Local foodie opens his own shop in Berlin
If you've dined out in Delmarva, chances are, you've run into Toby Gilbert.
For nearly the last two decades, the Whaleysville native has worked in a number of well-known eateries, while developing his own cooking style.
Gilbert's passion, however, hasn't just taken him across the Shore, but nearly across the world.
From Puerto Rico and Maui to Long Island and Charleston, he has been drawn to anywhere with a kitchen and a master willing to teach him something new.
After working the last six years as a professional chef in three prestigious area restaurants though, Gilbert was ready for a change.
"I wanted to play with food in a different way," he said.
Feeling the strain of restaurant life, Gilbert stepped away from the kitchen line, and instead, opened his own store in downtown Berlin.
His shop, Gilbert's Provisions, pays homage to all of his favorite things.
Tucked behind Bruder Hill on Commerce Street, the store offers gourmet meats, cheeses and all things fermented.
For years, Gilbert has loved fermented foods, and has especially enjoyed learning how to make his own. He honed in on the practice last year while working as Hari Cameron's sous chef at a(MUSE.) in Rehoboth Beach.
The award-winning chef taught Gilbert the true art of fermentation, how to make food like pickled garlic, radish kimchi, turnip sauerkraut, as well as fresh miso and dash.
"Working with Hari was like a dream," he said. "The man is pure genius. I learned so much from him, and not just about food, but about life."
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Gilbert intends to keep his offerings as domestic as possible, but some things, "the good stuff," he said, will need to be imported, like Parmesan and pecorino from Italy, gouda from Holland and brie from France.
The store will soon sell house-made artisan breads, fresh ricotta, homemade pickles and other various jars of fermented vegetables.
Special teas and kombucha are already offered in the shop's retail section, along with other locally made items like honey, hot sauce, crackers, coffee, wooden cutting boards and seasonings, as well as magnets and hot plates made by Jordan Pippin of Steel Glory.
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Although the shop is tucked away from bustling Main Street, Gilbert hopes it will become a destination spot for locals and tourists.
"I think this store is exactly what this town was missing," he said. "I think it fills a special niche."
For Gilbert, the shop marks a homecoming of sorts in Berlin.
His parents used to own the video store on Main Street. Gilbert spent his childhood skateboarding in the nearby parking lot and working odd jobs around town. When the small space, which is now his gourmet grocery store, became available, Gilbert jumped at the opportunity "to come home."
He describes his store's style as "modernized vintage," with a concrete floor, a lot of wood trim and metalwork.
Think warm and inviting, with an industrial twist. Best yet, everything about its open-floor concept, he said, is green and eco-friendly, "from the roof to the plumbing and electric."
As Gilbert settles into his first summer, away from the grueling demands of restaurant life, he cannot help but smile.
"This has been a dream of mine for many years," he said. "Being able to serve this town, with the products and culinary techniques that I love, is more than I could ever ask for."
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302-537-1881, ext. 207
Gilbert's Provisions
Where: 25 Commerce Street, Suite B., Berlin
When: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily
Call: 410-973-2334