I’ve long made it a point to not know who people are across whatever industry I’m focusing and working in, and here’s why. I don’t believe in hero-worship. I don’t care how famous someone is, what they’ve accomplished across their career, or who they know, if they’re not a good person, I don’t wanna work with them. And by don’t wanna, it more along the lines of I probably won’t be working with them. As such, I get to meet and work with the people who I’m supposed to meet and work with without any preconceived notions, or other people’s opinions, getting in the way. This has so much become a part of how I approach life that it’s ingrained to the point that I don’t even realize I’m doing it any longer.
Hot Plate Iron Chef | Meet the Chefs | Marcus Meacham
Enter the Hot Plate Iron Chef event at Wild Goose Creative.
The phenomenal Liz Martin and I spent St. Paddy’s day this year in our basement, drinking hard ciders and hanging out, and started talking food, which lead to us talking about the Hot Plate Iron Chef event at Wild Goose, and ended up with me reaching out to friends to see if they knew of anyone in the chef realm that would perhaps be interested in getting involved. Meach’s name was thrown out, and I said sure, as it had come from two separate people who I have huge respect for. Charlie Payne, of Covey Rise Farms, and Rob Rehm of Redde Hedde Farms.
I came upstairs to snag a couple more ciders out of the fridge, refill our waters, touch base with Jeff, who was upstairs making dinner (his Saturday night meals are to die for delicious). I was catching him up on what we’d been talking about, and that this chef named Marcus had agreed to join us. Jeff stopped me, and backed up the conversation to clarify who and what I was talking about, and stopped me again when the words “oh yah, some dude that Charlie and Rob recommended named Marcus Meacham is going to be one of the chefs” came out of my mouth.
The look on Jeff’s face, coupled with the “Kate, do you know who that is” coming out of his mouth made me realize that it had happened again, and apparently this dude is kind of big deal in the Columbus (and beyond) food world.
Meeting Marcus Meacham
The first time that Meacham, Davis (the other Hot Plate Iron Chef contestant, but more on him later), and I sat down to talk about food, the contest, and the chaos that is life in the kitchen, I looked him square in the eye and said something along the following lines. “Apparently you’re kinda of a big deal, but if you’re not a decent human, I don’t give a f*&# about anything of that, and I certainly don’t believe in hero-worship”. Turns out, we were on the same page.
Y’all. This dude is real cool, and real passionate about what he does. The three of us, we had a ball that afternoon, talking food, laughing a whole lot, and putting together what will be the first of many Hot Plate Iron Chef events at Wild Goose Creative.
The Road to Columbus
Originally from Texas, Meach studied kinesiology at the University of Houston until Ohio University called, and the foundation of life in Ohio was laid. Life in Athens transitioned to Columbus (as it seems wont to do), and Meacham hasn’t looked back since. Working under and with a variety of styles, chefs, and teams has led to a whole host of other avenues and real fun adventures.
What are you the most proud of?
This is a question that I ask pretty much every person I meet, whether I’m talking with someone I’m planning on featuring here on Cook.Eat.Explore, or whether I’m meeting someone new. (Even though we’ve been here in Ohio for almost two years, everything in Ohio is still real new. All the time.) How someone answers is telling, and above all else, I love discovering how people think.
Marcus’ response kicked ass.
“It’d have to be my ability to think on the fly, to adapt, and my all around resilience.”
Being discovered by Tastemade, and everything that has come to pass since then is right up there as well. Watching the gratitude and awe play across his face as he spoke of having people reach out and share that they’re using recipes of his that were featured on Tastemade as a part of their family traditions, their holidays, it was fantastic.
Favorite Late Night Food
Talking food with other chefs is always something that I’m down to do. The discussion around what chefs love to put together, whether it’s talking cuisines in the broadest sense, or as specific as a discussion around a favored ingredient, winds down amazing conversational trails, as you are getting to see how their brains work. However, what is just as telling, is asking what someones go to late night food spot is.
For Marcus, it’s the Chicken Sandwich from Little Palace.
Family Dinners
Throughout college, and life after, Family Dinners have always been a thing. Ask any one who loves to feed others (or is passionate about entertaining) and I’m quite sure that you’ll find the same tradition in their past, gathering together of friends (and friends of friends) who don’t have family in the area for weekly meals. The bonding that occurs over sharing a meal, it’s a real cool thing to witness, and for those of us who love to cook, and to nourish, family dinners are where it’s at.
General Po’s chicken was (and still is occasionally) the center of Meach’s family dinners, a dish that filled bellies, and nourished the soul.
Why is volunteering important, and what does it mean to you?
Community is important. It’s where we are. It’s buying local rather than supporting someone who is thousands of miles away. It’s about being able to give back to where you’re at, and to people who need it more than you do. It’s paying it forwards in the truest sense.
BUY YOUR TICKETS TO SEE CHEF MARCUS MEACHAM COMPETE ON APRIL 3OTH HERE
Want to get involved? Shoot me an email. hello@cookeatexplore.com
