When getting into a conversation with Rocco Basil, most would expect the discussion to be about food and food alone.
That is, after all, how the man makes a living, right?
As most are aware, Basil is employed by the Diocese of Wheeling-Charleston, and he prepares meals for Rectory staff including Bishop Mark Brennan, but for many more around the state of West Virginia, as well. He also operates a very successful catering business, but that industry has been greatly impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic.
“Yeah, that’s been pretty tough, especially since I was pretty booked up through the year already,” Basil said. “I have a lot of fun when I cater, so it’s something I have really missed since this whole thing started, but hey, I get it, and I’d rather be safe, too.”
But this guy knows much more than the ingredients in Paella or Tagine, and that is why even a culinary conversation can quickly travel away from tasty treats and to a bevy of other topics.
Hence the nickname “Superdude.”
“One reason why I know about some things is because for a lot of years I wasn’t able to afford someone who actually knew what they are doing,” Basil said with a chuckle. “In those cases, I just had to figure it out, so I did.
“When I was in high school, I also worked as a carpenter making wood toys for a guy. My brother, Greg, and I did that for a while,” he explained. “The guy had the business out in Bethany, but then he moved that business to Florida, and he still has it today. What we made, though, were interlocking family puzzles, and we sent those things all over the world.”
Shop Class
Basil is the father of two daughters, and he was raised near Beach Bottom, was graduated from Brooke High School in 1980, and he has resided on a 100-acre farm near his brother, Greg, and his mother for more than 20 years. He has a tractor, an ATV, a pond, a sawmill, a dwelling he’s built himself, and the property features peaks and valleys that provide the peace of everything natural.
“There’s really nothing better for the soul than to take a walk outside on a clear night,” he said. “You can look up and see as much of the universe as you want to see.”
Most of the décor inside has been handcrafted or salvaged for re-purposing, and now he has a great-room expansion planned for the spring. Basil already has built a small-scale model of the project, and the lumber for the construction will be harvested from his property.
Now, the man used to build a killer buffet line at Christopher’s Cafeteria, but a house expansion?
“In high school, I actually took all vocational classes,” Basil revealed. “I took ceramics and did pottery, but I also took building construction with another teacher, and I learned a lot during that class. Plus, I’ve always liked building things, so that is why I found those classes to be very interesting.
“That’s also why I have been monkeying around with remodeling my house. What I learned in those classes actually stuck,” he continued. “That’s why when I was still at the Anchor Room at the very beginning of my culinary career, I also would take some odd jobs like doing drywall because I learned how to do that stuff in high school. Those classes really have saved me a lot of money through the years.”
Instead of College, Life
Basil was all about making money, so when a dish pit position became available at the Anchor Room in Beach Bottom, he jumped on it. Minimum wage at the time was $2.90, but that didn’t squelch his curiosity.
“Well, when I worked there at the Anchor Room, I asked a thousand questions a day, so that’s how that happened. That’s how I put food on the table,” Basil explained. “I still do that today because there’s always more for us to learn, and my interests extend beyond food, believe it or not.
“But, when it comes to food, there are always new methods to try, and also new combinations,” he said. “I find myself now looking into different dishes from other countries, too. I know cooking is very popular these days because of all of the TV shows that are out there these days, but I really do like trying new things all of the time.”
He loves firearms.
“That is something so neat because being able to hit a target that was at a distance has always been very satisfying to me,” Basil testified. “Not only is it a good life skill, but I also find it very interesting that mankind has gone from a sharpened stick to the weapons we have today. I mean, right now, we have rifles that can shoot a target a half-mile away, and there are a lot of competitions around the world for that kind of shooting.”
Rocco Basil just loves to know everything, but no matter the direction of a conversation with him, yes, the topic usually shifts back to the delicacies he can create.
“I don’t think we should ever be satisfied with the knowledge we have today because there’s so much more,” he insisted. “Now, I really do enjoy cooking because the trends are always changing in the culinary world, and there are still so many ingredients I’ve not fooled around with yet even though I’ve been doing this gig for like 40 years.
“That’s why now I am getting into Ethiopian food and all sorts of different ethnic food,” Basil added. “I am finding that I really like Moroccan foods now, too, but there are so many more cuisines out there in the world. And, you know what? I’ve been thinking about getting into pastries, too, because I find that to be very interesting, as well. It’s such an exact science. I gotta learn that.”
