After he started working for Kathy Webb at Lilly’s Dim Sum in west Little Rock, Cash Ashley fell in love with the environment and atmosphere of a kitchen. Since then, he’s spent time in many kitchens around the area including The Root Café, The Restaurant at Terry’s Finer Foods, Local Lime and Boulevard Bread Company, but currently Cash is the chef de cuisine at Lost Forty Brewing.

“Working here at Lost Forty has given me the most well-rounded restaurant education of all the places I have been,” he says.

“Here we have to have a knowledge of all parts of the restaurant. I’ve also learned so much about how to provide the most amazing guest experience, how to manage people (still learning this, of course), as well as the less exciting, but just as important, business side of things.”

Cash has been running the kitchen at Lost Forty for two years, during which the restaurant has grown tremendously. Each day of the week is dedicated to a different delicacy, but every Sunday, Cash serves a fully packed dining room a delicious brunch.

“There’s never a dull day here — and I love it.”

Rapid-fire Questions

Guilty pleasure food: Pizza (except I feel no guilt about eating it)

Celebrity chef: Alice Waters

Go-to meal when short on time: Roasted veggies and delicious bread (generally brussels sprouts, sweet potatoes, cauliflower and broccoli)

Secret recipe: My gravy and spaghetti sauce recipes.

Favorite vegetable: Brussels sprouts

Go-to kitchen gadget: As long as I have a good knife and a wooden spoon, I’m good to go.

Coffee or tea: Coffee

Favorite meal of the day: Breakfast... Or in my world, coffee.

Chickpea “Chicken” Salad

chickpea salad

Ingredients

1 15-oz. can chickpeas, 
drained and rinsed
2-3 stalks celery, finely chopped
1/2 cup halved grapes (optional)
1 small shallot, finely chopped
1/4 cup sweet relish or 
1/4 cup chopped pickles
1 small garlic clove, minced
1 tbsp. lemon juice, 
preferably fresh squeezed
1/4-1/2 cup mayo, 
depending on preference
1-2 tsp. dijon
2 tsp. fresh, chopped dill, 
or 1/2 tsp. dried dill
salt and pepper to taste, 
generally about 1/4-1/2 tsp. of each

Instructions

1. Drain your chickpeas and rinse. Let dry while you prepare other ingredients.

2. In a mixing bowl, combine relish, lemon juice, mayo, dijon and dill. After cutting all vegetables, throw them into this wet mixture and combine with a rubber spatula or wooden spoon.

3. Then mash your chickpeas. I do this by putting them in a mixing bowl and mashing them with a potato masher. But in a pinch, I have used a fork, it just takes a bit longer.

4. When they are mashed up pretty well, (no whole chickpeas in tact), toss them into your veggie and sauce mixture. Stir until completely combined, then add your salt and pepper. Stir again, taste and add salt and/or pepper as needed.

Pro tip from Chef Ashley:

“I love eating this by itself, on a sandwich or on a bed of some kind of greens. Arugula is especially delicious, as the spiciness of arugula really complements the flavors in the chickpea salad. I love it toasted on a sandwich with some tomatoes and lettuce or arugula. I like to double this recipe and keep it in my fridge and eat it throughout the week.“

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