When Rob Clement learned he was at high risk for experiencing severe illness due to Covid-19, he had a choice to make. As chef at The Porter’s House, a steakhouse in the Rare Roots Hospitality restaurant group, working from home was not an option for him. He worked until the restaurant reopened, then headed home as staff came back for dine-in operations. 

There, he anxiously checked Open Table to see how reservations were doing. To keep him busy, his wife Franki encouraged a side hustle. Together, they came up with the idea to sell and deliver meal kits paired with virtual instruction, allowing others who aren’t comfortable dining out to cook restaurant-quality meals at home. 

The business is named Piedmont’s Bounty, and will source ingredients from local farms, whether directly or through Freshlist. Classes range in difficulty, with options available for purchase online starting at $40. Master more difficult skills such as eggs Benedict, or learn to make a classic eggplant parmesan. 

“We’re not able to go anywhere because of my medical situation, so I can’t go out to a restaurant and have a meal, but I can cook restaurant quality food in my house,” Clement says. “Not everybody practices and does this every day of their life, so it’s trying to help people do home cooking better and also get better ingredients to do that, because that’s a big part of it.”

Classes can be ordered with or without the ingredients, which are delivered to your doorstep the day before class. The eggs Benedict class, for example, includes english muffins from Verdant Bread, cheese from Brown Creek Creamery, butter from Ashe County Cheese, and eggs and produce from local farms. That class will take place on July 26 at 10 a.m. Attendees will also receive recipes and information about where each of the ingredients came from.

For Clement, facing the decision whether to stay home and stay healthy for his family and continuing to do what he loves highlights one of the most difficult aspects of being a chef: often, your professional success is dependent on personal sacrifice. 

“I feel like my entire life as a cook and as a chef has been based around being in a restaurant,” he says. “There is no opportunity to offer value to society outside of the system. So in this situation, as I saw Sam Diminich doing his thing, I think a lot of us know that we have more value than just the four walls of the building that we’re in.”

He hopes any success Piedmont’s Bounty has can serve to show that chefs can find sustainable cooking careers — and a better work/life balance — outside of restaurant kitchens. 

“There are only so many opportunities to, as a cook, support your family and be there for your family as well,” he says. “This is just kicking the tires on if it’s feasible to be able to be home and be a dad.”

He and Franki will scale Piedmont’s Bounty to meet demand, including hosting private classes for large groups. Clement wants to return to The Porter’s House when the pandemic is no longer a health risk. In the meantime, he is optimistic his classes will help educate diners as to what it really costs to make good food.

“It’s our hope that by offering an opportunity for consumers to use restaurant quality ingredients and techniques, they might gain a deeper appreciation for what folks in the kitchen do,” he says. 

Unpretentious Palate subscribers can enjoy 10 percent off a class using the code UP10 when ordering online. —Kristen Wile

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