Pendleton restaurant chef's military background pays off

PENDLETON, Ind. (AP) - There are two places where Daniel Stackpoole thrives.

The first is the panicked chaos of combat, something he learned about himself during his time as a U.S. Army Rangers combat medic.

The second is the panicked chaos of a restaurant kitchen.

"It's hot, high stress; you have to make snap decisions," said Stackpoole, chef de cuisine of Madison's restaurant in downtown Pendleton. "It's the same as triage, like in the military."

It's that military precision he brings to the table that awarded him a spot at the Taste of Elegance in Indianapolis. The yearly event brings in numerous Hoosier dignitaries and luminaries to taste the best that the best of Hoosier chefs have to offer.

Though he didn't win an award, Stackpoole considered it a success because he was the only chef invited who didn't work at a downtown Indianapolis restaurant.

"The best compliment is to be invited at all. That was compliment enough," he said.

Stackpoole opened Madison's in 2014 with girlfriend Summer Hellis as his "retirement project," after several years as a successful restaurateur developing Dan Good Pizza from his home in Michigan.

The restaurant features an ever-changing menu of classic and modern dishes, as well as one of the best-stocked bars in the Midwest.

Stackpoole most prides himself on his extensive stock single-malt scotch, which he claims is the largest in the state.

Following with his perfectionist personality, Stackpoole takes his position as chef de cuisine beyond just organizing and serving meals.

Four of five times each week Stackpoole drives to Indianapolis to take his pick of fresh meats, dairy and herbs.

He could have them delivered, he said, but then he wouldn't have the chance to measure them against his exacting standard. He also does all butchering in-house to make sure every cut is his own.

His personal relationship with each dish that leaves his kitchen doesn't stop at the swinging door separating it from the dining area.

"At the end of the day, we treat everyone like family," he said.

And in those relationships he will do whatever it takes to keep a customer happy. Whether that means going off menu when a customer asks for a special dessert or, as was the case recently, opening an hour early to accommodate a longtime customer's lunchtime meeting.

"I have never said no if I can do something," he added.

Meeting customers' needs is never a challenge for him.

"This is what I do, it's a lifestyle, that's it," he said.

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Source: The (Anderson) Herald Bulletin, http://bit.ly/2l0CscU

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Information from: The Herald Bulletin, http://www.theheraldbulletin.com