Working in a bucolic country setting must be a dream job. Add to that the delight of assembling a classic French menu with American flourishes and that is how executive chef Nick Palermo of Old Angler’s Inn spends his days. And the irony: Palermo found the job on Craig’s List just about two years ago.

Like many of his colleagues, Palermo — who comes from an Italian family from Syracuse, N.Y. — grew up appreciating food and its preparation. “We always cooked at home,” he says, “and we rarely went out to eat. … I had no concept growing up of what good restaurants are.” As a teen, he took a job as a dishwasher, which he described as easy because one doesn’t have to think about the tasks.