Although Bargersville’s Up Cellar is known for its swanky, speakeasy vibe, Executive Chef Christopher Ealy couldn’t be more down to earth. He is passionate about creating delicious, locally sourced, farm-to-table meals that are accessible for special occasions or a regular weeknight dinner.

Q: Where did the interest in becoming a chef start? What was your original inspiration?

A: Most of my interest in cooking came from growing up in a large family with a single mom. I was in the kitchen as a 12-year-old helping make dinner for my siblings, which was a challenge, but it was so enjoyable. When I was 15 years old, I started working at a restaurant owned by someone my family knew. It’s something that I’ve grown up in.

The ultimate goal of being in the culinary field is making birthdays, anniversaries and normal dinners special. I have the opportunity to touch a lot of people’s lives, and that has become important to me over time. The more I can reach the community through my food, the better I feel as a person. It’s absolutely about the human connection and shared experiences of food.

Q: Describe your culinary philosophy or approach to cooking.

A: My culinary approach is old and traditional in the sense that I will try to let the produce or meat speak for itself. I want to keep it simple but add a personal twist and flair. I’m trying to stay true to whatever I’m putting on the plate.

Because Up Cellar is not a corporate or chain-driven restaurant, I partner with local produce farmers and source fresh meat from cattle farms in the area. It’s important to sustain our dedication to farm-to-table cooking and support our community in this way.

Q: What are your favorite ingredients to work with and why?

A: My philosophy is that I like funky, salty and different. Some of my favorite flavors are lemon, rosemary, thyme, garlic in all its forms, and Herbes de Provence—ingredients that keep foods fresh and vibrant. I love working with ingredients from the ocean, and fresh fish is a gift when you’re in Indiana!

Q: Tell me about a dish that you created that you are proud of.

A: The dishes that I have the most pride in are dishes that I developed 30 years ago with oysters. As a child, I thought they were strange when I saw them in restaurants, and then as a teenager, I was the kid in the corner of the restaurant kitchen shucking oysters for 10 hours a day. The process of the kitchen is that I’m shucking them because I’m the low man on the totem pole, and then one day, I’m learning to cook them and creating my own version of Provencal oysters. I am the proudest of that dish because it symbolizes the personal and professional progress I’ve made.

Q: What’s your favorite meal?

A: I can’t say I’m a “lasagna guy” or a “pizza guy”; my favorite dinner is made using the toughest cut of meat and cooking it until you don’t even need a knife to cut it. My favorite meal is osso buco, a veal shank that is braised with beer or wine until it’s delicate and fork-tender. After cooking the meat for several hours, I will reduce the sauce until it is like a gravy, add a variety of vegetables, and ultimately, create a complete meal out of one pan. And the bone marrow inside the veal shank is a real treat, like a little included dessert.

Q: Tell me about the name “Up Cellar”?

A: The dining room sits above Cellar’s Market, which features some of the best wine that most businesses don’t offer, so it is physically located above a cellar. We strive for a speakeasy vibe, with a literal and figurative elevated experience.

Q: Can you describe Up Cellar’s food concept?

A: Up Cellar is a farm-to-table, scratch-cooking kitchen and steakhouse. We source all of our cattle and steaks from local farms, which are all hand-cut and never touch a processing machine. We prioritize sourcing the best quality local ingredients, from produce to proteins, and then creating elegant and simple dishes.

Q: What’s the next big plan for Up Cellar?

A: The next big step is to incorporate more of the wine selection of Cellar’s Market with Up Cellar’s dinners through private functions and gatherings for bigger crowds. This is a way to showcase the amazing sourcing of food and beverages by local farmers and purveyors of our wine and bourbon, and Taxman Brewery’s distillery, and how everyone comes together.

Q: When you’re not eating your own delicious food, what would we find on your plate?

A: I’m a big fan of cheese, especially blue cheese. Beer cheeses, lamb cheese, smoked gouda-infused blue cheese—like I said, I’m a fan of funky.

Q: Who would you like to see walk through Up Cellar’s doors for one epic dinner party?

A: I would love to serve dinner to some of my high school teachers. I couldn’t get through chemistry class in high school, and math wasn’t my strongest subject either. It wasn’t that my teachers thought I couldn’t do it, but they knew it just wasn’t clicking, and yet, I made it through culinary school, which is all about science and math.

I would also love to serve my family and share the personal and professional growth that I’ve achieved with them. I’ve spent more of my adult life in a kitchen than anywhere else and have missed some important events. But to see them come in and enjoy all the hard work I’ve put in with my teammates would make it so worth it. They know me, and they would understand just why I do what I do. They could observe a full restaurant, notice that everyone is happy and enjoying the atmosphere, and they would know that I’m a part of that. That is more satisfying than any celebrity or famous person coming by.