Devour Utah May 2019

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VO L . 5 N O. 5 • M AY 2 0 1 9 • C H E FS

CHEFS WE LOVE P. 14 LUSCIOUS CRAB CAKES P. 40

THE

ISSUE

BARTENDING SECRETS, p. 44

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s t n e t n co

The Chef Issue

10 Just the Veganning Chefs on the conscious edge

BY MIKA LEE AND CAIT LEE

14 The Devour Dozen 12+1 chefs who make dining out a special occasion

BY DEVOUR STAFF

32 The Spread Purgatory

BY BRIAN FRYER

34 A Meal Fit for a Chef

TV chef Bryan Woolley might be a world-class tenor, but his true love is baking bread PROFILE BY ELENI SALTAS

38 Green Scene

Bring the world home for dinner with Thursday night take-out

BY AMANDA ROCK

40 Plate It

Hilton chef Josh Overturf’s crab cakes

BY REBECCA ORY HERNANDEZ

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43 Cookbooks Chefs Love

BY HEATHER L. KING AND AIMEE L. COOK

44 Spirit Guide

Best advice (about bartending) from behind the bar

BY DARBY DOYLE

50 Last Bite

Tatted and torn: theories behind the tattooed chef

BY MAYA SILVER

Devour Utah • may 2019

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CONTRIBUTORS STAFF Publisher JOHN SALTAS Director of Operations PETE SALTAS EDITORIAL Editor Copy Editor Proofreaders Contributors

JERRE WROBLE CLAIRE MCARTHUR CAITLIN HAWKER, LANCE GUDMUNDSEN CAROLYN CAMPBELL, AIMEE L. COOK, DARBY DOYLE, BRIAN FRYER, HEATHER L. KING, CAIT LEE, MIKA LEE, HEATHER MAY, REBECCA ORY HERNANDEZ, AMANDA ROCK, ELENI SALTAS, MAYA SILVER, BRYAN WOOLLEY

Amanda Rock has been writing about Salt Lake City’s vegan and vegetarian food for more than a decade. She’s lived in Utah all her life and can’t imagine living anywhere else. When not thinking about food, she’s got her head buried in a book. Find her on Instagram and Twitter as @amanda__reads

Photographer NIKI CHAN

PRODUCTION Art Director DEREK CARLISLE Graphic Artists SOFIA CIFUENTES, SEAN HAIR, CHELSEA NEIDER

BUSINESS/OFFICE

Rebecca Ory Hernandez began her life in south Louisiana surrounded by Cajun gardeners and cooks who instilled in her a love of preparing well-made food.

Now a freelance writer, home cook and artist, Rebecca lives (and cooks) in Ogden.

Accounting Manager PAULA SALTAS Office Administrators DAVID ADAMSON, SAMANTHA HERZOG Technical Director BRYAN MANNOS

MARKETING Director of Events & Marketing SAMANTHA SMITH

CIRCULATION Circulation Manager ERIC GRANATO

SALES Magazine Advertising Director Sales Director, Events Digital Operations Manager Senior Account Executives Retail Account Executives

JENNIFER VAN GREVENHOF KYLE KENNEDY ANNA PAPADAKIS DOUG KRUITHOF, KATHY MUELLER KATIE GOSS, MIEKA SAWATZKI

Eleni Saltas grew up in Salt Lake City’s vibrant Greek community where she learned Panhellenic dancing, cooking and creating delicious Mediterranean recipes.

Learn more at EleniSaltas.com.

Cover illustration by Derek Carlisle Distribution is complimentary throughout the Wasatch Front. Additional copies of Devour are available for $4.95 at the Devour offices located at 248 S. Main, Salt Lake City, UT 84101 • 801-575-7003 • DevourUtah.com Email Editor@DevourUtah.com Advertising contact: Sales@DevourUtah.com

Copperfield Publishing

Copyright 2019. All rights reserved

@DevourUtah

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@DevourUtah

@DevourUtah

Carolyn Campbell has written for Copperfield Media since the 1980s, where she’s published numerous cover stories for City Weekly, several of which earned top awards from the Society of Professional Journalists.

She is the author of three nationally published books and 800 magazine articles.

Devour Utah • may 2019

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From the Editor

COMPLIMENTS TO

I

THE CHEF

t’s easy enough these days to read about a restaurant’s strengths and weaknesses. On social media, we’re bowled over with shots of “amazing” dishes as well as those that might be called, as a songwriter of my acquaintance once wrote, the “burnt crust of failure.”

But who created those meals? A chef. A cook. You know, that hardworking food magician in the kitchen who aims to please with every dish.

Even with all the flair, creativity and passion they infuse into their servings, chefs are more often hit with complaints than kudos. That’s why, after enjoying an elaborate feast or complex meal, you might want to shout your appreciation from the mountain top. But will your chef hear it?

On a Quora.com forum on how to thank chefs, one industry insider writes that while chefs have a reputation for being gruff, they all appreciate being thanked by customers. “Want to see that raving lunatic of a chef de cuisine genuinely smile for once in his miserable existence?” the cook asks. “Deliver a legitimate ‘compliments to the chef’ from a paying customer who is not a personal acquaintance and briefly glimpse the soft side of the beast.”

So, feel free to ask your server to pass on your thanks to the chef for an exceptional meal. Busy chefs are not easily yanked out of the kitchen, but on occasion, they will duck out and say hello. Should that happen, stand up and shake the chef’s hand and let her or him know what was great about your dish.

One dining patron on the Quora forum who had ordered a complicated pizza gushed: “I almost kissed the chef and thanked him from the bottom of my heart for preparing such a delicious pizza and requested him not to make any changes to it, no matter what.”

Some chefs might even get a little teary eyed at such heartfelt praise. They spend their days and nights in hot kitchens, working against the clock, toiling with an often-harried staff, to meet their patrons’ expectations. It’s gratifying for them to know their efforts were not in vain.

One cook posted about her preferred way of thanking the chef: Order a nice bottle of wine. “When the waiter/sommelier has opened it, and you’ve taste-checked it,” she says, “tell them to send a glass to the chef with your compliments on the delicious meal.” Others suggest sending a cash tip to the kitchen or to the cook who prepared their favorite dish.

When a patron felt strongly about thanking the chef, one former server noted that she’d let the manager know, and often, the manager would send a dessert to the guests’ table. And, if the chef were available, he or she would bring it out to the guests and chat with them.

If all else fails, you could try the trick mentioned by one person on the forum: “Bus your own empty plate back to the kitchen, hold it up and thank the entire kitchen for your meal,” he says.

Best of all: Instagram some love. A shout-out on social media will make any chef’s day. ❖

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—Jerre Wroble

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SICILIAMIAUTAH.COM Devour Utah • may 2019

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THE CHEF ISSUE

Just the Veganning Chefs on the conscious edge

Words & photos by

By Mika Lee & Cait Lee

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V

egan food.

Admit it, when we hear the “V” word, some of us lose our appetites. Why does vegan cuisine get such a bad rap? Maybe because vegetables have so often been the lowlights of meatcentric meals—whether they’re served steamed, salted or drenched in a heavy sauce.

But the modern American diet is shifting. More than ever, people care about where their food comes from and its impact on the environment. They care about what they put into their bodies.

Eating a plant-based diet doesn’t have to be an all-or-nothing proposition but rather a way of life.

And thanks to the culinary artists like those appearing on the following pages, there are now any number of techniques and methods designed to give veggies the richness, texture and creaminess they deserve. In fact, veggies are frequently becoming the star of the show.

