Meet Chef Eric Fulkerson
Chef Eric got his first cooking job at age 16, and he’s been in the industry ever since. He earned a degree in culinary arts from Johnson & Wales University. He has worked as Sous Chef and Chef de Cuisine at Reynolds Plantation in Greensboro, Georgia; Executive Chef at The Bald Headed Bistro in Cleveland, Tennessee; and Executive Chef at Currahee Club in Toccoa, Georgia. Chef Eric’s career highlights include preparing a dinner at The James Beard House in New York City.
Q&A
WHAT’S THE NEXT INTERESTING CULINARY TREND?
Beyond the COVID-19 pandemic, I think we will still focus on take-out food. How nicely can we present food in a to-go container? How do we ensure great quality in take-out food? To elevate this trend at The Cliffs, we’ve offered a weekly pizza menu that’s available for pick up and we created themed carryout menus – Italian, Chinese, Tex-Mex, and so on – that are multiple courses that can be easily reheated.
YOU GET ONE LAST MEAL. WHAT IS IT, AND WHY?
My mom’s Parmesan meatloaf and butter baked sliced potatoes, followed by my grandmother’s Texas Chocolate Sheet Cake. I still make mom’s meatloaf to this day, and it reminds me of being home with my family. The cake is what my grandmother made for all our birthdays – being from Texas, it was almost a rite of passage to have that cake! She’d top it with pecans that my cousins and I gathered and shelled from her backyard.
WHICH KITCHEN TOOLS ARE WORTH THE SPLURGE, AND WHICH ONES ARE OKAY TO BUY ON THE CHEAP?
Spend money on good knives and only a few dollars on lots of wooden spoons.
Chef’s Favorite Chocolate Pound Cake
“This is a chocolate pound cake that my dad has made for years from ‘The Joy of Chocolate.’ Definitely a family favorite.”
