Chef Gary Hawkins from Sophia's Restaurant
Have you ever wondered what chefs do on their days off? Or what got them interested in cooking in the first place? We were wondering the answers to those questions, plus a few others, so we decided to ask them!
In Eat Jackson’s first ever “Chef’s Profile,” we caught up with Chef Gary Hawkins at Sophia’s Restaurant at the Fairview Inn in Jackson. We wanted to know all sorts of things, food related and non-food related, about him. We enjoyed getting to know Chef Hawkins a little better, and we think you will too!
Name: Gary Hawkins
Restaurant: Sophia’s Restaurant
Nickname for Restaurant: “The Big House”
How long have you worked here? 5 1/2 years.
1. What is your favorite thing to cook? Or what would you consider to be your specialty?
“I like to cook Snapper ala Puttanesca. A good spicy / bold tomato sauce with anchovies, chili flakes and olives over risotto. The sauce is great over pasta too.”
2. How did you get into food? Why are you passionate about cooking?
“I enjoyed watching the cooking shows on PBS before all the Food Network explosion began. I would cook some of the dishes that I saw on TV. That got me thinking about a career in my early 20′s, so I looked at cooking schools and enrolled at The Memphis Culinary Academy in 1993.”
3. How long have you lived in the Jackson area?
“I moved to the Jackson area to take the position at Sophia’s in September of 2006.”
4. What is the best movie you’ve seen lately and why?
“I have a 9 year old, so I don’t see a lot of ‘grown up’ movies. The Smurfs Movie was pretty good. I do have Netflix, so I like Inspector Gently, a BBC program. Great show.”
5. What could we find you doing on your day off?
“I’m off Sundays and Mondays, so Sunday is a ‘relax, do nothing after church’ day. Football! Monday is my errand day.”
The beautiful dining room at Sophia's. Definitely worth a visit!
6. What is the best piece of advice you ever got, regarding cooking at a restaurant?
“You should cook for yourself. If you like what you’re producing in the kitchen, then it will come across to the guest. If your heart’s not into it, it will show.”
7. When it comes to food, what would you consider your guilty pleasure?
“A Huey Burger when I’m in Memphis, or a Five Guys Cheeseburger and a Mexican Coca-Cola here in town.”
8. If you could go anywhere in the world for one week, where would it be and why?
“I love Montreal, it’s like Paris without the attitude.”
9. What do you love most about the restaurant in which you work?
“The diversity of our events – from the wedding receptions and catered events to our Monthly Culinary Tour dinner along with our regular lunch, dinner and Sunday brunch. There is always something happening at Sophia’s!”
Now that you know a little more about Chef Hawkins, it’s only natural that you should pay a visit to Sophia’s at the Fairview, and SOON! We had so much fun on our last trip over there, which you can read all about in case you missed that story!
Thanks, Gary, for giving us a look into your life, both inside and outside of the kitchen!
Sophia’s Restaurant is open for Sunday Brunch from 11 a.m. until 2 p.m., for lunch Monday through Friday from 11:30 a.m. until 2 p.m., and for dinner Tuesday through Saturday from 5:30 p.m. until 9:30 p.m.
What chef would you like to learn more about next? Share in the comments below!
Sophia’s Restaurant
Fairview Inn
734 Fairview Street
Jackson, MS 39202
(601) 948-3429
fairviewinn.com
