Zach Hutton is having his moment

The 2022 Beard semifinalist is ready to celebrate local with the world and breathe new life into a 'local' legend

Big Monday brought many wonders, but the news chef Zach Hutton served was the highlight of the evening.

The 2022 James Beard Finalist was on hand for chef Caleb Stangroom’s Tiger-Style pop-up on Monday and he had plenty to say about learning hard lessons, grabbing new opportunities, and a watch party for his upcoming appearance on Food Network’s Chopped.

My Monday started at Woodworks Distillery where chef Kurt Fleishfresser went bananas for a special dinner inside the theater turned distillery and tasting room. Then I swung by Rococo on Western where chefs Bruce Rinehart and Eric Smith were working the dining room in support of a culinary collaboration between The Crown and Rococo.

Finally, I arrived at Bradford House, which was hosting the collaboration put on by the boutique hotel’s executive chef.

Hutton was there in support, having hosted a Tiger-Style pop-up at GHST last month/earlier this year. Shortly after Hutton departed Scratch Paseo, he and Stangroom collaborated on a dinner at Bradford House.

“I love Caleb. He brought a cool point of view here,” Hutton said of the Springfield, Mo., transplant. “Just wanted to support him and eat some great food.”

Over a succession of tightly wound, boldly seasoned dishes Hutton confirmed he and his wife Kayla would soon make the former Ludivine space their next kitchen pulpit from which to preach the local-first gospel.

“Really excited about it,” he said. “Not ready to release the name yet, but I thought about naming it after my grandmother, Alma.”

They won’t have the space next-door to the R&J Supper Club turned around in time to host a watch party for Hutton’s April 9th appearance on Chopped, that’ll happen at Ponyboy. The party, sponsored by Premium Brands, is from 6 to 10 p.m. Hutton said the episode, which starts at 7, will be projected on the big screens.