Food Interview

Table's Chef Talks Farm to Fork

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Table in Barrington has a humble name and a chef as approachable as its menu. In the best bistro tradition, the familiarity of the dishes on offer is just a starting point. The menu shows thoughtful and creative variations on the familiar, and an obvious attention to seasonality. Even meat and potatoes take a trip to the farmers market: their hanger steak is accompanied by confit potatoes, corn and beans, smoked eggplant, peach and pepper chutney – a who’s who of what’s fresh. We chatted with Johnson & Wales grad Logan Tharp, now more than a year in as head chef at Table. He’s more committed than ever to cooking... and to fresh corn.

How did you find yourself at Table?
I’ve been at the restaurant since the beginning. I started off as a prep cook to help my friend who was the previous chef. Then I took a job as a server, because at the time I was managing The Melting Pot in Providence and I had more front-of-house experience. Just over a year ago, the chef decided to leave. The position was only supposed to be for a short period of time, but after a couple weeks I figured out I loved it. Here I am, a little after a year, still having a lot of fun.

American bistros vary considerably, while French bistros are quite defined. How do you see Table?
We are considered a French bistro, but what makes us a little different is that we take a lot of traditional dishes, practices and techniques and we bring a more modern and New England twist to the dishes.

What’s an ingredient that you can’t wait to come into season, and what do you do with it?
We’re on the edge of our seat waiting for Four Town Farm’s corn – it’s out just now and it’s amazing. We get most of our produce from there, especially limited and seasonal stuff. Blended with their green and yellow beans, it’s a great complement to a smoked eggplant puree. We’ve done it as corn chowder that people come back for. We’ve also done a twist on Mexican street corn that people love. I grew up a little bit in California; guys would drive around with little trolleys, dip the corn in mayo, queso blanco, paprika, and a little bit of lime juice on top. I’ve done my take a bunch of different ways – with different aioli depending on the mood, with paprika and lime.

Table
8 Anoka Avenue, Barrington
337-5830

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