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Kevin Gillespie won plenty of fans for his skillful, seasonal Southern cooking on Top Chef and at his Georgia restaurant Gunshow. At his new Atlanta restaurant, Nàdair, the focus is on Scottish food (and you can hear all about it in this podcast interview), but it’s still rooted in the ingredients and principles he grew up appreciating in rural Georgia. Get a taste of Gillespie’s favorites with recipes for Spiced Brown Sugar Ham, Creamless Creamed Corn with Mushrooms and Lemon, Skillet-Roasted Spiced Okra, Lentils in Herb-Arugula Yogurt, and more.
Kevin Gillespie and the Restaurant of a Lifetime
Creamless Creamed Corn with Mushrooms and Lemon
“My granny taught me that when corn is very fresh, the juices are naturally creamy,” Kevin Gillespie says. “I took that as the gospel.” He grates half of the corn so it becomes naturally creamy without added dairy.
Toasted Farro with Greens and Tahini
Gillespie shares that toasting roasted farro — a sturdy wheat — in a skillet gives it a toasty, pleasingly chewy texture that makes it taste and feel almost like popcorn. Baby turnip greens or spinach, along with plenty of parsley, make this a perfect side or salad, especially with a drizzle of pomegranate molasses.
Skillet-Roasted Spiced Okra
Cumin, coriander, paprika, turmeric, and other warm spices pair perfectly with this versatile vegetable. Gillespie shares that skillet-roasting okra in hot oil makes it crispy — should you happen to not appreciate okra’s unique and sometimes polarizing texture.
Lentils in Herb-Arugula Yogurt
Love fresh herbs? Gillespie’s make-ahead side is bursting with parsley, tarragon, and mint, plus cool cucumber and arugula. Toss that together with tender-cooked lentils and low-fat yogurt, and lunch is solved.
Black-Eyed-Pea Salad
Gillespie loves to serve this black-eyed pea, red pepper, and celery salad atop thinly sliced tomatoes because, “They act like a plate underneath.” Dried is fine, but when they’re in season, fresh black-eyed peas ratchet up the pure summer pleasure.
Spiced Brown Sugar Ham with Apple Jus
Here’s some advice for supremely succulent ham and maybe for yourself: It needs rest if it’s going to be tender. “If you can’t pick up the foil-wrapped ham without burning yourself, then it’s not done resting,” says Gillespie.
Country Ham Breakfast Strata
Don’t let a single scrap of that ham go to waste. Not on Gillespie’s watch. He bakes it all together with sourdough, collard greens, eggs, pepper, alliums, and cheese for a hearty strata that’s easy to assemble ahead of time for a weekend brunch.