As his knife expertly slides through a hunk of sashimi-grade tuna, the ink on Doug Gerpheide’s arms tells a story. The characters and artwork speak of his heritage, his love of Asian culture, and most importantly, his passion for food.
That passion—first ignited while cooking alongside his grandmother, who emigrated from Japan, and later refined at Le Cordon Bleu in Portland—took firm root over decades as an executive chef at such venues as Colonial Country Club in Fort Worth, Texas; multiple restaurants in Salt Lake City; and wood.ash.rye in St. George.
Now, Doug is fusing his influences into the new menu at Social District Boutique, located in The Shoppes at Zion. From late night sushi to Korean barbecue flatbreads, artisan charcuterie to full entrees featuring steaks and seafood, Chef Doug’s offerings have a singular goal.
“We want to make sure that everything we’re doing has an intention, and that every dish is super high-quality and fits with what we’re trying to accomplish,” Doug noted. “Also, we want to showcase Utah as much as possible, with locally sourced items such as produce and meats, and Utah-made cheeses, wines, beers and spirits.”
What Doug and his team hope to create will be unique in St. George: An upscale “speakeasy” environment, where patrons can enjoy higher-end cuisine, a sophisticated lounge vibe, live music, and even—on Friday and Saturday evenings—late-night small bites and signature cocktails until 1 a.m.
At the recent “Dinner on Main” event, held during September’s Dixie Days celebration, Doug’s six-course meal embodied his take on American cuisine, with a decidedly Asian (and southern Utah) aesthetic: Sushi plates were followed by braised pork-belly and Utah steak (the latter topped with togarashi aioli), as well as shortcake crafted with local peaches.
“That was a way to showcase my abilities,” Doug acknowledges, “but much more importantly, I wanted to highlight what a very cool concept my partners—Adam and Kerry Anne Hunt—created when they opened Social District. Ultimately, we want the Bistro to be a space where you come in, you have some cool food, and just hang out with friends and have a good time.
But it will be a ‘higher-level hang’…so we want every detail to be perfect.”
For more info, visit mysocialdistrict.com.