If time flies when you're having fun, what does it do when you're working your ass off? Twelve years ago, on June 8, 2014, we opened the doors to Vagabond Kitchen in the McLure Hotel. Depending on the day, it feels like yesterday or two lifetimes ago. At the time, I was only six months removed from a six-year stint living out West. The year before, I had launched the Vagabond Chef project riding my motorcycle around the country, chasing stories, meeting cooks, and various sundry culinarians....

In this, the day of manufactured outrage, it’s more important than ever to remember our roots. I grew up in the Northern Panhandle of West “By God” Virginia. Deep in the hills and hollers, but not far from the river that forms our Northwestern border. The Ohio River and the industry that she supports add a different flavor to Appalachian Culture in the Upper Ohio Valley. All too often, Appalachia is confused with the South. While we do share some culture with a strictly Southern heritage,...

A System-Wide Approach to Heritage, Community, and Experience Good morning. All of us in this room are the same. We are custodians of Appalachia, protectors of West Virginia, and together we tell the tale of our hills & hollers. As superintendents, you’re responsible for protecting some of the most important places in West Virginia. You’re stewards of land, history, and public trust. My role, as Executive Chef for the Parks, is a little different, but it connects directly to yours. My job is...