Q&A with Nick Wallace
Executive Chef and Culinary Curator
Palette Cafe // Jackson, Miss.
What are your favorite things about living and working in Jackson?
I love the rural parts in the city, its hidden plots of land that are actually being farmed on. As far as I know, nowhere else gives you that farm feeling inside the city.
Did you incorporate anything you learned from the current culinary scene in Jackson into your recent James Beard Chefs & Champagne event in New York?
Of course! I created a whipped cheese and honey canape on a homemade cracker, made with Mississippi honey and local goat milk cheese. This is a great dish in Jackson when it’s summertime and hot out. It was also perfect for the Hamptons, and a great way to bring a little Mississippi to the event.
What makes dining at the Palette Cafe, which is located on-site at the Mississippi Museum of Art, special for groups?
What chef is lucky enough to be surrounded by fine art? I walk the galleries and get inspiration from my younger days of running through my granny’s farm, and then create dishes that are all reflected from art.
Beyond dining at Palette Cafe, what are some great culinary experiences you would recommend for groups meeting in Jackson?
I love the dining scene in Jackson. I love Parlor Market downtown, Bravo Italian Restaurant & Bar, Saltine Oyster Bar, Walker’s Drive-In, Sneaky Beans for coffee, and my favorite sweet shop is Campbell’s Bakery to start the morning.
Do you have a couple favorite dishes that you like to prepare for groups when you cater events at the museum?
I love to cater to museum guests. They get to enjoy raw desserts such as my take on an Italian wedding cake. It’s whipped with almond flour, chestnut oil and guava. Very tasty! The salads are the best because one-third of the produce comes from the Payton CityFarm Learning Garden, which is located on the museum’s grounds. Also, try the tomato pie that caters to vegans, as well as our crispy shrimp and sage toasts.