Executive Chef of The Essential,Victor King grew up on a farm in Nolansville, Tennessee. “Because my mom and I had the farm, we always entertained people. It was where all the family gatherings happened, the class get-togethers. And the food was always centric,” King says. Or you might call the hospitality and the food, essential.
“Being able to do that in the restaurant every day, that’s why I show up.”
During his college years, he worked some in restaurants, bars, picking up jobs here or there. “Go nowhere kind of jobs.”
“A friend of mine said, either take it seriously, or just stop doing it now. He knew somebody at Highlands Bar and Grill in the kitchen, and I started working there.”
That was the first kitchen I was in, where I was like, oh, wow. Everyone here takes this seriously. Everyone loves this and you really feel the hospitality.
“I just always wanted to learn more. ” That drive saw him try his hand at butchery and bakery and then a small cafe, Feast and Forest
“It gave me all the baseline skills to do what we do here.” And what they do here is create the ambiance, friendliness and fine food of a classic neighborhood bistro.
“What we try to do here is just promote generosity and comfort. We’re open seven days a week. We do lunch and dinner all the way through. It’s one menu. And then we do brunch on the weekends
“I think it’s important to be here for the neighborhood. And for the growing amount of tourists that we get in Birmingham as well.
“This neighborhood, really. I mean, when you think about just this few blocks, it’s quite a food paradise, you know? It really is.
Photo by Mary Ferh
The Essential • 2215 1st Ave N,
(205) 718-7612 • essentialbham.com
Hours 11 to 9 daily • 9 to 2, 5 to 9 on Saturday and Sunday
