Moments after being seated at Junebaby, Ravenna’s James Beard Award-winning Southern food restaurant, vegan Jenny Park formally announced to her friend and server that she could not wait to finally experience authentic Southern cuisine.
Park then grilled server Gary Larson on a series of detailed menu questions, including whether the pork ribs could be substituted for field roast sausages or tempeh bacon.
“And the buttermilk fried chicken, that can be done without the buttermilk or the chicken, right?” Park asked. “Ooo, and I can’t wait for the biscuits – no butter, right?”
As Park continued pondering menu options, a profusely perspiring Larson excused himself to the kitchen to ask what could be done. After a brief retreat into the walk-in freezer to scream into his hat, Chef Edouardo Jordan calmly confirmed his kitchen could still give Park her dream dinner.
“Yes, we will have your vegan fried chicken, hushpuppies and biscuits out in a jiffy,” Larson said when he returned to Park, who thanked him for the trouble. “It’s no problem, no problem at all.”
