Chef & Co-Owner Adam Wells-Morgan
Flyover Restaurant
Columbia, Missouri
In a city better known for college football and midwestern comfort foods, Columbia, MO, isn’t where you’d expect to find culinary innovation that borders on rebellious. But step into Flyover, the cozy-yet edgy brainchild of Chef Adam Wells-Morgan, and you’ll see and taste just how wrong that assumption can be.
Adam isn’t your typical fine-dining chef. He doesn’t posture behind a closed kitchen door or speak in reverent tones about truffle oil and tweezers. Instead, he’s usually found laughing with regulars at the bar or experimenting with unconventional dishes that blend classic technique with his irreverence.
“If it tastes good, makes you think a little, and makes you smile, then we’re doing it right,” he says.
Adam is no stranger to Columbia or the region’s culinary roots. But Adam likes to transform familiar dishes into something wholly original. That fusion of humor, high standards, talent, and heart is what keeps Flyover packed with loyal locals, curious foodies, and the occasional confused tourist who quickly becomes a convert.
Flyover has been open 9 years and the focus has remained clear: fresh, local ingredients with a heavy dose of creativity. I would almost say it is controlled chaos. He builds his menus around Missouri-grown produce and proteins, then spins them into unexpected directions. He is very much into ethnic dishes like his Thai Basil Chicken with local greens. He encourages his staff to be creative as well. An example is Pastry Chef Brenna Gunn’s Strawberry Shortcake Tiramisu. It’s like a summer picnic at your Italian Nonna’s house.
This mash-up of flavors and traditions reflects Adam’s philosophy: respect the ingredient, but don’t take the rules too seriously. He is not one of those chefs who act like they are performing surgery. “I’m just here to feed people and have fun doing it.”
He is a very hands-on owner. He works side by side with his staff and is often washing dishes with co-owner Dan Dethrow at the end of the night. Most of his staff have been with him for more than 5 years, and a few of them have been there since day 1. Both owners are constantly critiquing their current approach and exploring ways to improve it.
As much fun as Adam has when experimenting with different menu items, he is keenly aware of increased costs and uncertain market conditions. He is a “nerd” when it comes to numbers. He constantly reviews his purveyor’s market reports to get products that are reasonably priced and something he can transform into an appealing, upscale dish. He does not have a steak on his menu due to the high, unpredictable cost of beef. He would rather run it as an occasional loss-leader special. He loves “playing” with ethnic foods because he can take a reasonably priced protein and add his special twists to end up with a popular, trendy dish (Thai Basil Chicken).
So what’s next for Adam Wells-Morgan?
“I have always thought about expanding to a larger facility but currently Co-Owner Dan Dethrow and I are having fun here pushing the envelope.”
Flyover pushes the envelope in all the right ways.
Ciao for now,
John
