He’s got a passion for pulling together unique tastes from local sources, and that makes Executive Chef Dave Wenerd a real treasure at The Gables at Chadds Ford. And what he does to the menu? You’ve got to hurry over to sample—again and again. It’s amazing.
Dave has been in the restaurant biz since high school, starting as a food runner yet all the while observing the chefs. His interest brought him to the Restaurant School at Walnut Hill College in Philadelphia. From there, he went back into the kitchen and quickly worked his way to executive chef.
“I worked all around Philly, and I loved it,” he said. “It was a great way to gain all kinds of experiences with different cuisines.”
Dave did his food running at Culinaria in Wilmington, Delaware. After graduating, he settled into the Chadds Ford area as executive chef at The Bistro on the Brandywine, followed by a stint running the off-premises catering for Brandywine Prime. Happily for The Gables at Chadds Ford patrons, Dave has brought his scratch-made philosophy to its busy and eclectic kitchen.
The Town Dish: What’s your philosophy about cooking and food?
Dave Wenerd: It should be fun, and I have fun with it. Imagine that; I get to “play” with food every day and create dishes to delight our customers. I love not only creating unique recipes, but also nailing the visual appeal…working with textures and shapes on the plate.
How about your favorite food to cook?
Scallops, hands-down. I can do almost anything with scallops. We have a scallop du jour on the menu, so I get to mix it up every day. Bacon-wrapped scallops are definitely popular, but I like to switch it up with mashed sweet potatoes, maybe a snap pea and corn side. We have a scratch kitchen here, so whatever’s fresh and in season is fair game.
Imagine a cold and rainy fall day; what’s your go-to comfort food?
My mom’s stuffed shells. None better. She makes them for me every year on my birthday.
So that would be your desert island/last meal, then?
That, a side of duck-fat fried potatoes and a super-tall glass of gin and tonic.
You seem to really enjoy putting together the happy-hour menu. Why is that special?
I love bar food, but it’s a lot more than having something to snack on. The selections here have to come up to our standards at The Gables. So our wings are whole wings, not those little drummettes, and they might be smoked as opposed to just hit with BBQ sauce. And rather than the usual shrimp small bites you might see, we’ve been offering shrimp with Southern-style grits, chorizo and local mushrooms served up in a martini glass.
If we were to rifle through your home kitchen, what ingredients will we find that you absolutely can’t live without?
You’ll find tons of ingredients that add flavor to other things: sriracha sauce, pickles, apple-cider vinegar and an array of finishing salts. That’s the secret to great dishes—that extra “something” makes all the difference.
Different—and delectable. You can get your share of happy-hour nibbles and sips Tuesday through Friday from 4:30–6:30 p.m. at the bar and bar tables. But save room to work your way through the brunch, lunch, dinner and dessert menus, too. Swing by Tuesday through Thursday from 11 a.m.–9 p.m., Friday and Saturday from 11 a.m.–10 p.m. and Sunday from 10:30 a.m.–9 p.m. The restaurant is closed Mondays.
Find The Gables at Chadds Ford at 423 Baltimore Pike in Chadds Ford, follow them on Twitter, like them on Facebook or call (610) 388-7700.
- Photography: Nina Lea Photography
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