So romaine calm and carrot on, conscious consumer. Vegans enjoy “cheese boards.” They indulge in dessert. They savor a classic “burger.”

Lettuce give vegan cuisine a chance!

Seasons Plant Based Bistro co-owners James MacDonald and Jessica Vance are bringing vegan fine dining to Utah. Offering a decadent French and Italian experience, they take on the challenges of molecular gastronomy in their test kitchen by challenging vegan norms. The secret to their success is paying attention to details while providing consistent, delicious food and service to their customers.

Avocado toast at Passion Flour Patisserie

Seasons’ Jessica Vance and James MacDonald French onion soup: Seasons’ daily soup is a bourbon-based broth instead of beef, giving it a rich, warm mouthfeel. It’s topped with housemade (vegan) mozzarella and Parmesan and local sourdough bread.

Crudite board: A play off of the charcuterie board, this vegan cheese board highlights soft and creamy fromage blanc and Seasons’ 2-month-aged Parmesan.

Plated with house-pickled veggies and a smooth blueberry compote, any combination will surely take your taste buds for a ride.

Mixed berry crêpes

Pappardelle stroganoff Pappardelle stroganoff: At Seasons, Chef MacDonald’s team makes fresh in-house pasta using simple ingredients, sans egg.

Tossed in their secret stroganoff sauce, the Marsala wine and local shiitake mushrooms make you forget this is a plant-based meal.

Tofu Veracruz: Crispy, firm, soft, smooth.

All these textures come together to make this crusted tofu dish complete. Served on a bed of whipped garlic mashed potatoes and olive-caper Veracruz, topped with a scoop of housemade butter.

Seasons Plant Based Bistro 1370 S. State, SLC 385-267-1922 SeasonsSLC.com

Passion Flour’s Jessica Davies

Passion Flour Patisserie owner Jessica Davies was the first to open a pastry shop in Utah four years ago using only organic, local and ethically sourced products. Her French pastry-school training helped her create a menu for Passion Flour, an inclusive space for vegans and nonvegans. The biggest challenge has been thinking outside of the box for butter and milk to get the same textures while balancing the flavors of French pastries and desserts, such as croissants, macarons and cakes.

Almond croissant: This favorite pastry features a light, flaky texture coupled with richness from housemade vegan butter. Made with almond cream and almond flour, it pairs well with Passion Flour’s fair-trade coffee.

Mixed berry crêpes: This decadent dessert is made with a secret crêpe batter, filled with Cocowhip and mixed berries, and then drizzled with housemade chocolate syrup. You won’t believe it’s all plant-based.

Avocado toast: Served on a walnut wheat bread, this millennial favorite is spread with avocado and topped with cucumbers, pumpkin seeds and a blend of seasonings. It’s complemented by a house salad with a maple-glaze vinaigrette.

Passion Flour Patisserie 165 E. 900 South, SLC 385-242-7040 PassionFlourSLC.com

Devour Utah • may 2019

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Meet the owner and chef: EDDEE JOHANSEN

Eddee has been creating the best Asian-inspired dishes since 2001. When not in the kitchen, Eddee can be found bouldering and climbing all over the state.

801-713-9423 | 5692 S. 900 E. Murray

www.japanesegrill.com

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@yoshiensogrill

THE CHEF ISSUE Boltcutter’s jackfruit carne asada tostadas

Piper Down’s vegan cowboy burger

Piper Down owner Dave Morris has been on the vegan scene longer than most. The pub’s menu has evolved to include an entire vegan and brunch menu. Growing up eating a variety of eclectic cuisines, including Mexican and English, Morris is now using meat substitutes. His health has improved since going vegan, all without giving up his favorite comfort foods. His goal is to make people happy by creating a positive, conscious relationship with food.

Bangers and mash: The Beyond Meat sausage has an uncanny resemblance to real meat and has just as much protein. Placed atop hand-mashed potatoes and housemade Guinness mustard, no meat-eater would be able to tell the difference.

Loaded potato skins: Filled with Herbivorous Butcher corned beef, sauerkraut and dairy-free cheese, these potato skins are perfect when dipped in aioli.

Herbivorous Butcher is an online vegan butcher shop based in Minneapolis that sells its plant-based meat products on a commerical basis only to Piper Down.

Corned beef and cabbage: A signature entree at Piper Down, it’s made with slices of Herbivorous Butcher corned beef, stewed cabbage, carrots and potatoes. The dish is always delicious with a beer from the bar.

Vegan cowboy burger: This burger is made with your choice of plant-based patty, smothered with a signature BBQ sauce, and topped with hickory-smoked “bacon,” vegan cheese and an onion ring. What’s not to love?

Sin carne burrito

Dairy-free horchata

Boltcutter’s co-owners Roxy Carlson and Alex Jamison are giving downtowners an exciting option for vegan Mexican food and drinks.

Boltcutter’s loyal customers, both vegan and omnivorous, rave about the Central American cuisine and the eatery’s mission to normalize veganism. Boltcutter—named after an animal-liberation tool—also symbolizes cutting through closed minds about vegan dining.

Carne asada tostadas: The protein behind this dish is actually jackfruit! It’s plated on a crispy tostada with dairy-free sour cream and fresh veggies. Try it with their shaken, not stirred, pisco sour.

Chavez salad: This nutritious kale Caesar salad keeps us chomping with its chickpea croutons, pepitas, cherry tomatoes and almondbased Parmesan. Topped with a generous helping of avocado? Kale, yeah!

Sin carne burrito: This enormous burrito will leave you feeling full and happy. Crafted with housemade carne asada seitan, guacamole, refried beans and salsa, it pairs well with a Mezcal Old Fashioned made fresh at the bar.

Nachos: Boltcutter might have the most realistic, non-dairy nacho cheese sauce you’ll ever taste. The secret? Cashews and brown rice.

They’re topped with a flavorful jackfruit barbacoa and vegan sour cream. Wash down the meal with a housemade horchata.

Piper Down, an Olde World Pub 1492 S. State, SLC 801-468-1492 PiperDownPub.com

Mika and Cait Lee are food writers known for food binging, test kitchens and food photography. Their adventurous palates have taken them around the world. @crazyfullasians

Bangers and mash

Piper Down owner Dave Morris

Boltcutter 57 E. Gallivan Ave., SLC Facebook.com/BoltcutterSLC Devour Utah • may 2019

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THE CHEF ISSUE

DEVOUR

12 (+1) chefS who make dining out a special occasion

DOZEN

By THE Devour staff

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SLC Eatery’s Logen Crew

NIKI CHAN

A

fter publishing last year’s Chef Issue, we knew we had just scratched the surface of the immense culinary talent stretching along the Wasatch Front. No matter the day of the week or hour of the day, there are chefs and kitchen staff somewhere in the 801 tirelessly plying their craft to plan, prep, produce and plate some of the most palatable dishes imaginable.

These professional superstars are often seen as go-getters and workhorses. As the following profiles show, many are creative, driven and perfectionistic.

So what motivates these notable chefs? Is it money? Many scoff at the idea. Lifestyle?

Again, it’s not as glamorous as you might think. Prestige? Of course, but in a world where most chefs work behind the scenes and often as a team, acclaim is often hard to come by. But nearly all agree that a patron’s joyful expression after they just took a bite of something chef-made is the ultimate reward, and that’s why many say they do it.

