JOSH DALTON
10 Things I Can't Live Without
Photographs courtesy of Robin Hoffman
A Gulf Coast boy turned Midwest entrepreneur, Chef Joshua Dalton has been on a 15 year culinary journey that could be likened to a rollercoaster ride. Dalton has been hired, fired and rehired at some of Columbus’ best and worst restaurants, but over the past few years, the classically untrained Chef has made his mark on the central Ohio fine dining scene. His first concept, 1808 American Bistro, has become a mainstay of downtown Delaware; while Veritas Tavern, his self-described culinary playground, was lured to Columbus’ restaurant row on Gay Street - and, whispers of a James Beard award circulate through the city. For the uninitiated, Veritas is one part science, one part culinary excellence, and two parts imagination. Sophisticated Living Columbus readers may remember our feature from the summer of 2016.
1. My cookbook collection - it grows every week.
2. My daily commute with Howard Stern & The Wack Pack.
3. The two women who shaped my life: my mother, Joyce and my sister, Jan.
4. The Hamilton Soundtrack. I just recently saw Hamilton in Chicago. I’m planning to see it again in May, and I listen to the soundtrack constantly. I love it!
5. Black Calvin Klein t-shirts. I wear them everyday and I probably own at least 80!
6. My lawn mower. I find something very peaceful about mowing the grass, and the escape it provides from the daily grind right in my own backyard.
7. My fellow coworkers. Running a restaurant isn’t a one man job. I couldn’t do it without all of them.
8. Kosher Salt. Otherwise, food would be bland. A little vinegar doesn’t hurt either.
9. Dairy - mainly cheese and ice cream. I went Vegan for a while as an experiment for Veritas. The meat was no problem, but the cheese and ice cream about killed me.
10. Meals that inspire me. I could obviously live without this, but traveling for inspiration is vital to my growth and happiness. I’m going to Noma in Copenhagen this summer and cannot wait!
This article was originally published in the May/June 2018 issue of Sophisticated Living Columbus.
