Interview with Coastal New England Rising Star Chef James Hackney of Twenty-Eight Atlantic at Wequassett Resort and Golf Club – East Harwich, MA

Antoinette Bruno: How did you get your start cooking?
James Hackney: My parents were in the industry, so I worked with my father quite a lot. My father was the manager of a collection of hotels in Rutland, England, and then they ended up having their own little restaurant. I attended culinary school at Southfield’s in Leicestershire.

AB: How do you contribute to the larger food community?                                                   
JH: We’re getting more involved with the fishermen down by Chatham pier. We just did a sustainability thing with them pulling the fish right from the pier and bringing them to the restaurant. There’s a community in Chatham where all the fishermen are buying up all the fishing licenses and storing them in the bank for the future. I advocate local seafood. I work with a local oyster gentleman, Steve Wright, in Chatham—the Oyster Pond—and Pat Woodberry in Wellfleet. I’ve been working with him for about 12 to 15 years now. We participate in Taste of Chatham and Taste of Harwich, too.

AB: What has been your proudest professional accomplishment so far?                                                                                                                   
JH: Coming here, taking over the resort. Being with Frank was huge, and moving to the Mandarin Oriental with him was great, but it was still always under his umbrella. So breaking away from that and going out on my own has been great for me.

AB: Who has been your mentor?                                                                                            
JH: Frank Plymouth at L’Espalier.

AB: Where do you see yourself in five years?                                                                                            
JH: I’m hoping still here. I’m hoping the next two to three years is when I’m really going to start branching out. The owner and managing partner have been here for 26 years, and are really looking to change and move up with the times. Having winters off gives me good time for research, dining out, traveling around. I really want to endorse this change, build up my repertoire of dining out.

I want to keep hold of Cape Cod classics, but I also want to wow guests with new presentations. Right now, that means the freshness of summer; herbs from the garden. For hot summer days, I like create light, refreshing summer salads.