Herons at The Umstead Resort & Spa in Cary, North Carolina: Meet the Chef

WRITTEN BY 5 REASONS TO VISIT® EDITORIAL STAFF

PUBLISHED MAY 2022 • 4 min read

5 Reasons to Visit® sat down with Executive Chef Steven Devereaux Greene of the Forbes 5-star Herons at The Umstead Resort & Spa in Cary, North Carolina.

Executive Chef Steven Devereaux Greene of Herons at The Umstead Resort & Spa in Cary, North Carolina

Where did you grow up, and where have you traveled to that has helped inspire and shape your cooking philosophy? 

I grew up in a small town in South Carolina called Ninety-Six, (yes, that is the actual name of the town), so like much of “Small Town America,'“ my initial interests in food came straight from my grandmother’s kitchen. That is where my spark for culinary started as a young kid and it was later ignited when I could finally afford to travel. I consider myself to be very fortunate in that I’ve have been able to travel extensively to Southeast Asia, (Shanghai, Hong Kong, Vietnam, all the way to Singapore). Also traveling to Paris, Italy and Greece influenced me. Each of these cultures have such a rich history of recipes and techniques that have been around for centuries. Seeing how passionate these cultures are about food forever changed my life.

Herons at The Umstead Resort & Spa in Cary, North Carolina

Tell our readers an interesting fact or two about yourself.

I am obsessed with my wife and son—they share my affinity for cooking, so gathering in the kitchen has always been a lot of fun for us as a family. Also, I’ve played guitar for over 30 years, but have never had a formal lesson. It’s like meditation to me.

Tell us about your absolute favorite food and why readers should try it if they haven’t already.

My favorite foods depend on the situation, but I do love Vietnamese and Thai foods. There tends to be a utilization of humble and minimal ingredients to garner so much flavor—it’s amazing to me. Anything from Pho to something simpler like a green papaya salad.

Herons at The Umstead Resort & Spa in Cary, North Carolina

What are three ingredients that you simply couldn’t live without? 

Yuzu juice, a good salt “diamond crystal kosher” and onions.

We love the art behind plating. What do you love about designing the perfect dish?

Well, I am not sure if I have designed the perfect dish yet. Taste is the most important element to the design in any dish. However, when you can add any type of whimsical touch to plating or an artistic design, it certainly enhances the overall “wow” effect and feel to the dish. When designing a well-plated dish and the guests walk away from the table with a sense of excitement, all of that translates into creating that memory for them, and THAT is what I love about attempting a perfect dish.

Herons at The Umstead Resort & Spa in Cary, North Carolina

Tell us about one of the most creative dishes you’ve created?

It’s hard to say from my perspective what is the most creative. I did have a fun idea when I envisioned a raw seafood display with ice under the fresh seafood. Then had an idea of flavoring the ice so you could eat the entire display. This then turned into a savory kakigori, (which is a Japanese shaved ice), usually in a sweeter form. We now plate it with King crab and the ice flavor varies from a Thai style ice with coconut pudding, rhubarb, and green almond to our latest one with Anjou pear ice, sea grapes, caramelized miso, and allium water.

Herons at The Umstead Resort & Spa in Cary, North Carolina

Share your most recent awards and accreditations with us!

Herons recently received our Forbes 5-Star rating for the 12th consecutive year. It was a reflection of not me, but my entire staff, which is comprised of some of the hardest working and most dedicated individuals that I get to work alongside and mentor.

What are some of the latest trends you’re seeing in top restaurants across the globe?

From a food standpoint, the use of Koji and the rebirth of fermented foods, which I love seeing. From a business perspective the trend, (and I hope it’s more than a trend) that I’m seeing that is the most important is implementing a standard for a better quality of life and work life balance into our industry.

What’s your favorite cocktail or beverage of choice?

I do enjoy Bourbon cocktails, or a good Aperol spritz. Right now, I am more into wine, but have had a lot of fun playing around with different mocktails with herbal infusions—especially at home.

What do you love about being the Executive Chef at Herons at The Umstead Resort & Spa in Cary, North Carolina?

The thing I love most about being the Executive Chef at Herons at The Umstead Resort & Spa is getting to lead and work beside such amazing humans. I feel like we have such a great culture here—it is unlike any place I have ever worked. I love the freedom our amazing ownership gives me to have complete creativity with the cuisine, and of course, our beautiful farm, One Oak, that is a source of literal life and collaboration that goes into so much of what we create.