This year, we’ve come up with a baker’s dozen of local kitchen pros worthy of applause. While our list remains but a sampling, we had to start somewhere! Many profiled here are in the midst of change: either starting something new or fine-tuning old favorites. In other words, they’re evolving, which our writers found exciting.

As always, we welcome your suggestions regarding your favorite chefs. Let us know which chef brings a smile to your face.

NIKI CHAN

Logen Crew Hitting all the senses

You might say Logen Crew has been around the block once or twice, working in and even launching a number of Salt Lake City eateries. After winning scholarships from the ProStart program in high school, Crew attended a few months of culinary school, but after moving up quickly in the industry, he opted for the more hands-on route.

“I really like to cook well-balanced food in both texture and flavor,” Crew says. “That is something I try to do in everything I cook. I want all the senses to get hit.”

He began his culinary career in 2004 at Café Trio in Cottonwood Heights and moved on to Fresco, where he was promoted to head chef. After eight years, he did a stretch at Log Haven, learning from his mentor, Dave Jones.

Crew went on to open Current Fish and Oyster and Stanza, among others, prior to the grand opening of his current restaurant, SLC Eatery, which first welcomed diners this past January.

“We are trying to do something that Salt Lake has never seen,” he says, noting that their cuisine is best described as “contemporary New American.” SLC Eatery is “dipping into as many cuisines as possible,” he adds.

“Right now, it has a very Asian and Mexican influence, but it will change.”

SLC Eatery uses carts that circulate— dim-sum style—with small plates of three to four bites each.

“You will never be waiting for food,” he says. “I like to eat like that, trying a few different things.” (Aimee L. Cook)

SLC Eatery | 1017 S. Main, SLC 801-355-7952 | SLCEatery.com Devour Utah • may 2019

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THE CHEF ISSUE

COURTESY PHOTO

Recipe creator Kelly Cahoon

Kelly Cahoon Making barbecue ‘pretty’

Recipe developer and professionally trained chef Kelly Cahoon is contracted locally by Traeger Grills and Harmons to create recipes that inspire home cooks to think outside the mac ’n’ cheese box.

“This really came about by accident about a year ago,” Cahoon says. “I started posting things on Instagram to keep track of things I made that my family really liked. My husband then surprised me with a Traeger [grill], so I started doing more Traeger recipes.”

She’s been able to create a niche of making barbecue “pretty,” as she puts it, with recipes like her smoked white wine cake and perfectly browned, spatchcocked Guinness chicken. She does this while still enjoying her fulltime job as a stay-at-home mom.

While in college, Cahoon worked in various restaurants, then began her own catering company, Kiss My Cake, where she made wedding and bridal cakes. She now teaches classes at the Traeger headquarters in Sugar House and cooking classes at various Harmons stores throughout the state.

“Teaching people who want to learn is a dream come true,” Cahoon says.

“I find inspiration from other people, the home-grown chef, people who have other jobs but absolutely love food and love creating.” (Aimee L. Cook)

SaltNCopper.com

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Devour Utah • may 2019

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THE CHEF ISSUE

DEREK CARLISLE

Pallet’s ‘Buzz’ Willey

DEREK CARLISLE

Garage on Beck’s J. Looney

J. Looney

Zachary ‘Buzz’ Willey

“I ran the [Chow Truck] for the past three years. I had a lot of fun with it, but it was time to shut it down,” chef J. Looney says.

“I have always done other things as well: catering, private chef, etc. I was looking for something else, and the opportunity to work at the Garage on Beck came up. And here I am.”

Looney grew up in the industry, as his father worked in institutional food service. When he was 14, he lied about his age on a job application so he could work as a dishwasher at a now-defunct Midvale burger joint.

“I am self-taught,” Looney says. “Everything I know, I learned from some really great chefs in some awesome kitchens.”

One chef who inspires him is New York City’s Momofuku Noodle Bar chef David Chang. “I like that he approaches food by learning everything about it,” Looney says. “He spent hundreds of hours researching miso. It is not just about what is on the plate but the entire journey of how it gets there.”

Looney embraces a variety of cuisines: He makes an outstanding mole and an even better lasagna, and his mac ’n’ cheese? Well, if you haven’t heard about his rich hearty concoction made with Beehive Promontory cheddar and Squatters Hop Rising Ale, it’s legendary. (Aimee L. Cook)

Buzz Willey attended culinary school at The Art Institute of California in San Diego.

Like many in the industry, he began his restaurant career as a busboy, moved up to dishwasher, then pastry chef and now, since 2015, is executive chef and, along with Esther Imotan, co-owner of Pallet.

“The elk dish on our menu is my favorite right now,” Willey says of the restaurant’s inventive New American cuisine. “I am liking that there is a lot more playfulness in food right now. We want our guests to come into a casual [environment] and have a good experience with food that they might not be able to try somewhere else at a reasonable price.”

Rabbit, duck and scallops: Willey’s menu presents diners with an invitation to take a culinary leap and try a wide range of tastes, textures and flavors.

One dish that Willey says will always remain on the menu is his grandmother’s meatballs. Spending time with her in the kitchen through the years, watching her prepare leg of lamb and other classic Italian dishes, served as an inspiration for him to become a chef, so much so that he recreated her meatballs by smell and taste. (Aimee L. Cook)

Garage on Beck | 1199 N. Beck St., SLC, 801-521-3904 | GarageOnBeck.com

Pallet | 237 S. 400 West, SLC 801-935-4431 | EatPallet.com

Truckin’ to the Garage

18 Devour Utah • may 2019

Where the wild things are

Jonathan LeBlanc

Stanza’s Jonathan LeBlanc

Always looking to improve

DEREK CARLISLE

“You can’t do this job—and do it well—without a great team,” says executive chef Jonathan LeBlanc of the line staff he’s directed at Stanza Italian Bistro & Wine Bar for two years.

“This is the best kitchen team I’ve ever worked with,” he says. “They’re always looking to improve.” And the respect is mutual: LeBlanc is often credited with being a thoughtful leader and all-around great boss. High praise, indeed, in this demanding profession.

Although he started out his education with college studies in criminal justice, LeBlanc quickly realized that his passion was food. After completing culinary school in Houston, he stayed on at Arts Institute Culinary School as an instructor and led the on-site restaurant. From there, LeBlanc took on some serious challenges in the industry. He ran an almost 400-seat Texas steakhouse in Houston and was the private chef at a remote fishing resort outside Juneau, Alaska, for which he took four planes and an entire day to do all the weekly shopping.

Both through his Alaskan experience and family roots in Louisiana’s Cajun country, LeBlanc developed a deft touch with seafood, as evidenced by rave reviews for Stanza’s lobster linguine and tender agnolotti with gulf shrimp. “Italians love using the absolute best ingredients,” LeBlanc says, “so that’s our priority here, as well” for product sourcing and their handmade pasta. He continues, “I really think that, at Stanza, the best is still to come.” (Darby Doyle)

Stanza Italian Bistro & Wine Bar 454 E. 300 South, SLC | 801-746-4441 StanzaSLC.com Devour Utah • may 2019

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THE CHEF ISSUE

DEREK CARLISLE

Hearth and Hill’s Jordan Harvey

Jordan Harvey The need to mentor

Jordan Harvey, executive chef of Hearth and Hill in Park City, earned a degree in culinary arts at Johnson & Wales University in Denver. Before moving to Utah, his restaurant experience included eateries in Vail, Colo.; New York City; Portland, Ore., and Charleston, S.C. Harvey moved to Park City in 2010 and worked at many prestigious restaurants, including Zoom, Apex at Montage Deer Valley and Grappa.

