December 2013 – Lisa L. Bynum – Writer + Blogger + Virtual Assistant

A Cut (of Beef) Above the Rest: Kathryn’s serves up steakhouse favorites for more than 20 years

Portico Jackson
December 2013

It’s rare that a restaurant stands the test of time for almost a quarter of a century. Founded in 1989, Kathryn’s Steakhouse has seen generations of hungry metro-area patrons pass through its doors. Every time they come back, they know they’ll get the same quality food and the same level of service.

Kathryn’s was founded in 1979 under the name Brandi’s Steakhouse. In 1989, the restaurant moved to its current location and reopened under the name Kathryn’s, after the founder’s daughter. Current owner Kerry Brashear worked under the original owner during the early days of his carrer in the food industry. However, at the young age of 26, Brashear found himself the owner of his own restaurant when he purchased Kathryn’s in 1991.

Brashear attributes several factors to his continued success. Most importantly, is the food. Many of the original steakhouse recipes and cooking techniques first developed by longtime chef George Philips back in 1979 are still served today. Phillips passed away in 2000, and the restaurant’s Redfish by George is named in his honor. Kathryn’s is one of the few restaurants in the area to serve prime rib, along with filets, New York strips, and rib eyes.

It was Brashear’s decision to add seafood to the menu. In addition to redfish, the selection includes shrimp, scallops, halibut, and yellowfin tuna, which won best entrée at Taste of Mississippi in 2012 and 1st place at Blues by Starlight for the last two years. The restaurant’s kitchen was recently remodeled, doubling its size and allowing Brashear to add even more variety to the menu.

Second, Brashear keeps the menu affordable from food to the wine list. The restaurant has specials every night of the week, including the $15 prime rib entrée on Sunday, which has become a big hit with the after church crowd.

“I want someone to be able to afford to come in, have a good meal, a glass of wine, and have a good time,” Brashear explains. “You get a better value for your money when you eat here.”

Third, the restaurant features live entertainment seven nights a week. Brashear tries to appeal to everyone, so he has featured everything from one-piece solo acts to five-piece bands. He also renovated his bar area to incorporate several flat panel televisions and created a bar and grill menu for patrons who want to grab a bite to eat while watching the game.

Among some of Kathryn’s more popular steakhouse dishes include their green gradoo spinach casserole, Chef Phillips original bleu cheese dressing, broiled tomatoes with cheese, and potatoes au gratin. As for popular entrees, Brashear says it’s a tie between the filet and the award-winning yellowfin tuna.

Because they have been such a mainstay in the community, Brashear has taken strides to support several local charities. They frequently participate in events such as Taste of Mississippi, benefiting Stewpot Community Services, and Battle of the Bartenders, which supports The Mississippi Burn Foundation.

“I like to be involved in the community and support charities that keep the money here in our own backyard,” he says.

Over the last two decades, Brashear has watched as his restaurant has grown from steakhouse into the popular bar and grill it has become today. While other eateries come and go, he is confident that Kathryn’s will still be around for the next generation of foodies.

“Our food is better than most, and that is why we have stayed in business for 22 years,” he adds. “We have something for everybody, whether its steaks, burgers, soup or salad. People like our staff, so we have a lot of regulars. We are kind of like the local hangout for this area. Once people come, they are likely to come back because they had a good meal and a good time.”

Town and Gown

Candy Cane Indulgence

Town & Gown
December 2013
Cover and Recipes

Recipes included chocolate and peppermint cheesecake cupcakes, peppermint meringue cookies, and gingerbread candy cane latte.

Sample recipe below. Click here for the e-dition of this magazine.

