Hidden F&B: Alex Eaton

By Helen Mitternight

Depending on when you go, you might see her in the kitchen with a baby strapped to her as she does the dance required to cook in an open kitchen.

Alex Eaton heads up the kitchen at the elegant tapas restaurant,Estadio.Depending on when you go, you might see her in the kitchen with a baby strapped to her as she does the dance required to cook in an open kitchen.

Here's Alex’s take

Favorite kitchen tool or gadget

A Kunz spoon. I just love the shape and size.

In my refrigerator (three things)

Mustard, sparkling water and eggs.

In my pantry (three things)

English muffins, grits, a couple of different kinds of salt.

Favorite smell

Onion and garlic sweating in olive oil and butter with salt.

Favorite drink

I love plain sparkling water. But Cheerwine really gets me going!

Number of hours you work a week

About 50.

Comfort food

A chicken casserole my mom used to make topped with Pepperidge Farm breadcrumbs.

Most underrated ingredient

Cabbage. It’s a humble ingredient that’s really versatile. It can be sweet, bitter, crunchy, fermented. It’s all in how you treat it.

Favorite meal to cook at home

My husband and I love to make a sauerbraten in the winter. The sauce is thickened with gingersnaps and they dissolve into almost a roux. It’s our Christmas day meal.

Best advice a mentor gave you

In high school, a woman named Lucy owned this pizza restaurant in North Carolina where I worked. She sat me down and said, “You should think about this as a career.” It stuck with me because here was a woman who had a family and owned a restaurant and was succeeding at both.

Listen in as Alex Eaton talks about this and morehere on the latest episode of theHidden F&B podcastbrought to you byCharleston Grit.And, if you want to uncover the heroes hiding beyond Charleston, check out additional episodes available on the national podcast athelenmitternight.com.