Much of the legendary James Beard Foundation and their equally impressive annual awards gala draw attention to maverick chefs — those culinary artists that create wondrous fare that are both accessible and progressive through dynamic cooking processes. These peculiar tastemakers are amongst the best of the best, showered with kudos for employing certain attractive food-creation modus operandi and harboring meaningful beliefs that give way to delectable dishes. They are audacious and confident in taking the path less traveled, and staying on it until they discover its gold. They do more than create food — they construct purposeful, remarkable dining experiences and foster a deeper understanding of culinary movements like the legendary James Beard.

Considering current Great Lakes Best Chef Beard Award nominee Jonathon Sawyer of the well-known The Greenhouse Tavern of Cleveland, Ohio, he falls befittingly into that coveted enclave. His immense, deeply rooted love of the surrounding environment brings a palpable passion into his kitchen. It is both a purposeful affinity and tireless championing that has led the gracious and talented chef to blaze new trails, introducing the first certified green restaurant to Cleveland. In making such a legendary introduction, Sawyer enthusiastically invites gourmands to acquaint themselves with earth-friendly ideas and food like Broccoli Ruben with kimchi kraut, power island dressing, cheddar and pickle, or the Ohio Beef Burger with brioche bun, raclette cheese and cornichon relish.

Running the gamut from creating a wondrous, farm-to-plate menu to supporting local farmers to leading the charge with land-saving technologies and strategies for his restaurants (also including the wildly popular noodlehouse, Noodlecat), he protects Earth’s soils and forfeits Cleveland’s culinary culture. Devotion to improving the world for his two children gave birth to creating an earth-friendly retreat of a French gastro pub, The Greenhouse Tavern, a part of the city’s urban renewal nearly five years ago. “Our belief is always to continue on our path,” the sought-after Iron Chef America alum said with measured humility in a phone interview, “and hope that people will follow our example.”

The Pennsylvania Institute of Culinary Arts graduate and Cleveland-born, New York City trained chef tells GALO about his “simple and approachable” landmark restaurant, which he opened with talented wife Amelia. He expounds on finding the best ingredients from our soils, remaining open and honest about being green and more with graciousness and ebullience.

GALO: Aforementioned, The James Beard Foundation celebrates maverick chefs, and culinary trailblazers speeding or pushing toward greatness. Having the first certified green restaurant with the Greenhouse Tavern, and introducing the brick-and-mortar “pop-up” concept with your second restaurant, NoodleCat, in Cleveland, Ohio, you know how to bring new movements into the culinary fold. What defines a trailblazing chef to you? Does speaking to tradition as well as innovation or garnering impressive accolades like the Beard award fall into your definition?

Jonathon Sawyer: I do not think that any one thing can define you as a trailblazer. For me, it is about being a part of that Rust Bell and Cleveland, to prove to the rest of the world that we are not just a couple of cave dwellers with our river on fire. There is some serious cuisine coming out of our soil and being cooked in our kitchen. We are as current or more current than you are, and we will continue to be as long as we are in our kitchens.

GALO: With being green and investing in sustainability initiatives, the Greenhouse Tavern reincarnated the history of the famed Cort’s building in Cleveland, and revitalized it by fusing it with earth-friendly technologies. The restaurant proves to have “gone green” by having staff that rely on local resources that put them in direct interaction with the community and environment, building structures like the LED-lighting bicycle lights, Fly-ash (a safe and reclaimed waste product), concrete floors and more. Please share a bit of this environmentally conscious story.

JS: I think it starts with the inspiration. For Amelia [my wife] and I, when we came to Cleveland, we wanted to be a part of this urban renewal that all of the Rust Belt and Cleveland was seeing, specifically downtown Cleveland was seeing. Being proud parents of two kids, Louisiana and Catcher, we wanted to make sure that we were doing everything that we could to leave this world a better place than our parents gave us, with all due respect to them. Thanks to the stewards in the past, our industry has been viewed as a very wasteful one. We were of the belief that that was a misnomer, and that we could change that in our one address, on our one street, in our one city. It is now that we have been open almost five years and we are doing it. It is a moving target; every year, new technologies pop-up, new light bulbs and new paint that is lower impact are available, and new hands-free dryers are more efficient and effective. We constantly weigh decisions based on improvements needed for the restaurant against their ecological impact. It is an always present decision-making process that we go through.

And the second part of that or the re-enforcer is the Green Restaurant Association. It is a report card for us every year. A third party audits us and tells us if they like what we are doing and ways we can improve what we are doing. Besides our sustainability initiatives document, it is just a way to tell people that come in about all the upcycling we did, all the recycling we did, and all the technology we employ. Also, it tells them about the grading system that the third party gives us.

GALO: There must be many dishes that you have created in that story. Could you share a simple, classic farm-to-plate recipe with organic ingredients that would be approachable for children?

JS: Whole Grilled Spring Peas

Serves 4

40 pieces              Fresh English Peas in the Pod

2 ounces               Extra Virgin Olive Oil

2 tablespoons      Course Real Salt

1 cup                     Thinly Sliced Radish

1 piece                  Horseradish Root

1                            Whole Lemon

 This recipe “Ohio Edamame” can be done in two ways

“Pot sticker” Style:

• Toss peas in olive oil and salt to coat.

• Place peas on hot flat griddle or cast iron pan. Add 2 ounces of water and cover.

• Allow steam to evaporate for about four minutes; peas should be a bright vibrant color with a pliable shell.

• Remove from heat, toss in bowl with salt, lemon juice and olive oil to coat.

• Place on serving platter, garnish with sliced radishes, finely grated horseradish root, olive oil and lemon zest.

Grilling method:

• Bring an 8 quart pot of salted water to a boil; add peas blanch for about two minutes.

• Remove from water and shock in ice water; peas should be a bright vibrant color with a pliable shell.

• Toss in bowl with salt, lemon juice and olive oil to coat.

• Place on hot grill, until outsides are browned.

• Remove from grill, place on serving platter, garnish with radishes, finely grated horseradish root, olive oil and lemon zest.

(Interview continued on next page)