Firing Up Eggplant

FILIPINO FLAVORS AND FAMILY KNOW-HOW COMBINE IN A DISH PERFECT FOR GRILLING SEASON

By Kim Severson

Most chefs will tell you their best recipes start with a memory. For Silver Iocovozzi, one in particular stands out: his grilled eggplant smothered in a bright mix of seasoned tomatoes, a dish he first tasted on a beach in the Philippines. Iocovozzi, who grew up in North Carolina, runs Neng Jr.’s in Asheville with his husband, Cherry. Iocovozzi’s father was an American serviceman. His mother, Neneng, is from the Philippines. (Her nickname is Neng, and he was so much like her when he was growing up, people called him Neng Jr.) The tiny restaurant has become a national darling for a menu that marries Filipino food with Appalachian ingredients and technique. The eggplant, a favorite with diners, began on a visit to his mother’s homeland in 2018, during a…

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Garden & Gun (Digital) - 1 Issue, June/July 2024

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