The new executive chef at the 1886 Crescent Hotel in Eureka Springs is not only in charge of the haunted hotel's kitchens, but he may have a few spirited roommates. Arkansan Lee Brooks was brought on to the hotel team just last month, so quickly, in fact, he has yet to find a place to call his own.
"I'm currently staying in one of the rooms here at the Crescent, but I have yet to see a ghost," he said with a laugh. "I got hired here about a month ago and have been working here for two weeks. I felt a little nervous; coming to work at this hotel was a big jump for me. But the view here is beautiful, and the food is amazing. I work in a resort. You can't beat that!"
Although Brooks, a 2013 University of Arkansas graduate, has been in the kitchen since he was a child, the move from a 50-seat restaurant to a hotel kitchen where he feeds between 200 and 400 people daily was a little intimidating for the young chef.
"My grandparents had a pizza place in Hot Springs, so I pretty much grew up doing this," he said. "I probably figured out that I wanted to do this when I was in high school. I always really enjoyed cooking when I was a teenager. Most of my background was in restaurants. Going from a small restaurant, 50 seat, and going to a large hotel really is daunting."
"I knew he would be a good fit when I found out the place that his grandparents owned was a place that my parents went to all the time in Hot Springs," said Bill Ott, director of communications at the 1886 Crescent Hotel and Spa. "When we went out for pizza, that's where we went.
"One of the remarkable things about Chef is that not only is he the chef for the Sky Bar Pizza but also our 1886 Steakhouse," he continued. "And he also does the Sunday brunch and super banquet service for weddings and events. He'll probably do 300 weddings this year. He does more than just spinning dough at the Crescent."
Brooks began his culinary education with experience. Starting in a small Italian eatery in Hot Springs, the teenager began to hone his skills in the kitchen, and by the early 2000s was beginning to realize he would need more than just experience to make it in the industry.
"I just wanted to get a technical certificate in hospitality and culinary, but I kind of liked college, so I kept going," Brooks joked. "I got my associate's degree, and I still liked college, so I transferred to the University of Arkansas and got my bachelor's degree."
It was the bachelor's from the university that made a major difference in Brooks' career path.
"The hospitality program that I was in has a yearly program called Class Act when students work in a hotel kitchen," he said. "The head of that program sent an email to me about three months after I graduated and informed me that this job was open. So I came and applied and interviewed and got the job. I kind of owe that to the University of Arkansas."
"He may say that, but he's really a very well-rounded chef," added Ott. "He's been integral in upgrading the menu of the Sky Bar since his hire."
"I'm really not changing too much, just beefing up what we've already got and making some changes that add a little zing," Brooks said with a smile. "But I do feel that my experience and education help make me good for this job. I've worked in a few kitchens, and I learned to cook Italian early. I think once you learn Italian or French cooking, you can cook anything. Everything is derived from that, so if you know one of those two, then you have a good foundation. I think the food I make gives diners a great experience."
"We want to give people something new every time they come here," Ott said.
"My goal for anyone who eats my food is really simple," Brooks said. "Whenever you leave one of my restaurants, I hope you had a good time, and I hope you feel full."
NAN Our Town on 04/10/2014