Notice that each profile has its own color, creating an image like a painter’s palette. Professionals within the food and beverage industry have spent years tasting EVERYTHING to develop their palate to a level in which it registers in shades of flavor much like a painter learns the difference in color between morning light and afternoon sunshine. The more variety they are exposed to taste, the more colorful their repertoire. The more thoroughly they apply the discoveries from their latest ingredient exploration, the more in-tune they become with the subtle shifts in shades of flavor and how they mix or balance one another. For your home cooking or cocktailing, a general rule of thumb is to balance a minimum of three out of the five primary elements of The Flavor Wheel in any dish or drink. As you progress, work toward building that up to all five, or six.

A chef or mixologist designs with the intention of creating a multi-sensory work of art with layers of colors, structure, aromatics, textures, temperatures, and flavors all tied together in a circus balancing act. Beyond the refined skill and raw talent is the vulnerable snapshot of what that human has lived. If culinary art draws from our emotional memories, a completed dish is a vessel for the essence of the artist themself. This is where food becomes personal. This is where chef egos gain their reputation, now displayed all over Netflix. This is why it is rare to find chefs with different backgrounds and styles collaborating. But it is also what makes a friendship like Chef Rose Pebbles at Oz Coffee Bar and Chef Gary Folger of Christina’s American Table beyond beautiful. The unlikely duo has found joy in the contrasting comradery as neighboring transplants on the square in this tiny Texas town. They both compliment and challenge each other with a common desire to offer broader horizons for the guests that frequent their establishments.

Following time of casually chatting in the alley, borrowing ingredients, and fulfilling caffeine needs, a relationship formed between the two businesses. From there sparked the idea of joining forces for a special wine dinner. “Special” became an understatement. Neither party could have predicted the chemistry in the kitchen that June evening. The Yin and Yang of their strengths and knowledge formed the perfect storm for a dazzling five-course meal that began with bacon chandeliers and closed with uncontainable smiles from everyone present. A second collaboration was scheduled for the following quarter before the two crews could come down from the clouds after their first shared spectacle.

Respect and communication developed over the next few months as the Chefs exchanged stories, ideas, and new dishes weekly through the now revolving alley doors.

A keynote of this growth is the communication factor. Both parties have a strong understanding of The Flavor Wheel, how to achieve balance in a dish, and how to use elements around it to highlight strengths on the plate. Beyond this, they maintain an open dialog with their beverage pairing counterparts to accomplish a holistic presentation of each course throughout the meal. This may sound simple, but egos often close ears amongst artists. It is more common than not to find conflict between the food and beverage sides of the business. Both parties often fight for the lead role, but that would not make for a fairytale such as this.

Having prioritized harmony, Chef Rose and Chef Gary were able to up the ante the second go around with a six-course performance featuring boutique Italian wines and local ingredients. Guests were greeted with prosecco at the driveway of a lakeside estate. Classical guitarist, Bryan Burns, filled the air with romantic notes around the two forty-foot community tables lined with burlap and fresh bouquets from nearby B.Blumen Flower Farm. Each course was presented by the Chefs and the Italian wine specialist of Serendipity Wines, who knows each of the winemakers personally. Perfect fall weather and a stunning sunset led to candlelight conversations and dancing. The single word of choice to summarize the second evening curated by the duo and their beverage partners was “magical”. As you may have guessed, a third collaborative event has been scheduled for February 14th, “Love Around the World”, and a fourth for May 16th. Tickets can be found on Eventbrite.

For many chefs, the industry feels less like art and more like a rat race up a cold ladder to nowhere, often ending in burnout. For Rose and Gary, there is no race or ladder. There is only the dance, a constant state of discovery pursuing better ingredients, closer farmers, new techniques, and deeper understanding of flavor simply to turn around and share their humble joy with all of you. Their loving spouses work next to them, and their children are growing up right in the middle of the act. It is a lifestyle of learning and teaching simultaneously, always seeking to unearth the next colorful moment of “awe”. There is no “crashing chord” to work toward for these two. Instead, only the love of the perpetual tango toward best practices for themselves, their families, and their ever-growing tribe where all are welcome who, too, hear the music. 

There is only the dance, it is a constant state of discovery pursuing better ingredients, nearby farmers, new techniques, and a deeper understanding of flavor.

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