Salt & Smoke Opens Full Time Kitchen At Burial Beer Co

After a year of pop-up kitchens and Sunday brunches at Burial Beer Co., Salt & Smoke AVL launches a full-time, permanent Kitchen Tuesday, June 14th in the beer garden of the brewery located at 40 Collier Ave. The Kitchen will operate six days a week from Tuesday to Sunday and feature snacks and small plates inspired by Old World European traditions linked to the chef’s Southern roots.

The partnership between Burial Beer Co. and Salt & Smoke grew organically over the past year as the popups gained popularity and Chef, Brewers, and Owners saw continued symbiosis between the food and beer.

“What drew us to Josiah and Shannon as people and talents is the intrinsic way they care; the way they were willing to start small and grow as well as their constant desire to take food that has historical significance and add something to it that brings it back to their roots,” states Jess Reiser, Owner of Burial Beer Co. “That really resonates with Burial beers and how we craft. We realized we were all seeking to reconcile the things we respect about the old ways of crafting with the creativity inside ourselves and that like-mindedness has produced an amazing partnership.”

Pioneered by Josiah and Shannon McGaughey, both individuals have spent their careers to date working in various cities and pursuing food while developing the culinary voice that is now Salt & Smoke. Josiah McGaughey began his culinary path at the age of fifteen in Atlanta, Georgia where he grew up. A notable stint at Revolution Brewing where he launched creative initiatives like Pre-Fixe Tuesdays and the Charcuterie program was followed by three years at Bull and Beggar in Asheville in which he was instrumental in opening.

“I really try to use all my influences in everything I do and my influences tend to be sporadic and change,” explains owner and Head Chef, Josiah McGaughey. “Right now I love old world Eastern European, Wallonian, and Norwegian cooking and how that translates to what I grew up on here.”

Shannon McGaughey whose background growing up in a restaurant family and working at wine focused and food eccentric restaurants has also culled the necessary skill set to take on such an endeavor. “The idea to start Salt & Smoke was a dream Josiah and I both shared equally. Its what we moved to Asheville to do,” states Shannon. “When we got this amazing opportunity to partner up with Burial, we put all our efforts into making it happen. As the GM I am handling all the numbers, PR, marketing, social media, etc. But outside of that I’m also constantly researching edible wild foods in the area and foraging them, baking all the sweets for Sunday brunch, and of course running the window and getting to chat with
all our wonderful guests.”

Patrons of the Salt & Smoke Kitchen can expect to see a rotating seasonal menu two-three weeks during weekdays and a weekly evolving Sunday brunch menu. One flagship small plate is the “Koldt Bord.”

“The Koldt Bord we’ve added as a staple to the opening menu. Literally meaning ‘cold table’ in Norwegian it is meant to be a spread of different charcuterie, seafood, pickles—really anything you can nibble on,” explains Shannon. “Josiah was always putting together these little nibbley boards when we first started dating—it won me over then and continues to wow me every time I sit down to one.”

Food and beer pairings have become an integral part of what Salt & Smoke specializes in, often making recommendations to guests and including Burial beers into the dishes the create. “The variety of beers (Head Brewer) Tim brews is like having a wine list to work with,” states McGaughey. “Sometimes it can be difficult to pair beer with food, but these beers are subtle and you can follow where the notes travel.”

Rounding out the team of two is Sous Chef, Pepijn Van der Geld, who also hails most recently from Bull and Beggar, and Kelly Vormelker of Buxton Hall who will be aiding in front of house duties.

The opening of Salt & Smoke Kitchen at Burial Beer Co. is the first large leap of more to come from the grassroots beginnings of the Asheville couple.

“I do think about it everyday. I feel pretty lucky to be doing this and I’m really excited to see what we are going to be doing in the future,” says McGaughey. “We’re always developing as humans and I feel like I’m just starting even though I’ve been cooking for fifteen years. I still feel like I’m scratching the surface.”

For more information regarding Kitchen hours and opening menu visit www.saltandsmokeavl.com.