At Chez Nous, inspiration doesn’t only come from cookbooks or markets. Sometimes it comes from stepping outside into the garden.

Behind the restaurant we keep a small working garden where we grow many of the herbs and edible flowers that find their way onto our plates and into our cocktails. In the middle of busy prep lists and dinner service, tending the garden gives us a moment to slow down and reconnect with the ingredients we love.

This time of year is especially exciting because many of our seeds are just beginning to burst to life.

Our nasturtiums are spreading beautifully across the beds, their round green leaves soon to be followed by peppery blossoms that make both a vibrant garnish and a delicious addition to salads. Nearby, sweet peas have just begun climbing their trellises, promising delicate flowers in the weeks ahead.

The garden is filled with herbs that appear regularly in the kitchen. Mint, purple basil, Thai basil, rosemary, oregano, and lemongrass all thrive in the warm Texas climate and add fresh aroma and flavor to many of the dishes and cocktails we serve.

One of the most meaningful plants in the garden is our antique rose bush growing along the fence. These edible roses were given to me by my late aunt more than twenty years ago, and each season when they bloom they remind me of her love for gardening and cooking.

The garden may be small, but it is a quiet reminder of something we’ve believed since the beginning of Chez Nous: great food always begins with great ingredients.

And sometimes, those ingredients are growing just a few steps from the kitchen.

 

— Chef Stacy Simonson

Chez Nous