Usually I heavily edit local restaurant PR releases to spare you guys the fluff, but I thought this one, apparently done in-house, was just charming enough to leave intact.
Do any of you Jazz fans out there think Speakeasy could fill even part of the huge gap left by the loss of Jazz Factory?
Here's the news release:
SPEAKEASY CHEF HITS A HIGH NOTE
Downtown New Albany’s SPEAKEASY JAZZ is proud to announce that executive chef Al Papsodero has joined our ensemble following a noteworthy audition. From the minute chef Papsodero pulled his knives from his gig-bag of cutlery, he masterfully orchestrated our kitchen into a symphony of efficiency (or should I say one-man band of ability?). He then composed a medley of motivated dishes that instantly captured the attention of our unsuspecting patrons and staff members, much to the astonishment of myself and fellow owner/entertainer, Lori Tharp. Within an hour, the virtuosic chef had prepared for the entire evening and had delivered his inspired fare to the tables of gracious gastronomes who had seemingly hit the culinary lottery. As far as auditions are concerned, he nailed it.
Long before his journey led him to New Albany, chef Papsodero left a wake of employers and patrons who were equally impressed with his abilities. Whether it’s a food critic’s review or an employer’s recommendation, his résumé and portfolio are stellar. After cutting his culinary teeth at Mario’s, a big Brooklyn, NY family-style institution, he ventured to Norfolk, VA, where he was soon discovered by food columnist, Sam Martinette, who stated in one review that executive chef Papsodero’s extensive culinary experience rates a separate column.
Papsodero began to make his mark at Café Rosso, as opening chef at the age of 25. A year later, he was chef at Taboo, in Chesapeake. The Painted Lady was next, where he quickly moved from sous chef to running the kitchen. Papsodero emerged as a name chef at Basil, following enthusiastic reviews of his food. It was there that he caught the attention of Neal Castaldi. . .
It was Neal Castaldi who plucked Papsodero from Basil to be corporate chef for Castaldi’s Market & Grill. His duties included traveling to Detroit, Tampa, Atlanta, and points beyond to help get new units of the Italian-themed eatery known for singing servers off the ground. Following this, Papsodero served as corporate executive chef for other companies including hotels and casinos. This excerpt sheds some light on the work ethic that garnered him much of that early success:
“I learned some classic older techniques of the business from Monroe (Duncan),” Papsodero said, “I really respect him. Cooks these days have no idea how challenging it was to be a line cook in the late 1970’s and 80’s. There weren’t as many shortcuts, and you never questioned the chef or talked back. You listened and you learned.”
Bringing on a new chef is exciting - especially when it‘s a good fit. “I think I can sleep tonight”, remarked Lori, “We’re in good hands”. This is an understatement, however true. By the end of his first shift at SPEAKEASY, chef Papsodero had taken it upon himself to repair or improve the performance of every major piece of equipment in the kitchen. Since then, he and his crew have completely transformed the space into an almost unrecognizable facility of efficiency. “Is this guy for real?”, I asked. “It’s nice to see this kind of commitment to one‘s craft. It makes me feel like I should go home and practice my trumpet.” Now, with the addition of some of his signature dishes, chef Papsodero has also transformed the SPEAKEASY menu and the expectations of our regular patrons. I get a kick out of watching everyone’s facial expressions as they catch their first glimpse of a new entrée. We can only imagine what will happen when word gets out.
- Bradley Scott Tharp