East Idaho Eats: Food at The Cellar creates experiences, makes memories

AMMON — The Cellar in Ammon, known for its fine dining and wine list, wants to convey something more to guests — the experience of eating great food.

“My belief is, and I guess my philosophy is, everything should create a memory around food,” Executive Chef Bryan Hewett says.

Not only does he prepare gourmet eats, Hewett wants every customer to create their own memory through the means of food.

Since purchasing The Cellar restaurant about 18 months ago, Hewett has been transforming it into a place of his own. His sous chef Justin Wheeler helps add to the pictorial feel with his original artwork on the walls.

“I like natural things. I don’t like modern, straight lines, things like that. I’m trying to evolve the restaurant into that. We have an electronic menu that has pictures on it, and pairs with the wine and everything else, but I juxtapose that with an older style of cooking,” Hewett says.

Hewett says when it comes to cooking he tries to foster and build guest’s memories taking the time to prepare a quality dish.

“Long slow cooking methods. I’ll even go so far back as to just cook actually in fire. Charring the food and just creating different tastes and smoke flavorings and things like that, just to evoke the memory behind what was prepared and what goes into a dish,” he said.

Two main entrees at the Cellar have continued to be a guest favorite.

“Our horse radish gets rave reviews, our rib eye however is one of our most requested steaks as well,” Hewett says.

The Cellar stays true to its name through the wine cellar in the basement of the restaurant.

“The Cellar is definitely a wine place. We have one of largest wine menus in the area and we’re very proud of that, but it’s fine dining, casual atmosphere,” Hewett says.