Chef Chat: Job at Charleston's is hands-on for Hunter

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• Video: Chef Chat with Jason Hunter

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Chefs at Charleston's cut the steak that goes on the grill and build the wood fire that heats the meat. Leading the way is executive chef and kitchen manager Jason Hunter.

Hunter, 36 and a graduate of Millard North High School, has worked for Charleston's since 1999. The restaurant is part of the Hal Smith Restaurant Group and Hunter worked for two years (2001-03) for another restaurant in the group — Redrock Canyon Grill.

Q. How would you describe the menu at Charleston's?

A. I would say it's an American grill. Our specialties are steaks, chicken and seafood cooked over a hardwood grill. Hickory wood makes good food. The ribs are one of the guest favorites. I think we have some of the best prime rib in town, as well; the seasoning is a rosemary-and-thyme rub.

Q. I've heard good things about your herb-roasted chicken. Do you cook that on the hardwood grill?

A. No. We roast it in the oven with a seasoning blend of 36 ingredients. We can't give that away. That's our secret blend.

Q. I know the sides are really popular, too.

A. Absolutely. The sweet-glazed carrots, we go through 60 to 70 pounds of carrots a day.

The burgundy-wine mushrooms, they're fantastic. The baked beans: We make those here. We use rib-eye meat, heavy smoke flavor, beans. It's actually a great side item.

Everything we serve, we make. Nothing is pre-made. We peel all of our carrots and cut them up. We cut our rib-eyes. We make the croissants that come free with every salad and we make the spinach and artichoke dip.

Whenever somebody finds out that I work at Charleston's they ask me about the croissants and the dip. They are our most recognizable, original items.

Q. You're building muscles every day chopping and mixing.

A. We also make the bread pudding, key lime pie and the caramel-and-nut brownies.

Q. Do you have a special pastry chef on board?

A. No, just us. We do it all. There's a lot of stuff we sell that's not on the menu. Your servers tell you what the features are for the day. One of our most popular items is not on the menu: the 12-ounce filet.

When you order a steak, the server is trained to offer you options that are not on the menu. You can order it pepper style, rolled in cracked pepper with sauteed onions, bell peppers and mushrooms. That's real popular. Or you can order it with a Cabernet (wine) reduction, blue cheese and butter.

Q. What's on the menu for lunch?

A. We have a full line of sandwiches: Reuben, chicken ciabatta, chicken salad made with our roasted chicken and the avocado chicken club. The avocado chicken club is probably the most popular chicken sandwich we have. It's awesome.

Q. Do you have a favorite food show on TV?

A. "Diners, Drive-ins and Dives" is one of my favorites. They go all over the place and you see what's going on in different parts of the country. That and "Hell's Kitchen."

Q. Any special equipment that makes your life in the kitchen better?

A. Wood. With fire you can cook anything.

Q. How do you like to spend your time when you're not in the kitchen?

A. I have two boys, 11 and 8, and they're into skateboarding and sports.

Q. Do you skateboard with them?

A. No. (Laughs). I coach the oldest one's basketball team and help with the younger boy's team. My wife is a teacher and we own an acreage. I spend a lot of time maintaining the acreage, where we ride ATVs on a track.

Contact the writer:

402-444-1052, jane.palmer@owh.com