TOC: Cammie Gates brings a world of appetizing
experience and experimentation to Harbor Town.
"Fearless" is how Cameron "Cammie" Gates
describes the type of cook she is. And at Miss
Cordelia's Table, the newest eatery in Harbor Town,
she has a special freedom available to be just that.
When the restaurant opened earlier this year, chefs and
cooks were given artistic freedom with some
guidelines. Gates, who calls a plate "her canvas," is
happy with that. For instance, although it was not on the
menu, she made chicken with a blood orange, honey,
and French spice glaze. She created a pu pu platter for
a private party with a Hawaiian theme, and at Miss
Cordelia's, they refer to shrimp and catfish as "wild
cards," so the chefs and cooks have the chance to
create something completely different. Almost a lifetime
of cooking experience, of being a little different, has
gotten Gates to this point.
"My grandmother-my French Memaw-was really my
inspiration," she says. "I started with mud pies on her
front porch and graduated to biscuits. She was a
phenomenal cook. We tried everything, and we weren't
allowed to turn down any food. I have visions of my little
brother in a high chair with raw oysters! She did
traditional cooking but always with a French twist."
Gates grew up in a part of the world that has foods
exotic to most Memphians: Mississippi. "One
Thanksgiving, they had a raccoon cook-off and contest
to see who could cook the best 'coon," Gates says. "I
grew up in Moon Lake eating rooster fries. My sister
said, 'Do you know what rooster fries are?' I said no.
She said, 'You dummy! That's the part of the rooster the
hen doesn't have!'"
After college, Gates moved to Memphis and later
became a flight attendant for United Airlines based out
of Boston. But cooking was still a passion. Travels sent
her all over, and she collected spices as she went.
"I cooked on a whale watching boat out of Gloucester,"
Gates recalls. "That was really an experience. I was in a
tiny galley on an 83-foot yacht, cooking breakfast and
lunch. It was very spiritual to be out on the sea with the
whales."
A friend from United, Katherine LaBorie, also loved
cooking. "We cooked together for fun," Gates says. "She
had everything in cups like on a TV show, and if I had a
TV show, it would be called 'Messy Chef.' We had a
passion for food and travel. When it came to budgeting,
we said we would rather have holes in our panties than
eat cheap meat!"
On September 11, 2001, eight of Gates's flight
attendant friends were killed. LaBorie was one of them.
As did many people, Gates began reevaluating her life.
"I began to think about how much I think about food and
about planning my next meal," Gates remembers. "I
think it is more important to pursue passion over
money or over job security." She was laid off from
United during post 9/11 downsizing.
Gates moved to California with her husband. She did
some substitute teaching and catering at the Bonsai
Gardens in Placerville, but another influence entered
her cooking.
"Because I traveled extensively to Hawaii while I lived in
California, I have experience in Pacific Rim and
Polynesian cooking," she says. "That's really different
from Southern or Memphis cooking. I am very blessed
because many people save their whole lives to go to
Hawaii one time. I practically lived there. There's
nothing like going out on a boat, catching your own fish,
making sashimi on the boat, then bringing it in and
grilling it yourself with friends."
Gates moved back to Memphis last summer after the
end of her marriage. In March, she graduated from the
Memphis Culinary Academy and worked as a relief
sous-chef for Calvary Episcopal Church. "Church is a
great place to work, and Calvary has a tradition in
Memphis," she says. "We did a variety of things, from
daycare breakfast, lunch, and snack to a five course
lunch once a week to thematic dinner parties, teas, and
things like that."
She started this spring at Miss Cordelia's when they
opened their café.
In her world, there are always challenges. "Speed," she
says. "In the restaurant business you have to be so
fast. We work in an open kitchen, so there are a lot of
distractions, and all eyes are on you." She also juggles
serving customers and answering the phone.
Gates then laughs as she remembers winning first
prize in the Marlboro Chili Cook-off. "I worked three days
on my chili," she says. "It had Guinness beer and Santa
Maria beans. For first prize, I got a gift certificate for a
case of cigarettes. It was like a huge joke because I
don't smoke!"
Although she likes a variety of cooking, Southern,
Californian, French, and Hawaiian are some of her
favorites. "I recently made a gingerbread house with my
niece, Callie Ann," says Gates, "She is three and has
been cooking since she was two. She can break and
separate eggs! It's always fun to cook with children
because you can teach so many things in the lesson."
Baking, however, is not one of her favorite tasks
because it is too much like chemistry, with exact
measurements and temperatures. And there is
cauliflower, which she does not like to eat or prepare. "I
get this Elvis snarl whenever I have to handle
cauliflower!" she says.
"A friend of mine and I are considering investing in a
creparie," she says. "In Paris, they are like our versions
of hot dog stands. It's fast food, it's healthy food, and
you can be so creative. Right now, I am happy to be in
Memphis. I want to pay my bills and afford that good
piece of meat. People who don't think we have good
food are in a rut!"