HOW DID YOU GET INVOLVED WITH TRADITIONS SPIRITS?
Mark Vannasdall and I met six years ago while working with Odyssey de Culinaire. We had talked before about my being from Sulphur, so when the Executive Chef position became available at Springs at The Artesian, my family and I were excited to take the opportunity to move back to my hometown.
WHAT IS YOUR MOST VIVID MEMORY (RECENTLY OR IN THE PAST) OF TRADITIONS SPIRITS?
My most vivid memory with Traditions Spirits was getting to cater and attend the Employee of the Year dinner in Ardmore. It was great to see all of the outstanding employees and managers that work for Traditions Spirits.
CAN YOU TELL ME ABOUT SPRINGS AT THE ARTESIAN?
Springs at The Artesian can be identified by comfort food with a modern twist. Our culinary team makes everything from scratch with the best ingredients we can find. We also try to source a few of the menu items using local ingredients. One of them being the Oklahoma Board, which consists of local meats and cheeses from Lovera’s Market in Krebs, OK, and is served on a locally sourced and milled cedar plank.
WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE MENU ITEM/DRINK AT SPRINGS AT THE ARTESIAN?
This a really a hard question, because I have so many favorites on the menu. If I were to pick one, it would be the Pork Chop. We brine the pork chop in apple juice, brown sugar, oranges and clove for twenty-four hours. It keeps the pork chops moist, and the sugar caramelizes the outside. We then serve the pork chop with a caramelized gala apple, our housemade onion jam, and a side of our White Cheddar Pancetta Mac ‘N Cheese.
WHAT IS THE BEST PART OF WORKING AT SPRINGS AT THE ARTESIAN?
The best part is our amazing staff. We have one of the best kitchen crews I have ever worked with. It’s also great to work for a company that truly believes in their mission statement.
ANY NEW OR EXCITING DEVELOPMENTS THAT WE CAN LOOK FORWARD TO AT SPRINGS AT THE ARTESIAN?
Soon, we will be looking at a fall/winter menu change to keep up with the changing seasons. We would also like to look into adding monthly wine/beer dinners with multiple courses and pairings.