By VOICE-TRIBUNE Photos by Matt Johnson

Meet Loreal Gavin, a Kentucky-based chef whose journey from a humble farming family to culinary stardom is as flavorful as the dishes she creates. Loreal’s career has taken her from the stoves of Maui and New York to appearances on The Today Show and Food Network. Whether she’s crafting playful riffs on nostalgic classics or curating immersive dining experiences for events like the Kentucky Derby, Loreal’s approach to food is always guided by two key ingredients: love and salt.
Tell us a little bit about yourself and what led you to your passion for cooking.
“I grew up in a humble farming family household. There were always cast-iron pans on the stove and mason jars full of last season’s harvest. I can still hear the old wooden frame screen door and feel its worn handle under my hands. Right outside the farmhouse’s back door was a beautiful garden. Where my curiosity could run just as wild. Cooking has always been a part of telling that story. A way to fill your heart, your table and most importantly provide some much-needed comfort from this crazy world. I am 37 years old now and I would like to think all that still rings true. I have seen a steak dinner and a bottle of wine turn someone’s day around.
When you prepare a dish, you are telling a story. At an early age, I realized how much joy it brought me to weave these delicious tales. I am 37 years old now, time flies when you are having fun.”

How did you get your start in the industry?
“I kicked off my professional cooking career once I completed the culinary program at Sullivan University in 2009. Currently, I am based out of Louisville, Kentucky but I am blessed to have spent time cooking in a lot of eclectic places like Maui, Los Angeles, Chicago, and New York.
There have been so many roads in my career. It is a little daunting even for me to encapsulate them, but I’ll try to paint a picture for y’all. I have moments now when I look back and I’m like dang, “Was that really ten years ago, fifteen years ago?” I’m feeling old. Older. Seasoned. A lot more like my grandma’s cast-iron.”

What are some of your favorite highlights throughout your career?
“As far as highlights on my career go, I’ll touch on a few. I am a cookbook author for Page Street (Macmillian Publishing). The book is called ‘The Butcher Babe Cookbook’. I married a lot of old-school Southern sensibility with classical French nuances. I figured anyone who wanted to be more confident in the kitchen would have some good tools to do so. I stressed the importance of cooking with seasonality in mind (on that note what I would do for a perfectly ripe heirloom tomato right now). There are a lot of butchery basics in there as well. Lots of folks don’t even know how to break down a whole chicken. Perhaps it is because you don’t want to know how, but that’s between you and God. LOL. I think it’s important to have some basic skills and a sharp knife.
I’ve appeared on a few shows you’re probably familiar with like, The Today Show, Rachael Ray, The Hallmark Channel, Food Network, Cutthroat Kitchen, The Drew Barrymore Show and The Cooking Channel. I’ve even had the opportunity to Produce and host a series for CMT called ‘The Downtown Farmer’.
Life has been kind to me, and I always joke that I am not the best chef in the world, I just know how to shop for good ingredients, use salt properly and the power of being a nice person. The doors for opportunities I could have never imagined just opened at certain times, and I was brave enough to try my luck.”

What are your favorite ingredients to work with?
“As far as ingredients go, the two most important ingredients are LOVE and SALT. LOVE is a flavor you taste when someone is being intentional. SALT is the tool to open those flavors wide up for everyone to enjoy. Even sweet desserts benefit from a pinch of Salt.”

What have you been up to recently and what are you looking forward to?
“I am currently still wearing a few different hats. You can find me at Jeff Ruby’s as a FOH culinary entertainer and a culinary teacher for JCPS. Additionally, I entertain clients as a private chef here in Kentucky. I am looking forward to creating another iconic menu for the Kentucky Derby. There are folks who come from all over the world to enjoy what Kentucky has to offer. Most folks have no idea how diverse the bounty is during the growing season here in the blue grass state. I sketch out all my menus and print them on homemade paper as a part of their takeaway experience. Folks can reach out at loveandsaltkitchen.com to fill out an inquiry form and learn more about what delicious options I can provide.”
How would you describe your cooking style?
“I would describe my food as playful. I love to riff on old-school classics and nostalgic flavors. Sometimes you gotta zoom out to look at the big picture and imagine what your guests’ needs and wants could be. I love collaborating with local distillers and crafting cohesive culinary stories around that spirit or celebration. It’s time to have fun. If you’re looking for a dining experience that is unique and playful while also honoring blasts from the past, I am your chef. Cheers yawl.”
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