30a Chef’s Table – Chef Lock of amici Italian Kitchen at 30Avenue
Story by Phil Heppding
One thing is for sure. Chef Lock of amici Italian Kitchen in Inlet Beach is very passionate about food and family. After a busy summer season of doing double duty as a private chef on 30a and running Seacrust Pizza during his waking hours, we caught up with Chef Lock to ask him about his newest and most exciting endeavor, amici Italian Kitchen at 30Avenue in Inlet Beach.
Be sure and stop by amici at the shops at 30Avene in mid-fall to welcome the Corchis family to the 30a Food and Wine and scene.
How was summer on 30a?
“Summer was very busy for us. We continued with 30a Private chef- serving guests looking for great food with fresh local ingredients. At the beginning of the summer, we opened Seacrust Pizza at Peddler’s Pavilion in Seacrest. We were serving true neopolitan pizza with fresh local ingredients. Towards the end of the summer, we decided to partner with the Corchis family and bring a true Italian kitchen to 30a. So we have been visiting and meeting with local vendors and purveyors. We’ve been doing a lot of tasting and experimenting with our menus and gearing up for our grand opening.”
How did you find your way into an Italian kitchen?
“Italian food is my strong suit and was the first truly high quality food I was introduced to. I’ve always been exposed to Asian food since that is what my mom and family made. But it wasn’t until I was introduced to both the simplicity and the traditions of Italian food that it became my first love. It was early on I learned about making everything fresh including the ricotta and even hand cutting the pasta right there in the kitchen where our guests can see it.”
How are you going about creating the menu?
“We are constantly tasting and experimenting. I sketch out the different presentations of each dish. We will have a lot of big plates, but a lot of small plates as well. We want people to be able to enjoy a big variety of dishes. We can’t wait to unveil our classic bolognese which will be one of our signature dishes.”
Chef Lock of amici prepares one of his small plates.
How important is it to use local farmers and purveyors?
“Well we plan on highlighting a local farmer or fisherman each month. We put a lot of thought into that and we plan to create our sides based around what produce is in season and how we can highlight the provider.”
How do you put the Chef Lock spin on the menu here at amici?
“Well there are some things you don’t mess with. We will keep the tradition of each dish but modernize the presentation so that when you come to amici, you can say you had a true traditional Italian dish but with a modern tradition.”
Finally, why do you want your guests to take with them after dining at amici?
“We want them to have a true family experience while they are here. We want them to remember the dishes they have and walk out of here knowing they unique experience that focused on true Italian cuisine.”
So if you are looking for a true Italian dining experience on 30a, be sure and stop in at amici Italian Kitchen at 30avenue in Inlet Beach. For more information, please visit www.amici30a.com
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