“I look to immigrant communities [to find inspiration], people who take more humble ingredients and turn them into something,” Harvey explains. Anyone can slice the perfect tomato and put it on a plate, he says, but it’s something else to take an oxtail and “make something amazing out of it.”

While creativity is important to Harvey, he is also focused on his guests and their expectations. He maintains there’s a fine line between cooking to people rather than for them. “I continue to adapt to cooking the way our guests want to eat,” Harvey says.

He’s always looking for that balance of spice and flavor. “I also want to be more of a mentor to my team,” he says. “I want them to understand the ‘what’ and ‘whys’ of what we are doing. Otherwise, I have not set them up for success.” (Aimee L. Cook)

Hearth and Hill 1153 Center Drive, Park City 435-200-8840 | Hearth-hill.com 20 Devour Utah • may 2019

SERVING DINNER & SUNDAY BRUNCH

(801) 466-9827 | HARBORSLC.COM | 2302 E PARLEY’S WAY SLC, UT

Devour Utah • may 2019

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THE CHEF ISSUE 2016, Wells was awarded Best Young Chef in America by the world’s largest foodand-wine association, The Confrèrie de la Well on her way Chaîne des Rôtisseurs.

Now in her second year as a chef instructor Wells’ family owns the Cowboy Club, a at Utah Valley University, Lyn Wells has more restaurant in Wellington, Utah, where she experience under her belt than some chefs creates menus and weekend specials—and who have been in the industry for a decade.

After winning a competition that earned where locals line up to see what she has in store. “I want to just continue to push her a grant to work in any restaurant in myself and continue to learn as I go,” she the United States, Wells chose the worldsays. “I don’t want to ever just settle.” renowned French Laundry in Napa, Calif.

Her motivation translates into her job “It was an amazing experience— of instructing culinary students. She’s probably one of the toughest jobs you in charge of the university’s Restaurant could have in your life, just because Forte where she changes the menu everything had to be perfect,” Wells says. weekly and rotates students so they are “They are always working to keep their always learning something new. “We Michelin stars [the Michelin Guide San take everything they have learned in Francisco awarded the restaurant its the previous semesters and apply it to highest rating—three stars—for the 12th an actual restaurant setting,” she says, year in a row], so they won’t accept subinsuring that UVU’s culinary graduates par. It is a lot to handle, so if you have a bad day, they will remove you from the line are poised for success. (Aimee L. Cook) and send you home.”

Having learned skills beyond cooking Utah Valley University from that experience, Wells is in a constant UCCU Center main floor state of upward mobility as she continues 800 W. University Parkway, Orem to enter international competitions and 801-863-7054 push herself outside her comfort zone. In Uvu.edu/culinary/services/forte.html

Chef instructor Lyn Wells

HANS KOEPSELL/UVU MARKETING

Lyn Wells

We have moved to the newly restored to glory Historic Eagle Building.

Italian Cuisine 404 South W Temple ´ Salt Lake City, Utah 801-364-8833 ´ www.caffemolise.com 22 Devour Utah • may 2019

THE CHEF ISSUE

NIKI CHAN

The Store’s Paul Morello

Paul Morello Adaptable, unflappable

In 2004, when a hurricane flooded Miami’s Les Halles restaurant kitchen with 8 inches of water, executive chef Paul Morello kept on cooking. “We put all the dish racks and milk crates on the floor and walked on those. The waiters wore galoshes. We were the only restaurant still open in Coral Gables.”

The hurricane story reveals Morello’s adaptability, a trait vital in a career that also included a stint as executive chef at the Washington, D.C., location of Les Halles. (Many recall that one of Les Halles’ New York City locations was the subject of Anthony Bourdain’s Kitchen Confidential. All locations are now closed amid bankruptcy filings.)

A culinary arts graduate of Johnson & Wales University in Rhode Island, Morello moved to Utah to start a business with culinary friends who catered for the movie industry. He later created a line of delicacies such as cheeses, oils, vinegars and foie gras for his own business, ChefoodsUSA.com He distributed his gourmet foods to restaurants, including Tuscany, Le Caille and at Deer Valley resort.

The Store, an upscale Holladay market, was one of his

best customers. “They bought a lot of product every week,” he says. The Store later bought his business, and he became their culinary director. Today, he creates entrees for the store such as beef bourguignon and macaroni and cheese with Hatch chilies and applewood bacon. “I bake up little lasagnas in 1- to 3-pound trays, and we sell them in our cases,” Morello says.

He’s currently applying his expertise launching a new Gateway location for The Store, slated to open July 1. He will create new menu items and provide office catering to the 5,000 workers within walking distance of the new location.

His signature creations are often seafood dishes “with really nice sauces, such as steamed lobster with Sauternes and caviar beurre blanc, served with julienne vegetables.”

He enjoys the fact that many of those who have worked with him have gone far. “A former line cook is now a corporate chef at Marriott,” says Morello. Others work in Soho hotels in cities such as London and Dubai. “They all keep in touch with me,” Morello adds. It warms his heart when they write, “Chef, if it wasn’t for you, I would never be here.” (Carolyn Campbell)

The Store | 2050 E. 6200 South, Holladay 801-272-1212 | TheStoreUtah.com Devour Utah • may 2019

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Park City Culinary Institute’s Roy Olsen

LUNCH HOUR IS THE

COURTESY PCCI

BEST HOUR

Roy Olsen WE LOVE GREAT FOOD AS MUCH AS YOU DO! 22e 100s #200 | www.martinecafe.com

THE pASTRY PROFESSOR

Roy Olsen has been baking since he was 9. He remembers standing on a milk crate and frying donuts for his family bakery from 5 a.m. until it was time to go to school. It was the most dangerous job in Olsen’s Bakery—and he loved it.

He also loved watching his parents develop friendships with their customers.

Today, he gets great satisfaction seeing the joy on his customers’ faces as they eat a cardamom-spiced kouignamann or a perfectly light croissant. It has been a long road from the Cliff Lodge at Snowbird, back when he was pastry chef at age 19, to opening his own bakery, Bake 360, with stops along the way at St. Regis Deer Valley and Normandie Café, among others.

His Draper bakery grew exponentially, selling $1 million worth of pastries a year, winning awards and fans. Olsen recently sold it (it’s now Gourmandise), but he didn’t stay retired for long. The 50-year-old is the executive pastry chef at the Park City Culinary Institute, teaching budding chefs and working professionals through hands-on courses so they can go straight to commercial kitchens upon graduation.

And he does it while sporting the tattoos he got upon retirement: a vividly colored cacao bean and sugar cane (for chocolate) on one forearm and a stalk of wheat and egg on the other (for cakes and breads). “This is how I made my living for the past 40 years,” he says.

What he loves? “Seeing smiles on people’s faces when they eat something that brings them so much pleasure.” (Heather May)

Park City Culinary Institute | 1484 S. State, SLC 801-413-2800 | ParkCityCulinaryInstitute.com 24 Devour Utah • may 2019

THE CHEF ISSUE

NIKI CHAN

Saola’s Tuan Vu

Tuan Vu

Vietnamese fine dining

“I’d like to beat my family at their own game,” says chef Tuan Vu of his mission to take a recipe made famous by his uncle, who started Pho Thin in Vietnam’s Ho Chi Minh City and make it better. From his first teenage job in an Ogden mall food court to his formative years cooking under the mentorship of Mr. Cow at the Golden Wok and the Nguyen family at Cafe Trang, Tuan Vu has worked in restaurant kitchens since immigrating to the United States in 1985. In that time, “I really got to know how to use fire,” he says, of the specific skills needed for perfect stir-fries, a technique he used often as chef at Indochine Vietnamese Bistro.

