Tristan's new chef won't let youth get in way of excellence

When Ronald Reagan ran against Democratic opponent Walter Mondale for the presidency in 1984, he put people's fears about his advanced age to rest by joking, "I will not make age an issue of this campaign. I am not going to exploit, for political purposes, my opponent's youth and inexperience."

Still, youth cannot always be equated with inexperience. Just ask Aaron Deal. He is applying all of his past experiences in the kitchen toward his plum job as the executive chef of Tristan in the Market.

The age issue isn't a big deal for the chef, but it is for some of the customers. He's 26.

"There are at least three tables a night that when I visit, they say, 'Are you 12?' It's always 12. I don't know why they always pick 12." Furthermore, he is lean, and says customers sometimes distrust a chef who isn't rotund.

Deal got a computer science degree at Appalachian State University, but found he had no real interest in working in the corresponding industries. He kept returning to his culinary experiences from high school and college, when he worked as a server and later as a cook in area restaurants.

"I don't want to wear ties," he said, grinning. "I like playing with knives."

Deal moved to Charleston several years ago and graduated from Johnson & Wales in 2005. As a sous chef at the Harbour Club downtown, he learned to focus on the customers' needs and desires. "When they're paying for that atmosphere, they have very high expectations," he said.

Deal works an average of 12 hours each day of the week. He recently started teaching culinary courses at Trident Technical College.

"They have really nice facilities over there, and unfortunately, (the students) don't always find jobs in the restaurants that provide all that nice stuff," he said, looking around his restaurant, which clearly provides nice stuff.

He likes the openness of Tristan's line, where the sous chef, grill cook and others prepare food to then be cooked and arranged in the back kitchen. It faces the patrons at their tables. People often peer over the counter to see what's cooking in "the Cadillac," Deal's moniker for the line.

"You get to see everything going on. You get to see if it's getting shaky. We're essentially on stage for the customers," he said.

Deal's days consist of coming into the kitchen in the morning and balancing his time between preparing food for the lunch and dinner crowds, developing seasonal menus and prepping food that can be featured in publications, such as American Airlines' magazine, Celebrated Living.

He chooses ingredients based on season, availability and ideas he draws from a variety of sources. For the fall menu, he is especially excited about the cinnamon ginger apple turnover, which will incorporate triple cream Brie and brown butter.

The inspiration for it, kid you not, was the simplicity of McDonald's individual servings of apple pie.

He also makes trips around the country to see what other chefs are doing. Even with all the sparkling reviews media outlets have given Deal and the restaurant, he said he always feels he can be better. He especially likes going to New York, for him "the epicenter of what's going in the food and beverage industry."

Deal relishes selecting produce. Although he draws from several local farms, he also procures items such as "cherry bomb" radishes from Ohio.

"I get the chance to try this stuff right off the vine," Deal said. "It's exciting. I have this expectation of giving people the very best. I get all giggly over it."

Deal's job is more than a moneymaker for him. It's an experience, a gamble, a dare.

"I don't really dislike anything. I'll eat anything — I'll try anything once ... I love it to death."