You may not know his name, but if you live in Arkansas, chances are you’ve eaten at one or more of his restaurants: Big Orange, Local Lime, Heights Taco & Tamale, Lost Forty Brewing and ZAZA Fine Salad & Wood Oven Pizza Co.
Scott McGehee is the executive chef behind Yellow Rocket Concepts restaurants which are some of the most popular in the state. McGehee was recently named Proprietor of the Year by the Arkansas Food Hall of Fame.
I spent an afternoon in early March photographing McGehee for a recent feature in Arkansas Living Magazine, published by the Electric Cooperatives of Arkansas. You can read the current issue of Arkansas Living here.
Scott McGehee is the executive chef behind Yellow Rocket Concepts
I met McGehee at Big Orange Burger in Little Rock’s Midtowne district. We had a relatively tight schedule and a lot to photograph. I wanted to photograph him at three different locations without taking up too much of his time. He told me he allocated three hours for the photo shoot and I was thrilled to have this much time. If you know Scott, he goes at 90-to-nothing.
We started with a portrait of him at the bar and then moved on to photographing a trio of their signature burgers and a bowl of their famous cheese dip. Cheese dip runs in his blood and in his family…literally. His father, Frank was the co-creator of white cheese dip and was a partner in Little Rock’s Blue Mesa Grill and Juanita’s.
A trio of burgers from Big Orange (from left): the Smashed Avocado Turkey Burger, theFarmer's Burger and the White Truffle & Pecorino.
From Big Orange, we headed to Heights Taco & Tamale Co. for a taste and preview of their offerings.
Lastly, we headed over to ZAZA Fine Salad & Wood Oven Pizza Co. ZAZA is my personal favorite. I could eat the ZAZA Italian Sausage Pizza ALL DAY. EVERY DAY. I wanted to get a few cooking shots in additional to the portraits and styled food photos so McGehee donned his apron and whipped up a classic Pizza Margherita.
There is no better way to cook a pizza than in a wood-fired oven. Period. Go ahead, argue your case.
For fans of his restaurants who live in Northwest Arkansas, your wishes are coming true. Bentonville Taco & Tamale Co. is coming soon. The menu will feature an Ark-Mex menu designed by McGehee. The menu is also expected to include fan favorites. The new restaurant will be located on the Bentonville Square at 101 W. Central Ave., and is projected to open in fall 2020. This restaurant marks the 10th restaurant location for Yellow Rocket Concepts.
One last note, I can say with honestly, Scott McGehee is a really nice guy. And he is generous. Extremely generous. Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, McGehee vowed not to lay off any of his employees by working hard to maintain curb-side pickup at all restaurant locations. McGehee also has been providing meals almost daily to area healthcare workers.