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featured dining guide story Advertorial Feature by Karen rice | nwa Democrat-Gazette Chef William McCormick: on an artful journey 42 What's up! FEBRuaRY 10 - 16, 2019 W illiam McCormick, an eighth- generation Arkansan from Fayetteville, has been chef at Eleven, the restaurant at Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art in Bentonville, for about a year now. The Dining Guide team caught up with him recently to talk about his fascinating culinary journey. Why were you drawn to this career? I've always been fascinated with cuisine. As a child I loved going out to restaurants with my family. We usually ate meals at home and getting to go to a restaurant was always for a special occasion, so I associated restaurants as a place to celebrate with friends and family. I also have a profound appreciation for farms and ranches stemming from my grandfather. He was a great steward of the land and would share his appreciation of the changing seasons with me. What inspires your cuisine? My cuisine is inspired by the many experiences I have enjoyed throughout my travels cooking around the country. I've been fortunate to work in many different restaurants – each with its own unique personality and cuisine. The one constant focus has always been to utilize ingredients that are at the pinnacle of their season. Foods that tell a story, either from a personal experience or from a great growing season that produced a food that is perfect in every way is exciting. Dining is an experience and I want people to eat with a purpose. Tell us about your time at Eleven. In my year at Eleven my appreciation for the arts has flourished. I was always appreciative of unique artworks but now have a deeper and better understanding. I'm much more inquisitive about the production of the art. With there being so many factors that influence how an artist lives and thinks it's a fascinating glimpse into what inspired these people throughout history to produce such interesting works. I love the art, no doubt about it, but the stories behind the art is what interests me the most. Has Eleven turned out to be the venue you imagined? Eleven is such a unique experience. To dine in such an architectural setting such as this is beyond compare. There are many beautiful restaurants in the world, but very few blend art, architecture and nature into one the way Crystal Bridges does. I find myself daily admiring the beauty of a new view or a specific painting that captures "the way I feel today." I never imagined that a place could have such an impact on daily life. chef william mccormick, photo courtesy of Stephen ironside