Sunday, October 2, 2011

Russ...

I have been remiss in posting, it may be a significant downfall of making these musings interesting and engaging. For that I apologize.

We have turned a corner at the space, and for now, we have been able to move forward at a good pace. We have framed the interior walls, the kitchen, dry storage, and the bar. We will finish up the dish room walls at the start of the week. We have had the good fortune of working with a carpenter, Dudley, who has served as a tutor and mentor through the process. He graciously humors Gavin and I, keeping an eye on our progress and work, making suggestions, giving advice, and genuinely just sharing his knowledge of all things structural and wood. It has been a wonderful learning process, I will forever be indebted. One of the most wonderful aspects of the process has been our involvement. We are responsible for each step, we know the reasons each board, hole, or screw went where they did. We have started pouring through our reclaimed wood, assessing its soundness, strength, and best use. We have chosen the bartop, thanks again Dudley, and have built a prototype table (okay that was actually Isaac Chadwick and Justin Forrest). We've debated the best way to sand and finish the lumber. And our fantastic neighbor, Ned Savoie has lent us a joiner that should put an end to the only table dilemma we faced.

At the start of October, we have a realistic date for opening, beautiful floors, a cool ceiling, and the bones for a fantastic restaurant. Our homes are crammed with equipment, furnishings, and miscellany. Our business cards, gift certificates, and t-shirts are printed and perfect.

I think we are in good spirits and have a pretty good idea of how this is going. The plumbing is almost complete, the electrician should be in this coming week, and after that sheetrock, mud, and tape. Then paint and the reclaimed wood. October 10th the new exterior doors. The banquet-- poplar, I think, will be built and installed about that same time. Gavin and his parents are building the large trestle table for the front window.  Jeremy LeClair is building a letterpress, for Buoy and ourselves to share. More on that later. It feels as though things are as they should be.

But the overall arc of this list of things we have done or are doing is pretty simple. We are ultimately using will, patience, and love to craft what will be our new home. We have been blessed by a community that supports us at each turn... Our neighbors, in the building and around Kittery, our friends, tradesmen, plumbers, our families, and all of the tremendously talented people who continue to lend their time and ideas. It is a pretty simple vision... good, honest food done impeccably well; beer, wine and cocktails to match.

A great deal of what we love is provenance. We like knowing the how, why and even when of what we do. Whether we are building a mint julep or a kitchen wall, the importance of that knowing is not diminished. This process of building the restaurant, of doing it with our hands, is an expression of that principle. It is a principle we intend on carrying on everyday in the restaurant. It feels like we are off to a good start.

Our Chef

We had envisioned announcing Jake Smith's position as our executive chef as something noteworthy. And we believe that Jake's joining us is a coup-- it validates our efforts on a very real level. Jake's energy is unmatched, his ability to cook is met by few rivals, but beyond all that he is a chef. Jake is a leader in the kitchen, a role-model behind the line and just about anywhere in the house. When we first started discussing Jake in our kitchen we thought it a pipedream, I shared dinner with him over the summer at a friends home. We talked about The Black Birch before it had a name, Jake offered guidance, and talked about his own career in Boston. At the time, I didn't think there would be much to bring him back to the area. Thankfully, I was mistaken.

We knew we weren't offering a lot. A modest restaurant, at the time really just a demolished shell and a vision. At the same time, what we offered was also a great deal-- the ability to set a menu, to work in a small kitchen with a direct interaction with customers, and to be part of a small start-up that he could directly and immediately affect. We were offering a chance to work hand in hand with us to build a restaurant and a future. It sounds cliche, but there is a great deal of truth to it. We weren't looking for a chef to open our restaurant, we had found a chef with whom we wanted to partner. Jake brings an immeasurable energy, he is driven, is almost always in good spirits, is passionate about food and cooking it, and is contagious. His smile and exuberance spread through a room.

So the announcement of our chef didn't have much rollout or fanfare, but I am not sure that either of those things are what the Black Birch will be known for. The announcement of our chef was more about quiet jubilation, about personal and professional satisfaction, and about Gavin and I knowing that our food was something we were very much looking forward to.