Chef/owner Blue Canyon Restaurant

A graduate of the Culinary Institute of America, Chef Brandt Evans earned his whites working for renowned Chef Charlie Palmer as a sous chef at Alva's in Manhattan, and then went on to run the kitchen at Kostas in Tremont. By 2002, he was ready to go out on his own, opening the popular Blue Canyon Kitchen and Tavern  in Twinsburg, Ohio. An instant hit with local diners, the restaurant menu spotlights his inventive approach to creative American food. Evans’ dishes are characterized by a cooking style that enlivens traditional favorites with funky, ethnic flavors. He launched a second location in Missoula, Montana, and currently expanding the concept to four more venues in Perrysburg, Ohio, Kalispell, Montana, Rockwall, Texas and Orlando Florida.

When did you know you wanted to cook professionally?
Brandt Evans: When I was 17 working at Turners Mill and discovered how amazing food could really look and taste.

What is it that got you "hooked" on this crazy profession?
BE: You get the feeling MJ [Michael Jordan must have had during] the last minute of the game when he got passed the ball to make the shot...that's how you feel when you pull off a busy night on your hot line and you are the one giving the orders to your team...it’s a feeling only other chefs know about.

Of all the things you're doing now, what's your favorite part of the job, the moment when you're glad you do what you do?
BE: Watching great cooks that worked underneath me turn into great chefs. The culinary [family] tree is getting big....which means I am getting old. I still don't [feel like I] I go to work everyday....so I guess I am glad I’m a chef.

 

Have you got one bit of advice for home cooks?
BE: Go to Blue Canyon and sit at the counter.,,,lol. Use salt & pepper before you cook.

 

5 great ingredients home cooks should keep on hand.
BE: Salt and Pepper. They are so important to use on everything before you cook. It truly helps develop the flavor through the cooking process.
Coriander is a great seasoning for seafood and poultry.
Thyme. It adds a very unique flavor that people know and love but say,"What is that?"
Blue Canyon Spice Line. Its shameless plug, I know but makes a great chip dip.

 

3 kitchen tools/gadgets/accessories every home cook should have.
BE: I am a knife and cutting board kinda of guy. I don't get into gadgets to much. I do have a Beer Can chicken roaster that my 5 year daughter and I love to use....makes great chicken.

 
It's your day off. What's your idea of the perfect meal to have at home?
BE: Tuna Noodle Casserole or anything my mother or mother-n-law makes...nothing beats old school cooking.