Tuan Vu again returned to his traditional Vietnamese roots as chef at Saola in Cottonwood Heights, which opened early this year. With his wife, legendary SLC restaurateur Diem Nguyen, the team brings the bright and nuanced flavors of Vietnam’s three regions—northern, central and southern— to the table using locally sourced, high-quality ingredients such as free-range chicken and seasonal vegetables. Even the packaging for their carryout street-food menu (called Pho Pho Pho) is made with all recyclable and compostable materials. “We want to take it up five notches,” Nguyen says, which is evident from the sleek dining room and lounge to the exquisitely balanced beef pho broth that Tuan Vu asserts is even better than his uncle’s version. (Darby Doyle)

Saola | 7307 S. Canyon Centre Parkway, Cottonwood Heights 801-944-2949 | Saola-SLC.com Devour Utah • may 2019

25

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26 Devour Utah • may 2019

THE CHEF ISSUE

COURTESY DEER VALLEY RESORT

Deer Valley Resort’s Jodie Rogers

Jodie Rogers

Aussie Boss Gathers No Moss

“I got the travel bug early,” says Deer Valley Resort executive chef Jodie Rogers of a year studying in Argentina as a teenager.

After finishing culinary school in her home country of Australia, Utah was her first stop on an around-the-world cooking and eating tour. Recruited by a friend who worked at Deer Valley, Rogers took a job at Snow Park 23 years ago and kept on coming back between gigs at venues from London to Thailand. She also got plenty of Olympic exposure, running the VIP corporate catering for Sydney’s 2000 Summer Games.

Rogers moved to Utah full time in 2002, becoming an executive chef at Deer Valley venues Snow Park and Empire Lodge where she is director of food and beverage. “There’s a little part of me at all the restaurants” at Deer Valley, Rogers says with a grin. Her team envisioned Deer Valley Café as a year-round take-out and dine-in stop in the mold of The Brass Tag, which she describes as “a hidden secret for locals,” especially in the summer. After catering a 2002 wedding with a raclette station, her team developed the concept of Fireside Dining. The four-course meal served from stone fireplaces is now considered a Deer Valley must-do.

Much beloved by the Park City community, Rogers serves on the Park City Restaurant Association board. She was selected to represent Deer Valley as one of five Park City chefs who together curated a dinner at the prestigious James Beard House in New York City last winter.

Of picking Utah as the spot to finally put down roots, Rogers says: “I’ve travelled the world, and this is the most beautiful place I’ve been.” (Darby Doyle)

Deer Valley Resort | 2250 Deer Valley Dr., Park City 435-649-1000 | DeerValley.com Devour Utah • may 2019

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THE CHEF ISSUE

Don Heidel Respecting tradition

Alta Club’s Don Heidel

Alta Club | 100 E. South Temple, SLC 801-322-1081 | AltaClub.org 28 Devour Utah • may 2019

DEREK CARLISLE

Unlike most chefs who can create any menu they like and change it on a whim, Don Heidel—the executive chef at the storied and historic Alta Club in Salt Lake City—finds himself in a unique situation.

Club members and their guests regularly fill dining rooms, often several times a week, all with certain dining expectations.

Chef Heidel has to walk a culinary tightrope, balancing the traditions of the club, founded in 1883, with his natural inclination to keep things fresh and interesting.

“I’ve got multiple generations of members coming here,” he says. Some members expect to order foods they’ve been enjoying since the 1950s and ’60s.

“Then, I have new members who want something more contemporary,” he says.

Originally from Hyde Park, N.Y., where he graduated from the Culinary Institute of America, Heidel brings more than 37 years of experience working in private clubs and resorts across the country. He first came to Utah to helm the kitchens at Sundance and then Homestead Resort before joining the Alta Club in 2012.

With less emphasis on offering cuttingedge foods and techniques, Heidel says he focuses on sourcing and preparing highquality food at the Alta Club.

“I get steaks from one ranch in Texas, and we do the butchering ourselves. I bring in fresh halibut from Norway when it’s not in season in the U.S. We’re making our own sausages, fresh pastas and stocks for soups and sauces,” he explains.

And while he makes some seasonal changes to the menu, offering weekly specials and dishes for special events, he’s still aware of the tradition that members expect.

“I have to have the borscht on the menu [a recipe from the historic Hotel Utah]. I have to have our club sandwich and steak sandwich and the shrimp cocktail. If I take those off, I’d be run out,” he says, with a smile.

Dining at the Alta Club is limited to members and invited guests. (Brian Fryer)

COURTESY PHOTO

George’s Phelix Gardner

Phelix Gardner A culture of hospitality

True story: One of Phelix Gardner’s first jobs was performing as a rollerblading Buzz Lightyear character in Disney World parades. “I know it sounds weird,” Gardner says of his experience in Orlando, “but working for Disney really impressed upon me the culture of hospitality” and of bringing joy to people through engaging experiences of all kinds.

Although he was born in Spain and lived all over the world with his military family, many of Gardner’s foundational food memories come from Florida, where he spent his teen years and attended culinary school. “It’s satisfying,” he says of the region’s food. “Building from the idea of the traditional Southern larder is something we’re getting back to” at George, which was recently rebranded with a menu overhaul (replacing the formerly Spanish-forward Finca).

For summer menus, the executive chef is excited to pull from his love of the coastal seafood dishes of the FloridaGeorgia border. Case in point: his seared fillet spin on the fried grouper sandwiches famous in the region, complete with cabbage slaw and remoulade. When he and Pago Restaurant Group President Scott Evans were reimagining George as a more casual American bistro and wine bar, the sandwich was one of the first items Gardner tackled.

As much as he’s excited to see his own nostalgic nod on the menu, Gardner will readily admit that the Bar George burger has been the hands-down crowd favorite. “It really speaks to our grounding philosophy of using everything,” says Gardner of incorporating whipped beef tallow (from bones roasted for stock) to add an unctuous and decadent flavor to the diced beef, which is topped with local cave-aged taleggio cheese.

George’s sandwich surf vs. turf face-off has become the toughest decision of the season. (Darby Doyle) ❖

George | 327 W. 200 South, SLC 801-487-0699 | GeorgeSLC.com Devour Utah • may 2019

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Devour Utah • may 2019

31

THE CHEF ISSUE

Distinctive, hip Purgatory proves to be good for the soul

the

Spread Purgatory

I

BY BRIAN FRYER | PHOTOS BY DEREK CARLISLE

f you should find yourself in Purgatory, and by that we mean the hip bar/restaurant on the southern edge of downtown SLC, you might feel as if you’ve stepped into a trendy watering hole in Brooklyn, N.Y. Or Seattle or Portland, Ore. In fact, Diamond Dang, the eatery’s co-owner/manager, along with her interior-designer aunt Mai Nguyen, went through months of exhausting “research,” visiting bars in all those locales, as well as in San Francisco and Hong Kong, to come up with the look and feel for Purgatory.

“I’d lived in Portland for four years and Seattle for seven, and there is some of that look here. But what I really wanted was someplace I would want to go to with my friends and feel comfortable,” says Dang. “We wanted it to be its own thing and different from other bars.”

