FEATURED CHEF

Executive Chef John McClure from Starker's Restaurant

Posted: 2/1/2010

BIO:

Executive Chef John McClure joined Starker’s Restaurant in 2005 and purchased the restaurant the following year. After growing up on a cattle ranch in Tescott, Kan., where he was ‘spoiled’ by fresh, homemade food prepared by his mother and grandmothers, McClure completed high school and worked as a Navy chef on an aircraft carrier stationed in Japan, for three years. He later attended the Culinary Institute of America, in Hyde Park, New York, and worked at Kansas City’s renowned American Restaurant after graduation. McClure learned Creole and Cajun cooking techniques while working at Brigtsen’s Restaurant in New Orleans, and then learned French techniques as a sous chef at 40 Sardines, before he moved to Starker’s.

PHILOSOPHY:

“If you get a dish here you’ll know exactly what it is by looking at it – but with an elegant presentation,” McClure says. “We start with great ingredients and go from there. We offer a lot of soul-satisfying recipes such as fried chicken, mashed potatoes, and green beans, and we serve richer, heartier dishes in the winter.”

FEATURED CHEF ARCHIVES

Anourom Thomson
from Hereford House (posted 9/1/2010)

Executive Chef Andy Ward
from b:2 a burger boutique (posted 8/1/2010)

Marshall Roth
from Cafe Verona (posted 7/1/2010)

Robert Padilla
from Trezomare (posted 6/1/2010)

Chef Michael Smith
from Extra Virgin (posted 5/1/2010)

Executive Chef Charles d'Ablaing
from Webster House (posted 4/1/2010)

Chef Bob Brassard
from The Broadmoor Bistro (posted 3/1/2010)

Executive Chef John McClure
from Starker's Restaurant (posted 2/1/2010)

John Westerhaus and Chase Wilcox
from WestChase Grille (posted 1/1/2010)

Jennifer Maloney
from Cafe Sebastienne (posted 12/1/2009)

Jim Dennis
from Jardine's (posted 11/1/2009)

Linda Duerr
from Zest (posted 10/1/2009)

Mano Rafael
from Le Fou Frog (posted 9/1/2009)

Don Pepe
from Johnny Cascone's (posted 8/1/2009)

Tomas di Gregorio
from Em Chamas Brazilian Grill (posted 7/1/2009)

Amy Presson
from Marina Grog & Galley (posted 6/1/2009)

English Renshaw
from La Bodega (posted 5/1/2009)

Ryan Kelly
from Garozzo's Ristorante (posted 4/1/2009)

Leon Bahlmann
from Cafe Trio (posted 3/1/2009)

Greg Hunsucker
from V's Italiano Ristorante (posted 2/1/2009)

Patrick Williams
from Pierpont's at Union Station (posted 1/1/2009)

WHAT'S SO GREAT ABOUT INDEPENDENT CHEFS?

Independent restaurants mean fresher ingredients, chef dedicated to using the best ingredients in season, attention to detail, and many other things that you would expect.