With a natural ability and a strong desire, Chef Ben
Reynolds began his culinary career at The Dry Dock Restaurant in 1994. Having
benefited greatly from being “raised in the kitchen” by his Eastern Shore
parents, the then 21 year old landed on the Western Shore and began assisting
in the tiny kitchen of what was already a wildly popular Solomons restaurant. A
year later, he took the helm as the Head Chef, largely self-taught, wow-ing
customers with his creativity.
“The Zahnisers took a risk on me at the start. They are
great to work for – honest – fair – and have always been good to me,” stated
Ben.
For his first eight years Chef Ben experimented with flavors
and food trends, serving up innovative gastronomic delights and building
further on The Dry Dock Restaurant’s strong reputation. With an arsenal of cook
books and an intuitive sense about food, he was on board when the cozy
restaurant with the tiny kitchen expanded to a larger space at Zahniser’s
Yachting Center.
Like the siren’s call, the Eastern Shore was beckoning Ben
back home, so he packed up and embarked upon the opportunity to start his own
restaurant. This experience would prove to be invaluable for him, learning the
nuts and bolts of the restaurant business. The learning was not without
challenges. After a few years he realized just how much he “needed to get back
in the kitchen.” And the kitchen was at his Western Shore “home” - at The Dry
Dock. The only other time he wasn’t whipping things up at The Dry Dock - as
only he can do - was due to his commitment to family.
Passionate about food and creating great meals, Ben has an
enthusiasm about menu planning (practically bubbling over about the new Fall
Menu, which will be unveiled later week), private parties, researching recipes
online, and working with younger people who bring a refreshing jolt of
creativity into the kitchen and to the table.
Throughout his years of experience, Ben has humbly learned
that “experience is a double-edged sword. Sometimes I can throw things together
and it turns out to be awesome. Other times, I may have forgotten an ingredient
or an old rule of thumb and it can be a disaster.” He also feels strongly about
buying local as much as possible, offering the very best cuts of meat and the
freshest seafood, and making certain that every customer is happy with their
meal. He continues to stay current on culinary trends, attracting customers
from near and far.
Although many chefs can be competitive by nature, he is not.
With the growing number of dining options available on Solomons, he sees the
draw of more people to the island as a benefit. The only one Chef Ben competes with
is himself, committed to doing his very best work and continuing to build on
The Dry Dock’s success every day.
Stay tuned for the Fall Menu from Chef Ben coming very soon!
.jpg)
