Personal Chef Waylon Rivers

By Anna Eatz Jax

There is growing number of young, talented chefs in the Jacksonville food scene. The new guard taught by the current superstars and a magnificent job they did. Today there was an opportunity to interview one of these young chefs. He and his team rule the kitchen at Black Sheep Restaurant in Riverside; Waylon Rivers is well on his way to the top of his game.

  

Tell us a little bit about yourself?

 I was born and raised here in Jacksonville, and have a wife and three children. I was cooking while in high school and had a job as a dishwasher in a seafood restaurant, but there was no passion for cooking at that time. I then went on to UNF and was still cooking while attending school, when I realized cooking was what I wanted to do, so started taking cooking more seriously and looked for jobs at better restaurants.

 

How about your culinary training? Where did you train to cook?

 After a while, I decided to return to school and get my culinary degree, so I enrolled at FCCJ and completed my training.  When I left school,  I worked at Capital Grill for a while but apprenticed at Restaurant Orsay, where  I started at the bottom and worked my way up.  I also worked a Chew, which was Johns ( Insetta) first restaurant. I moved to Charlotte North Caroline to look at other restaurants.  So when John opened Black Sheep, he called me and asked me to come back.

How long have you been cooking professionally?

I have been in kitchens for fifteen years but cooking professionally for ten years.

What inspires you?

It’s a grind as restaurants are, but getting to cook the food I love is worth it; plus trying to help the city to enjoy the culinary scene and get to know the other amazing chefs that are here. I am attempting to build a real culture for other young chefs.  Hopefully, they are better off when they leave here and have learned and grown in their profession.

Do you have a philosophy when it comes to food and your restaurant?

My style changes a lot; I like to let the ingredients do the talking more than anything else, not to over complicate dishes.  I use the best ingredients and let them shine.

Do you have a signature dish or a favorite dish you enjoy cooking?

One of the first ones would have to be Korean Short Ribs, there is a Southern influence but also mixed with Asian flavors.  It’s one of the favorite menu items. We are always trying to push ourselves to develop amazing dishes. We have our staples but add new items regularly. We recently put a new Vegan dish on the menu, Red Miso Glazed Eggplant with purple rice congee.  It has been well received.

How do you come up with ideas for the dishes in your restaurant?

I tend to write a lot of things down, and then try and piece them together.  When I go to write a menu, I take an element from one spot and try and match it with what I think will work.  It also depends on what products are in season and purchase from the local vendors.

What do you most love about your job?

Just the rush of working in the kitchen, getting busy and all the staff getting together in unison, putting out food perfect every time. Well, that’s the goal, we are not always perfect but chase for that perfection, the high volume and high standards we hold ourselves to, everything about the team is what I love.

If you weren’t cooking, what would you do for a living?

Either working for my dad’s pest control business,  or over the years something in the nutrition field, trying to be more healthy and include exercise as part of the program.

Who would be your “ideal customer”?

Someone who wants to try new food items, strive to introduce people to new dishes or new ingredients in familiar ways. So I like individuals who are willing to take a chance. Hopefully, they will have an amazing experience and expand their knowledge of food at the same time.

What’s your favorite thing about (neighborhood the restaurant is in)?

The area is much different than it was when I first started working here eight years ago. It’s so eclectic which I love. The Five Points area is very walkable, and people are always out and around.

Death Row meal and who’s cooking it? 

Well, chef-wise Thomas Keller, he is the American icon of chefs, all young cooks should know his stuff. As for the food, something simple, fried chicken, rice and gravy, creamed peas and biscuits.  Something like I had with my family growing up at Sunday night dinner.  I could die happy!

Duck-Banh-Mi
Red-miso-glazed-eggplant-with-purple-rice-congee

 

Triple-chocolate-ice-cream-cake