Andreas Müller is the mastermind behind some of Gunshow’s Scandinavian-inspired dishes, like chicken liver pate with dark chocolate rye and pickled cherries. Growing up in Sweden, Müller was surrounded by local garden produce and farm-fresh food. He started in the restaurant industry at the age of 15, working his way through the ranks and attending culinary school at Le Cordon Bleu in Tucker. Müller has worked in the kitchens of Woodfire Grill, H. Harper Station and 4th & Swift, before Gillespie asked him to be his right hand “kitchen dude” at Gunshow.
When you moved to the United States with you mother, how did you adjust to the transition?
It was a huge culture shock because of the language barrier. I spoke Swedish and German, but there were a lot of English words I was not used to, especially the jargon of the South. The first two years I wanted to go back to Sweden.
Was it difficult with the language barrier when you attended Le Cordon Bleu for cooking school?
Le Cordon Bleu teaches you the classic techniques and cooking skills, which are the same in Sweden. The most difficult part for me was the measurements, because Sweden uses liters and deci-liters.
What was your reaction to Southern cuisine?
Once I got out of school, I moved to southern Alabama, and that was the first time I learned what grits were. I wasn’t used to some of those Southern flavors, like Cajun spices. What surprised me was that Southern cuisine is very similar to the Scandinavian cuisine’s relationship with farm to table sourcing.
What are some of the flavor profiles in Scandinavian cuisine?
The predominant spice is black pepper. We focus more on earthy flavors and use a lot of fresh herbs. Another popular flavor is brininess and pickled foods, from fish to vegetables.
Talk more about how you are influencing Gunshow’s menu with Scandinavian flavor.
I’ve introduced both traditional and non-traditional Swedish food. Every time I tell the kitchen staff what I want to cook, they think I’m crazy. They laugh but then try it and think it’s really good. I do a lot of Swedish street food, like Smörgåsbord, which is basically a layer cake of chicken liver pate.
Go through a typical day of creating Gunshow’s menu.
Kevin Gillespie brings the kitchen together for a menu meeting every Saturday. I have a farmer on location and she works with Gaia Gardens and a few other local farms, so she sends me a text message t0 tell us what is fresh that week. She knows my style, and brings great produce to the restaurant. We test all dishes and if they work, they’re on the menu for the week.
How is the timing of dishes different with Gunshow’s concept compared to a traditional kitchen?
The difference is night and day from traditional restaurants. We have seven people on the line and each chef is responsible for their own dishes. We have to watch each other, communicate, and see what dishes are getting ready to go out, because everybody can’t bombard the guests at the same time. The kitchen doesn’t even have printers for orders.
You’ve worked with Gillespie at Woodfire Grill and now here. What have you learned?
Working with Kevin is great because his knowledge of food is incredible. His palate is amazing both with food and wine. The biggest thing I learned from him is to season your food, hit your acid, and those flavors will make the dish pop.
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