#5: Music and Food with Tavola Chef Michael Keaveny
This episode's guest is Michael Keaveny, chef and owner of Tavola and author of the new book Tavola: 10 Greatest Hits – Music and Food. Michael and I chat about his experience working in restaurants as a teenager and one of his favorite dishes, the power of being the hardest person in the room, and the biggest difference between successful and unsuccessful restaurants. Spoiler alert: these same principles apply to to any business. Of course, we also chat plenty of music, and why creating the right atmosphere for the dining experience is such an important thing to get right. Let’s dive on in.
Highlights of our conversation include:
Michael’s first experience working in a restaurant and the camaraderie of the staff. (0:58)
One of the dishes that Michael tasted and made as a teenager that stuck with him throughout his life. (4:21)
How Michael’s 15th birthday celebration turned into a massive disappointment. (5:27)
The first time Michael moved from an established restaurant to a brand new restaurant and helped shape it from the ground up. (7:35)
The power of being the hardest working person in the room. (9:20)
Michael’s first experience at managing a restaurant and how it got him out of his comfort zone. (13:08)
The biggest difference between successful restaurants and unsuccessful restaurants – and how that applies to any business. (14:28)
The inspiration behind Michael’s book, which pairs music and food selections, and how he made sure it captures the atmosphere of his restaurant. (22:59)
What Michael looks for any time he enters a new restaurant – and why the psychology of dining is so important. (29:33)
Michael’s top songs and artists that play at Tavola that should also be on your cooking and dinner party playlists. (31:22)
What’s next for Michael Keaveny?
Michael Keaveny grew up in the south end of Hartford, Connecticut, and started working in a neighborhood restaurant at the age of 15, as a dishwasher. He immediately fell in love with watching the cooks master their craft – and specifically, with pasta. Within a short time, he became a prep cook on the outskirts of the hot line, eventually going on to cook all over New England and graduating from the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park. Keaveny was eventually recruited to San Francisco where he began as a sous chef, before moving up to executive chef and on to restaurants in Napa Valley, Silicon Valley, and eventually back to the east coast in New York.
Keaveny opened Tavola, a rustic Italian restaurant and wine bar in the heart of Charlottesville, Virginia, in July of 2009, offering unique takes on Italian classics with the finest ingredients. He released his first cookbook, Tavola: 10 Greatest Hits––Music and Food in the fall of 2019, sharing his favorite recipes, cocktail and wine pairings, and music selections per meal, allowing home chefs to recreate Tavola's ambiance in their own kitchens.
Want to learn more? Stop by Tavola in Charlottesville or check out Michael’s book and build your own playlist to mix music and food the way it should be paired – by creating a memorable atmosphere.
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