New Culinary Duo is Polishing Pearl’s

December 2007

When Creighton Peet’s wife applied for a teaching post at Bard College at Simon’s Rock, the veteran chef – a Culinary Institute of America graduate with 20 years of professional experience in the restaurant industry – was looking forward to hanging up his toque and taking on the role of househusband. But that’s not how things turned out. As fate would have it, the folks at Simon’s Rock wined and dined the couple at Pearl’s, and that evening Peet happened to meet the restaurant’s owner, who asked the would-be Mr. Mom for his phone number. One thing led to another, and gone are the visions of househusbandry; Peet is now general manager and executive chef at Pearl’s, and he has brought along his colleague, Mary McGrath, as head chef.

Before taking the helm in October, Peet had a few months of transition with the previous chef, who hailed from North Carolina and had inserted a few Southern accents into Pearl’s menu – little things a chef would notice such as the batter for the fried chicken. But now the dish reflects Peet’s more global perspective; it’s Persian Fried Chicken, and one of its accompaniments (along with carrot ribbons, mashed potatoes, and pan sauce) is Naan, a bread from India.

Don’t expect drastic changes to the menu and direction at Pearl’s, which is beloved by visitor and local alike for its fine fare served in a sophisticated setting. Instead, Creighton intends to make his mark gradually. Thus, among traditional steak-house starters such as Classic Caesar Salad, Iceberg Wedge with Tomatoes, Crispy Smoked Bacon and Bleu Cheese, Shrimp Cocktail, and Oysters or Clams on the half shell, you’ll find Soy Candied Spiced Ribs with Cracked Pepper Glaze, and Vietnamese Vegetable Spring Roll with Yuzu Chili Dipping Sauce. On the list of main courses, perennial favorites such as Steamed Maine Lobster with Seasonal Vegetables and Mashed Potato; Peppered Venison Rack with Whipped Sweet Potatoes and Rosemary Cider Glaze; and Grilled Organic Salmon with Local Butternut Squash Risotto and BBQ Butter coexist alongside Kona Coffee Crusted Kurobuta Pork Chop with Roast Garlic Smashed Red Bliss Potatoes and Mongolian Glaze. And while there’s no danger of the popular Pearl’s Cheeseburger, Lobster Roll, Salmon BLT, and Steak Sandwich disappearing anytime soon, there’s also room for creative spins such as Steamed Edamame with Hawaiian Pink Sea Salt. Peet says the daily specials, created by chef McGrath, will also reflect the new team’s global perspective. “That’s where Mary’s running wild with her creative flair,” he says.

Despite his roving palate, Peet’s a product of New England, having grown up in Boston. During his culinary school externship, he cut his teeth at the Quilted Giraffe, one of the hottest restaurants in Manhattan in the 1980s, at the dawn of the era of the celebrity chef. He went on to run kitchens for resorts and caterers in Colorado, then returned to Massachusetts as executive chef for the Deerfield Inn. Before landing in Great Barrington, Peet was at the opposite end of the state, as executive chef and general manager of The Roobar in Falmouth, on Cape Cod. With his background on the Cape, it’s no surprise he intends to amp up the seafood on Pearl’s menu, though it’s hard to see room for improvement with such current menu offerings as Caramelized Sea Scallops over Creamed Corn with Truffles and Wilted Frisee, or Seared Ahi Tuna with Udon Noodle-Hijiki Salad and Sake Lemongrass Nage.

Pearl’s wine list will also evolve under Peet’s influence. A self-professed “new-world-wine kind of guy,” he’s pleased with the current offerings, but plans to expand the list to include more values, without sacrificing quality. The higher-priced wines will remain available on a Reserve list. One area that already reflect his tastes: a larger collection of Single Malts.

Some of the changes on Peet’s plate are of the kind most diners won’t notice. He is firmly aboard the sustainability bandwagon. A member of Berkshire Grown, our county’s farm-to-table organization, he’s dedicated to finding and using the best local, seasonal products from our fields. His environmental concern extends beyond the Berkshires to the oceans; sourcing sustainably produced seafood is one of his priorities. He’s also planning to implement more “green” practices within the restaurant’s operations.

The reluctant chef has already gotten involved with community issues through his participation in the Railroad Street Youth Project’s Berkshire Culinary Arts Program. On Monday afternoons – Peet’s day off – a group of local high school students gathers in Pearl’s kitchen to learn about the making of a chef. The six-session program begins with a basic orientation to a restaurant kitchen, and covers everything from knife skills to the cutting of chicken and the preparation of dressing and sauces, soups and stocks, and seafood and fish. The course concludes with two fundraising dinners at Pearl’s, helmed by a special-guest chef. The next session starts in January; the guest-chef dinners are scheduled for the final two Mondays of March. Since he’s so well connected in the restaurant industry, he’s reaching for the stars in terms of the guest chef, but I’m not at liberty to reveal any names. (And believe me, if you’re a foodie, you will recognize the celebrity chefs he has invited.) But these culinary bright lights should not distract from the success of the program; more than 75 people came for the last fundraising dinner, and two graduates of the program now work in Pearl’s kitchen.

About Bess Hochstein
Bess J.M. Hochstein came to the Berkshires as a second-homeowner before deciding to move here full time. Previously a communications executive, she's now a freelance writer living in Tyringham with her corgis Duffy and Hobbs and K. She writes for several publications, including Berkshire Living, the Boston Globe, New England Wine Gazette, and Healing Lifestyles & Spas magazine.