Chef Brian Poe was born in the town of Macon (GA) and grew up in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains. Weekends were spent in Haleyville, Alabama, where Poe’s grandmother, Ms. Leaty, would cook after-church suppers for up to 50 friends and relatives, composed of Southern classics raised on the family farm: corn on the cob, fried okra, fried chicken, and, catfish (caught by young Poe himself in his grandfather Papaw Drake’s pond). Some of Poe’s fondest childhood memories involve the time spent in his grandmother’s kitchen while she baked biscuits from scratch and he cleaned freshly picked beans.

Poe went to school at Auburn University (AL) where he soon found himself back in the kitchen, working his way up the back-of-house ranks at the Auburn University Hotel & Conference Center. From there, he was promoted to sous chef at the Northeast Atlanta Hilton – during the Olympics. Next, the corporate task-force team relocated him to Scottsdale (AZ) naming him chef at Steamers Oyster Grill in Phoenix and then executive chef at the American Grill, a gentlemen’s steakhouse serving a seasonal menu that featured different styles of regional cooking: Southern, Midwestern, Pacific Northwestern, and Southwestern. It was here that Poe created and perfected his now-famous Grilled Green Chile Cornbread.

Poe next repaired to the resorts of Scottsdale, where he worked as chef de cuisine at the famous Piñon Grill. This is where he honed his wine-pairing expertise, traveling with his team up and down the West Coast and writing menus back at the Grill to complement the wines they tasted. He also did many task-force missions for the Millennium Hotel group – from the Millennium Biltmore Hotel in Los Angeles to the Millennium Bostonian Hotel, where he ran Seasons Restaurant. The latter eventually became home. Following in the footsteps of such great culinarians as Jasper White, Lydia Shire, Gordon Hammersley, Jody Adams, and others, Chef Poe spent five harmonious years cooking his way to the top of the food chain, securing the dual title of executive chef and food and beverage director at the hotel.

His success at Seasons brought Poe to a new career point. He took advantage of the opportunity to travel throughout South America – from Brazil and Argentina to Chile, Peru, and Bolivia – in an effort to prepare for his next challenge: manning the newly branded Poe’s Kitchen at the Rattlesnake Bar & Grill in 2009. With the hearty support of the Rattlesnake’s owners, Poe successfully brought food to the forefront of what was already a see-and-be-seen institution in Boston’s Back Bay.

In June of 2012, Brian Poe opened The Tip Tap Room in Boston’s Beacon Hill neighborhood with business partner Gordon Wilcox. True to its namesake, The Tip Tap Room dishes out a variety of inventive “tips” accompanied by an immense selection of beers on “tap” in an upscale pub setting. A world traveler whose culinary talent has taken him across the globe, Chef Poe incorporates only the best of his experiences to produce unparalleled tastes, flavors and flair in each of his culinary creations. At The Tip Tap Room, diners find some “tips” that are traditional and others that take a walk on the “wild” [game] side.

In January of 2015, Poe and Wilcox joined forces in their third restaurant venture. Established in 1997 by Gordon Wilcox and Suzi Samowski, Bukowski Tavern had been a mainstay in Cambridge’s Inman Square. After closing for several months to undergo major renovations while tweaking the culinary program, a refreshed Bukowski Tavern emerged. Staying close to its roots as a neighborhood burger and beer bar, Bukowski Tavern now boasts a revamped look and menu with signature “Poe twists.”

Chef Poe is also a culinary instructor at Newbury College, an active board member of the American Institute for Food & Wine, and a board member of several local and national charities. He often serves as personal chef to such local celebrities as Curt Schilling and his family. Chef Poe lives in Danvers with his wife, Cristiana.

Wild Boar Meatballs with Cilantro Sauce by Chef Brian Poe

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Meatballs
5 lbs. Fossil Farms Wild Boar Ground Meat
1⁄4 cup chipotle peppers
6 oz. lime, juiced
8 oz. panko breadcrumbs
1 bu. Cilantro
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions
Puree chipotle, cilantro, and lime juice in food processer and combine with wild boar. Add breadcrumbs and mix until combined. Portion into 2 oz. balls and roast at 350F for 15 minutes. Set aside.

Pickled Serrano Chiles
1 cup rice wine
1 ea. Bay leaf
Pinch black peppercorn
6 ea. serrano peppers, chopped
Pinch pink peppercorn
Pinch coriander

Directions
Using a medium sized pot, bring vinegar to boil. Add seasonings, then place chopped serrano. Remove from heat and let cool.

Serrano Salsa
2 ea. diced Roma tomatoes
5 ea. pickled Serrano chiles
Pinch of salt and pepper
1⁄2 bu. cilantro
1 ea. lime, juiced

Directions
Combine all ingredients and reserve.

Chili Ginger Sauce
1 cup vegetable stock
1 cup sugar
2 oz. garlic minced
2 oz. tomato paste
1 cup rice wine vinegar
1⁄4 cup fish sauce
2 oz. ginger minced
4 oz. green label Asian sauce (chili garlic paste)

Directions
Sauté garlic and ginger in hot garlic oil. Add all other ingredients, bring to boil then remove from heat. Puree the mixture and cool.

Meatball Sauce
1 cup Chili Ginger Sauce
1 cup water
1 bu. Cilantro
1 cup pickled serrano chiles
1 cup veal stock

Directions
Combine Chili Ginger sauce, pickled serrano chiles, water and veal stock and simmer for 1 hour. Cool and add chopped cilantro.

Presentation
Add the meatballs to the baked Meatball sauce. Enjoy.