COOKING
Andrew Hillary
Andrew's
Story
Andrew Hillary is the manager of Iron Bay Restaurant and Drinkery in Marquette, Michigan. Born in Machesney Park, Illinois (about an hour and a half from Chicago), he describes the food in his house growing up as something you’d see on the Food Network show, “Semi-Homemade Cooking”. His parents cooked around him a lot growing up --- but it was mostly box mixes with extra ingredients added. As he calls it, “half-real food”.
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Finding a life career had been far from an easy decision for Andrew while growing up. At a young age he wanted to be a geologist, to study volcanoes. After the unexpected death of his mother in high school, he had a sudden push away from going to college. Since he did not see college in his future, did he know what he wanted next?
“No…. Absolutely not” he says.
Listen to the rest of his story below.
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Andrew’s dishes are often inspired by what the staff is enjoying. “If the staff are excited to eat it, [he’s] probably doing something right,” he added. Breaking the divide between Front-of-House (servers, bartenders, and hosts) and Back-of-House (cooks and dishwashers) is a big priority for Andrew. He cites this Front-and-Back communication as one of the key things necessary for success in the restaurant biz.
In the coming months, keep on the lookout for new vegan, vegetarian, and “summery” items. Andrew declares that there’s nothing better in the hot summer sun than a chunk of watermelon, some white wine, and a view from the Iron Bay patio. Although Iron Bay’s busy season may be summer, they offer a variety of specials throughout the winter that you should be sure not to miss. Plan on stopping by? Here's what I recommend on the menu.
For my fellow meat eaters: Try the pulled pork sandwich! Slow-cooked pork butt, sesame oil slaw, spicy pickles, and cherry bourbon BBQ sauce on top of a pretzel bun. The warm pulled pork mixed with the tangy vinegar-sesame slaw creates a harmony of texture, heat, and flavor within the soft pretzel bun. Cherry bourbon added into a classic BBQ sauce is an exciting change to a classic flavor.
For my vegan/vegetarian friends: Check out the Lemon-Tahini Quinoa Bowl! Roasted winter vegetables, red beets, and quinoa dressed with a lemon tahini sauce. The vegetables include roasted carrots, parsnips, and sweet potatoes, salted to bring out their sweet-and-savory natural flavor. The lemon tahini dressing showcases both title ingredients, with a nutty, citrus filled flavor. This vegan dish can (and should) be enjoyed by everyone!