Derek's goal is to strike a balance between aesthetics and taste, and his is just the adroit hand needed in the kitchen to temper any overzealous garnishing. "The challenge is not to overwork a dish," he says "Either in flavor or presentation, you have to know when to step away. Never put anything on the plate you can't eat."Ask Chef Derek Morgan to describe his culinary style and he answers, "grand simplicity' - creating complex flavors using a few simple key ingredients. Derek has achieved his success through hard work and a devotion to fresh, seasonal ingredients.

Seemingly intricate, but beguilingly simple dishes define what Chef Derek Morgan' cuisine of 'grand simplicity' is all about." The less you can do to alter the flavor of an ingredient, the better," says Morgan. Keep a dish to two or three ingredients that marry well." - La Cucina Italiana.