By Stephen Baldwin, RealWV
You wanted a food option at the newly-reopened Sportsman Tavern in Ronceverte? You got Chef Chad Jones and Flavor Mutt’s Sourdough Shop!
Chad and his wife Jennifer, who works the The Hub, moved to the area recently after owning their own restaurant in Virginia. Chad is a sourdough specialist and will offer a locally-sourced menu that he promises will be “nutritious and delicious.”
Menu items will include: pizza, sandwiches, toasts, soups, salads, all with a sourdough theme.
“Most people think it’s a type of bread,” Chef Chad says of sourdough. “It’s actually a technique that has been used for thousands of years to leaven bread. Flour, water, and salt. That’s it. Our ancestors ate sourdough at every meal.”
He plans to source as many components of his food locally as possible. “All my flour, veggies, and core ingredients will come from Appalachia,” Chef Chad says. “The food will be affordable, approachable, but with a chef’s approach to balancing flavors and textures.”
Favor Mutt will be open inside The Sportsman Thursday-Sunday for lunch and dinner. Hours will be announced soon. Expect a soft opening in late April with an official start in early May.
Several other towns tried to recruit Chef Chad to open shop in their area, so why did he chose Ronceverte?
“I chose Ronceverte because the energy, attitude and need for my style of food was the most obvious here,” he shares. “There’s a scrappy, salt of the earth, roll up your sleeves mindset in Ronceverte. That’s Flavor Mutt.” He also feels a responsibility to future chefs and wants today’s kids to learn they can operate professional kitchens in unique ways.
“I see a younger version of my self in those kids. I want to be a part of that culture and help shape their futures by being a safe place they can grab food that is delicious and nutritious.”
Stay tuned to The Real WV for updates.
