When Brandon Douglas was a little boy growing up in Mena, he watched his grandmother cook.
She didn't just cook. She prepared. She studied – like an Arkansas Julia Child. She even took a course to learn to cook like Child.
In fact, she had a first edition signed copy of Child's famous cookbook Mastering the Art of French Cooking that Douglas now has.
Who watched everything his grandmother did in the kitchen? Douglas.
"I always liked cooking for people," Douglas said. "I used to throw spaghetti against the wall to show my friends if it stuck it was done. Friends still remember that."
Douglas likely won't be throwing spaghetti against the wall at his new job as chef of the Pine Bluff Country Club.
The Country Club board recently hired Douglas after Chef Jamie McAfee left after nearly 25 years at the club.
"Pine Bluff Country Club is so very excited to welcome Chef Brandon Douglas, to lead our Food and Beverage department," Matt Soto, president of the Pine Bluff Country Club told the Reckoning. "Chef Brandon brings a new level of leadership and culinary skills to our one hundred and eleven year old historic club. Having Brandon in the kitchen is a huge 'win' for the entire community and we look forward to enjoying his delicious creations for years to come."
For Douglas, the chance to oversee a Club founded in 1914 with a deep history of Southern cuisine is a chance to infuse old traditions with bold culinary innovations.
"I love the opportunity to be creative" Douglas said. "I love the history of the place. I expect to do a mashup of the old and the new that offers great food and great service."
The Pine Bluff Country Club has a laid-back atmosphere with Southern charm and hospitality. While the club obviously has its loyal members, it also hosts golf tournaments, community events, banquets, business luncheons and dinners, and even proms for schools throughout southeast Arkansas.
The club also caters events throughout Southeast Arkansas. Douglas said he plans to expand catering operations.
"It's good for the community to see what kind of creativity we can do," Douglas said.
Accidental Chef
Douglas didn't have dreams to be a chef when he landed at Henderson State University. In fact, he studied mass communication.
One night he visited Chef Paul's in Hot Springs.
"You could say that was my first fine dining experience outside of going to the Arlington" Douglas said. "At the same time I fell in love with the Food Channel when it was really about food."
Two weeks after his Chef Paul's experience, he walked in to see if he could get a job in the kitchen. It was racing season and Chef Paul Uher needed help. Douglas was hired on the spot.
From there, Douglas was on his way to carving his own path in the cuisine arts. He learned about the Arkansas Culinary School of Apprenticeship in Little Rock.
"That was perfect for me at 25 in 2003," Douglas said. "I married in 2004 and I knew I needed a job. The apprenticeship was perfect for me. I could work and go to school one day a week."
Douglas landed as the executive chef at the newly-opened Crowne Plaza even before he finished school.
He also worked with Chef Paul Novicky at Nu, which was a sleek modern restaurant drenched in blue neon in Little Rock’s River Market. The year? 2004. The Clinton Presidential Library was opening and stars from around the globe including Bono, Nancy Sinatra and Aretha Franklin, landed in Little Rock.
Douglas was there.
"That was an exciting time for downtown Little Rock," he said. "It was packed every Friday and Saturday night. I hope Little Rock can bring that excitement back."
After Nu, Douglas returned to the culinary school and worked two years as chef at Arkansas Children's Hospital.
He wasn't looking for a job when Arkansas Blue Cross and Blue Shield contacted him to run its Green Leaf Grill in its corporate headquarters with menus designed for healthy options.
When COVID-19 hit, the restaurant closed. Douglas spent 11 months with his wife and kids – time he wouldn't swap for anything.
"A lot changed during that time and so did my view of life," Douglas, who lives near Shannon Hills, said. "It helped us grow closer as a family. I loved every minute of it."
The now
When the Pine Bluff Country Club job appeared out of the blue, Douglas was overseeing numerous projects for Fox Den Capital.
"I very much was enjoying my job," Douglas said. "I said, "Sure, I'll chat. I wasn't looking."
But that's how Douglas' entire career path has trekked. The next move appeared out of nowhere.
Douglas already knew McAfee, and the country club seemed like the perfect next gig.
The country club has been undergoing major renovations for more than a year with updated decor, a balcony and a new bar.
While the country club has traditionally featured an array of specials, fried chicken, catfish and chicken salad have been staples.
None of that is drastically changing but Douglas has plans for healthier options, too, and twists on Southern staples like fried purple hull peas, for example.
"I'm going to make it elegant across the board," Douglas said.
He also still has his grandmother's Julia Child cookbook and a stash of vintage Gourmet magazines that he plans to use for inspiration.
"Every step in my career has led me to what they [the country club board and members] want here," Douglas said. "It's going to mix in old with the new. I'm looking forward my future here."
