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BIOGRAPHY FOR ANDREW SCHLOSSER Chef Andrew Schlosser, age 32, is a self-taught chef. His formal education was at Old Dominion University is Norfolk, Virginia. He graduated from ODU with an Industrial Technology Degree. He was the executive chef and owner of The Landing Restaurant at Smith Mountain Lake, Virginia until spring 05, as well as for Metro! restaurant in Downtown Roanoke, Virginia until present. Just a few of the awards from The Landing Restaurant include Best Area Restaurant for four years, Best Chef Overall, Most Creative Chef, and Best Chef/Owner as awarded by City Magazine. Also awarded to Andy was the Best Restaurant Overall Metropolitan Area/Best Lake Restaurant by City Magazine. The Landing Restaurant was also featured in Southern Living Magazine in August 2001. Metro! Just recently received top rated accolades in Southern Living May 2005 for a RED Hot ROANOKE article. He has made a name for himself at Smith Mountain Lake for bringing a menu like no other in the area, and by keeping the menu fresh, and ever changing. He has brought those talents to the more urban area of Roanoke. CHEF ANDREW SCHLOSSER'S PHILOSOPHY Why do Metro! in Roanoke? A questions queried once or twice. My answer has evolved and has become more refined with self recollection. As with any new restaurant, people were curious, “what’s your menu, is it Italian, is it Asian, are you gonna have chicken?” Is it fusion? I prefer Modern American. It’s not any one type of traditional cuisine and doesn’t necessarily go by any rules. Pure and simple: I am celebrating culture through food. Not an entirely new idea, as our food is rooted in European style with hints of all other cultures from around the world. Lucky for me, my earliest and most inspiring memories of food were born in the heart of American food culture. New York City is the ‘food mecca melting pot’ for world cuisine. As far back as I can remember my family celebrated food and cuisine ethnicities with great fervor. A trip to the bagel shop or China Town wasn’t merely to satisfy ones’ gullet with a bagel or mystery duck. It was taking a trip deep into the roots of Israel and China. The easiest and best way for my parents to introduce cultures to me was by sharing their enthusiasm for food. When I was five years old, my dad made me so excited about an octopus he bought from an Asian market, that I was found nibbling on the suckers he had carved away to be discarded. Their desire to experience other world cuisine rubbed off at a very early, and impressionable, age. It allowed me the comfort to be willing to open my doors to any food culture at least once. Even if I don’t find that a particular food suits my taste, the experience is still worth the heart burn. Case in point: “Natto”, a Japanese delicacy of fermented soy beans which, to me, is reminiscent of old gym socks marinated with the gooey slime from Ghostbusters. While my Natto ended up rolled in the cloth napkin like a gift for some unfortunate Chinese launderer on Bleaker Street in New York, I still have the satisfaction and amusement of the experience. On the flip side, sometimes a food deserves a second chance. I gagged the first few times I ate sea urchin. Curiously enough, one day I found myself craving the roe from that little ocean baseball. Now, for me, tasting it is to experience all the ocean’s freshness. Although many of us would love to travel the world over seeking the best cuisine, it is more realistic that we should treat ourselves whenever the opportunity arises here or abroad. Some of my most vivid memories of other cultures are of the food. One of the most amusing and amazing experiences you can have is a trip to China Town in New York. In one block you will find little Italy converging with Russian markets and Vietnamese fish purveyors. I once found a store that specialized in 100 different varieties of dried shrimp and scallops. Seeing the kitchen of a bustling Chinese live market restaurant in Boston or New York is like being in Hong Kong. The sounds, the smells, and sights are marvelous! Tasting fresh sardines flown in via Fed-Ex from Greece can make you understand why Greek fishermen base their culture around such a gem. Understanding the mystery of Cannele Pastry and the art involved in actually removing them from the ancient tin and copper molds made only for the purpose of baking this peculiar little cake can enthrall one in the experiences of another land. Opening a bottle of Cotes du Rhone is a French farm and all that offers in a bottle. You can actually be there. It’s the reason a 1961 Bordeaux is so valuable. The wine in the bottle is past its prime, but its history of a place and time are still strong in its aroma. It’s a time capsule. A true love for food: Why? The sensory experience of course! Clothing, monuments, song, and literature all hit one of our primary senses. Food and beverage reflect all. Food is something you can see, feel, taste, smell and even hear. More than ever before, I think it is important for Americans to absorb and understand the other cultures of our world. Food is culture. Food is, in my view, the most intimate way to experience world culture. It is important for us to let go of our food inhibitions. When we do, we will gain a better understanding of our neighbors on earth. You only live once, so experience it all. A pair of chopsticks and bowl of udon noodle soup is a lot cheaper than a round trip ticket to Tokyo. Metro! is a miniature New York. It’s me giving you a tour of China Town, little Italy, the Jewish bakery, the Swiss pork store, and the Thai vegetable market I was fortunate enough to grow up with. While designing my restaurant and menu concepts, I tried to keep a common theme of freshness, quality, and above all culture. Preparing foods of the highest quality in an open kitchen with a fully visible refrigerator is my way of inviting people that may be more timid about a new experience the see the entire process, and also for us to gain their confidence as the tour guides. As is for my customers, Metro! Is a training camp in culture for my staff. As an Exec Chef, I have become a “coach” to my cooks, inspiring and training them not only in the Art of Cuisine but also in the Art of the industry. My Business Skill is on par with my Culinary art and is needed so in an independently owned and funded Restaurant. 
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