Chef Chad Kelley STILL a hit at the Meddlesome Moth

He may no longer be present daily at the Meddlesome Moth, but Chef Chad Kelley's yummy creations still live fondly in the hearts of Dallas locals, as the Moth gets voted as one of the Best Brunch Spots in Dallas.  :)  His brunch specials, unchanged since his departure, are still getting rave reviews! :)

D Magazine.com - 2012 March - The Best Brunch Spots in Dallas

Exit Strategy -

Now that the cat is officially out of the bag… (you can see the “breaking news story” by heading over to  DMagazine’s Side Dish Blog ...we can finally announce that Chef Chad Kelley has left the building. Literally. Well actually.. he left the Moth as Executive Chef…this past Saturday.

For those who know us, know that this isn’t much of a surprise. After a little more than two crazy (and.. most of the time, very frustrating years..) we both decided it was time to focus on US. Focus on finding that culinary passion and inspiration again. Focus on bringing CHAD to the people. No holds barred. No restraints. No reservations.

We are beyond thrilled about our future plans to focus on a new restaurant we can call our own. Something Chad’s been talking and dreaming about since before we even met. It seemed like the perfect time to break away from the chaos and frustrations that came with running this restaurant and get re-inspired again.

Because opening your own restaurant won’t happen overnight.. and while we continue to finalize our business plan and get our finances in order (currently open to potential investors ;).. Chad is taking time away to re-charge, re-focus, re-invent and " Chadify" new and exciting recipes for our very own concept. We couldn’t be more thrilled at the prospect of actually having TIME to spend together.. WEEKENDS to be a normal couple!!...and the chance to perfect Dallas’ next great concept restaurant! There’s some exciting things in store for us, that’s for sure... STAY TUNED!

Currently taking reservations for our Menu Tasting / Recipe Experiment Sessions. ;) Sign up today!!

Giving Thanks..

Giving Thanks in the tastiest way possible.  :)  Grubbin' down (or attempting to.. I, of course, was sick :( on this super slooooow Thanksgiving.  Because I had already spent the weekend back home, I spent this day relaxing for the majority of the day until it came time to head down to the restaurant to have dinner with a condensed version of our family (our brother-in-law Ryan and his dad Mike) and Chad (who of course...had to work...DOUBLE BOOOOOOO for making people work on Thanksgiving, who does THAT?! Bleh..)  The only good thing about the restaurant being open... we had the WHOLE place to ourselves!! 

The food was amazing as always.. :) 

A traditional turkey dinner...

Sweet potatoes with a candied glaze, pecans and blue cheese (which I USUALLY hate...but was ACTUALLY soooo tasty!!)  

Wild Rice with butternut squash

Green Bean Casserole

Chef Chad Kelley - New Fall Menu Items

Upon returning from our ultra fabulous trip to Europe...Chad hit the ground running at the restaurant trying to roll out a few items for the fall menu.  How that boy manages to do all that he does, as well as he does it, I'll never know. 

And these things may, or may not have been consumed in one sitting.. With friends of course.. ;)  Gotta love being the wife of a chef! 

Ricotta Gnocchi with Swiss Chard

Shin and Mac and Cheese with Pistachio Pesto and Roasted Yellow Tomato

Roasted Beet Salad with Chevre, Toasted Pecans and Apple Cider Vinaigrette

Butternut Squash Risotto

Blue Crab Fritters with Red Pepper Remoulade

Hungry Farmer Cheese Plate

Baked Brie with Apricot Chutney

Henry's Homade Pumpkin Pie Ice Cream :) 

Meddlesome Moth Menu Changes - Coming Soon

As The Moth prepares for a revamped menu, set to be unveiled in the coming weeks, I'll get teaser pictures like THESE from Chad every so often as he plays in the kitchen... letting me know what he's up to...and just to get my tummy grumbling.  :) 

Prosciutto and Pear Salad with Parmesan, Spanish Olive Oil and Saba

Chilled Steak and Iceberg Salad

"Great Beer Deserves Great Food" - Interview w/ Chef Chad Kelley

The Great Beer Deserves Great Food blog explores all things related to Great Beer and Great Food. It presents upcoming premier food and drink events. Recaps premier food and drink events we’ve attended. Showcases chefs and restaurants that are doing exciting pairings. It shares inspired pairings and recipes − ours, yours, the chefs. And it will do more as the menu expands.

