Cleveland Chef Spotlight: Steve Schimoler; Crop Bistro

Image credit: cleveland.metromix.com

While Crop Bistro has been around for a few years now (opened Summer 2007), I'm continuously impressed with the restaurant's highly inventive menu and innovative dishes. One of my favorite restaurants in downtown Cleveland (and home of my favorite corn bread in the world), Crop Bistro never fails to put a smile on my face. From the whimsical decor to the fresh outdoor patio and tantalizing flavor combinations, I wanted to hear more from the man who made it all happen; Steve Schimoler.

Inventor, entrepreneur, and self-taught chef, Steve Schimoler's career has taken him from Long Island to the Lake Erie shore. Always in pursuit of new challenges, Steve launched his first Long Island restaurant at age 23. Within three years, he had three businesses running simultaneously and his flagship restaurant, The Black Walnut, received 3 stars from New York Newsday critics, positioning Schimoler as one of New York’s top toques.

So how did Steve end up opening one of my favorite restaurants in Cleveland, Ohio? And where does he find the inspiration behind his tasty delights? I decided to ask Steve a few questions to find out.

Shannon: I see you've had LOTS of restaurant experience -- how did the idea for Crop Bistro originate?

Steve: My last restaurant in Vermont served as our “Custom Restaurant Operation Platform” an extension of my test kitchen and lab. We used the restaurant for developing and validating new products. I never really realized that the acronym was also a great name for a restaurant, CROP. When I decided to open a new restaurant the name was a natural fit, as we use it for our development projects but also the name reflects the goals of working with the local agriculture base.

Shannon: What sparked your interest to launch localcrop.com?

Steve: After I sold chefex.com to SYSCO, I worked for 3 years helping to build that business. During that time I started to develop a local version which we finally launched last July 2008. The idea was generated from my desire to provide a solution for the farms to gain distribution and streamline the procurement process for restaurants to buy local.

Shannon: Why is supporting local farmers and serving their produce, dairy and meat important?

Steve: From a culinary view, it is about fresher products harvested at peak ripeness, from a deeper perspective it is about protecting our green spaces, reducing our carbon footprint and creating sustainable business model so people can make money. Local foods should not be elitist, by creating a more efficient model, we can reduce costs and offer local ingredients to a much wider market.

Shannon: What are the three healthiest dishes on your menu right now?

Steve: Our warm popcorn salad is always a great healthy appetizer. Our Lobster Latte is deceivingly healthy as it is made with 2 % milk and no butter or cream. The grilled Tasmanian salmon with Minted Cucumbers and red rice is fresh and vibrant and no added fat.

Shannon: What do you love most about your job?

Steve: The ability to create new food memories that people then identify with CROP while expanding their flavor horizons.

Shannon: Where do you find the most inspiration for your dishes?

Steve: I never shut down, I drive everyone crazy with a constant stream of new ideas. The inspiration can come from anywhere and at any time.

Shannon: What is your favorite dish on the menu?

Steve: Our Chicken Fried Chicken with Savory Malt Waffle and Ohio Maple demi glace. It is truly craveable!

Shannon: You've had a lot of experience on the corporate side of the industry (Director of Innovation and Development for Nestle North America). How has that experience helped you in developing and founding Crop Bistro and localcrop.com?

Steve: Balancing the disciplines of the corporate world with the need for innovation and flexibility is not easy in a large company, I feel that we have created an environment where we do a good job of fostering those competencies. We are able to take risks and move faster than a big machine.

Shannon: Anything else you want to share about Crop Bistro?

Steve: I feel really great that we were able to open a restaurant that was outside the norm for the Cleveland market and establish a strong enough of a following to prove that people do want to experiment and trust our instincts.

Crop Bistro & Bar is open for lunch Tuesday through Friday, and dinner Tuesday through Sunday, with a full bar, distinguished wine list, and late-night hours on Fridays and Saturdays.

Crop Bistro is located at 1400 W 6th St Cleveland, OH 44113.