Taste Of Oklahoma: Symmetry Chef Glenn Scott 'Painting With Flavors' In The Village

In The Village's Casady Square, a new restaurant manages to balance spectacular service and quality food for its guests.

Symmetry, located in the former Naifeh jewelry store, is able to provide such an artistically-driven experience thanks to its head chef, Glenn Scott.

"I've been cooking for 22 years now," Scott said. "I've done a lot of work in Korean, American, German, French, Moroccan.

Scott said using the different flavors and cooking techniques from his various experiences is part of his passion.

"I really enjoy the different flavors of different cultures and different cooking techniques, so it's really just kind of become 'me' as a chef," Scott said. "I've kind of been known as the 'nomad chef' in the area because I'm always moving around and doing something different. I can't go anywhere without someone stopping me, like 'you're the chef at Symmetry!'"

The restaurant, a brain child of two former Mahogany Steakhouse proprietors, is where Scott said he is able to flex his creativity.

"It's very different and it's colorful and it's fun, and it's not going to be like another concept that you can find in the area," Scott said. "What we did with food is it needed to be a palette of color and flavoring and be fun."

One of the things Scott said surprised him however, is the amount of support he's received from the Oklahoma City metro community, but with that support, he pushed himself to try newer and bolder things.

"I've worked on about 25 new recipes that are going to start to flow in and feature, and that's how I've designed this menu," Scott said. "I can't do stagnant, it drives me crazy, and no one likes stagnant. It's like painting a picture with flavors, colors and textures, adding to the mural that is Oklahoma City."

Part of that "mural," Scott said, the food scene in Oklahoma City has changed significantly since he first arrived.

"The culinary world here in Oklahoma, since I've been here in the past seven years, has changed dramatically," Scott said. "People's pallets have changed quite a bit. It's not so much of just steak and potatoes anymore. People are really starting to venture out and try new things, especially with the chefs being a little bolder in what we're putting out."

However, every new venture has its own risk, as Scott said he has discovered along his journey. When asked if he ever had a dish that didn't work, his answer was a resounding yes.

"Absolutely, you learn from your failures, I couldn't be where I am right now if I didn't fail," Scott said. "I am not a culinary graduate, I've never stepped foot in a culinary school. I've done 22 years of learning the hard way of how to do things and working under some great chefs, and with that, I can tell you every way how not to do something."

One thing in the back of Scott's mind, is establishing the future of his own success and finding someone who can continue his passion at Symmetry.

"There's too many young aspiring cooks, and even seasoned chefs who never get a chance to really shine and show what they're able to do," Scott said. "If I can be a part of this new wind of change happening in the culinary world, to give those people that chance... that's why I'm in this. I love to teach, and I want to be able to give people the opportunity to really aspire to do what they're trying to do."

As for Symmetry's customers, Scott said he wants them to be able to leave his restaurant wanting more.

"I'd like people to be able to walk away thinking 'when's the next time I can go back there?'" Scott said. "I want them to come in here and have an experience that's comfortable, enjoyable [and] exciting. You can't wait to come back again."

Chef Scott said he and the two owners of Symmetry have a goal of opening 20 restaurant concepts in the next 20 years in Oklahoma City.