Morgan Robinson, The Turtle Restaurant
A native of Houston, Texas, Chef Morgan E. Robinson has been in the restaurant industry all of his young life. Starting as a busboy, dishwasher, food runner and bar-back, Morgan quickly worked his way up the ranks to become a server and then bartender before choosing to move into the kitchen as a cook. After spending time working for several casual and fine dining establishments throughout the Houston area, Chef Morgan decided to move to Las Vegas, Nevada. There, he attended culinary school while working garde manger for the Banquets and Catering department at the Bellagio Hotel and Resort. Chef Morgan then worked for the Ritz-Carlton New Orleans shortly after their reopening in the wake of the destruction caused by Hurricane Katrina.
In August of 2007, Mary and David Stanley, owners of the Turtle Restaurant in Brownwood, Texas recruited Morgan as their sous chef. Nine months later, at the age of just twenty-four, he was promoted to the position of Chef de Cuisine and put in charge of all culinary operations for the restaurant, taking over for the previous Executive Chef.
Since opening the restaurant almost five years ago, the Stanleys had long been frustrated in their attempts to procure locally produced beef, lamb and venison. It seemed illogical to them to see these animals in the fields each day and still be forced to purchase them from as far away as New Zealand. It has taken a lot of dedication to grow connections with local producers. Chef Morgan, wishing to reduce the distance that food travels to reach the table, designs his menus to feature items within their seasonal availability. Free-range multi-hued eggs are delivered weekly by Novella Newman of nearby May, Texas form the basis of Saturday and Sunday Brunch. Chef Morgan says that these beautiful eggs are one of his favorite things to cook. Newman Farms also provides the Turtle with grass-fed beef and the occasional lamb. Fresh field greens and vegetables come from many local growers including Todd Price, Brownwood's farmers' market manager, who also tends the herb and vegetable garden planted in the restaurant's backyard.
Mary Stanley is the Gelato Artisan for the Turtle Gelateria (located next door to the restaurant) and crafts well over sixty different flavors of gelato and sorbetto to fill the gelateria's mahogany and brass gelato case. Chef Morgan and the Stanleys work closely with the nearby Way-Out Wineries group to promote their winery tour. From time to time Mary will create gelato and sorbetto made with wines from these wineries. Popular flavors include Brennan Winery Muscat with DeLeon Melon, traditional Italian flavors, and innovative combinations such as jalapeņo peanut brittle, locally grown honey lavender or the strange but wonderful Syrah gorgonzola pear. Under the direction of Event Planner Becca Walker, the Turtle regularly hosts many private functions and caters weddings, parties and many other occasions. Student musicians from the nearby Howard Payne University are often a part of these events with professional performances and unbeatable ambiance.
Mary and David Stanley are members of Slow Food, USA. The idea behind the naming of the restaurant is the turtle is a slow, but admirably persistent, creature with renowned longevity. The Turtle Restaurant is also a GO TEXAN restaurant. Both the restaurant and gelateria have been featured in regional press as well as appearing in the book, Treasures of Texas. The Turtle Enoteca is the "Next Big Thing" for Chef Morgan and the Stanleys and construction is already underway.
The Turtle is located in historic uptown Brownwood, Texas, fourteen miles from the geographic center of the state - the physical Heart of Texas and the northern gateway to the Texas hill country.
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