By: John Cranford
There are a ton of Chefs on this island but one in particular has sparked my interest and challenged my creativity over the years through different projects we have worked on together. Chef Clayton Rollison has been serving some of the best food on Hilton Head at Lucky Rooster Kitchen + Bar for almost 6 years. Clayton has been an ambassador of Lowcountry food all around the U.S., taking our coastal fare to James Beard dinners and feeding the thousands of tourists who flock our island throughout the year. Chef had a minute to answer a few questions for this month’s Hangin’ With section:
John Cranford, Southender Staff: Clayton, how are you sir?
Clayton Rollison, Chef/Proprietor of Lucky Rooster: I’m doing well!
JC: When you go out and what want to eat locally, what’s your favorite spot?
CR: If I’m eating on HHI, I am usually at Hudson’s on the Dock. Andrew Carmines (Owner of Hudson’s) and I grew up together and have worked on other projects like the HHI Seafood Festival. It’s kind of my favorite place. If I’m not there and want something a little more elegant I’m hanging out with Chef Brandon (Carter) at FARM (Bluffton, SC).
JC: For all of our F&B friends out there, we’d like to know what’s the best way to keep your Chef happy?
CR: (laughs robustly) CARE. Put in effort to know the menu, and know how to serve it properly. Try and match your Chef’s intensity and passion for the restaurant you’re at. Most all of the problems we see on our island is apathy. Work for people that care about you. Care about the restaurant and your co-workers. Your guests will be happy and it’ll be a great work environment.
JC: What does it take to make a mark and keep it alive in a very saturated food market like Hilton Head?
JC: The ability to take risks that other people aren’t willing to take. The willingness to continue to work at it. To work at the things other people say “I’ve had enough.” Don’t be stubborn when you do things with food, drink, service and they flop. Dig in. Be willing to dig in without losing what you want your establishment to be. But the biggest thing, I think, is finding out what’s true to you and stick to it. But don’t be an ignorant prick and be unwilling to change.
JC: Who or what helped you find your voice in the food world?
CR: I was really fortunate to work, in spite of myself, at a lot of great restaurants and learn a lot of different cooking techniques that have all added to this “cabinet” I get to pull from to create food. But I really didn’t find my voice until owning Lucky Rooster Kitchen + Bar, that the food stopped looking like the people I worked for and started to come into its own.
JC: There’s rumor on the street that you have a new project in the works, would you like to confirm that rumor or shed any light on that project?
CR: Absolutely. We have a restaurant in the works and are taking over the former Market Street Cafe and rebranding it “Lucky Rooster, Market Street.” We are conceptually redesigning the menu into a very casual, quick service style restaurant with globally inspired street food style menu, but also with some classic American cheeseburgers, Po-Boys, fried corn dogs… just a lot of fun exciting food. We also made the decision that we are going to have some sloppy Joe’s on the menu for sure! There will also be some lighter fare for the conscientious food market out there.
JC: Last question, this maybe the hardest question. Who’s your favorite comic book character and why?
CR: (Laughs again) Oh man. Probably the Hulk because I used to act really crazy and flip out. He’s just a reminder of what I was and don’t want to be now. It’s been a long path but I still remember when that was what I identified with.