Cypress head chef Craig Deihl committed to keeping things local

Craig Deihl is a graduate of Johnson & Wales University. He trained for nearly five years at Magnolias Uptown/Down South, and then helped to open Cypress as head chef in 2001. Deihl published his first cookbook, "Cypress: A Lowcountry Grill" in 2007.

Q: What's your first food memory?

A: It has to be cooking eggs. That's what got me into cooking. I remember cooking fried eggs for breakfast with my mom when I was 4 or 5 years old. Learning how to flip the eggs without breaking the yolk was an accomplishment. Breakfast was a big deal in my family.

Q: What's been the best thing about being involved in the Charleston food scene?

A: I'd say being able to get all the wonderful products that we get on a daily basis locally. That's not always the case, just because it's local it's not always good, but finding the right farmers that grow local produce and grow animals the correct way is good stuff.

Q: How do you think the Lowcountry influences you as a chef?

A: Here, you get the full gamut of vegetables, tons of fruit, local beef, pork and lamb and the ability to get it all whole. Product influences me more than anything. Anybody that's willing to get up at 5 a.m. and drive to Ehrhardt to pick up a whole cow just to be able to serve local beef loves product. It really says something about our quality at Cypress.

Q: What do you feel is your greatest accomplishment as a chef?

A: The first copy of the cookbook was a culmination of so much for me. The idea, the layout, what I was going for, the food that I chose for the book; I had a hand in every part of it. I think I appreciate it so much because it gives people the opportunity to really see what's behind our food.

Q: What do you think sets Cypress apart from other Charleston restaurants?

A: I'd have to say that what sets us apart is the look of the restaurant, first of all. Open the front door of the restaurant and you're blown away. The other thing is our commitment to using the whole animal whenever possible. 99 percent of everything that I buy gets used, from the fat to the meat to the bone.

Q: Who is your favorite chef outside of Charleston?

A: How do you get to be the best? You surround yourself with the best ingredients and the best people. That's what Thomas Keller (award-winning California chef with The French Laundry) does. There are many great chefs, but I'll have to go with Keller for food that I like which is elegant, thought-provoking, fresh and exciting and at the same time simple.

Q: Who is your favorite Charleston chef?

A: Mike Lata of FIG.

Q: What is your favorite meal?

A: Braised beef short ribs with potato puree, roasted carrots, and the short-rib reduction.