It's not fall without delicious fare that highlights the best flavors of the season. That's why The Aviator — Cleveland's premier restaurant and event center that's located right along the runway of the Cleveland Hopkins International Airport — updated its menu to reflect the very best of fall.
To celebrate our annual Food & Drink issue and give you a behind-the-scenes look at how The Aviator's new menu was created, we sat down with the restaurant's executive chef Bryan Thomas. Get to know him and learn about the creative process that went into crafting this seasonal menu.
How long have you been in the culinary field?
In 2008, I went to culinary school at Le Cordon Bleu in Pittsburgh. I have been in the field ever since.
How did you become the executive chef at The Aviator? What made you gravitate towards the job?
When I moved back to Cleveland, I told myself that I wanted to find a restaurant that would allow me to have creative control over the menu because it is a goal of mine to win a James Beard Foundation Award. When I came to The Aviator and met with co-owner and president Khadar Soussou, our goals and ambitions lined up perfectly. I made him the promise that I would take us to the next level.
Tell us a little bit about the fall menu you crafted. What are some themes and flavors that guests can expect?
This menu is very personal to me — it's my chance to put all my experience and the knowledge I've gained over the past 16 years together. Fall has always been my favorite season, so this just felt right. The theme of the menu is fall showcase, where I put my spin on dishes that utilize fresh and locally sourced ingredients. It will be an elevated worldly cuisine menu, with some dishes from France, Italy, Spain and the Mediterranean.
What inspired the fall menu?
I have always been a big advocate for using the best seasonal produce. This menu really emphasizes that because you'll get the best tastes and flavors of the season.
When creating a new seasonal menu, what does that process look like?
To start, I look at the produce that is coming into season and begin reaching out to local purveyors so that I can obtain samples of the products I'm interested in. After I have received these, I taste everything so I can understand the complexity of the flavors and how they'll taste with one another. Then, I start to compose a menu and do some research and development. During this process, I'm trying to ascertain how the dishes will complement one another and support the overall flow of the menu. From there, I’ll make adjustments until I get to the point of a harmonious balance among flavors across the entire menu. The final step is costing out each dish.
What are some of your favorite dishes to prepare for yourself?
When I’m at home, I normally cook some of my childhood favorites like mac and cheese, greens, oxtail soup, cornbread, spaghetti and pork chops. I play around with new dishes as well at home to keep the creative juices flowing.
To see the new fall menu and make a reservation at The Aviator, visit AviatorPubCleveland.com. The Aviator is located at 20920 Brookpark Rd., Cleveland.
The new menu emphasizes the best flavors of the season.