the marketing realm of the business. It is entirely understandable why James is the “face” of the eatery’s Indy outpost, I mean, the man has a high-wattage smile that would make even George Clooney jealous. Plus, he foxtrots as well as Fred Astaire—displayed by his second-place finish on the 23rd season of the immensely popular television competition series, Dancing with the Stars . Along with Root & Bone’s ingenious fare, Hinchcliffe’s touch of stardom continues to bring patrons from around the state. Of course, with all this talk about great eats, I must ask what his favorite dishes on the menu are. “The fried chicken in sweet tea brine is so juicy and flavorful. It is topped with a honey Tabasco,” he begins. “The ribs are unlike anything I have eaten before. Tender and they fall right off the bone. Absolutely phenomenal.” As he speaks, he is shaking his head as if he can taste the dishes at this very moment. FOOD-FOCUSED FROM THE START James Hinchcliffe was born in Oakville, Ontario, a town about 45 minutes south of Toronto. From a very early age, he knew that racing was in his blood and, with that, a call for adventure.
Root & Bone’s exterior at the corner of 52nd Street & College Avenue
looked for interesting business opportunities that piqued my interest outside of my sport. Your earning potential as a driver is pretty short.” Along with his racing-related endeavors, Hinchcliffe wants to continue his success in the food game. While Root & Bone may be his debut in dining, the collaboration with his current team isn’t stopping there. In the middle of 2020, the partners ventured up north into Portage, Indiana’s Another Round Pizza and Beer. About the restaurant, James explains, “It’s all about the pizza and craft beer. It’s artisanal pizza with excellent ingredients. Some offer gourmet twists with items you might not see on a traditional pizza, like corn or a hot honey drizzle.” As James and I wind down our chat and I thank him for his time, I notice that the restaurant is already half full at 5:00 p.m. on a Monday night and is steadily getting busier. As I leave, the smells of fried chicken and biscuits waft through the air while the door swings, again and again, with incoming hungry pa- trons who crave the fare and atmosphere that Root & Bone is known for.
Fried chicken brined in sweet tea
When I asked James if he comes from a food-focused family, he replied “I grew up with a British father, and so food for him was meat, potatoes, and fish and chips. My mom did a bit of cooking at the house, but we traveled a lot. I was racing and on the road by the time I was around 12 years old. We went around to a lot of places, and we ate at a lot of restaurants. I kind of got an appreciation for food, trying different kinds of cuisines and experiences.” “Growing up my favorite cuisine was Italian, and I shared this love with my dad,” Hinchcliffe says. “Because I was so fortunate to get to travel a lot, I experienced a little bit of everything. When I first came to the States, I learned about Southern cooking, which is not really something there’s a lot of in Canada. It’s funny because the concept we landed on [with Root & Bone] was food I knew little about. During the time he spent traveling and dining abroad, James explained that he began to think about how he would approach the restaurant industry. He started to understand business and hospitality operations and would frequently ask himself what he would do differently. What parts would he focus on to make it even better? Hinchliffe continues, “For me, and throughout my career, I have
ROOT & BONE 4601 N. College Avenue, Indianapolis, IN 46205 317-602-8672 | rootnboneindy.com
Drunken deviled eggs
49 REIS-NICHOLS JEWELERS MAGAZINE
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