A Southern Chef in Saugerties

Jonathan Botta brings rural and refined cooking techniques to The Dutch Ale House.

By Sabrina Sucato

Jonathan Botta is a good Southern boy. Corn is his favorite vegetable and cooking over fire is his second language, one that speaks to him through crackles of charcoal and whispers of flames. When he talks about recent foraging trips or homemade sausage, his natural twang helps tell the story, adding a depth of earnestness and ease to his words.