- November 21, 2024
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Greg Campbell’s French grandmother, Simone, taught him his first lessons in the magic of love-infused cooking. He puts those lessons to work today as the executive chef and director of operations at Grove in Lakewood Ranch and Pier 22 in Bradenton. According to Campbell, his culinary wizardry depends on quality ingredients, hands-on techniques and personal relationships with producers and suppliers. Campbell recently shared some of the key ingredients behind his success with us.
When I was a kid, growing up in Georgia. My grandmother, Simone, taught me so much. She let me join her in the kitchen. She also took me with her when she shopped — and that was definitely a learning experience. Shopping with Simone didn’t mean going to the grocery store. It was an all-day affair.
Every day! Our focus on balance, palate understanding and scratch-made recipes was her philosophy. My all-day shopping expeditions also go back to her. I buy from several different vendors, and I know them all personally. Simone is a major influence on what I do here in so many ways.
Listening and catering to all our guests whether they’re in dressed in T-shirts and flip-flops or fancy clothes. We make them all happy with original recipes you can’t find in chain restaurants.
Making everything from scratch, on-site, with fresh ingredients. We’re known for our unique recipes — like our Key lime pie, which has been the same for over 15 years. We bake our own bread, make our sauces and stocks and hand-make all our desserts.
Positive energy! Every restaurant has either a positive or negative vibe. You can feel it the second you walk in. We all work together to create a great experience for our guests. We foster a positive, supportive environment in the kitchen, too, that fosters tenure. Many chefs and managers have been with us for years. We involve everyone in the creative process and ensure team collaboration and consistency through long-time relationships. That’s how Grove maintains consistently high standards without stifling innovation and creativity.
Community involvement. We host events like wine dinners, comedy shows, and during COVID, we turned the restaurant into a grocery store to help locals. We’ve also partnered with nonprofits, opening our ballroom for their events.
Creams and milks from Dakin Dairy and other local producers. We buy the best fish, meat and vegetables locally. That’s a challenge, because Florida only produces certain crops for four to five months out of the year. In that time, we buy seasonally from North America. (I consider that local, too!)
Our honey-glazed Jail Island salmon is a must. It’s flown in fresh from Nova Scotia. And thanks to our partnership with a wild game rancher, exciting new dishes like bison and venison are always on the way.
Anthony Bourdain and Thomas Keller. Bourdain connected food and cultures, while Keller sets the standard for quality, with chefs trained by him excelling worldwide.
I love Château 13 in downtown Bradenton. It’s a small place, but the consistency and quality are incredible. Their charcuterie boards are the best I’ve ever had — they’ve ruined me for charcuterie anywhere else. The owners and the GM, Jen, do an amazing job, and their wine program is top-notch.
Mowing my lawn. I’ve got a nice-size property. I’ll go out in the yard, hang out with my four hounds, mow the grass, and cut down trees. I love being outside.