Part of the local, family-owned Sapa Investment Group (owners of Sapa, Fat Fish, Bucket O’ Crawfish and more), Purgatory leans toward an industrial chic vibe with dark wood, brushed steel, concrete floors, and exposed electrical 32 Devour Utah • may 2019

and mechanical conduits. A bar of rough-finished planks is contrasted by shelves of booze framed by an arched, antiquelooking display cabinet behind the busy bartenders. Walls feature murals while roll-up garage doors allow in plenty of light year-round and, in summer, open onto an enclosed patio with more seating, fire pits and lawn games.

If Dang wanted a place to hang out in, chef Hiro Tagai shares similar ideas about the next-level bar food that he and his team turn out of the snug kitchen. Born in Japan but raised in Provo, Tagai served as head chef for Happy Sumo, did a stint with the upscale SLC eatery HSL and collaborated on pop-up events around the capital city. He had just finished a nearly yearlong intensive ramen cooking school outside Tokyo before coming to the Sapa group.

“I had some ideas for the food from living in Japan and working as a sushi chef, and then I just focused on price points and things I would want to eat if I were out at a bar,” says Tagai. “When we opened, we didn’t have anything on the menu over $10 and now we don’t have anything over $12. We

want average people to be able afford to come and have some good food and a few drinks.”

In addition to delectable offerings for brunch, happy hour, taco Tuesdays and late night, Tagai looks to unique takes on comfort foods, such as the Curry Moco Loco, a panko-crusted hamburger patty with rice and a fried egg covered in a housemade curry sauce.

“It’s one of my favorite things to eat,” says Tagai.

As homage to a dish a bar crawler might throw together after a night out, Tagai created the Ghetto Ramen: kimchi-flavored instant ramen loaded up with braised pork, kimchi, a fried egg and green onions. “It’s like if you had instant ramen at home but then could add good stuff to it,” he says.

The K-Pop fries are also popular, Tagai says. A pile of french fries are topped with braised short-rib meat, kimchi, cheese, green onions, cilantro, pickled red onion, leeks and spicy Korean chili (gachu) mayo.

Dang says plans for the summer include live music on the patio and continuing to hone the specialty cocktails. “We give the bartenders a lot of freedom here to come up with new things,” says Dang. Tagai says he likes to make menu changes about every four to six months and will be adding lighter, healthier options for summer. ❖

Ghetto ramen

K-Pop fries

Hibiscus mule

Purgatory chef Hiro Tagai

Purgatory 62 E. 700 South, SLC 801-596-2294 PurgatoryBar.com Devour Utah • may 2019

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THE CHEF ISSUE

g n i g n i S er p p u S for his

Bryan Woolley planned on a singing career until an TV chef gig came his way

BY ELENI SALTAS

DEREK CARLISLE

C

hef Bryan Woolley began his cooking career more than 25 years ago in Logan where he had graduated from Utah State University—not with a food-science degree—but with a bachelor’s in music. In fact, he went on to distinguish himself as a globe-trotting tenor. On his singing travels, his interest in cooking led him to take classes with European master chefs, where he gained culinary skills and knowledge.

He eventually returned to Logan and started teaching a breadmaking class at Love to Cook, a local kitchen store and culinary shop. One day, out of the blue, a producer at Fox 13 News in Salt Lake City called the shop, seeking a chef for a cooking segment. The phone landed in Woolley’s hands, and he accepted the job then and there.

Over the years, Woolley has taught cooking classes at the University of Utah and Sur La Table. He eventually landed a gig at KUTV Channel 2 in 1999, where he has hosted Cooking With Chef Bryan for more than a decade.

But he admits it was in his mother’s kitchen where his love of cooking began. “I liked to cook because it was my time with Mom,” says Woolley, who was born and raised in Preston, Idaho. His eyes light up as he reminisces about his childhood baking all types of breads and pies with his mother, Louise.

34 Devour Utah • may 2019

“She came from the Depression era, so she can cook anything with simple ingredients.”

This down-home approach learned at his mother’s side is visible in Woolley’s own cooking style. Each recipe he shares showcases flavorful and easy dishes that enable any home cook to be successful. “I want anyone to be able to go to the local grocer, find ingredients and create something delicious.

It doesn’t have to be complicated.”

Mondays through Fridays, you can catch Woolley’s Fresh From the Kitchen segments as part of KUTV 2 News at Noon.

On weekends, he produces his own program, Cooking With Chef Bryan, a half-hour show that airs on KUTV Channel 2 on Sundays at 6:30 a.m. as well as on KMYU digital channel 2.2 at 5:30 a.m. on Saturdays and 11 a.m. on Sundays.

Chef Bryan shares his classic roast beef sandwich recipe on p. 37.❖ CookingWithChefBryan.com Editor’s note: Eleni Saltas is an occasional guest on Chef Bryan’s cooking segments where she shares her Greek recipes.

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COMFORT FOOD FOR THE CHEF ROAST BEEF SANDWICH

BY CHEF BRYAN WOOLLEY

I’m frequently asked what I like to cook at home. Honestly, the last thing I want to do after work is cook more food. My go-to happens to be a hearty sandwich with chips. I always have the fixings for a sandwich and generally have homemade bread to enjoy it on. Of course, this isn’t to say I don’t prepare a tasty meal at home, but I like keeping it simple.

Growing up, my mom baked the best bread, and it wasn’t until I was older that I learned to appreciate it. My childhood friends ate store-bought bread, and I didn’t want to be different back then.

I now see that breadmaking is an art everyone should try. Without the preservatives that are in store-bought bread, homemade bread doesn’t stay fresh as long. For this reason, bake small batches and freeze the bread you’re not ready to eat.

Here are recipes for a delicious sandwich made with homemade bread so you can experience the hearty sandwiches of my childhood.

Roast Beef Sandwiches Ingredients 2 slices homemade bread 3-4 slices roast beef 2 slices cheddar cheese 1 Roma tomato, sliced 2 leaves iceberg lettuce, optional ½ cup baby spinach leaves Mayonnaise Mustard Chips, your choice Salt and pepper as needed Process Spread mayonnaise and mustard on both pieces of sliced bread.

Add the roast beef, cheddar cheese, Roma tomato slices, and iceberg lettuce.

Salt and pepper to taste, slice and serve with your favorite chips.

Homemade Bread Ingredients 4 cups flour ⅓ cup vital wheat gluten 2 tablespoons yeast 1 cup olive oil 3 cups water

Process To make the dough, combine the ingredients into the mixer and mix for 15-20 minutes. If needed, adjust the water or flour to create the dough.

Grease a large bowl with vegetable oil spray and transfer the dough to the large bowl. Spray the dough with vegetable oil, cover and let it double in size.

Divide the dough into 4 equal parts.

Take one of the dough portions and press it into rectangle about 8 inches by 6 inches (more or less). Roll the dough up into a long cylinder like a French loaf of bread. Repeat with remaining dough.

Spray two baking sheet with vegetable spray and place two formed French loaves on each baking sheet.

Spray the dough with vegetable oil spray and allow it to double in size.

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees and bake the bread for 25-30 minutes or until it begins to brown, and the bread has baked through (internal bread temperature should be 195 degrees.)

Remove the bread from the oven and let it cool completely before slicing.

Chef Bryan’s Roast Beef Sandwich

Devour Utah • may 2019

37

PHOTO BY BRYAN WOOLLEY

Barbecue Issue

THE GREEN SCENE

The World in a Box The answer to your Thursday dinner dilemma

BY AMANDA ROCK

I

COURTESY PHOTOS

f you’re passionate about supporting refugees, trying new foods and eating take-out on Thursday nights, you’re going to love Spice to Go, Spice Kitchen Incubator’s meal service.

