In The News, Artisans' section member Michael Wheelehan

Michael Wheelehan is the subject of an appreciation of his culinary skills, artistic endeavors and his Granny in a post by Pat Eby on stl.today.com Be sure to click through the great photos of his wonderful food artistry.

Artist improvises in the kitchen, pays homage to Granny
BY PAT EBY • Special to the Post-Dispatch
Posted: 10/04/2011 6:00 AM


Mike Wheelehan lives to put things together. Custom-made artwork and objects for commercial and residential interiors, displays and exhibits keep him gainfully self-employed, but his creativity doesn't stop at the studio door.
He cooks with a what-if attitude, discovering new dishes and rethinking standards. "My daughter loves a hash-brown casserole, so I made it, but with signature ingredients from Greek cooking like kalamata olives, feta cheese and tzatziki sauce," he said. "I discovered chocolate as a savory eating Mexican food in mole sauces."
He's been curious about food since he was a Boy Scout. "I'd get up early on our camp-outs and gig frogs so we could have frog legs," he said.
He learned to cook from the best, his granny. "My maternal grandmother —we called her Granny — ran a boardinghouse near the tracks in Poplar Bluff for Missouri Pacific Railroad workers. She'd get up all hours, whenever the men came off the train, and cook: Simple things, Southern-style, fried. Read more...

Photo: Chris Lee, St. Louis Post-Dispatch