition. These are the unsung heroes of any kitchen. For ingredient, I love the depth of flavor you can bring from topping dishes with simple smoked sea salt. 

Q. What’s your favorite dish on The Tilted Farmer menu and why? It would probably be our Wagyu bistro sandwich or our smoked brisket sandwich because both are a little unexpected. We don’t want to just smother brisket in barbecue sauce. We add things like pickled red cabbage and daikon radish. And our 16 Horse Belly Sauce is made with pork belly drippings and a lot of different ingredients.

To nominate a chef for Mimi’s “Yes, Chef!” column, please email Mimi@MimiVanderhaven.com. The Tilted Farmer is located at 7249 Wooster Pike in Seville, 330-315-1858. Visit TheTiltedFarmer.com for more information.