Chef-restaurateur James P. Anderson says he named his recently opened Shadyside restaurant "Flair" because the word implies discriminating taste.
"Flair's concept is to offer the finest quality ingredients, perfectly prepared and artfully presented, in a metropolitan chic environment," he says.
Anderson defines himself as being in the business of exceeding customers' expectations.
"Today's diners are more critical of what quality is and what constitutes fine dining," he says. "We have to give them an experience so much better than they even anticipate."
With his wife, Judith, Anderson also co-owns JP's Restaurant, in Somerset, which they continue to operate. But he views Flair as the crowning fruition of his 20 years' experience working in all aspects of the foodservice industry.
When he describes himself as someone who's "done it all," believe it.
A Carnegie native, Anderson cooked in restaurants and worked at hotels all over the area -- even before setting off for the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, N.Y. He graduated at the top of his class in 1987, having benefited greatly, he says, from such notable mentors as chefs Thomas Peer and Greg Fattigatti.
Returning to Pittsburgh, he led the kitchen at Simply French, in its Dormont incarnation, then moved on to the Westin William Penn hotel, working as Terrace Room chef and subsequently as banquet chef. From there he began what he terms "a whirlwind vagabond tour," with stops in Houston, Minneapolis, Austin, Tex., and Jamaica.
Anderson's resume documents experience with everything from restaurant computerization consulting to hiring, service training, restaurant design, menu development and wine program management. As chef-instructor at the Art Institute of Houston, he developed curriculum -- in fact, he wrote and implemented the initial Culinary Arts program for Art Institute International.
Probably the most standout stint in his wide-ranging career, however, occurred in 1997 when he purchased The Meat Shop, in Austin, Texas. With this entrepreneurial venture, he commenced operating a wholesale and retail meat business -- including purchasing, meat processing, sausage fabrication, smoking, curing and sales. He also tapped into a great cattle ranching operation dedicated to producing the best, prime, Kobe-style, dry aged beef in America.
"I know everything about beef," he says, not immodestly. He can explain the intricacies of breeding wagyu bulls -- the basis of Japan's prized Kobe beef -- with wagyu cows, then having to transfer the resulting embryo to 100 percent Angus stock: "Wagyu cows are not good mothers. Angus cows are wonderful."
The project involved selecting the parents, raising the calf, managing the feeding, pampering and, after harvesting, traditional dry aging.
"Our product became famous," Anderson says.
While he sold the business three years later, he stayed on to develop sales and to facilitate conversion of the facility to a USDA inspection plant. Renamed Chef's Choice, the operation supplies its exclusive beef to such stellar restaurants as Charlie Trotter's, the French Laundry and the Mansion at Turtle Creek.
The Andersons returned to Pennsylvania and opened their first restaurant, JP's, in Somerset, to be near family. Now, they've brought their talents full circle with the opening of Flair in Pittsburgh.
The menu is refreshingly not a la carte. Main courses come with a choice of salad or soup. Signatures include prime steaks, crab cakes, a double-cut smoked pork chop and grouper romano.
"Pittsburgh is sitting at the cusp of culinary awakening," Anderson says. "Fine dining is evolving here, and we want to be a part of it. We're offering good value and an approachable core menu, with more adventure in the daily 'features.'"
The James P. Anderson file
Title: Chef and co-owner: Flair, 736 Bellefont Street, Shadyside, 412-681-4445; and JP's Restaurant, 373 E. Main St, Somerset, 814-444-1111.
Born: Aug. 4, 1964.
Hometown: Carnegie.
Education: Penn State University; Culinary Institute of America, Hyde Park, N.Y.
Work History: Among others, Simply French, Dormont; Terrace Room, Westin William Penn hotel, Downtown; Anthony's, Houston; Wadsworth's, Minneapolis; Houston Country Club, Houston; Chef's Choice (The Meat Shop), Austin, Tex.
Career Highlights: Being mentored by several notable chefs at the CIA; working for Fritz Gitschner, C.M.C. at the Houston Country Club; achieving silver medals in rigorous culinary competitions, especially through the American Culinary Federation; working 20 years in all aspects of the foodservice industry to bring that experience to opening Flair.
Judith Anderson keeps things running smoothly
Judith Ann Anderson is the perfect partner for "the man who's done everything."
A dynamic woman who has a broad range of talents and skills, Judith Anderson co-owns Flair in Shadyside and JP's in Somerset with her husband, James. Not only does she ably manage the front of the house for both restaurants -- including the hiring, training, scheduling and motivation of staff, managing the spirits inventory, bookkeeping, decorating and marketing -- she's also garnered independent recognition as an event and wedding coordinator. According to husband James, Judith set Austin, Tex., afire, planning more than 100 events annually that registered $800,000 per year in sales.
She's managed restaurants, a bakery, catering companies and her own successful floral business. On merit scholarships, she completed a degree, with honors, in the culinary arts program at the Art Institute of Houston and served as an assistant instructor there, training students in the various operations of a full service restaurant.
Judith Anderson has a long list of certificates and awards, along with medals acquired from American Culinary Federation competitions.
Flair and JP's reflect her remarkable energy and vibrancy.
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