We’re sneaking behind the kitchen door again for our third post in the Industry Chats series and this time we’re snagging some time with Chef Patrick McKeeman of Formaggio Kitchen South End to get to know him better. Formaggio Kitchen is a food-lovers haven. A specialty shop offering artisan products from Europe and North America. As a reflection of their name, they have an impressive selection of cheeses available daily.
Chef McKeeman prepares seasonal sides and salads for the store’s deli case, as well as dinner options that are available for pick-up after 2pm. Also offered are ready-to-eat frozen items and catering services. There are many ways to get a taste of what Chef McKeeman is cooking and we highly encourage you to pop into the lovely South End store to do so. He took his first cooking class at the age of seven and has been cooking ever since. Closest to his heart, or should we say stomach, are southern American and Tex-Mex cuisines. You can definitely find him making his own hot sauce in his free time!
Nashville Hot Chicken
Photo Credit: Formaggio Kitchen
Local Beet and Apple Salad
Photo Credit: Formaggio Kitchen
5 Questions with Chef Patrick McKeeman
What do you eat late at night/early morning after a long shift?
“Well.. my day ends in the afternoon so I usually need something to hold me over until dinner. I generally turn into a 3rd grader after a long day. I’ll eat a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, some string cheese and some pretzel sticks or some Gold Fish crackers. I guess on some level it is comforting to eat something from childhood, kind of like a after school snack. Either that or I’m lazy and I don’t want to leave the confines of my apartment.”
Who is your biggest inspiration in life?
“In Life?…………TOM HANKS! I don’t think I need to explain that one.”
Fish Cakes with Herbed Rice and Coleslaw
Photo Credit: Formaggio Kitchen
What is your one go-to dish that you can make in your sleep? Who taught you to make this dish?
“That’s a tough one because there are too many to count. My first kitchen job was at a high-end grocery in a mostly wealthy area. You know, the type of place where the people have the most beautiful kitchens and their stoves have never been turned on. We were doing large batch scratch cooking in high volume and in heavy rotation so I had to be like a robot to a certain degree. I have learned so much throughout the years from every Chef I have had the pleasure to work with and I am eternally grateful.”
Peach-Glazed Duck Breast
Photo Credit: Formaggio Kitchen
Comte Gougeres
Photo Credit: Formaggio Kitchen
What is your favorite dish in Boston?…Not from your own restaurant.
“There aren’t actual dishes I can think of but when I first moved here I lived in Fenway and Sweet Cheeks was across the street and I love BBQ. It was perfect, everything is so good but old reliable would be a wings to start, burnt end sandwich with the slaw on it, mac and cheese side, and a bucket of biscuits. Yes a bucket because they are that good and I need to take some home for breakfast the next day. I could eat that any day of the week.”
Are there any foods you hate?
“I am very open minded when it comes to food but, and I’ll probably catch some heat for this one, mint chocolate chip ice cream is an abomination it should not exist. It’s like cold toothpaste with chocolate bits in it to me.”
Formaggio is a South End gem and is one of the stops on our South End Sweet & Savory Tour. Be sure to pay Formaggio Kitchen a visit soon to taste Chef Patrick McKeeman’s food!
268 Shawmut Ave, Boston, MA 02118
617-350-6996
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