FSR July 2023

TOP INDEPENDENTS

Red Rabbit MINNEAPOLIS Opened: 2016

Cuisine Type: Italian Owner: Luke Shimp

and advises his culinary team to do the same. Though Ford’s culinary style has evolved to be worldly-inspired—like using a Haitian jerk recipe with carrots, or incorporating spice blends like ber bere from Ethiopia or garam masala from India—it all began with French technique. “I think it’s one of the best cores that a chef can start with because there’s just this push for perfection,” he says. “Everything you do has a pur pose, and everything you do needs to be neatly done. So it teaches you all of this discipline, and I feel like if you don’t have discipline to start, you don’t have as good of a base.” In addition to Stubborn Seed, Ford also owns Beauty and the Butcher in Coral Gables, Florida—a nod to his eldest daughter, Madelynn (the ‘beauty’)—which was recently added to the MICHELIN Guide. Plus, Ford recently opened e Butcher’s Club in Palm Beach’s PGA National Resort. The 32-year-old chef also appears on another culinary show called “Fast Foodies” on truTv in the second sea son, alongside fellow “Top Chef” win ner Kristen Kish, and “Iron Chef” win ner Justin Sutherland. Food Network re-aired some episodes of the compet itive cooking show, and streamers can view the show on HBO Max or Ama zon Prime. When asked how he keeps his cre ativity owing, Ford replies, “My team, 100 percent. I would be nothing with out them. e food that we’ve been so successful in creating is all because of them.” BY CALLIE EVERGREEN

STUBBORN SEED’S MENU SPANS FROM CHARRED LOCAL FISH AND BELLE & EVANS TRUFFLE CHICKEN TO KOJI WESTHOLME RANCH WAGYU.

RED RABBIT LIVINGSTON RESTAURANT & BAR

Copine SEATTLE Opened: 2016 Cuisine Type: New American Owners: Chef Shaun McCrain, Jill Kinney

and a glass-fronted display kitchen. In 2022, Stubborn Seed was awarded one Michelin star in the highly-coveted inaugural Florida MICHELIN guide. In May, Stubborn Seed retained its Michelin one-star rating at a ceremony. Yet, Ford believes Stubborn Seed’s biggest accolade isn’t the Michelin Star, but “the constant evolvement of young talent and turning young kids into great chefs,” he says. “I think that's one of my favorite parts about Stubborn Seed, is that people come in there with very minimal skill, and within two years, they're either a sous-chef or they’re a chef at another restaurant. Just watch ing that evolution from like, someone who can't cut a potato, to basically being a perfectionist at a high level.” On Stubborn Seed’s website, Ford describes the concept as “the result of pairing unrelenting passion with an unapologetic approach. It aims to unearth cravings of the palate while constructing a reward in each bite. is philosophy takes honest ingredients and elevates them to be splendidly ele gant through rigid and persistent exe cution.” Ford focuses on crafting his constantly evolving tasting menus in the most sustainable way possible—

Oxalis BROOKLYN, NEW YORK

Opened: 2016 Cuisine Type: Contemporary French American Owner: Chef Nico Russell Livingston Restaurant + Bar ATLANTA

Opened: 2009 Cuisine Type: Modern European Southern Owner: Sotherly Hotels

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JULY 2023