Unlocking Potential is back—this time in the kitchen. Noah and Julie run Nook in a way that’s almost extinct: they cook all the food themselves. No back line hiding in the shadows. Just two chefs carrying the whole vision on their own shoulders…then handing it to you with a grin that says, “Relax. Elastic waistbands encouraged.” I asked them four questions about craft, hospitality, and what makes a meal feel personal, and their answers made me want to cook with more courage and dine with less costume.
Q: Nook has that “thoughtful dinner party” feeling—intentional, personal, and precise. What’s one behind-the-scenes decision (process, rule, or ritual) that creates that experience more than guests realize?
We (the owners and chefs) are the ones making ALL of the food. It makes it super personal. Not one restaurant that I know of in Madison can say the same. We have no cooks, and will continue that model unless our son wants to join in as an adult one day. So, we put more work on our backs, but our vision and ideas are being portrayed by us, through us, not from a recipe a cook is following. It creates consistency and holds up our integrity as chefs. It comes from a place of love for what we do, and we want to keep the “family” feeling in our restaurant alive that way. Our servers are part of that family, we hang out after hours, and 2 of our servers have coached/are coaching our son’s football teams.
Q: What’s a belief about cooking or hospitality you used to hold strongly that you’ve since changed your mind about—and what changed it?
The formality of service. We used to work at elite restaurants and thought we would need to hold that same standard when running ours. Throughout the years after buying our commercial condo where our restaurant resides now, we slowly realized we are casual (in the way we dress and live our lives), and, why can’t everyone else feel that way too? Why should you need to wear a 3 piece suit when dining? You can enjoy elevated food without a dress code or white tablecloth. Or you can dress up if that is what brings you joy! We are about the enjoyment of eating great food, and having a great time. We always joke when folks ask us the dress code, I say “elastic waist bands” are encouraged. That sort of rhetoric is what we encourage from our guests and we wouldn’t have it any other way!
Q: If you could give a home cook one “constraint” to cook under this week (time, ingredients, tool, technique) that would make them better fast, what would it be?
Following recipes. Just go by your taste buds and trust the technique you have learned. We feel when someone asks us for a recipe, it is really hard for us to write it down. Every ingredient is so variable with savory cooking, we just trust our training, tastebuds, and our technique. That is what will elevate the home cook faster than following any recipe. We might glance at a recipe, but for reference or inspiration, but will never follow it to a T. I will say, baking recipes should be followed, but also can be tweaked. My rule of thumb is adding triple the salt in each baking recipe. I find the salt is always lacking in baking recipes. But, all salt isn’t equal either, so, taste your baking batters and season them like you would a soup or a sauce!
Q: Beverage check (personal curiosity: I own Garth’s Brew Bar on Monroe Street): what’s your go-to drink after service?
Open leftover wine from our wine list/pairing list! We also love a good night cap of bourbon after we get home.
Q: How can people find you?
Stay Positive & Leave Your Belt At Home, Would Ya?
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