In 2020, chef Rob McDaniel took a leap of faith leaving a successful position at Lake Martin’s Spring House restaurant to don an ownership hat in addition to his chef’s apron. And faith sustained him through the journey to bring his first restaurant, Helen, to downtown Birmingham. “I read this Bible verse one morning after a terrible dinner service and the day I didn’t make the Beard Award long list for the first time in five years,” he says, “and it basically said, ‘You’ve been on this mountain long enough.’”
Photo by Cary Norton
He wasn’t looking to leave his job but was searching for a shake up, and he took the words as a sign. And then he had to move some mountains. His wife, Emily, left her own successful real estate career to partner with him in Helen, and the couple pushed hard against the perils that came with the pandemic, while also battling some family issues. “Working on opening Helen kept us grounded,” McDaniel says.
Faith may be Helen’s foundation, but love, particularly for his grandmother, is McDaniel’s daily motivation and why he gave his restaurant her name. His fondest memories were watching her cook on an indoor grill in her house. “I loved her and everything about those moments. That’s what I strive to do with my food, to stir that emotion in others.”
Photo by Cary Norton
McDaniel has earned acclaim for delivering complex flavors in straightforward dishes, and at Helen this philosophy shines in rutabaga gratin spiked with trumpet mushrooms and savory smoked porchetta. “Creating a menu for all was a big goal,” he says. “There are lots of veggies on there and almost anything can be made vegan with a few tweaks.”
He’s equally committed to continually tweaking his industry, leaning again on the love that drives his cooking. “I want to make this work more sustainable, so my employees aren’t stressed out and burned out. I want them to work less time if they want it and need it. I want to put my employees ahead of the bottom line,” he says.
Can’t Miss on the Menu
Cocktail: Silver Bullet
Bar Snack: ‘Nduja Honey Bun
Main: Jurgielwicz Farm Duck Confit
Dessert: Angel Biscuit Ice Cream