Spice Kitchen Incubator is one of the International Rescue Committee (IRC) programs that, in concert with Salt Lake County, offers technical assistance and training for refugees and disadvantaged community members wanting to start their own food businesses. The Spice Kitchen Incubator helps refugees create businesses serving international cuisines such as African, Asian, European, Russian, Middle Eastern, Indian, South and Central American, and more. Most of these businesses offer catering, some have food trucks, and a few, such as Bhutan House in Sandy and Laan Na Thai in downtown Salt Lake City, went on to open their own brick-and-mortar restaurants.

Spice to Go is one of Spice Kitchen Incubator’s most successful endeavors that offers global flavors from their entrepreneurs for takeout on Thursday nights. “Each week, businesses serve 150 to 200 people,” Jackie Rodabaugh, Spice Kitchen Incubator’s marketing and logistics coordinator, says.

“Participants learn to design cost-effective, highquality menus; manage the kitchen and employees; and increase their capacity and scale to serve well-presented meals at a fast pace.”

Two different entrees are offered—one with meat and one without. Rodabaugh says the meatless entrees make up about half of the sales, and customers are eager to try both. Most of the meatless options are vegan or can easily be made vegan.

“Veganism can be a bit unfamiliar to some of the entrepreneurs,” Rodabaugh says. “We are careful to ask about animal products and regularly explain the differences between vegetarian and vegan dishes. We want to help entrepreneurs share their food in an inclusive way without taking away from their own culinary traditions.”

38 Devour Utah • may 2019

Noor Al Sham’s offering of moussaka—featuring layers of savory eggplant, tomatoes, peppers and onions, and served with homemade hummus and pita—was especially memorable.

Hailing from Syria, Chef Noor started a nonprofit to help other Syrians who have moved to Utah. Opening a restaurant is also on his wish list.

Another favorite was the falafel from Falafel Al-Jailawi. Before moving to Utah in 2014, Chef Zuhair completed his culinary training in Iraq. With a background in everything from fine dining to street food, he hopes to open a food truck.

Rodabaugh says other Spice to Go vegan options that have been or will be offered include coconut curry, collard greens, beetroot mofongo, gazpacho, aubergine katsu curry, and black bean and plantain arepas.

When you pick up your order, also consider buying a dessert item from one of the bakery and dessert vendors that were added to the event in 2018.

Rodabaugh says it gives vendors a chance Chef Noor Al Sham to practice customer service and cashhandling skills.

To place your order, visit Spice to Go’s website (SpiceKitchenIncubator. org/spice-to-go). Also, by signing up on their email list, you’ll receive an email on Monday mornings to learn about the featured businesses and menu options. Just be sure to place your order

by Tuesday at noon. Each meal is only $10, and if you order four or more, the price drops to $9. You pay when you pick up your boxed meals on Thursday evening from 4- 6:30 p.m. Currently, the pick-up location is at Square Kitchen SLC. Follow Spice Kitchen Incubator on Facebook and Instagram to keep up with the tasty offerings. ❖ Spice Kitchen Incubator @ Square Kitchen 751 W. 800 South, SLC | 801-328-1091 SpiceKitchenIncubator.org

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39

THE CHEF ISSUE

‘Better than maryland’ crab cakes

Plate it

Chef Overturf’s ‘Better than Maryland’ crab cakes

M

y eyebrows shot up. Crab cakes better than the ones in Maryland? Such a gutsy claim from a chef working in a landlocked ski destination where foodies flock from around the country. “Guests from Maryland have told me that they’re amazing,” says Josh Overturf, executive chef at the Ogden Garden Grille & Lounge. They have, he boasts, “licked the plate clean.”

Overturf certainly knows how to handle this treat from the sea. The story goes that Overturf was working at Zax at the Golden Nugget in Las Vegas years ago and put his crab cake on the lunch special.

The hotel manager walked in for lunch, took one bite and immediately ordered one for every customer in the 30-table restaurant.

40 Devour Utah • may 2019

PHOTOS & STORY BY REBECCA ORY HERNANDEZ

This story is the stuff of urban food legends. Fast forward to 2019, and Overturf has been delighting patrons in Ogden with his crab cakes for 11 years, along with many other creative delights.

Still hesitant? I’ve eaten Maryland crab cakes, crab cakes along the Eastern Seaboard and crab cakes all over the Gulf of Mexico. I was weaned on blue crabs boiled by the bucketful in South Louisiana. Trust me, these rival the best gourmet crab cakes I’ve ever eaten, and that’s saying something coming from this Cajun crab snob.

Overturf’s crab cake allows the lump crab meat to shine. It’s comprised of Gulf crab, along with simple spices and an essential “setting time.” Similar to baking, he mixes all the dry ingredients— Old Bay, spices and ground peppers, and

then the wet ingredients—egg, mayo and Dijon. He gently folds in breadcrumbs so as not to mash the crab, and allows the patties time to set and bind. After searing, the crab cakes are beautifully plated with a gentle smear of roasted red pepper sauce, followed by the crab cake, drizzled with burre blanc, and topped with delicate citrus pearls made in-house. The perfectly crusted exterior gives way to the luscious crab inside.

These crab cakes are the kind that unite all crab lovers. They’re easy to create at home, but I recommend taking a trip to Ogden to give Overturf’s a try.

You might even lick the plate clean. ❖ The Garden Grille & Lounge, Hilton Garden Inn, 2271 S. Washington Blvd., Ogden 801-399-2000 HiltonGardenInn3.hilton.com

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Makes six 2-ounce crab cakes

1 pound jumbo lump crab ½ cup mayonnaise ¼ cup Dijon mustard 1 tablespoon Old Bay Seasoning 2 tablespoons diced chives Fresh ground salt and pepper to taste ¼ cup brunoised green peppers ½ cup fresh bread crumbs 1 shelled egg Mix all ingredients in a bowl except crab.

Gently fold in crab until it is combined.

Do not break crab.

Heat sauté pan to medium. Add butter and cook crab cake for 2 minutes on each side.

Devour Utah • may 2019

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Love Cookbooks Chefs

BY HEATHER L. KING & AIMEE L. COOK

Sweet: Desserts from London’s Ottolenghi

by Yotam Ottolenghi and Helen Goh It probably comes as no surprise that Tami Steggell, founder of RubySnap, would name a dessert cookbook as one of her recent favorites.

