CHEF CURTIS GAMBLE OF STATION

from LOCALpittsburgh Issue #20

by Local Pittsburgh

PLATES FROM AROUND THE ‘BURGH

Written By Jessica Iacullo

When I think of Station, a quaint, “very Brooklyn 2010” interior bar and restaurant (and by some diners, it’s regarded as a dungeon, but in the best way), I think of the garlicy, peppery wings that seem to always exceed my expectations, and the fresh pasta that’s been fl owing out of the kitchen since day one. With an opening in 2015 featuring a 12-dish menu (which has now shifted to double that), it’s more than accurate to say Station has quickly evolved into the landmark in Bloomfi eld it is today.

As Chef Curtis Gamble explained his concept on an October Wednesday afternoon in his dining room,

I truly gained a new respect and admiration for what he built in what used to be a dive (and, apparently, problematic) bar. I understood and listened to where he was coming from, where he was, and where he wants to go. And similarly to conversations I’ve had as of recent, a big part of maintaining excellence and growing beyond the present comes from managing and fostering a well-educated and focused staff.

Chef Curtis, like a handful chefs in the Pittsburgh food scene, is sober and a new father. Though these qualities have immensely changed the way he thinks and cooks for himself.

“Having gone through a lot of personal hardships from a young age, to now being a father and wanting to provide the best for my child, it’s really caused me to also take a step back and really appreciate and listen to the people around me. It’s instilled a certain sense of calmness in me, especially being in a high-pressure environment.”

Having this mindset for himself and the standards he holds himself accountable for, he also holds his staff to a high caliber of quality.

“I just feel very fortunate that I get to work with the people that I get to work with, and that I can provide people with jobs… I feel like we have a very strong community here and other people know that and can see that.”

But at the same time, Chef notes it’s no secret that his age, and starting as a chef in kitchens from as early as the age of fi fteen, has allotted him to see a lot of things behind closed kitchen doors. With a large rise in the “Me Too” movement, Chef Curtis explains his relations with

“I just feel very fortunate that I get to work with the people that I get to work with, and that I can provide people with jobs”

witnessing a lot of wrong things, but now being in a place of leadership and command, he wants to create a kitchen that is a safe place and built on the idea of every staff member being the best version of themselves.

“People like myself, that have lived through a lot of shifts and changes in the kitchens, are more aware of what can happen, which is a big reason why we don’t do staff drinks, I call people out when they’re hungover and say they can’t work… we have to build a better culture, we have to teach people that they need to respect themselves and the people around them.”

Having a home in Bloomfi eld is something that is very important for Chef and his entire staff; specifi cally being able to play a role in Bloomfi eld’s culture and existing events, from having the ability to bring people to a different neighborhood to playing a hand in events like Little Italy Days.

As far as Chef’s thoughts on what the culinary, dining-out world is today, he believes that the evolution has changed to people wanting an experience, a night out, as opposed to “just a meal.” For the staff, as important as it is to be innovative and offer a menu of new things (which he does successfully), Curtis wants them to be able to provide and help diners fi nd “familiarity in the newness,” whether that’s describing a pasta dish that may seem complicated in a condensed and broken down way, in order for diners to feel comfortable and be able to picture what they’re ordering before they do.

“At the end of the day, once you have it and you understand it, you’re realize this is like, ‘oh, the wings are great just garlicky parm wings, and the tagliatelle is great too but it’s just a pork ragu…’ It’s just a different approach about a dish to make someone feel nostalgic and excited to eat it at the same time.”

That’s not to take away whatsoever to the excellence and craft that Curtis puts into each and every item on the menu, from the popular Chicken Liver Mousse Popcorn Panna Cotta. Though the focus and goal is for diners to be able to “uncode” and understand what exactly they’re reading, it’s also a menu meant for those that understand and acknowledge the frills to, in fact, be able to tell that they’re there.

In a very evolving dining scene that Pittsburgh fosters, I think that Station fi nds the wonderful but complicated balance of the familiar and the new, the comfort food and the exploration of new things. You can truly get to feel and appreciate just how much goes into every aspect of every dish on Curtis’ menu, and just how much he prides himself on perfecting each dish every single day.