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Warm and comforting memories of holidays celebrated with family and friends are precious, For New York’s only Black chef to hold a Michelin star award, Charlie Mitchell cherishes the time spent with his grandmother during the holiday season. “Some of my memories of being at my grandmother’s house are not even from the morning of Thanksgiving or Christmas, but of seeing how much work she did leading up to it,” says the co-owner of Clover Hill.
As the executive chef of the Michelin-star restaurant in Brooklyn Heights, Mitchell appreciates how much Johnnie Mae Mitchell put into preparing holiday feasts for 25 or more relatives and friends to enjoy.
His experiences seeing Mrs. Mae transform her Georgia home into a restaurant taught him how a great meal could impact people’s lives. “To do all that by herself was very impressive. I don’t even do that now,” Chef Mitchell reflects.
Preserving Mrs. Mae’s Gifts
Clover Hill’s culinary creator preserves what he learned about food, cooking and love from his grandmother by sharing those gifts during his life’s journey. Mrs. Mae would chase him out of the kitchen, but he kept creeping back in.
Cornbread dressing is his favorite holiday dish and the first she taught him. “I think dressing was the first thing that she was like, ‘Okay, this is exactly how I make this,’ because she knew I loved it so much,” he recalls.
The chef’s cornbread dressing sometimes includes his personal twist, like andouille sausage. Yet, his grandmother’s flavors are always present. “I’ve gotten to the point where I make it almost the exact way she makes it. That’s one of those precious things to me. It’s one of those things I’ll make the same way probably forever. I won’t change the way I make it because it’s so nostalgic,” Mitchell continues.
The restaurateur paid homage to his grandmother at a March 13 James Beard Foundation Greens dinner in New York City for foodies under 40. Guests dined on seared scallops with smoked potato and black sea bass with collard greens.
The dishes highlighted his grandmother’s exceptional skills in using braising, smoking and other techniques to give food fabulous flavors. “We incorporated kind of a showcase of the flavors that I truly adored growing up, with collard greens with the entrée and a dessert of sweet potato pie,” says Clover Hill’s co-owner.
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Mitchell admits his grandmother has not given up her sweet potato pie recipe. She tells him he must return to Georgia to learn her secrets. “I can make it, but it is never exactly like hers. I haven’t figured out why yet,” he says. “I only try to make it maybe once a year. Otherwise, I leave it up to her. I just request it when I go home, and she’ll make one for me.”
Third Michelin Award
The dishes Mitchell creates in Clover Hill’s kitchen continue to impress food critics and guests. The chef returned to the Michelin Guide Ceremony on November 8 to accept another one-star award.
The Brooklyn Heights restaurant’s executive chef and partners Clay Castillo and Gabriel Marino opened it in March 2022, the same year Clover Hill received its first Michelin star. “We’re a small restaurant, a small team, so to put together two good years means a lot to us that we were able to maintain and build this reputation and the brand,” Mitchell says.
The Detroit native’s eight-course tasting menu celebrates French and New American influences with quality and seasonal ingredients. Mitchell became the first Black New York chef to receive a Michelin star. He also took home the 2022 Young Chef Award.
The Michelin Guide Point of View states, “…the talented Chef Charlie Mitchell cooks with irresistible suaveness and confidence, making the most out of top-rate ingredients, delicious sauces and thoughtful combinations.”
Clover Hill’s co-owner appreciates the stamp of approval for “high-quality cooking” that the Michelin star represents. “As a restaurant team, it keeps us all motivated. We’re working hard for something that is really nice, whether it is from the viewpoint of our peers or guests. It just means that it is working,” Mitchell comments.
DEWAR’s Double Double 37 Year Old Dinner
The media attention generated by the accolades for Clover Hill and Mitchell may be why he was invited to curate a luxurious dinner to launch DEWAR’s Double Double 37 year old Blended Malt Scotch Whiskey. The November 29 soirée at The Blond in SoHo brought together two Michelin-star chefs presenting their distinct cooking styles.
Chef Gabriel Kreuther, whose NYC restaurant is included in the 2023 New York Times 100 Best Restaurants, joined Mitchell for the DEWAR’s party at The Blond. “Gabriel Kreuther is a two-Michelin star chef I’ve looked up to for years,” says Mitchell. “It was a cool thing for us to do as a restaurant, number one, to partner with him and the rest of the chefs. DEWAR’S gave us these luxury bottles to collaborate with, and we had a lot of fun.”
Chef Mitchell infused selections from DEWAR’s Double Double luxury brands in the dishes he and his Clover Hill team served guests. Their entrée paired Japanese A5 wagyu steak and blue lobster with DEWAR’s Double Double 32 Year Old Pedro Ximenez cask finish. Mitchell’s team also crafted a dessert with the new DEWAR’s Double Double 37 year old: Malt Scotch and Chestnut Crème with infused tobacco chantilly and red currant sorbet.
“We just wanted to highlight luxury and have a lot of fun with it. Our main goal was to try to pack as much of our personality into two or three plates of food as we possibly could,” explains Mitchell.
He also mentions that some ideas for cocktails and dishes featuring the DEWAR’s Double Double series will make their way to his Clover Hill restaurant.
Charlie Mitchell Celebrates the Best of 2023
As exciting as the DEWAR’s launch was, Chef Mitchell’s most memorable celebration of 2023 happened in October. Mrs. Mae and his grandfather arrived in Brooklyn Heights from Georgia. He shares the significance of the occasion.
“It was the first time she’d ever gotten on a plane, and it was the first time she had ever had my food. She did not eat all of it, to be clear. She said, ‘I’m not eating raw fish and caviar.’ So, she skipped a couple courses.”
Mitchell’s grandfather was a bit more adventurous and tried everything. Clover Hill’s chef is glad his grandmother got to experience the restaurant’s energy, comforting atmosphere, and exceptional cooking, which won three Michelin awards.
“She’s constantly telling me she’s proud of me and congratulations. She’s even created social media Instagram and Facebook accounts just to follow along and share the accolades,” says Mrs. Mae’s grandson.
Fortunately for the Clover Hill staff, the owners chose to close their restaurant for the Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s holidays. Chef Mitchell will spend Christmas with family. “I’m flying my mom and brothers out here for Christmas. They come out here every year. That’s our little tradition.”
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The highly-praised chef has yet to decide on the Christmas menu but admits he likes to stay flexible. “I have an 11-year-old brother, and he’s pretty picky. So, he’ll usually tell me what to cook, steak or something like that. As long as we make him happy, the holiday will be fine.”
For New Year’s Eve, Mitchell leaves all the cooking up to his fiancé’s dad. The chef does, however, have a bit of advice for home cooks preparing holiday feasts. “Sometimes, it’s just fun to try something new as long as you don’t ruin anything. Don’t mess with the mac and cheese. Don’t mess up anything too important, but other things you can switch it up. Fresh ingredients and herbs are great, too.”
Clover Hill will introduce its new winter menu in late January. To be the first to know, follow the restaurant and Chef Charlie Mitchell on Instagram.
