Ozark Living

By Chef Erin Rowe It's not every day that you meet a chef who's overcome so many odds and triumphed like Chef Jeff Wetzel, owner of B-List Burgers in Bella Vista. is man brings true artistry and heart to every dish he makes while also taking extra special care of his employees in an industry that oen doesn't have the time. As a chef myself, I appreciate people like this who take the extra moments to really care for the food they put on the plate, knowing each customer by name and truly loving their employees enough to support their dreams of a Friday night off and an all-expense team- building trip to Colorado.t But first, who is he and how did he begin? At the bottom of the restaurant ladder, like many of us, Chef Jeff was washing dishes at his girlfriend's dad's sports bar at 15. He ended up finding a culinary program to attend through the Art Institute of Houston, eventually moving into a stint with a French chef where he received his truly classical training. is experience taught him about the beauty of simplicity, which he still adheres to today in his kitchen. "Anyone can throw 85 things on a plate, but to just take 5 things, you really have nowhere to hide when making a dish. I look at the simplicity of my dishes. It's all intentional and strategic what I use. I don't really cook out of my spice cabinet," Jeff shares. He's worked in private catering and as the Executive Banquet Chef at the Houston Oaks. He really went off on his own aer this with his Yellow House Café, a 100 year old house, in Houston: a restaurant much like B-List where he just cooked whatever he felt like that day! From Yellow House he ultimately was recruited by BLU restaurant of Northwest Arkansas, opening their seafood-focused establishment in Bentonville. When Jeff 's wife, Jessica, and kids moved here later from Texas, she mentioned to him, "all you need is a kitchen, right?!" and the food truck life began. is French- based food truck, which gave him his "French Cowboy" moniker, was called La Bouvier, and was seen all over NWA for a bit, alongside 102 to downtown Bentonville, to Siloam Springs and on the brewery circuit. Its slogan of "Classically French, Tragically Redneck" drew in curious diners. Eventually Jeff realized he needed more time out and about than inside a small food truck, so catering resumed until he found a spot in Bella Vista that he could maybe use for a catering kitchen. "I told Jessica just that," recalls Jeff, "and that night I came home with the keys!" And the rest is history, as this established restaurant in Bella Vista has found a true chef and culinary wizard to call it home. So for those of us aspiring to chefdom or just curious Chef Jeff 's advice on cooking, he Eats "The French Cowboy" The 411 on Chef Jeff Wetzel "Just stay true to who you are on the plate – the food will speak for itself." ~ Chef Jeff Wetzel 12 • May 2022 • OZaRK LIVING

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