Eric Johnson, Chef

    Two catalogues ago we commented on the rise of gourmet cooking in America.  One example of that in our local Beaver Valley is the opening of Eric and Renee's Gourmet Takeout.  The chef owner is Eric Johnson, a graduate of the Culinary Institute of America.  Eric's cooking career began as a child in his grandmother Clara's kitchen in Berkeley, California.  He helped her with holiday baking:  Christmas bread, crescent rolls, cookies, and pies.  When he was eight, he opened a concession stand at an apple ranch near Placerville.  He made crepes with an apple filling topped with cider rum sauce and whipped cream.  They sold for 50 cents each!  The patrons enjoyed the crepes at picnic tables with a view of the picturesque Sierra Nevada Mountains.  Eric made the crepes every fall until he was eighteen.

    Eric spent a year at the University of Nevada in the hotel management program.   However, he was not happy; he wanted to spend his time preparing food.  So he enrolled at the Culinary Institute of America in New York.  During his first stint in the Escoffier kitchen, he was assigned the most difficult station:  vegetable, starch, and soufflé.  Eric did such a superb job that at the end of six days, Master Chef Papini told Eric he would be his next fellow in the kitchen.  Thus, after graduation, Eric worked as Papini's fellow managing the kitchen and directing the students for lunch preparation.

    Eric then moved back to California.  He worked in a number of restaurants, including the Claremont Resort & Tennis club in Berkeley where he met Renee, who was Director of Purchasing.  Renee is a native of the Beaver Valley and brought Eric back to her home.  This year they opened a gourmet takeout store, preparing lunch and dinner.   Eric's specialty is sautéing and flaming. For information, call (724) 847-3742.

    Two lines of cookware Eric uses and treasures are Demeyere Pans, designed by chefs for chefs, and Messermeister Cutlery, the Solingen knife with the most advanced design.