Like many female chefs in the Miami Valley Chef Mariah Gahagan is quick to credit to other women in the industry that mentored her. She thanks Elizabeth Wiley for teaching and The Winds’ co-owners Mary Kay Smith and Kim Korkan for helping start her career when she first worked as a dishwasher. ” Since then she’s had stints at Coco’s, Chin’s, Sidebar, Wheat Penny, Lily’s has been with Tender Mercy for at least the last yer.
“The thing about kitchens is you just have to be tough. I always think as a women you just have to be extra tough because people don’t always expect you to be”, shared Gahagan in a previous interview.
Mariah is getting ready to launch a new weekly Ramen Night form 5-8pm at Tender Mercy every Wednesday night.
But before that we talked her into answering our 10? interview:
What is your favorite ingredient to cook with?
MG: I’m pretty straightforward. I enjoy making things from kitchen scraps, that would usually be seen as garbage. Stocks and soups are my wheelhouse. I rarely make anything that doesn’t include onions, garlic, probably a splash of vinegar.
What ingredient do you dread?
MG: Easy. Green bell peppers. I loathe unripe fruit. I’ve never allowed them in my kitchens, and I won’t eat anything they’ve touched.
What’s your favorite dish to make?
MG: That varies pretty widely, by season. I love to make comforting food for people I care about. I think I’m pretty good at soups, stews, mashed potatoes, and ratatouille.
What’s your favorite pig out food?
MG: Literally anything that’s there and prepared well. I’m a sucker for cheese and pickles.
What restaurant, other than your own do you like to dine at in the Miami Valley?
MG: So many! Meadowlark is my absolute favorite. I learned so much from Elizabeth Wiley, at The Winds Cafe. Many beloved former colleagues and friends have taken over, since she retired. They’re doing a bangin’ job keeping up her legacy! The Vietnamese noodle salad is something I never skip, and replicate often, at home.
What’s your best advice for home chefs?
MG: Take your time and layer flavors. Don’t be scared to add a pinch of (Kosher) salt at every step, and keep tasting. When something seems like it needs more salt, it probably needs acid. Invest in a couple of good finishing vinegars.
If you could invite any 4 guests to a dinner party who would they be and why?
MG: Anthony Bourdain, my Dad, my friend, Potato, and my dog, Lulu. They all died too soon, and I think it would be one hell of a party. I never got to feed the first two, and Lulu was on a dog diet.
I think that everyone would love each other, eat too much butter, yell, and listen to punk rock. You know, you said anyone.
Who do you look up to in the industry and why?
MG: Tons of folks. Jansen Trotman for his sheer love of it, perseverance, and respect for where ingredients come from. ‘A beautiful soul. Dave Rawson for his ability to look at total chaos, see the beauty in it, and stay forever kind and generous.
What do you do in the Miami Valley on a day off?
MG: I mostly find solace in my home and garden. I do like to see a show at Blind Bob’s or Yellow Cab, every now and then.
MG: Share a kitchen disaster, lucky break or other interesting story:
-I have hundreds of terrible, hilarious, and heartbreaking stories. Those are meant to be shared over drinks.
I’m thankful to have found Tender Mercy after Covid. It’s home for me.
What is your favorite ingredient to cook with?
Meet Chef Waverly Howard, affectionately known as Chef Wave, hailing proudly from Dayton, Ohio. Over the last decade, he has breathed life into his culinary aspirations. Chef Wave’s odyssey commenced with launching his food truck, 
A Dayton native whose culinary career includes stints at Rue Dumaine, Hotel Covington and a Michelin-starred restaurant in New York has returned to Ohio to lead a new boutique eatery opening in early 2022.
David Belknap is the Area Executive Chef overseeing The Foundry and all banquet, catering and private dining events for guests at AC Hotel Dayton in addition to running the Spanish-inspired rooftop lounge and restaurant VASO at AC Hotel Columbus Dublin.
The husband and wife team of Mykie and Patrick Thompson are celebrating the third anniversary of their breakfast and lunch bistro in Troy. When creating the concept, their vision was to create an atmosphere that would relaxed and comfortable. redBERRY would serve the classics with all the taste and no fuss. There’d be breakfast populars like biscuits and gravy and French toast, and lunch favorites like BLTs and hearty soups.