The Great Beer Deserves Great Food blog also links you to others exploring and exalting beer and food. Finally, it is an arena for conversations which we invite you to join.

There is no doubt that Great Beer deserves a place at the table with Great Food. We dedicate the Great Beer Deserves Great Food blog to spreading the word. We welcome everyone to join in.

Interview with Chad Kelley of The Meddlesome Moth

Posted on September 7, 2011 by GBDGF

Chef Chad Kelley

Executive Chef of The Meddlesome Moth

1621 Oak Lawn, Dallas, TX 75207

http://www.mothinthe.net/

Brief Bio

Originally from Southern California, I attended Culinary School at the California Culinary Academy in San Francisco and then started heading east. Made a pit stop in Flagstaff, AZ where I worked at a local brew pub- Beaver Street Brewery. Eventually I made it to Indianapolis where I began with The Oceanaire. I was with them for 6 years in every role the kitchen had to offer, eventually landing in Dallas as the Executive Chef for the Galleria location. The Moth was a new and cool concept starting that was all about craft beer. It was very different from what I was doing at The Oceanaire, so, naturally I made the transition. I wanted the new challenge of doing something completely different in Dallas and really push some of the limits of what Dallasites would eat. Here at The Meddlesome Moth its all about sharing a wide variety of exotic foods while sipping on some of the best craft beers on the market.

Why is the pairing of food & beer important to you? Its all about showing people that you can pair great beers with great food the same way as with wine. You can have that awesome experience and be blown away at how the beer and food interact with each other. How flavors you didn’t taste before start coming out – it’s all about keeping people excited.

What got you started on pairing food & beer? The Meddlesome Moth was my real first intro into beer and food. I spent about a year drinking every beer I could get my hands on in the great state of Texas. With each tasting I would break it down into the basics. Aromas… Hops… Malts… Mouth feel… How does it start, what kind of back bone does it have and how does it finish. It can be much more challenging to get the perfect pairing with beer. Craft Beers are definitely more food friendly and more forgiving if you don’t have the perfect pairing but when you hit it right on the sweet spot it’s a whole new experience and that’s what I strive for.

Who are the chefs you admire? Eric Ripert for his amazing skills with seafood. Feran Adria for his insane approach to “cooking”, Gordon Ramsey for saying everything I want to say but would get fired for, Dan Barber for his true Farm to Table restaurant and Paul Kahn for simple yet really cool food.

What are some of your favorite pairings?

(1)La Trappe Quad with Saint Andre Triple Cream adorned with a Black Plum – Currant Chutney.

(2)Houblon Chouffe with Crispy Orange Peel Beef and Jasmine Rice. Sounds odd but it’s a great pairing.

(3)Avery Salvation with Pan Seared Scallops with Parsnip Puree and Pickled Golden Raisins.

Favorite style / beer to pair with? Any beer with a Belgian Yeast in it is great for pairing. The sweet clove spice and banana notes create a lot of versatility for a chef. One example was the Rare VOS that I paired with a Caribbean Style Jerk Chicken and accented it with a Banana “Ketchup”. Flavors of Jamaican Allspice, Coriander, Golden Raisins and Dark Rum blend perfectly with this brew.

Favorite all time beer? Dogfish Head Squall

Feature dish in which you pair beer with food or use beer in preparing the dish? Ommegang Witte paired with an Arugula Salad topped with Shaved Fennel, Finnochiona and Granny Smith Apples.

Thoughts on the future of food & beer in fine dining? This is just the beginning. People are really just starting to see the full potential of the craft beer movement.

Favorite restaurant in a city not your own? Hudson House in Redondo Beach, CA – They are doing the same thing with craft beer and food as we are here in Dallas. The team also just opened up a new place I have yet to visit called The Tripel.

Recipe-

A simple Summer Salad using Fresh Baby Arugula or Wild Rocket.

Toss with a touch of Spanish Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Fresh Lemon Juice, Salt and Black Pepper.

Place into a bowl and then top with Raw Fennel that has been shaved as thinly as possible, Green Apples cut in just the same way and a light Italian fennel sausage called Finnochiona.

