 An innovative restauranteur
Chattanooga, Tenn. – Lawton Haygood is an entrepreneurial inventor who
also doubles as a restaurateur. So when he was not satisfied with the
grill he had at a seafood restaurant he owned in Dallas, the innovative
businessman created one that met his requirements.
“The traditional grill tends to burn hot in one spot and cool in
another, which isn’t ideal when you’re cooking a high volume of
orders,” Haygood explained. “I kept waiting for someone to come up with
something, but nobody did, so I decided to develop my own.”
The result was a first-of-its-kind wood-burning grill for restaurateurs
that operates on the principal of the convection oven. It produces even
heat, which cooks food faster and more evenly and the wood smoke
intensifies the flavor of the food. Today, a second-generation model
called the Tuff Grill is a key element in the kitchens of several
restaurants nationwide, including Haygood’s two present-day restaurants
– Boathouse Rotisserie & Raw Bar in Chattanooga and Canyon Grill
atop nearby Lookout Mountain, Ga. These restaurants feature other
innovations Haygood created, such as a wood-burning rotisserie oven, a
cast-iron oyster skillet with holes in the bottom and an artistic ice
chute that transports ice from the ceiling into a stainless-steel ice
bin amid Boathouse’s raw bar.
After designing the grill in the late 1970s, Haygood was featured in
Time Magazine, called a pioneer in mesquite grilling and received
numerous calls from restaurateurs nationwide who asked him to make a
grill for them. He soon found himself building and installing grills in
restaurant chains like J. Alexander’s and Grady’s. He even worked with
some of the country’s most renowned chefs, including Wolfgang Puck.
Mr. B’s Bistro in New Orleans, Smoke Jack Blues and BBQ and Fatt Matt’s
Blues and BBQ in Atlanta, along with Canyon Grill and Boathouse, are
among the restaurants that use the Tuff Grill today.
“Since the grill is air cooled and does not depend on insulation, it is
more durable,” Haygood explained. “And, since the heat is not reflected
into the kitchen, restaurants save money on air conditioning, and the
kitchen is a more comfortable work environment since it is not so hot.”
When Boathouse debuted on the banks of the Tennessee River in 2002,
the Tuff Grill was not the lone Haygood invention at the restaurant. He
developed an ice chute for the raw bar that is a popular conversation
piece among Boathouse regulars and guests alike.
“Before we opened Boathouse, there was another restaurant here,
and we did some renovations,” Haygood said. “The area for the bar and the
raw bar was small, so I brainstormed for ways to conserve space.
“It’s more like a work of art than an ice chute alone,” Haygood said
with a grin. “When regular customers bring guests in, they like to
watch the ice fall from the ceiling into the ice bin. Some people even
think the roof is leaking, but of course it’s not.”
Just as he developed the Tuff Grill out of necessity, he invented the
cast-iron oyster skillet for the same reason. The skillet features
holes in the bottom to keep the oysters secure.
“Fire-grilled oysters are one of our signature menu items at Boathouse,
but when we would place the oysters on the grill, we would often spill
the juice from the shells,” Haygood said. “The skillet is designed to
keep the oysters stable so they can retain their juices. I considered
stainless steel, but learned it would cost more to fabricate. Cast-iron
withstands the heat better anyway."
At Boathouse, Haygood prepares popular dishes like the Lotta Lotta
Garlic Chicken in a one-of-a-kind rotisserie oven that uses wood
instead of gas or electric.
“You get a different treatment on the food,” Haygood said. “It has
better flavor with the wood smoke, and the radiant heat crisps the skin
and leaves the inside tender.
“It’s not difficult to make delicious food consistently on your
backyard grill when you are just cooking every now and then for a small
group, but when you are serving thousands of guests a week in a
restaurant setting, it is more challenging to maintain consistency,” he
added. “It takes inventive tools like our wood-burning grill and
rotisserie oven to consistently make menu items that taste as good as a
backyard barbeque.”
Recipes:
Amaretto Brownie Recipe
Matagorda Bay Oysters
Pork Tenderloin
Slash and Burn Catfish
Lotta Lotta Garlic Chicken
Photos:
Click thumbnails to download high-resolution versions
   
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