A genuine bistro balances elevated cooking with an atmosphere that feels natural. 

That approach is at the heart of Root & Branch in Clermont where Chef David Henry delivers balance because he cooks with intention.

The restaurant is well away from the downtown lakefront, so people rarely wander in by chance. Guests go because they mean to, because the food is worth the trip.

A New Jersey native, David grew up in the kitchen with his mother and grandmother while the other kids in his family were off doing different things.

“I’ve been doing this over 40 years,” he says. “I love the smell, the taste and just the whole process of putting flavors together. It never gets old and food was an early obsession I never outgrew.”

One of David’s biggest fans is his dad Michael, who comes in often to have a meal and chat with guests. That kind of support has guided David throughout his career, especially after his mom passed.

“My dad has always been there to support me no matter where I went or what I did, and he loves coming in and meeting people,” he says. “It’s almost as if he works here, too.”

David’s pride when it comes to feeding people well hasn’t dimmed during decades in kitchens, and that sincerity is a big reason why the restaurant feels grounded rather than contrived.

Root & Branch opened in 2019 and came under the ownership of Jason and Casey Baruch a couple of years later. They respect David’s talents and experience by giving him room to cook the way he wants to.

“The owners let me do what I want to do,” David says. “I’ve tried things. I’ve failed at things, but they trust me.” 

Scratch cooking is the directive, so ingredients are all made in-house other than a few condiments. 

“High quality, every time,” he says. “That’s the rule.”

His cooking moves between comfort and craft and is shaped in part by learning the Central Florida palate, which leans Southern but has its own quirks. He doesn’t treat comfort food like it has to stay basic, and he brings a method and big flavor to it without taking away what people love.

“Nothing plain leaves this kitchen if I can help it,” he says.

You see it in the solid techniques. Chicken stays tender from a buttermilk brine, seafood arrives whole and is hand-filleted, the other proteins are butchered in-house and the produce is hand-picked by trusted purveyors.

The winter menu includes small plates like the signature pork belly “lollipops,” mushroom tart and fried green tomatoes. There’s bistro onion soup topped with a parmesan crisp, a grilled apple salad, handhelds and flatbreads. Pork Wellington, Korean BBQ salmon and bistro meatloaf are just a few of the entrées built on deeper umami flavors.

The bar faced a challenge or two early on, but David found the right person in seasoned mixologist Matthew Danchick.

“Matt is phenomenal,” David says. “He creates great drinks, he is consistent with everything, and he helped take our bar business from average to something special.”

Local draughts are featured alongside an impressive wine list, and the cocktail program isn’t overly complicated, which lets the quality shine. Bourbon barrel drinks, seasonal spritzes and after-dinner cocktails like the biscotti white Russian are all carefully crafted.

David isn’t trying to reinvent anything. He is trying to make familiar food taste the way he believes it should taste, with layers, seasoning and technique you might not name but immediately feel.

“If I can take a simple idea and turn it into something exceptional,” he says, “the food speaks for itself and the atmosphere does the rest.”  

FRIED GREEN TOMATOES 

Serves two

HOUSE Boursin CHEESE 

PEACH & GREEN CHILI JAM 

PORK BELLY LOLLIPOPS 

ROOT AND BRANCH BREAD PUDDING 

R&B OG PORK CHOP

Chef David’s Brining Recipe and Procedure

Photos: Cindy Peterson