At The Heart Of NC Cuisine: A Smithfield Chef’s Take On Cucumbers

By Taylor Harris
NC Department of Agriculture

SMITHFIELD, N.C. – Cucumbers are not only a staple at farms and markets across the state, but also on restaurant tables and catering menus. Chef Blake Gotliffe, owner and head chef at Under the Oak Catering Company in Smithfield, has a long history of growing and cooking cucumbers. In fact, he continues to reference them as “a staple” in our state’s culinary scene.

Chef Blake has been involved with the hospitality industry since his first job at Kentucky Fried Chicken when he was 15 years old. “From my very first job until now, I’ve always had a love for cooking and the restaurant industry,” he said. “Although I loved it at a young age, I never saw it as a professional career until my then girlfriend, now wife, suggested I become a chef.” Blake met his wife, Megan, at a bar where she worked as a waitress. In addition to working part-time, Megan was also in college at Wake Technical Community College to become a pastry chef. “I had not gone to college yet or figured out what I wanted to do professionally until I met Megan,” Chef Blake said. “She suggested I take classes to become a chef, and I immediately knew it was my calling.” From then to now, Blake and Megan have become a power couple in the culinary industry, creating many beautiful dishes and desserts through the years.

In 2018, Blake and Megan started Under the Oak Catering to bring restaurant-quality dishes to events across the state. “Under the Oak Catering actually started, believe it or not, as a pickle company,” said Chef Blake. “Megan and I were growing produce in our garden and selling it to the restaurant I was working with at the time, as well as other local businesses in need of fresh fruits and vegetables.” By selling his produce to businesses and restaurants across the state, Blake built a strong network that helped him start Under the Oak Catering. Today, the company caters for a variety of events across the state, including weddings and farm-to-table dinners.

Although many of their events are booked six months to a year in advance, Under the Oak Catering will book out as late as a month from the event. “At Under the Oak Catering, we bring five-star service and cuisine to the table,” Chef Blake said. “We are passionate about serving local ingredients as much as possible and featuring North Carolina’s finest.” Blake and his team work with many farmers across our state to source fresh ingredients all year long. “Ninety percent of our ingredients are sourced locally,” said Chef Blake. “However, we do have to source from other states at times, because sometimes customers request an item out-of-season in North Carolina for their wedding or special event.”

Smith’s Nursery in Benson is a main partner with Under the Oak Catering, providing them with cucumbers, lettuce, tomatoes and other seasonal ingredients throughout the year. Other farms that Chef Blake and his team work with are Joyce Farms, Firsthand Foods, Master Blend Family Farms, and Cheshire Pork. Chef Blake also loves purchasing ingredients from vendors at the State Farmers Market when he has the chance. “The fresher our ingredients are, the better the food is,” he said. “It’s an honor to partner with farmers across the state and showcase the products they work hard to produce each year in a variety of unique and delicious ways.”

Under the Oak Catering operates with a semi-seasonal menu throughout the year. All entrees, like their Pan Roasted Chicken and Smoked Pork Shoulder, remain on the menu year-round, while salads and produce items rotate based on what’s in season in North Carolina. For example, in the summer, Chef Blake and his team offer a tasty cucumber salad to interested customers, which will not be served other months of the year due to cucumber availability. “We use a lot of cucumbers at the restaurant, both on salads as well as fermented pickles,” he said. “In fact, we make our own bread and butter pickles that present a more vinegary taste than others and provide a unique flavor to many menu items, like burger sliders and pimento cheese biscuits.”

Each year, Under the Oak Catering services between 120 and 130 events, so you can imagine the variety of delicious items that grace the menu each season. If you would like to hire them for your next event, check out their website to request a quote!

As catering company owners, Blake and Megan enjoy supporting local farmers and showcasing local ingredients, like cucumbers, in their food.

“Cucumbers are a staple in our state, and on our menu,” Chef Blake said. “Many people grew up eating them, and continue to expect them on salads, burgers and more. I enjoy using them every summer because they are so versatile in the kitchen and really add a unique flavor to a variety of dishes.”

Reprinted with permission from the NC Department of Agriculture