Jeremiah Langhorne | Chef de Cuisine
In his current role as chef de cuisine, Langhorne oversees day-to-day operations of the restaurant and manages a staff of over 20 employees. He works daily with Executive Chef Sean Brock and local farmers and purveyors to craft the upcoming nights menu out of the finest and freshest product.
Langhorne’s current position is a far cry from his first foray into the restaurant industry as a pizza deliveryman in Charlottesville, VA. “I worked in a small Italian restaurant and saw the guys in the kitchen working on a new dish,” he recalls. “They were really enjoying the process; it was very spontaneous. It made me realize I wanted to do that because I responded to it as a positive way to be creative.”
Inspired by that moment, Langhorne, started helping out in the kitchen and began to seek out further learning opportunities. Langhorne drove a fish delivery truck at 4am in the morning to have the opportunity to learn how to butcher fish, and began working for no pay at the acclaimed OXO restaurant in Charlottesville. Langhorne learned quickly under the classically trained English Chef John Haywood at OXO and soon became part of the kitchen staff. By the time he left, Langhorne was the executive sous chef.
After spending a short time in Colorado, Langhorne returned to the Southeast to stage at McCrady’s, before being hired on as a line cook. “I had read Sean’s blog and was intrigued by how he was incorporating the use of modern techniques into Southern cuisine,” he says. “My first day at the restaurant I realized I wanted to work here because everyone was so excited about what they were doing.”
After spending a short time in Colorado, Langhorne returned to the Southeast to stage at McCrady’s, before being hired on as a line cook. “I had read Sean’s blog and was intrigued by how he was incorporating the use of modern techniques into Southern cuisine,” he says. “My first day at the restaurant I realized I wanted to work here because everyone was so excited about what they were doing.”
Langhorne traveled to Noma in Copenhagen, Denmark, to complete a two-month stage and returned to take over as a sous chef. He was promoted to chef de cuisine in spring 2011. Langhorne relishes working on special projects such as the charcuterie program, as well as developing new one such as the restaurant’s rooftop garden. Langhorne also enjoys foraging nearby for wild ingredients to include in his dishes. “I have a big focus on natural elements,” he notes. “I describe my food as modern Southern cuisine with indigenous ingredients, which displays a connection with the land. It’s all about showcasing the place where we live and eat.”
Langhorne currently lives in Charleston. When he’s not in the kitchen, he’s busy traveling, foraging, studying plants, and the history of food.
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