Chef Rufus Full of Flavor Diner in Springfield
Food is life, food is love, and food is community. As your official FUZE online foodie, I will scour the region to find some restaurant gems you can sink your teeth into. Within the ethnic community there are tons of good eats that deserve some attention and exploration. Join me each month as I highlight a new area restaurant featuring ethnic cuisine. Whether its soul food, Caribbean, Puerto Rican, or even Mediterranean fair, no stone will be unturned.
For the month of January I wanted to feature a new African American business owner named Chef Rufus Kynard III. Born and raised in Springfield this area native takes pride in good home cooking. Using fresh ingredients that he acquires from local farmers, Chef Rufus says he tries to maintain a sense of integrity in his cooking style. He’s been in the restaurant business for nearly 20 years, but in June 2008 Chef Rufus achieved his long-time dream of opening his own place. His restaurant, Chef Rufus’ Full of Flavor Diner located at 810 Cottage Street is small in size, but big in heart. You may find yourself squeezing into this down home diner, but the intimate feeling between customer and chef makes the tight space less daunting. There are only a couple of tables on the inside, but there’s also counter seating. Chef Rufus says at the counter his customers give him tips on creative new menu items. He mentions he’s always open for customers’ suggestion when it comes to improving his menu.
Since its opening six months ago, The Full of Flavor Diner has been serving up southern influenced 
cuisine to area workers and the occasional passersby interested in getting a quick hearty bite. This cozy street diner is easy to miss if you’re driving to fast. But if you’re observant, you’ll take notice of the welcoming front sign promising a flavorful dining experience. Chef Rufus says he wants to be known for offering customers a fresh soulful meal made with local ingredients. He smokes his meats on a grill located outside on the side of the diner. The aroma of salty hickory smoked meat floats through his establishment.
While not overbearing, the scent of his popular pulled pork sandwich is mouth watering. Chef Rufus soaks a pork shoulder overnight in vinegar to tenderize the meat. In the morning he comes in to smoke the pork on the grill using redwood logs, which he says enhances its rich flavor. Once smoked to a tender juicy brown, the pork meat, which to my surprise was relatively lean, is pulled off the shoulder and drenched in Chef’s Rufus’ homemade barbeque sauce. His barbeque sauce is not the least bit spicy, but rather pretty sweet, with hints of brown sugar and molasses. Chef Rufus told us he actually adds orange and tangerine jelly to his BBQ sauce to give it that super sweet and somewhat thick consistency. A hearty portion of shredded bbq pork is put atop a grilled water roll that’s been grazed with a fresh vegetable butter. What completes this pulled pork southern staple is the scoop of creamy coleslaw that adorns the sandwich. Chef Rufus says he’s delighted to bring southern comfort food to New England palates.
The diner also features smoked turkey and beef dishes. There’s a huge grilled chicken breast sandwich, topped with bacon, sautéed mushrooms, and Swiss cheese on a buttered bun. Chef Rufus buys the red potatoes he makes for his fries and wedges from a local farm in Hatfield. His signature vegetable butter also comes from a farm in Pelham Massachusetts. The Full of Flavor Diner feeds the early bird rush. Opening at 5:30 in the morning Chef Rufus serves up a quick hearty breakfast for his on-the-go clientele. You won’t detect much pretension here at this diner. Chef Rufus is humble about his cooking and honest about his love for culinary arts. He offers generous portions at a sensible price, which he hopes will draw the community his savory local spot.
Written by Alexis Miller