New Belgium Brewing Beer Dinner @ The Meddlesome Moth

Like he's done so many times before, Chef Chad Kelley, great husband of mine :) and all around culinary rock star ;), hit it out of the park last night as The Moth crew hosted Sensory Specialist Lauren Salazar from New Belgium Brewing.  The unique and playful menu was specifically created to highlight New Belgium's rare Lips of Faith series of ales while Lauren took to the mic to give her take on the unique flavor profiles of each beer selection.   

You can read about what The Dallas Observer's, City of Ate said about the dinner here or what D Magazine's Side Dish said, here OR....for even MORE Kelley Blog Fun, you can head back to our original post about this particular dinner HERE!  :)

But that's enough reading.. check out the pictures I took last night.  Gotta love my super tasty photography gig!  :) 

First Course: Pate de canard and chicharrones de pato (duck pate with crispy duck pork rinds) with a dried cherry compote paired with Transatlantique Kreik

Should I feel special to get THESE types of silly faces from the Chef himself?  ;) 

 I'm sure not many photographers get to capture this side of my husband... silly boy.  :)

Second Course:  Roasted beet salad with an almond gazpacho and white balsamic syrup
Served alongside Biere de Mars

 

The best part of my "job" on this evening.. taking pictures.. then eating my subjects!!  ;)

Captured with my Iphone. 

Third Course:  Breast of Guinea fowl with curry potato croquettes, arugula puree,

and dried mango chutney paired with Super Cru

 

Love me a sea of sparkling wine glasses... Gets me every single time.  :)

Fourth Course:  Wild California Sturgeon filet with tempura pineapple and a "coke" glaze,

served with Dunkel-weiss, a "grand cru dunkel-weiss"

 

Almost ready for the next course..

Fifth Course:  Pork belly confit with Cannellini beans and a rosemary pesto

with roasted grape demiglaze served with La Folie 

 

Chef Chad Kelley, working the line..

Last but not certainly not least..

Sixth Course:  Sticky Bun Bread Pudding, Henry's Rum Raisin Ice Cream and Black Plum Port Sauce

Paired with Abbey Grand Cru

Chef Chad with Guest of Honor, Lauren Salazar

What a Tease...

It really is a good thing the restaurant isn't necessarily convenient for me to get to during the day...or after work for that matter.  Unlike the Oceanaire (where Chad used to be the Executive Chef) that just so happened to be on my way home.. The Moth and all this Chef Chad Kelley goodness is just far enough out of reach to keep me on some sort of reasonable diet plan.  What a tease though.  Iphone pictures via text... I'm beginning to hate you.  ;)  If the quality of these pictures gets any better I might just start trying to lick the screen... lol!  Too far??  Yeah.. I'm thinking just a little.. lol.  But still.  Look at all that freakin' yummy SUGAR-NESS!!

Croissant Bread Pudding with Nutella Cream...

Seriously Mr. Kelley?! I'm DIABETIC!

Why must you torture me so????!!!  That's. just. MEAN!!

Burgundy Pasture Burger

1000 island, heirloom tomatoes, Tillamook Cheddar and Horseradish Pickles

A menu staple.. Reviewed by some Dallas area bloggers as one of the best in the city..

and this pretty little number..

Watermelon and Quinoa Salad

(Dinner Special last night...)



It's What's For Dinner...

So you're obviously too late to partake in The Moth's daily lunch special for today....

(but here's a little looksie anyway on what you missed... just to get your mouth watering.... ;)

The "Californian"  - Chilled Zucchini, Avocado and Sprouts with whipped Chèvre and Parmesan Chips

The good thing is...

It's not too late for DEEENER!! ;)  Come and Get it!

Spicy Eggplant Tartare with Chive Pesto 

Pictured with one of my favorite summer beers - Southern Star Bombshell Blonde :)

Pictures brought to you by: Meddlesome Moth Facebook Page. 

Food brought to you by:  Chef Chad Kelley and Company :)

New Belguim Brewery Beer Dinner - Coming Soon

I honestly have no freakin' idea how he does it. 

