Nicholas Gavin is the Culinary Creative Director of ChefSteps, where he develops recipes and is responsible for making all the food look beautiful. Nick has worked at ChefSteps for over a decade; he and ChefSteps co-founder Grant Crilly worked together at Modernist Cuisine. Nick has worked in professional kitchens both in the United States and abroad, most notably at Mugaritz in San Sebastian, Spain.

Nicholas Gavin

Pepper gravy is the rib-sticking sauce that puts the “comfort” in comfort food. A roux-thickened sauce rich with fat and dairy, it’s the warm hug that accompanies a platter of <a href="https://www.chefsteps.com/activities/chicken-fried-steak">chicken-fried steak</a> or <a href="https://www.chefsteps.com/activities/rich-as-f-k-biscuits">biscuits</a> and <a href="https://www.chefsteps.com/activities/precision-scrambled-eggs">eggs</a>. Our version has a few embellishments to really make the sauce sing—fresh bay leaves for a vanilla-like warmth; green peppercorns for a briny, <a href="https://www.chefsteps.com/activities/bouillon-au-poivre-sauce">au-poivre-like</a> kick; sour cream for an extra hit of dairy combined with acidity to act as a counterpoint to the richness; and a pinch of MSG to take it over the top.

Creamy Pepper Gravy