Chef Franco Gallo grew up in a small town in Italy by the Adriatic Sea in Brindisi, where he got his first taste of the restaurant business doing every job imaginable alongside many Italian Chefs in his hometown. He also served in the Italian Army and was trained in culinary art to serve the high ranking officer staff. He met his wife in the Navy, stationed in Italy where they met and he followed here here. His most recent experience was being the Head Chef at the Dayton Bicycle Club for 15 years. Last summer the stars aligned with the opportunity to open Franco the Foodie, where he is the now the owner and Chef, creating a unique rotating menu every week and catering for parties and events. His family is all involved in the business with his wife and one daughter works in the kitchen, while his other daughter works the front of the house.
Chef Summer Key is an American Culinary Federation award-winning certified chef. She started culinary school at Sinclair and after years of learning and honing her skills, and working with renowned chefs, she started her own catering business, 
What ingredient do you dread?
Well if you know me at all then you already know this answer. Chef Anne Kearney and Anthony Head. I love them very much.They both have done so much for me in different ways. Chef Head taught me in school to do more, better, faster. A good cook, cooks. A better cook reads and the best cooks write. He pushed me to join our competition team in culinary school at Sinclair. I won an American Culinary Federation bronze metal for the state of Ohio and became captain then coach. He introduced me to the top chefs in our city doing events for them with him and other students. Holding me accountable for my work still to this day, never letting me give up.
Even though I never get a full day off I always make time for my son. He has to deal with my schedule so I make sure we go on ‘”adventures” a few times a week. Normally something fun outdoors. Metro Parking it up. Young’s dairy, putt putt golf, swimming and movies/drive in theaters are a few. We love the $6 tuesday shows at The Green
Meet Executive Chef Gavin St. Denis!
1.What is your favorite ingredient to cook with?
6. What’s your best advice for home chefs?
professionals to assist by quickly and efficiently bulk preparing nutritious food.
What’s your favorite dish to make? A dish I call Rotolino. It was created by my mentor, Chef Dennis McCarthy, and passed along to me. I use it as a teaching technique (similar to foie gras torchon) with young chefs and everyone gets to enjoy the result. It consists of 4 cheeses, 3 pestos, and pinenuts, rolled up to make a pinwheel that screams Italian on an American table.
What restaurant, other than your own, do you like to dine at in the Miami Valley? There are many wonderful places to dine in our region to carve out just one. I tend to find myself in a booth at any ma and pop kitchen I come across, looking for that genuine heartfelt creation. Yet to put a spotlight on the best we have around, I have enjoyed experiencing what Chef Wiley has done at her restaurants over the years, along many of the other greats that have come and gone, but truly the props go out to all of those independents getting up everyday and cooking their hearts out.
y because he would never stop laughing, and that would be an entertaining evening with great food!
Share a kitchen disaster, lucky break or other interesting story: Many years ago, I was hired as a new corporate chef for an independent dining group in downtown Columbus. Two weeks into my tenure was Easter Sunday. I spent the week prepping and setting up the usual. I was all ready to go. Turns out, the night before was graduation day for OSU, and I had no idea of the amount of people we would serve, since I was from out of town. Needless to say, I ended up using much of my Easter prep to complete dinner service that night. After the shift ended, myself, my sous chef and her wife (also a cook) stayed through the night and into the next day restocking the menu. That Easter we served over 800 guests and no one had any idea I was on a 32 hour straight shift to make it happen. That was the longest shift of my career.
Whitted has operated 
Jorge Guzman
Susie and Iván Núñez have developed a comfortable blend of international culinary styles that has evolved into the distinctive Casa Núñez flavor. Iván learned the traditional cooking of his native Puerto Rico from his grandmother and his great-aunt. As a young man, he not only owned a successful Mexican restaurant called “Paso Real” in New Mexico, but also placed third in the prestigious Chilympiad in San Marcos, Texas. He later married Susie in Gibraltar and the pair made their first home together in Madrid, Spain.
What is your favorite ingredient to cook with?
Aimee Plesa is a 34 year industry professional. She started her culinary career at the age of 14 at the K&W in Springboro before moving on to her first management position at Hot Sam’s in the Dayton Mall and eventually the executive chef at Ollie’s Place, kitchen manager at Bargos Grill & Tap and the executive chef at 
What’s your favorite dish to make?
What’s your best advice for home chefs?
Who do you look up to in the industry and why?
Chef Xtine Brean is well known within the Miami Valley vegan circle. She’s been cooking up some amazing plant-based meal for years, first out of a pop up truck at various festivals, then from her food truck, the
Hours: 
