34 • Thursday, May 4, 2017
FOOD
OVER THE MOUNTAIN JOURNAL
Holler & Dash Biscuit House in Homewood partners one of the South’s most traditional treats with not-so-traditional ingredients. There’s a biscuit called the Pork Rambler, with fried pork tenderloin, blackberry butter and fried onion straws. The Garden Goat is made with fried goat cheese, kale, lemon Dijon vinaigrette and tomato jam. And the Hamabama not only has country ham, but red-eye aioli, kale and apple butter. Like its biscuits, the restaurant has interesting partners, too – farmers and food producers in Alabama and other Southeastern states. “Finding local artisan partners was part of our initial strategy, even before we had our name,” said Ally Clokey, Holler & Dash’s brand manager. “The kitchen is the heart of it all, so we wanted local partners. Our original goal was to use producers within a 50-mile area, but we had to expand that to meet our needs. We now have partners in Alabama, Tennessee, Georgia and Florida.” Chef Brandon Frohne, the company’s culinary director, said there’s a good reason for the partnerships. “It’s simple: You’ve got these makers that are doing exceptional things, and they do it all with passion and love,” he said. “We believe in our communities. We want to help support these makers and tell their stories. “Working with small artisans also helps us control our food quality. We’ve been able to create recipes
Photos special to the Journal
By Donna Cornelius
From left, Director of Operations Jay Holdren, Culinary Director Brandon Frohne and COO Michael Chissler.
FOOD Network
Holler & Dash Teams up With Southern Food Producers with their products, and they can change the flavor profiles if we need them to.” Last year, Homewood became the first location for Holler & Dash,
Cracker Barrel’s fast-casual restaurant concept. The company now has stores in Tuscaloosa, Brentwood, Tennessee, and Celebration, Florida, with plans to open more.
Frohne came to Holler & Dash with an impressive culinary resume. The fifth-generation chef is from a family of restaurateurs and worked at restaurants that include his grand-
mother’s La Cote Basque and Mason’s in Nashville. He’s competed on Food Network’s wildly popular “Chopped” series and twice was invited to cook at the James Beard House in New York City. The Tennessee Hospitality and Tourism Association named him Chef of the Year in 2015. “As a chef, relationship-building with farmers in communities is important,” Frohne said. He drew on some existing associations when he came on board with Holler & Dash. “For example, we had already established a relationship with Nashville Jams,” he said. “It was a natural fit for Holler & Dash, and it does all our jams.” Before the restaurant opened in Homewood, Frohne began seeking out Alabama food vendors. One of his first connections was with Stone Hollow Farmstead in Harpersville. Stone Hollow, owned by Deborah Stone, produces dairy and creamery products, including goat cheese. Stone also owns The Pantry in Crestline Village. “I was in Birmingham before the Homewood opening, and I was in a