The Rathskeller at The Montana Club in Helena, Montana: Meet the Chef
We sat down with Executive Chef Rachel Conn of The Rathskeller at The Montana Club in Helena, Montana.
Image Credit: Moody Bones Photography
Tell us about what your morning routine looks like, and how you like to end your day?
I usually start my day by looking at the calendar of future events, ordering, and prepping for the coming shift. Everything crescendos with the culmination of service. I love ending the day by killing the line and cleaning up so everything will be pristine again in the morning.
Do you have a favorite chef that you look up to and what advice would you give to aspiring chefs?
My favorite chef is probably Gabrielle Hamilton, who owned Prune in New York and wrote the memoir Blood, Bones & Butter. I really like her take on being a lost soul and finding herself and her worth in the kitchen. It really resonated with me.
Image Credit: Moody Bones Photography
Advice to aspiring chefs: try to take lessons from every day, learn from your mistakes, and really hone your craft through those lessons. We all have moments where we wonder why we are working so hard, and then we see a group of friends eating your food, trying everything, and exclaiming about how delicious it is. You realize your job is really to make everyone’s day better, and that makes my heart smile.
What do you typically cook at home?
A lot of Southeast Asian dishes. It is definitely my go-to comfort food.
What’s a food trend that you’re loving right now and why?
Honestly, I am not much of a trend follower. I love clean flavors, earthy notes, long braises, and crispy skin. Those things never go out of style because they are somehow linked to our inner core.
Image Credit: Moody Bones Photography
What’s the strangest food combination you’ve ever tried? And, did you like it?
There is a Thai soup called Kuay Teow Reua. It is made with blood blocks, citrus, and stewed pork. There were definitely components I liked, but the blood blocks were too much for me.
Image Credit: Moody Bones Photography
What drink do you enjoy most?
I love wine, and cocktails, and more wine. I love something with a savory note, like lapsang souchong and fernet together. However, more often than not my go-to is wine. I used to work in the industry, and the swirling, smelling, and tasting, there is something sensual about that. Something that makes us take our time to enjoy it.
Have you ever cooked for a celebrity? Do you have a story to tell?
I made Jerry Seinfeld a charcuterie board.
What’s your Instagram so readers can follow you?
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Image Credit: Moody Bones Photography
Why should readers visit The Rathskeller at The Montana Club in Helena, Montana?
There is something for everyone at The Rathskeller. Whether you are out for a casual night with speakeasy vibes, an afternoon tea with girlfriends, a step back into the Club for sophisticated charm, or live oysters and steak in the 1885, we have something that nowhere else in the state does.