Peninsula, which launched in 2017, immediately established itself as a creative Iberian-influenced restaurant that is uncommonly good. Credit goes to a trio of restaurateurs originally from Seattle — the husband-and-wife team of Craig Schoen and Yuriko Say and chef-partner Jake Howell. And since the opening, the skills of Chef Howell have proven impressive.
The East Nashville space that houses Peninsula has an incredibly tiny kitchen, and Howell and his sous chef perform what seems like a miraculous feat as they craft the excellent cuisine in such cramped quarters. “The duo must know every step of preparation — including how to stay out of each other’s way and keep service flowing seamlessly as diners order multiple dishes to create their own culinary adventure,” the Scene’s Chris Chamberlain wrote about Peninsula’s kitchen earlier this year in a feature story on back-of-the-house restaurant magic.
Then in March, Howell formally proved his mettle by capturing the Iron Fork trophy, winning the annual Scene-sponsored event where chefs compete to cook up the best dish to please a panel of judges. Each year, the Iron Fork chefs use their skills under intense time pressure, doing their best to incorporate a secret ingredient that’s announced just before the clock starts ticking.
This year’s judges were mightily impressed by Howell’s performance, which only confirmed what we already knew about his phenomenal culinary grace under pressure. DANA KOPP FRANKLIN
