By Wendyll Champoux

Q: How did you become involved in culinary arts?

A: I grew up near an Inn, (Inn on Lake Wormaug), that hired kids for summer work, so I ended up working there every summer and then as I got older I continued to work at the inn and worked my way up through the kitchen. I started out washing dishes and moved into desserts, which was mostly sundaes.

Q: Did you have any formal schooling after that?

A: I worked at that inn and then there was another restaurant nearby that I worked and went back to the first inn. Then I got a job at the Williamsville Inn which is how I ended up here in the Berkshires, when I was 27.

Q: You would say then that you were pretty much self taught?

A: Well, yes. I never had any formal schooling. I’ve worked for super people. I mean, cooking is really a practical trade, it’s always been learned in the kitchen rather than school, it’s probably in the last 28 or 30 years that it’s become more typical and the “norm” that people train in schools.

Q: Is there any one person or chef that you would say was your mentor?

A: I would say actually that Jose DeAndato from Charleston, South Carolina.

Q: How long did you work with him?

A: Two and a half years. I was the sous chef. I went there to be a line cook, and about a week after I got there the sous chef quit, and I was the only one who could speak English. There were a couple of French guys and a Chinese girl and myself. So Jose decided to have me as sous chef. I had had a little bit of experience with it before. It was just a timing thing. It was good because I couldn’t afford to live on what he was paying me as a regular line cook. I had just moved down there and I had a car and rent and I couldn’t afford any of it. I remember thinking I’d get an extra job.

Q: How do you like working at Blantyre?

A: I enjoy it. It’s an ideal setting for anyone who is really serious about food. It’s such a small and controlled environment and we don’t really have a huge menu and it’s not out of proportion of what we’re able to handle. I also feel like I have a chance to work with my food. We’re not piling in the customers. We have a great rhythm going. We have great table settings, we have great products coming in and the staff has the time to do it right. And it’s a great environment.

Q: For Blantyre, why French cuisine?

A: Well, I think that in years past our cuisine has been labeled French and we’ve tried to Shift that more toward Country House Cuisine, which we think is a bit more accurate. Basically, Country House Cuisine in our eyes is using local products, working with farmers and bringing in very, very fresh food on the plate. It’s elegant in style, so we do rely on French technique, and some French ideas, but I think it’s a little bit more continental. I wouldn’t label it continental, but it’s more of many cousins. We use French, Italian and Asian, that’s the trend in cooking that everybody is using now. What I try to do with the products is to keep it as pristine as possible. I’ve got really beautiful lettuce from Ted in Housatonic, then I try not to bury the flavor of those greens with heavy vinaigrette. that’s just a small example. Plus we grow our herbs fresh right out back and pick them just prior to serving.

Again in keeping with Country House theme, in Europe and England the country houses always had big gardens and greenhouses and they cut their flowers from the gardens and they would get herbs and vegetables from the gardens. One of the things we’re trying to develop is a more formal herb, vegetable, flower garden. Possibly plant some fruit trees as well. Right now alot of our flowers are grown locally. If they can grow it there, we can grow it here.

Q: Do you find that your clientele expects perfection and do you find them more savvy than most diners?

A: Well, I think especially because we’re members of Relais Chateau, they are people that are accustomed to traveling are very, very savvy and very knowledgeable about food and wine. They know how to relax and enjoy themselves in a place like this. Alot of our guests are accustomed to environments like Blantyre and have come to expect this kind of service and we’ve got to be firm with it. That is one of the best things about that group, the fact that they really stress to the service people to be very welcome and very and very accommodating to the guest. That’s the first thing they offer. It’s not a grandeur, it’s the way the guests are treated.

Q: Do you find people to be very particular about the preparation of the food?

A: They are generally, very, very happy with the food. The only thing that ever comes back to me is if something is under cooked or over cooked. It’s nice because I don’t even get many special requests, occasionally I’ll get no salt or a no butter request. Other than that people will just eat what I put on the menu.

Q: How would you define the overall style of the region and is there a definitive feel to the Berkshires that makes it stand out from other areas of New England? Do you feel that Blantyre is representative of that?

A: I think that one of the things that is really significant to mention about the Berkshires is you come to a community that has a bunch of restaurants and Inns that are run by couples or partners that are working couples or working partners. Whenever you go into a situation where people are that hands on and their future depends on their service to you, then that’s going to make a big difference in the quality of service you get, rather than if you just have staff and employees. That’s one of the differences I’ve noticed.

Also, the food is better quality. Everyone in the Berkshires works with regional products. Everyone is hooked up on the same wavelength in terms of who we buy from. In that sense you will find similar products.

In terms of cooking style, the majority of the restaurants are fairly similar in their style and they tend not to be eclectic or too heavy. Everyone tries to keep things light, a couple of them are still old style. It’s a sign of the times, old hearty New England food has been replaced.

Q: Let’s talk about Blantyre. You are well known as one of the area’s premiere chefs and people come to Blantyre because they hear good things about your style. How long did it take for the word to spread?

A: It’s been a little bit of and evolution, at first I was a bit cautious. Blantyre had a good reputation for food and this was my first significant job as a chef. I got alot of confidence during my first year and feedback from the guests was very positive and whenever you start to get positive feedback you are willing to run with it a bit more. Now when I write menus, I find that I do my best menu writing sitting at my computer. I just try to use my mind to put dishes together. I don’t test them in the kitchen. It’s kind of funny because I think you get to the point where you can taste combinations in your head and you put it together and that’s kind of where I am now.