12 hour days on his feet...moving, prepping, scheduling, managing, ordering, COOKING...making sure food goes out on time, piping hot, perfectly cooked, well seasoned, well dressed, just like you ordered it...making sure the line knows what they should be doing and how they need to be doing it...all while keeping a watchful eye that everything and everyONE is in sync to produce that perfect plate of yummy-ness. 

If you've ever paid attention to how a successful restaurant kitchen is run, you'll know that besides the day-to-day chaos of trying to keep ALL of THAT in check... you still have to prepare for the NEXT great thing to bring in new customers.  How My Chef has time to think of these off-the-wall, BUT TASTY menu items (chicharrones de pato, anyone??) for special beer dinners while running and managing the kitchen during day-to-day operations.. I'll never know... but he's doing it again.  And this time, D Magazine's SideDish is helping spread the word.  I've heard seats are still available.  Get 'em while you can! 

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Brews News: Lips of Faith Pairing Dinner With Beer Expert Lauren Salazar at Meddlesome Moth - by Sarah Reiss for D Magazine's SideDish

On Monday, Sept. 12 at 6 pm, Lauren Salazar, sensory specialist and educator for New Belgium Brewery, will be at Meddlesome Moth for a night of rare beers, delicious food pairings, and entertaining discourse on New Belgium’s rare Lips of Faith series of ales. Lauren has been with New Belgium for close to 15 years and has been instrumental in developing their Lips of Faith beer program, which focuses on beer experimentation, smaller batch limited releases, special barrel-aged releases, and a combination of old world brewing techniques meeting new world imagination.

Each course will be paired with a beer selection from her prized cellar and will include:

jump for the menu…

First course:
Pate de canard and chicharrones de pato (duck pate with crispy duck pork rinds) paired with Transatlantique Kreik, a spontaneously fermented Lambic ale made with Polish cherries

Second course:
Roasted beet salad with an almond gazpacho and white balsamic syrup, served alongside Biere de Mars

Third course:
Breast of Guinea fowl with curried potatoes, arugula puree, and dried mango chutney paired with Super Cru

Fourth course:
Wild California Sturgeon filet with tempura pineapple and a “cherry coke” glaze, served with Dunkel-weiss, a “grand cru dunkel-weiss”

Fifth course:
Pork belly confit with Cannellini beans and a rosemary pesto with roasted grape marmalade served with La Folie

Dessert
Sticky bun bread pudding served with an Abbey Grand Cru.

Tickets for the event are $85, which includes tax and gratuity, and can be purchased by calling 214-628-7900. Tickets are limited, and reservations are required.

Another Fabulous Chef Chad Kelley Special

Scallops with Texas Sweet Corn and Chorizo Butter

All brought to you and brilliantly created (and executed) by this incredibly handsome dude right here... ;)

Sorry ladies, he's taken.  ;)

This is Chad, letting his creative juices flow...and putting them down on paper, so he doesn't forget!  

Spam.a.lot. :)

It's funny and amazing how Chef brain's work...well I can't speak for every Chef I guess... so let me start again.  It's funny and amazing how MY Chef's brain works.  ;)  He's always looking for that ONE random ingredient to try... that one, unknown "What-cha-ma-call-it" to test out as a possible menu item.  When we hit the neighborhood Asian market by our house, we always...and I mean ALWAYS, come home with the most random, off-the-wall ingredients.  Stuff you can't pronounce...stuff in funny packaging...stuff that sometimes...just. doesn't. even. LOOK. right.. but yes, it's in our cart...and yes, my chef is quite excited to try it out.  :)  The good thing about this process though, is that there's always a "taste-testing" phase that goes along with it.  (Thank the Lord, Baby Jesus for THAT.. is all I have to say.. lol)

A few days ago, I got THESE pictures via text.  It wasn't a new asian ingredient, it wasn't a new spice... It really WAS as if he just ran out of things to experiment with... lol.  Really Chef?...REALLY?!  SPAM?!?!  lol..  It's probably a good thing for everyone that it didn't make it onto the menu.. even as a "special".  ;)  Although he said it was "surprisingly good"...he just couldn't "stomach both halves of the sandwich"...and I'm honestly, not surprised.  :)  Gotta love the hubs though for being creative!  :)

Bacon and Turkey Spam Sandwich with Two Fried Eggs and Tomatoes...