Dewey’s Pizza Blog
Chef’s Pick: The Harvest Salad
Author: Chuck Lipp, President at Dewey’s Pizza
I’ve spent the last 35+ years of my life in the restaurant industry. It all started between my sophomore and junior years of college, working the line in the kitchen at CQ’s in Harbour Town on Hilton Head Island. I spent two summers working in kitchens in Hilton Head and moved there after graduating to continue working in the industry. After two years in HHI, I decided to move back closer to home to attend culinary school. While in culinary school, and for a couple of years after, I worked my way through both the kitchen and dining room at Orchids in the Netherland Plaza Hotel. I later became the Corporate Chef at Redfish. I eventually landed at Dewey’s in 2002, and I’ve been here ever since.
Familiar Flavors, Unexpected Flair
I’ve always had a passion for creating food that’s unique but approachable. I like to introduce one or two ingredients that might surprise the palate, but still keep dishes grounded in flavors that are familiar enough to draw people in. That same philosophy carries over to how we think about pizzas and salads at Dewey’s: familiar foundations with just enough flair to make them memorable.
Of course, great food isn’t just about creativity. It’s also about great quality and consistency. We work hard to source the best ingredients, build solid processes in our kitchens, and avoid overcomplicating things. When those pieces come together, it shows in the final result.
Most of our seasonal items go through a lot of experimentation. Back in the early 2000s, I was in our restaurants pretty much all of the time, and I’d mess around with new ideas during the slower moments of service. If something seemed promising, I’d call Andrew and ask him to stop by and try it. He’d usually offer some feedback—or take it home to get his family’s reactions—and from there, we’d either scrap it or refine it until it was ready for the menu. There were far more ideas left on the cutting room floor than ones that made it to Andrew. The Harvest Salad only took 2 or 3 tries before we thought we had it right and were excited to see what others thought.
Making of the Harvest Salad
The Harvest Salad went through a similar process. I remember it was early fall—my favorite season—and I was thinking about classic autumn ingredients. Apple cider and pumpkin came to mind right away. I knew we needed something sweet to balance out the tartness of the cider and the salty crunch of the roasted pumpkin seeds (pepitas) so I added figs. And to be honest, I’d been looking for a way to sneak Boursin cheese onto the menu. We used to serve a dish with it at Orchids, and I’ve been in love with it ever since.
Once we nailed the dressing, everything just clicked. It’s a simple vinaigrette that lets the apple cider shine, and is just thick enough to lightly coat the delicate greens. At first, we could only offer the salad seasonally, when we had access to fresh, local cider. But now, thanks to high-quality pasteurized options, we’re able to keep it around longer.
Each month during “Harvest season”, company wide, we use 1,000 lbs of Boursin cheese, 1,000 lbs of Figs, and nearly 900 lbs of Pumpkin Seeds.
It makes me truly happy to hear comments from our team and our guests about how much they enjoy the Harvest Salad and how excited they are to see it back on the menu. After all, watching both our team and our guests respond so positively to what we serve—and to the hospitality we provide—remains one of the greatest rewards of my career and one of the reasons I love this industry.