A Recipe For Success? He Doesn't Need One

BY LAURA J. MONDUL
Special to the Herald Courier

Mark Price’s first step to a good meal is opening the kitchen cupboard to see what’s available, which shouldn’t be a surprise given he’s been cooking since he was a child.

Growing up in the Holston Valley, the young Price was always helping around the house. Because his mother worked long hours, that often meant preparing meals for himself, his four brothers and his three sisters. And with such a large family, he learned early that self-starting and improvisation was key to getting the job done.

“My mother always taught us to be self-sufficient and not to depend on anyone to do things for us,” said Price, owner and manager of Webb‘s Store in Bluff City. “She provided us with a wonderful work ethic that became crucial to my development as a cook.”

Living an atypical childhood, Price said that in addition to preparing meals, he helped to harvest the ingredients for his original concoctions.

“Most kids look forward to summer vacation,” he said, laughing, “but our summer vacations consisted of activities like picking beans over in Shady Valley.”

The work provided him with a foundation for his passion – cooking – as well as his life and his business.

“Food does more than just fill you up, it brings people together,” Price said.

As for his culinary education, Price said it was exclusively hands-on – what he learned in the kitchen is still the bases he works from today. He recalls that he learned more about cooking from his “Granny” than anyone else; that is, other than experience, and trial and error.

His style reflects his early development. He maintains a garden behind his store where he grows his own vegetables; he does not use recipes; and he doesn’t measure his ingredients. Instead, he says, “I just throw whatever I have together, and luckily it turns out good.”

Now, Price runs a thriving grill and catering business from the modest block building in the “Possum Creek” area that is his Webb Store. In the four years since he bought and took over running the store, Price has drawn a diverse and loyal clientele with his down-home cooking. The store features menu items as well as daily specials that include a Sunday brunch buffet, burgers, baked spaghetti and quesadillas, and his monthly “fine dining” evenings that entail a four-course meal worthy of the finest restaurant.

Mostly, the daily specials derive from what Price has in the cupboards, and whatever he thinks will “hit the spot” for his customers.

And often, the day itself serves as inspiration – such as a particularly cold day warranting a lunch special of hot chili and cornbread.

In spite of his humble beginnings and casual style, Price is no stranger to the food service industry. He first landed a restaurant job when he was 18, and over the course of eight years worked his way up from breakfast cook to general manager. He served as chairman for the hospitality committee and a member of the steering committee for Bristol’s annual Rhythm and Roots Reunion for its first two years. He still remains involved in the community through his burgeoning catering
business, which serves anything from groups of 10 to 500, and includes local schools, churches, weddings and business events.

But according to Price, it all comes down to family.

“Family is what food, cooking and eating are about,” he said. “Meals are not just about eating. Within a family, meals are a time to get together, talk and catch up.

That’s how I feel about my business. People don’t just come here to eat – they come to socialize and joke, not just with each other but with the employees as well. It’s fun and it brings people together and creates a sense of family.”

Price’s family ties in his work extend beyond his customers. His two daughters, Amber, 25, and Jenny, 17, are following in his footsteps and currently work at the store. Amber even went so far as to attend a semester of culinary school, but felt she had learned more about cooking from working with her dad than she did in school. Price hopes that when he does retire, his daughters will continue with the business and maintain the unique charm and warmth of the store.

“I feel that what I am doing serves an important role in the community,” Price said. “Our store has become a local hub for people to socialize, get to know each other and visit in a relaxed and casual atmosphere. I am honored to have been accepted into the hearts of the people here, and I believe the ties we’ve built will endure, just like family.”