Editor’s note: We all  know chefs create incredible dishes in their professional kitchens. In this occasional series, we’ll go behind the scenes and see how chefs work in their own, home kitchens, what’s essential and what inspires them.

For more than three years, Executive Chef Victor Scargle has brought a fresh approach to the concept of “from the soil to the plate” at Julia’s Kitchen at Copia in Napa. Emphasizing locally grown organic and seasonal products, including produce from Copia’s Edible Gardens, he has created a California-French inspired menu.

When he’s not at work, what does he cook at home?

“My wife Kimberly does most of the cooking,” admitted Scargle, 33. “I like to barbecue. When I do cook, I keep it simple and maybe will pick up fish from Osprey Fish Market and pair it with whatever’s growing in our back yard.”

One of the advantages of working at Copia is his friendship with both Colby Eierman, the current director of gardens and Jeff Dawson, Copia’s previous curator of gardens.

“They helped me plan my own vegetable garden,” said Scargle as he walked through the spacious backyard of his Brown’s Valley home. “I did double-digging of the soil and used worm casings to amend it. The zucchini did very well this year; I’ve got potatoes, carrots, strawberries, squash and tomatoes. Everyone struggled with their tomato crop this season.”

The garden and its surrounding apple, pear, fig, peach and persimmon trees are grown organically. A sturdy fence deters exuberant black puppy Onyx from carousing in the vegetables, but Scargle’s 13-month old son Cameron seems right at home rummaging around the squash.

For a simple side dish, Scargle harvests squash, potatoes and purple carrots.

“At one time, carrots were predominantly purple,” explained Scargle. “Until orange was introduced, then that became the more common color. Now it’s swinging back to the original color. The carrots have a sweet flavor.”

Back in his galley style kitchen, he washed the vegetables and talked about his indispensable cooking tools.

“A good knife is important,” said Scargle. “I’m not sold on any one brand, but it has to be sharp. For baking, a KitchenAid mixer is mandatory. I prefer a gas stove to electric. We chose the six-burner DCS residential stove, which is not a particularly well known brand, because it has the lowest BTUs for simmering and the highest BTUs to sear quickly.”

In his kitchen at home, Scargle uses All Clad pots and pans, but he says many manufacturers make excellent pots and pans.

“It’s fine to have good pots and pans, but it’s not essential. You see people who’ve used the same pans for decades; they’re all banged up, but still cook the food just fine. The basic ones I’d suggest are a six-quart saucepan, a four-quart saucepan and a 10-inch sauté pan. With those, you can cook enough for six to eight people comfortably.”

When asked his favorite spice, Scargle doesn’t hesitate.

“Kosher salt because it’s got bigger grains than iodized salt. You can feel it when you’re seasoning and when you taste it there’s a texture and crunch. People are paranoid about using salt, but it’s not bad if it’s done correctly. Use a little from the beginning to get more flavor and season a little throughout cooking, rather than only at the end. You add twice as much salt if you add it only at the end.”

The Scargle family has lived in the ranch style home for three years. The house was once owned by our own esteemed Register reporter Kevin Courtney, and then by a contractor who sold it to Scargle while it was still being renovated.

“We got to select the cabinets and appliances as well as make adjustments to get the house exactly as we wanted it. For example, between the kitchen and family room there used to be a pocket door. We took out that wall. Being open is nice because when you’re cooking, your mood is a lot of the enjoyment and it isn’t pleasant being closed off.”

Scargle described the cherry wood cabinets as mid-grade. The countertops are black granite tiles.

“As far as designing a kitchen, you should have ample counter space. A big sink helps. An island is good if you have the room. In the layout, having things accessible is important. You don’t want to have to go into the garage to get something from the second refrigerator in the middle of preparing a meal.”

He calls the kitchen at Julia’s Kitchen huge.

“Most of the professional kitchens I’ve worked in were really small. When I worked at Pisces in Burlingame, the restaurant was in a historic train station. You could stand in the center of the kitchen and reach the stove on one side and the prep area on the other. Many times smaller is better especially when you have a long line and fewer people working it.”

Scargle, originally from Aptos near Santa Cruz, did not attend culinary school, but apprenticed in fine dining at Fess Parker’s Red Lion Resort, a 23 and 1/2-acre, 360-room hotel, conference complex in Santa Barbara. After two years, the chef said he could stay but suggested to Scargle that he travel and find a place he’d like to work and live. That led him to Miami, to New York’s Tribeca Grill and Patria, on to the Bellagio, Aqua and Jadinière before coming to Julia’s Kitchen.

With 12 and 13-hour work days; Scargle doesn’t have much time to entertain. When he does, he keeps it uncomplicated.

“Jeff and Colby will come over with whatever they’re growing in their gardens, everybody will grab something to bring with them. Maybe we’ll grill.”

For the record, his outdoor grill is a well-used non-fancy Weber gas grill.

“I know people swear by their charcoal grills, but I think a lot of times, the food comes off smelling and tasting smoky. The newer gas grills no longer have that problem of a propane smell on the food and they’re easier and faster than charcoal.”

Since he uses only organic produce at work and home, does he extend that into the other food he cooks?

“I try to use as many organic products that I can. With meat and fish, I want to know where it comes from. That doesn’t always mean it has to be ‘certified organic,’ because I know a lot of places use organic farming methods and aren’t ‘certified.’ I use duck and chicken from a local source and sustainable fish. When you’re going to so much trouble to eat organic fruits and vegetables, it only makes sense.”

To use up some of the bounty from your own garden, Scargle shared the following recipe:

Alaskan Halibut with Summer Beans Verjus Vinaigrette and Salute Chardonnay Grapeseed Oil

Ingredients

6   5 ounce portions  Alaskan Halibut

4   ounces  Yellow wax beans, cut in thirds on a bias

4   ounces  Bluelake beans, cut in thirds on a bias

4   ounces  Haricot vert, cut in thirds on a bias

4  ounces  Purple dragon beans, cut in thirds on a bias

1   each  fennel, small diced and placed in water

6   each  chives

12  each  chervil sprigs

12  each  parsley sprigs

24 each  tarragon leaves

1/2  cup  red verjus

1/2 cup  Salute Sante grapeseed oil

1 medium shallot, minced

Kosher salt

White pepper

1 Tbs. Salute Sante Chardonnay grapeseed oil

2 quarts Salute Sante grapeseed oil, for poaching herb stems

1 tsp.  coriander seed

1 tsp.  fennel seed

Directions

Place beans separately in boiling water that is heavily salted for four minutes remove and place in ice and water to cool quickly.  Remove and dry.  Mix verjus shallots, and 1/2 cup of grapeseed oil.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.  Place herb stems, coriander seed and fennel seed in sauce pan with 2 quarts of grapeseed oil and bring to a simmer.  Simmer for 15 minutes strain and reserve warm. While simmering place diced fennel inside and cook till tender.  Season halibut with salt on both sides and white pepper on one side only.  Eight parts salt to one part white pepper. Place in oil do not boil. Fish should take eight to ten minutes depending on thickness. While fish is cooking mix all beans together and heat in vinaigrette once beans are hot and slightly tender add fennel and heat through. Add herbs and place in center of plate be sure you have a some vinaigrette in beans but not too much. Remove fish from oil and place on paper towel. Season with a little salt right on top of fish and place on top of beans. Finish plate with Salute chardonnay grapeseed oil drizzled around the plate. Serves 6.