Chef Aaron May: Crafty Celebrity Stories

Celebrity chef Aaron May joins The Beer Connoisseur for the next installment of Crafty Celebrity Stories, which features the best tales of ale (and more) from leading actors, celebrities and persons of interest.

Aaron has made multiple appearances on The Food Network alongside big names such as Guy Fieri, and he is also the owner and executive chef of Lettuce Turnip Beets restaurants, which includes The Lodge Sasquatch Kitchen, Goodwood Tavern and Over Easy. Aaron recently signed on with Dough Pizzeria & Bar on Hollywood's Sunset Strip as the hotspot's head chef.

1. Beer drinkers like to laugh. What’s the funniest drinking story you can share with us?
It was the middle of winter in Lake Tahoe and we had been out drinking and having a good time when we stumbled upon another bar. The bouncer was friendly but insisted one of our group couldn’t be allowed in. We pleaded politely, offered to watch out for him, even slipped him some cash... only to be told the problem was that he wasn’t wearing shoes!   

2. Who's the coolest person you've had a beer with?
Tough question, but one of my favorite people was Carl "the Cuban" Ruiz – we lost him last year, but we filmed Guys' Grocery Games in Santa Rosa and we would spend too many nights after work at Russian River Brewing Co. drinking beers and talking and sharing stories. 

3. What are a few of your favorite craft beers and why?
I spent a lot of summers in the Midwest, so I love Bell’s and New Glarus – Two Hearted Ale and Spotted Cow specifically both bring back a lot of great memories and both are delicious. And in the summer, you can't beat an Oberon Ale out on the water. Ballast Point Sculpin is also a favorite, and I look forward to Green Flash's Le Freak every time.  

4. Do you have a favorite (craft) brewery or breweries and why?
Four Peaks in Arizona has always been a favorite, and it was great to watch them grow from a little brewpub into what it is now; Kilt Lifter and Pumpkin Porter are both great beers and worth finding.   

5. Have you attended or cooked at any beer events or festivals that you particularly enjoyed? What made them stand out?
Made in the Shade Beer Festival in Flagstaff, AZ is an awesome event... great beer, beautiful weather and the whole landscape there – really a first-class event. Also, the Firestone Walker Invitational in Paso Robles was great... the collection of people and the sheer attention to detail is unparalleled.  

6. What types of local or imported beer can customers at Dough Pizzeria & Bar in Hollywood enjoy with their pizza when they come in?
We have a great collection of beer at Dough, being on Sunset in the heart of Hollywood, we have tourists and connoisseurs alike, so we have stalwarts like Trumer Pils, Peroni and Stella, and then Firestone Walker 805 and Fort Point Beer Co. Animal Double IPA. We also bring in craft beer for small runs and keep the list rotating. Then we carry seasonals from Samuel Adams, Coors and Olympia, so there is always something for everyone!

7. What beer style goes best with pizza?
I love to drink a Firestone Lager with a slice. It is super crisp and clean, and it isn't going to overshadow the pizza, but still makes for an excellent addition to the meal.

8. What other new projects do you have brewing?
I'm a bit all over the place so I'm always working on something. Right now, I’m trying to perfect the frozen pizza, and a few other things for retail. I'm really spending a ton of time at Dough to get it just right and I couldn't be happier about that.