Paul Spillane

THE CHEF

Executive Chef Paul Spillane’s first culinary inspiration came from a deep respect and love of cooking born out of generations of family tradition. The chef’s mother Suzanne, and mémère Eva Richer Montagne, regarded food and family above all things. This deep respect for food and personal connections has had a lasting effect on our chef. Suzanne (among the youngest of eighteen children) was raised on a large dairy farm in northern Vermont. This extraordinary (and very large) family was completely self-sufficient, raising their own livestock, farming their own grains and produce, producing their own dairy products, and preparing three meals each day from these ingredients.  Farm-to-Table in its truest form.

 

Throughout his life chef Spillane has enjoyed his father’s sprawling gardens filled with spring, summer and fall vegetables, fruits, herbs and greens. Many of his recipes, including home-baked breads, pies, cakes and pastries were passed on from his mother, who can always be found in the family kitchen. It is from this rich culinary tradition, pride in seasonal and local ingredients and dependence on fully homemade dishes that chef Spillane takes his inspiration.

 

Chef Spillane is nearly crazed when it comes to high quality, seasonal ingredients and homemade dishes.  If any product can be fully homemade in our kitchens, then he takes the extra steps to do so.  He hates the idea of outsourcing any of our products to other vendors, so he takes the time to develop his skills to ensure that you and your guests enjoy the freshest and highest quality, handcrafted foods.  His commitment is so complete, that each morning he can be found baking breads and churning his own butter made from his homemade crème fraîche.  

 

Whenever possible he makes a strong point of researching or visiting the farms and growers whose products he uses, so he can see, first hand, how they raise their livestock, grow their produce, mill their grains, brew their beers; produce their wines and so on.  Nothing is more important to him than knowing, for certain, how a thing has made its way into our kitchens.  If he doesn't like the way a thing is done or feels he can do it better himself, then he makes that effort.  To some, this may seem unnecessary, but we believe this is what separates us from the pack.  A love of fresh, local, heritage and artisanal ingredients, attention to detail and a love of food and tradition means everything to Chef Spillane and all of us at Fox Grape Catering, and it’s our proud commitment to you.

 

FOX GRAPE CATERING