Article and photography by Fitz
Let’s be honest, sometimes a man needs substantial motivation in his life to reach the full potential of his talent. After only sleeping for three or four hours at night, one can often find himself in need of a reason greater than himself to get up and attack a double shift with passion. For Hampton Roads based cook, Travis Lindblad, his two-year-old daughter Callie Virginia Lindblad is that reason.
One shouldn’t get the impression that before his wife, Katie Lindblad, brought Callie into the world Lindblad wasn’t adept at making delicious food. Many years ago, his brother gave him the moniker “Vegan Slayer” after Lindblad took to sautéing vegetables in bacon fat. Early on, that type of propensity for embracing and cooking comfort food served to define Lindblad’s “Chub Life”–as the tattoos on his hands attest. In fact, Lindblad has cooked for a living for the majority of his adult life. He first cut his culinary teeth at the now closed Phil’s Grille at the beach. As with all young people starting in the industry, he did so at the bottom washing dishes. Though there were no titles, as he explained to me, “We just went by seniority there,” in time, Lindblad would become the de facto exec–cooking nightly features.
Travis Lindblad at The Grey Goose in Hampton in late 2016
When Lindblad first started at Phil’s, he remembered only washing ten dishes or so a night. It “exploded” soon after though with the kitchen regularly getting crushed starting at 4 to 5pm and holding until close at 2am. With increased customers came added demand and duties for Lindblad so, in ‘95, he would leave dishwashing behind to work the line. He quickly took to cooking under pressure and in volume. However, with increased pressure every day, often bad habits and dubious indulgences can creep in, particularly in the restaurant industry. As Sarah Nardi put it while reporting on rising Chef Brandon Baltzley in the pages of Reader, ”The industry tends to draw very intensely, creative people. But creation and destruction can be the same impulse, refracted differently by the will. It’s not uncommon to find cooks who endure punishing 12-hour shifts and then spend the next several hours obliterating themselves with their drug of choice.”
——————————————————————————————————-
For more on the inspired street food at Streats, visit them online HERE or lick the flier above!
——————————————————————————————————-
Lindblad lived that life. It followed him in subsequent years from jobs at Oleary’s to Woody McGees to Smoked Out. He’ll tell you, “I’m not proud of it, but I used to do coke all the time. I did drink on the line. I did coke on the line. I wasn’t motivated. But while to some degree, I started to get away from coke before Callie, once she was born it had to stop.” Drinking for Lindblad was initially harder to get control of but as he put it, “With Callie around, it just was one of those things, drinking had to stop at home. And now, even the thought of staying out until early in the morning, I’m like ‘nah’, I don’t even want to. I don’t have the time.”
Lindblad’s sweet tea sous vide pork tenderloin with Jimmy Red Corn Grits and pumpkin seed praline sauce.
When Lindblad first learned of his wife’s pregnancy, he decided to take some time away from the industry. When he returned two years later, in 2014, he did so with Callie’s future in mind. Rejuvenated, he quickly earned the respect of several lauded chefs locally. Nic Hagen of Homegrown said of him, “I think he’s the perfect example of a person that left this profession to learn that it is the thing he loves. His food is fat boy refined.” David Hannah, formerly of Press 626 said, “He makes simple food bold and brash just like he is. He creates food that is true to himself.” And, Josh Gregory of Supper remarked, “His personality comes through in his food. He’s balanced being a father and a chef. It’s a difficult line to walk and it should be noted he does it gracefully.”
Lindblad with his daughter Callie Virginia Lindblad at their home.
Lindblad now brings his renewed vigor for cooking to the recently opened Corner Bistro in Poquoson. Time will tell if that will be a chapter or cliff note in his career. One thing is certain however, Lindblad is cooking with more passion than ever before–a passion driven by his love for Callie.
For more on Lindblad visit HERE
For more on The Corner Bistro visit them online HERE
No Comments