Right Around the River Blog

Rocketts Landing Q&A: M Bistro Owner/Chef Michael Hall

Post Date: 10-31-2012

At Rocketts Landing, we're huge fans of all the great culinary talent guiding our community's restaurants. From The Boathouse to Conch Republic to M Bistro & Wine Bar (with even more Rocketts Landing restaurants on the horizon), we have a great variety of dining options. We also attract some of RVA's top restaurateurs. So to highlight the culinary passion and talent feeding our community, we're going behind the scenes with a series of Q&As with Rocketts Landing-based chefs. First up on the list? M Bistro & Wine Bar Owner and Chef Michael Hall.

Rocketts Landing: How long have you been a chef and what inspired you to become one?

M Bistro Chef Michael Hall: I have been a chef for over 20 years, and my inspiration came from my mother, who is also an avid cook.

RL: Where do you draw your culinary inspiration from?

MH: Sunday dinners at my mother's house is where I draw most of my culinary inspiration from.

(Stuffed lamb with asparagus and mashed potatoes)

RL: What is your favorite cooking memory? What is the first dish you ever learned to cook?

MH: It might surprise people, but the first "dish" I ever learned to cook was actually peanut butter cookies.

RL: How does your previous experience as a pastry chef affect or guide you today at M Bistro?

MH: When you are working on confections, there is a great deal of creativity involved, but it also requires a lot of patience. Owning and operating M Bistro requires the same formula.

RL: What’s your process for creating a new recipe?

MH: I've been told that I am somewhat of a "mentalist." I usually create things in my mind that sound good to me, and after I have the concept, I take the steps to go about making it.

(Bourbon Bread Pudding)

RL: What’s your favorite dish to cook and why?

MH: As my M Bistro menu reflects, I enjoy cooking seafood. My M Bistro Signature Crab Cakes have become a favorite around Richmond. I love the delicacy of crabmeat and how you have to season it just right in order to bring out the best flavor.

RL: What’s your favorite wine/food pairing?

MH: Pairing food with wine is part art and part science. I love seafood, so a nice Chardonnay or a wine with fruit notes is my favorite pairing.

RL: What three adjectives best describe you as a chef?

MH: Demanding, dedicated and disciplined.

RL: What’s your favorite restaurant for dinner when you’re not working?

MH: Like most chefs, I do not get out as much as I would like to, but when I do, I like to spend time at Buckhead's on Patterson Avenue.

(Sea scallops wrapped in catfish and applewood smoked bacon with rosemary creamy grits and grilled Brussel sprouts in a roasted tomato truffle sauce)

RL: What spice or ingredient is a go-to for you in the kitchen?

MH: Salt is the most classic and necessary ingredient used in most restaurant kitchens. Although we use many herbs and spices, we also incorporate smoked salts into our menus. It is amazing that something so simple is so essential to our industry.

RL: What has been your favorite experience at M Bistro so far?

MH: My favorite experience at M Bistro has been to serve Richmonders in a restaurant of my very own. Each person who walks through our doors is making a choice when they come here, and we love to see people enjoying meals on our patio, couples sharing a date night, the business community entertaining clients or Rocketts residents coming in to simply enjoy a cocktail at our bar. We also enjoy the large parties who come in to celebrate special moments including birthday parties, rehearsal dinners, anniversaries and other milestones. We recently hosted a birthday party for Skyline resident, and it was a wonderful experience.

RL: What do you most enjoy about having a restaurant at Rocketts Landing?

MH: I could not think of a more perfect place for my restaurant than Rocketts Landing. It is a true community where people live, work and play. We feel a special connection to the residents here because we see them everyday; the people who work here pass by our restaurant and come in for meals. And we also enjoy great camaraderie with the other restaurants here, so it is a very special place. Rocketts Landing also gives us room to grow and evolve, and we look forward to providing more updates to our restaurant to better serve our clients.

(Jumbo Lemon Thyme Shrimp, shaved asparagus and arugula salad with aged Gouda and cashews)

Interested in more behind-the-scenes at Rocketts Landing? In the coming weeks, we’ll also profile the chefs at The Boathouse and Conch Republic. So, stay tuned for more delicious details to come your way!