Kitchen turned classroom

Birmingham chef Clif Holt has spent time inside a kitchen for as long as he can remember. He was only 5 years old when he stepped into a kitchen for the first time to cook with his grandmother. Since then, Holt said, it’s where he has wanted to be. 

His love for the kitchen eventually led him to the heart of Forest Park, where he most recently owned and operated Little Savannah Restaurant and Bar. 

These days, Holt is still in the kitchen, but in a more teacher-centered role. While his wife, Maureen, runs things at Little Savannah, Holt spends his days teaching others to master their kitchen skills at the Grand Bohemian Mountain Brook cooking school. 

“I’ve moved from the quarterback position at Little Savannah to the head-cheerleader role,” Holt said about the transition. “I’m fully supportive of Maureen and her vision for the restaurant while I focus on things over here.”

Holt, who also taught classes at Little Savannah, said the transition to the Grand Bohemian was a natural one.  

“The classes will be simple,” Holt said during a media tour of the cooking space in October, “approachable for all skill levels.”

An elevator ride just outside the hotel’s ballroom takes guests to an area called “The Habitat,” featuring a rooftop restaurant and bar with indoor/outdoor components, such as fire pits and a rooftop terrace. The cooking school, its own space, is beside the main dining room and across from the restaurant kitchen. Holt said he hopes to attract kitchen experts and novices alike, all in the name of food. 

“I’ll teach all types of basic techniques, like how to boil water,” Holt said with a laugh, “and throw in some knife skills.” 

Smaller classes will have more hands-on experience, Holt said, while larger ones will be mostly demonstration-based.

Holt, who grew up in Cullman, said he always knew he wanted to be a chef. After opening Little Savannah, he said he began teaching classes there because he was drawn to the interactions he had with his customers.

“I like the human aspect of teaching,” said Holt. “I like the challenge of bringing people into the cooking world and having fun along the way.”

Mostly self-taught, Holt received a degree from the Jefferson State Community College for Culinary Arts and Business Administration. But even before he entered the culinary scene, Holt lived in San Diego, where he joined the United States Navy and maintained Secret Security clearance. 

Eventually, Holt’s military skills proved fruitful in the kitchen back at home. 

After holding titles such as project manager and senior designer at various companies in the Alabama area, Holt found his way back into the kitchen. He went on to accept a position at Highlands Bar and Grill and Chez Fon Fon, where he moved his way up to chef de tournant after starting as a pastry chef. Holt then worked at Samford University as chef de cuisine with Sodexo Campus Services before most recently working as proprietor and executive chef at Little Savannah, the full-service fine dining establishment he developed from scratch.

In the kitchen, Holt said he is “definitely not” a recipe-follower. He does cook at home, though his favorite meal is one someone else prepares for him. He is a “big fan” of ethnic food, particularly North African cuisine. 

Holt said the transition has added “a little something” to both he and his wife, as they both continue to develop their skills, and is excited about his new role.

“When the opportunity presented itself,” said Holt, “I had to take it.”

For more information on how to sign up for a cooking school class, visit grandbohemianmountainbrook.com.