Executive chef Richard Hammons brings excitement and talent. Winning the Iron Chef competition last fall may have brought him attention. It is well deserved.

Hammons spent the first decade of his life in Southern California, then moved with his parents to south Florida near Sarasota. The family next moved to Phoenix. Cooking at home with his extended family was an early inspiration for Hammons.

At 14 he started working at a Chinese restaurant owned by parents of a school friend. He worked front of the house and in the kitchen with the chefs at a brewpub. He met a master Chinese chef and really admired him. At that point Hammons started looking at culinary schools.

Hammons graduated from the Culinary Institute of the Art Institute of Arizona with highest honors. During those years he worked at the Four Seasons with Executive Chef Simon Purvis and Sous Chef Michael Goralski.

“Working at the Four Seasons definitely perpetuated my skills,” Hammons said.

While chef Purvis came to Jackson Hole, Hammons worked in independent restaurants in Phoenix for a year, honing his experience in sushi and a steak house. In 2007, eager to get out of the Arizona heat, he accepted an offer to work at the Four Seasons here, excited to be with chef Purvis again. He worked in pastries and the Peak dining room. When they needed a sushi chef, he learned more of the art of sushi. He became chef tournant who could fill in almost any position.

Hammons moved to Denver to help open the Four Seasons there as head sushi chef. After eight months he left the Four Seasons to help open Linger in Denver in the famous O’Linger Mortuary. He also worked at the Izakaya Sushi Den.

The year 2011 brought Hammons back to Jackson as head hot foods chef at Nikai, a positive experience for both chef and restaurant. A summer in the super busy kitchen at Cafe Genevieve taught our chef patience, skills and speed. A season of executive sous chef at the Amangani rounds out his resume.

Last summer he was incredibly busy working doubles for understaffed Bistro Catering and Sudachi. The culmination was winning Jackson’s Iron Chef competition with sous chef partner Joel Hammond, who starts as sous chef at Gather this week.

Gather is producing some delightful dishes and Hammons hopes to welcome new traditions.

Tuesdays Tastings at 2 is a weekly roundtable offering for invited guests of three savory dishes invented and presented by staff. Feedback is required. The most successful of these dishes will make it onto future menus. The most popular dishes will be part of Chef’s Table celebrations. Be on the lookout.

Small bites are quite delectable. Steamed pork buns are pleasingly crispy, soft and flavorful. Mac and cheese croquettes are pure comfort food. Seared scallops with ginger edamame puree, coconut sweet chile glaze and habanero masago are elegant.

It will take some courage from me to try the beef tongue fries. It is said they are delicious and they are guaranteed returnable if they do not satisfy. Mussels with lemongrass miso broth, micro herbs and grilled toast are fabulous. The chef has shared that recipe. I’m totally stoked.

These are not your mother’s Brussels sprouts. Served with balsamic, pumpkin seeds, dried cranberries, pecorino and vinaigrette, they are the best ever. They could turn anyone into a believer.

We shared one of three salad choices: a satisfying fall greens salad with arugula, poached Asian pear, pecorino shavings, toasted pumpkin seeds and sun-dried cranberry vinaigrette. Entrees vary from a beautiful striped bass to stuffed poblano. I’ll bet the burger is great with pickled black garlic aioli, white cheddar, arugula and tomato. The beef filet comes from Snake River Farms and shares the plate with garlic confit mashed potatoes, roasted wild mushrooms, heirloom carrots and a green peppercorn demi-glace. Red wine braised beef with spatzel is already a favorite. Jambalaya calls out to me for my next visit. The seared duck breast was perfectly cooked with five-spice maple yam puree, fresh blackberries, mixed berry gastrique and crispy leeks.

Saving room for one of pastry chef Lauren Camacho’s creations could be difficult, but worthwhile. The s’mores and the Death by Chocolate had some folks moaning with delight.

More vegetarian and vegan choices will hit the menu this week as will indicators for gluten- and dairy-free. I look forward to a return visit soon.