The crackle, the aroma, and the warmth are the comfort we’re all looking for right now. Flavor is our most important job, but ambiance is a close second.
I’ve always insisted on having wood-fired cooking in our restaurants, even when cooking with wood wasn’t cool. It’s a trend I’ve seen come and go a few times over. The first wood-fired grill I installed was at J. Basul Noble—my first restaurant—in High Point in 1984. I opened it after working in the bar business and then discovering the art of pairing food and wine. Because I came to find my culinary passion after college, I had to take myself to school. I bought Julia Child’s Mastering the Art of French Cooking and then discovered Auguste Escoffier, a French chef, restaurateur, and culinary writer. Through their pages, writings, and recipes, those two were not only my professors but also the path to my purpose.
Learning to cook taught me how to treat others well. I tell my team that we’re not in the restaurant business; we’re in the people business. We’re here to serve and take care of people—we are a warm welcome, a comforting meal, an escape from the workday, and restoration for the body and soul.
Comfort has taken on new forms and greater importance over the past year. Being in the people business also means we meet people where they are. This month, we’re rolling out a new to-go package of our Rooster’s classics: rotisserie chicken, mac and cheese, and vegetables—our “greatest hits” in one quick order so that we can help you to easily but thoughtfully feed your family. Copain curates hearty family meal packages like pork bolognese pasta bake and chicken and wild rice casserole as part of its weekly menu. Noble Smoke offers whole proteins and large vegetable portions that could provide dinner in your home for an entire week. And Bossy Beulah’s will deliver The Beaut right to your door. Because, for you, comfort right now may just mean simple and effortless.
We’re working on a new restaurant, The Jimmy, which we plan to open later this year. The menu will be Mediterranean, taking a nod from the trattorias along the coasts of Italy and France. I’ve spent a lot of time working on the playlist, and Dean Martin and the Rat Pack will be on heavy rotation. Their music is a throwback to the post–World War II era when folks were traveling around the world and dining out. It’s a return to joy-filled days following a tumultuous time. And my hope is that The Jimmy will provide the same comfort—a place for people to congregate and celebrate, to leave their worries behind over a bottle of wine, craft Suffolk Punch beers, a martini, the best pizza they’ve ever tasted, and, yes, the crackle of the wood-fired oven.
Chef JIM NOBLE is the executive chef and owner of NOBLE FOOD & PURSUITS. For more information, visit NOBLEFOODANDPURSUITS.COM.