Gingerbread Candy Cane Latte
Gingerbread Candy Cane Simple Syrup:
• 1 1/2 cups water
• 3/4 cup dark brown sugar
• 1 candy cane, broken into pieces
• 2 tablespoons molasses
• 1 inch fresh gingerroot, thinly sliced ( or 1 tablespoon ground ginger)
• 1 (3-inch) cinnamon stick
• 8 whole cloves
• 1/2 teaspoon allspice
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
Latte:
• 8 ounces strong brewed coffee
• 1 cup milk
• Gingerbread candy cane simple syrup, to taste
• Whipped cream and crushed candy canes, optional

For the simple syrup:
Combine all ingredients in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium high heat. Reduce heat to medium low and simmer for 20 minutes or at least until the candy is melted. Strain liquid, discarding any solids.

For the latte:
In a small saucepan, heat milk just until heated through.
Froth milk with a frother or pour milk into blender. Vent the lid and frappe just until foamy.
Pour coffee into two mugs.
Stir 1/2 cup milk into each mug.
Add simple syrup to each mug to taste.

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eat.drink.Mississippi

Play with Your Food: David Leathers

eat.drink.MISSISSIPPI
December / January 2013

If asked about his childhood, chef and Mississippi native David Leathers likes to joke, “I had a dad that believed in child labor.” Beginning at eight years old, Leathers worked in the kitchen of his parent’s barbecue restaurant in Fulton, Miss.

“Even before I became interested in becoming a chef, cooking was always been a part of who I was,” he explains. “It was our livelihood.”

Leathers attributes the work ethic his father instilled in him at a young age as a contributing factor for his success later in life. At eighteen, Leathers left small town Mississippi to attend culinary school at the former Pennsylvania School of Culinary Arts in Pittsburg. He admits the move was a bit of a culture shock, but he would later go on to graduate at the top of his class. During his studies, an instructor gave him a bit of advice that would impact his career path.

“This particular instructor told me to find a specialty that makes you different from all the other chefs,” Leathers says. He was inspired to take up food carving based on a book he owned by famous food sculptor Xiang Wang. When Leathers discovered that Wang taught classes at The Andy Mannhart Academy in Luzern, Switzerland, he enrolled himself and was on a plane to Europe.

Where Pennsylvania was a culture shock, the young chef quickly fell in love with Switzerland.

“It is a beautiful country,” he adds. “I didn’t want to leave.” He did face one unique challenge, however, that most students don’t usually deal with on their first day of class. Wang only spoke two languages – Mandarin Chinese and Swiss-German. While it may seem impossible to take instruction from someone who doesn’t speak your language, Leathers discovered that the language barrier wasn’t really a barrier after all.

“It didn’t matter that we didn’t speak the same language,” Leathers recalls, “It was more important that I was able to observe him and see his instruction rather than hear it.” His experience would later inspire him to release three instructional DVD’s on the art of food carving.

David’s talents have garnered several TV appearances, most notably on TLC’s Extreme Food Sculptures. During the show, Leathers constructed a life-sized sculpture of a woman in a masquerade mask to serve as the centerpiece for a charity ball in Louisiana. The entire piece took 72 hours to construct.

Leathers eventually went on to launch his own brand of merchandise through his company Food Stylin. The product line includes T-shirts and his own line of kid-safe knives. Today, he frequently uses his talents to teach kids about healthy eating. He makes frequent visits to elementary schools throughout the year and hopes to combat childhood obesity by finding ways to make eating fruits and vegetables fun.

“We have become a generation of convenience. It’s not just about eating healthy food; it’s about eating real food. Not everything comes out of a package.” he says. “I had a little girl ask me once what my favorite vegetable was. When I told her asparagus, her response was, ‘Ew, yuck. Gross!’ I could tell from her response that this little girl had never actually tried asparagus. I decided I wanted to visit every school in that community and let every kids try asparagus. Once they have the opportunity to try it, they can make their own decision.”

Leathers believes that by allowing kids to be involved in the meal process, it will open them up to trying new foods. He hopes to be able to share his message with a wider audience through a children’s television show titled Play with Your Food currently in the works with PBS.

“It’s a tactic I use with my own five-year-old son,” he says. “By giving kids ownership, they take pride in what they are eating. The most important ingredient is making things fun.”