By Anne Hart
As a West Virginia native, I always thought I would be a doctor. While most kids were playing with dolls and cars, I was making a mess in the kitchen. The microscope, slides, test tubes and chemicals from my chemistry set were overrunning the space previously occupied by my Little Suzy Homemaker Easy Bake Oven. After receiving my degree in biology, a funny thing happened on the way to the lab…
In the 20 years before I opened Provence Market Café in Bridgeport, WV, I held restaurant and district management positions and opened 12 restaurants in fine and casual dining in Atlanta, Rochester, Boston and Washington, D.C., including The Peasant Restaurants, Grisanti’s and Pizzeria Uno.
As owner and executive chef at Provence, I have created a unique menu influenced by the cuisine, ingredients and local flavors of Provence and the Mediterranean. The adjacent marketplace features unique wines from around the world. Provence Market is a supporter of the earth to table movement and has been working with local growers and farmers since the restaurant’s inception in 2002 to cultivate ingredients for its menu.
Provence Market has achieved the “Award of Excellence” by Wine Spectator magazine since 2003 and was honored as “New Business of the Year 2003” by the Harrison County Chamber of Commerce. The State Journal included Provence Market in its “55 Good Things about West Virginia” in 2007. By creating nontraditional Appalachian dishes, such as Squirrel Nachos, Ramp Bisque, Moonshine Haute Chocolate, Provence Fried Quail with Morels and Cheese and Brussels Sprout Slaw, Pawpaw Beignets and Scotch Eggs Benedict, Team Provence has received recognition as the “Grand Champion,” “Best of Show” and “Best Single Course,” as well as numerous additional awards, in the five years of competition of the Cast Iron Cook-Off between 2005 to 2010. In January, Team Provence once again donned their chef coats in the 2012 Cast Iron Throwdown at The Greenbrier Sporting Club in White Sulphur Springs, where they claimed first place.
I am a member of the Women Chefs and Restaurateurs, a national organization that promotes the advancement of women in the restaurant industry, and I was one of the chefs invited to participate in the 2010 4-14 Festival in Dijon, France, a festival that celebrates the collaboration of culture, arts and foods with the United States and Dijon. I helped found the Bridgeport Farmers Market in 2009, of which I am currently serving as the president, and I sit on the Buy Fresh/Buy Local West Virginia steering committee, as well as the executive committee of the board of directors of the Southern Food and Beverage Museum in New Orleans, LA. I previously hosted a daily radio spot called “The Gourmet Guru” that allowed me to offer food advice, and I currently host the weekly television spot “Hot Plate” on WDTV through which I demonstrate hot, new culinary trends, ingredients and techniques.
Come in and try our French inspired cuisine in a casual and relaxed atmosphere that overlooks Anne’s Creek. We offer nightly specials and seasonal menu changes. Enjoy fine wine by the glass or bottle from our extensive wine list. Be sure to browse our Wine & Cheese Market for the finest gourmet goods and interesting wines to take home to your kitchen or for perfect gift giving. We can also provide catering for your next event. For more information about Provence Market, visit www.provencemarketcafe.com.
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