Who’s Who: Chef Chris Gates, Beach Shop & Grill

Who’s Who of Wilmington Today: Meet Head Chef Chris Gates, of Beach Shop & Grill on Topsail Island

The Beach Shop and Grill is a farm to table restaurant focusing on sustainability, originality and supporting local farmers. Chef Chris Gates, originally from Hickory, NC has lived in this area for 25 years and has been at the Beach Shop for what he describes as “6 wonderful years.”

Before the Beach Shop & Grill, Chris was a private chef for several politicians, celebrities and bands including Steve Winwood, Widespread Panic and Ashley Judd. It was the beach and music scene that brought him to the Topsail area.

His favorite part of living here is being able to enjoy the biodiversity of the ocean and intracoastal marine life.

His typical day consists of sourcing local, fresh ingredients, fresh fish and creating specials. He enjoys using his knowledge and experience to create new and interesting dishes, exploring new concepts and ingredients to challenge himself. He takes great pride in providing guests with an excellent meal and experience.

Chef describes himself as tall, handsome and intriguing but most of the staff would describe him as “a comedian who likes to give everyone a hard time.”

He explains that the most rewarding part of his job is “the satisfaction that comes from creating excellent dishes that please our guests.”

More on Chef Chris Gates

Chef’s favorite hobbies include fishing and in the winter months he travels to Costa Rica and Panama exploring the jungles and fishing with the locals. He loves exploring new cultures and learning about their food. Chef Gates is also is an accomplished bass guitarist and has played in several bands. Many are surprised to learn he also plays an Aboriginal instrument called a didgeridoo, which boasts a haunting and ethereal sound.

Fun Facts

• Gates loves Indochine restaurant in Wilmington
• His mantra is ‘Don’t talk about it, be about it’
• He cannot spell, but is intolerant of stupid people (this made us laugh too).
• If Chris had a superpower, it would be to see into the future in order to plan world domination.

Learn More About Beach Shop & Grill

(910) 328-6501
701 S. Anderson Blvd.
Topsail Beach, NC 28445

Restaurant Hours

• Monday: CLOSED
• Tuesday: 11am – 9pm
• Wednesday: 11am – 9pm
  
• Thursday: 11am – 9pm
• Friday: 11am – 9:30pm
• Saturday: 8am – 9:30pm
• Sunday: 8am – 9:00pm