She loves to sit down and pore over her large collection of cookbooks on Sundays, and in 2018, spent her free time making the Ottolenghi cake—a coconut, almond and blueberry treat—found on page 152. “It’s super easy and made with almond flour,” she explains. “I like cookbooks that are written in both U.S. and metric because I prefer to cook in metric. His book does both.” (Heather L. King) Ten Speed Press, 2017

1

Big Ranch, Big City Cookbook: Recipes from Lambert’s Texas Kitchens by Louis Lambert and June Naylor Log Haven’s executive chef and co-owner David Jones looks to another successful chef when he’s seeking inspiration in his own kitchen at home. “This is one of my favorite go-to cookbooks for home cooking,” says the chef, whose globally inspired cuisine has been broadly recognized and celebrated. “I love the Southwest/Texan mix of ingredients. It’s a very easy book to follow with regards to the recipes and has great photos to boot!” (Heather L. King) Ten Speed Press, 2011

2

On Food and Cooking: The Science and Lore of the Kitchen by Harold McGee This book is for anyone who wants to understand the “why” in cooking—from braising to browning—and what is happening to the food during the transformation. Nick Fays, co-owner/ co-chef at Table X, holds this book dear. “It dives deep into the science of food and cooking. Its contents literally have anything and everything you could ever dream of wanting to learn how to do,” says Fays. “It is not a cookbook [but] a sciencereference book related to food and cuisine from all around the world. It is regarded by the best chefs in the world as the absolute, most essential reference for professional cooks.” (Aimee L. Cook) Scribner, revised, updated edition 2004

3

Devour Utah • may 2019

43

SPIRIT GUIDE

alling

Bartender Tony Marino, The Ruin

the

Best advice from behind the bar

BY DARBY DOYLE

I

44 Devour Utah • may 2019

Tony Marino’s Walk the Plank recipe is a favorite from The Ruin’s premium cocktails menu:

DEREK CARLISLE

t’s a familiar trope that’s been played out in popular culture since people began congregating around the serving of spirits: the bartender’s role as the empathetic ear, the community connector, the purveyor of a pleasurable experience. And, of course, as a giver of sage advice. But how often do we know their backstory and what goes into making a great bartender or beverage manager? Four of our favorite drinks professionals shared their stories—and some of their favorite cocktail recipes—with Devour for this boozy dive into the world as seen from a behind-the-bar perspective.

Walk the Plank

1¼ ounces Plantation Barbados rum (2002) ¾ ounce Cappelletti aperitivo ½ ounce Jan Stephenson pineapple rum Stir all ingredients with ice; strain over a large ice ball into a rocks glass. Garnish with an orange twist.

Focus on the Customer

“It’s the best,” says legendary Salt Lake barman Tony Marino of being a bartender. “We get to be a movie star, a rock star. It’s a very soughtafter job for a reason: We get to interact with people who want to have a good time.” Now at bar No. 18 in his storied career, Marino has poured drinks, entertained customers and managed the complexities of the quirky Utah liquor distribution system all over the city since moving here from Austin, Texas, in 2001.

From his current position as bar manager at the ever-popular Sugar House watering hole, The Ruin, Marino reflected on a few of his past gigs, beginning with a job at the Cottonwood Mall TGI Fridays when he came to check out Utah’s pre-Olympics scene.

Not in chronological order, he’s been a familiar face at Piper Down (he helped move in the original bar, towing it on his brother’s snowmobile trailer), the original Bar Named Sue, Dick & Dixie’s, Lucky 13, White Horse, Bourbon House and more.

He believes that whether his bar jobs have been with corporate chains, dives or craft cocktail emporiums, the primary focus of a bartender should always be the customer. Once a bartender understands that and can execute a basic roster of classic drinks and riff on them, Marino says, the rest is all about salesmanship and a quality that can’t be taught: an engaging personality. “Bartenders have to keep a million things in their heads,” Marino says, including the impossible task of knowing every drink that’s ever been created. But by giving people a good time and a memorable experience, Marino says, everybody wins. “That’s what brings people back.”

The Ruin, 1215 E. Wilmington Ave., Ste. 120, SLC, 801-869-3730, RuinSLC.com Devour Utah • may 2019

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7am-1am / 7 Days A Week • 3231 S. 9 0 0 E. • 801-466-3273

Food & beverage outlets manager Ty Richchouyrod, Grand America

Greenhouse Effect Treat Yourself to locally crafted coffee and sweet or savory crepes

Be a Good Listener

“Champagne is a good choice for every occasion,” sommelier Ty Richchouyrod says of choosing a go-to beverage. “With a glass of champagne, you know life is good again.” He’s also got a soft spot for big Italian reds like Brunello di Montalcino, a nostalgic choice that he credits to legendary restaurateur Valter Nassi, who was Richchouyrod’s mentor in fine dining when he moved to Utah from Bangkok, Thailand, 17 years ago.

As food and beverage outlets manager at The Grand America Hotel for the past four years, Richchouyrod (who is known by his 14.8K-and-rising Instagram followers as “@mrtyrich”) oversees cellar purchasing to satisfy wine connoisseurs and cocktail enthusiasts alike. To keep current, Richchouyrod is constantly sampling new vintages and travels extensively to meet winemakers. He’s also part of a master wine-tasting group that meets monthly in Los Angeles or Las Vegas. “You can never stop learning,” he says of being a top-notch sommelier.

“As a convention-driven hotel, we get to meet so many people,” Richchouyrod says. “Last week, we had a tech company, and they wanted trendy cocktails and great Japanese whiskey.

Another week, we’ll have beef breeders, who love great steaks and American whiskey.” He also needs to make sure there is a range of wine varietals at many price points. At The Grand, guests expect both top-of-the-line spirits and impeccable service. “Be a good listener,” says Richchouyrod of his approach to training staff to help their customers pick wines they’ll love. With his upbeat and engaging style, it’s easy to ask him lots of questions, which he hopes puts the last vestiges of the stuffy sommelier stereotype firmly to rest. “People can be intimidated interacting with a sommelier, but ultimately we’re here to serve.”

The Grand America Hotel, 555 S. Main, SLC, 801-258-6000, GrandAmerica.com 46 Devour Utah • may 2019

COURTESY PHOTO

Try our Spinach-Feta Crepe

SPIRIT GUIDE

Interact With Everyone in the Bar

Tinwell, 837 S. Main, SLC, 801-953-1769, TinwellBar.com Eldredge Royal Jubilee recipe represents

Bartender/owner Amy Eldredge, Tinwell

Eldredge’s Royal Jubilee recipe represents her all-time favorite classic cocktail, which is a sidecar made with apple brandy, an ingredient she believes is underappreciated.

DEREK CARLISLE

She’s a bit like the Kevin Bacon of Utah bartending: Everyone’s just a point of separation or two from Amy Eldredge.

Tracing this lineage inevitably starts with Salt Lake City’s OG craft cocktail bar: Bar X as rebooted in 2010. “I came back to Bar X about two weeks after it opened,” Eldredge says, recalling a visit to Salt Lake after a stint in Philadelphia’s hopping craft-cocktail scene. “I saw that the cocktail trend was starting in SLC, and I could be a part of that.”

Eldredge readily admits that she wasn’t a cocktail powerhouse straight out of the gate. She waited tables and bartended at the Salt Lake Country Club and MacCool’s while attending the University of Utah. But everything changed when Eldredge moved to Philadelphia with a friend and applied for a long-shot job at the yet-to-be-opened Ranstead Room, owned by famed restaurateur Stephen Starr. “Out of 400 people, they picked four bartenders,” she says of her oncein-a-lifetime gig. “I didn’t know what I was getting myself into, but I was smart and determined.” Legendary barman and leader of the modern craft cocktail revolution, Sasha Petraske, trained the Ranstead crew, and Eldredge worked with him for the next two years, which proved to be a pivotal experience.

“Sasha didn’t just train us on how to bartend,” she says. “He taught us how to open a bar.” Those skills include evaluating quality ingredients, product costs, managing personnel and other details.

Since returning to Utah, Eldredge has consulted at Takashi, Copper Common and The Grand America (to name a few), opened Under Current bar and now operates Tinwell with her husband, Caleb Cannon. Check out Eldredge’s latest venture, the speakeasy-esque upstairs Tiki lounge at Tinwell, where you can experience Eldredge’s No. 1 edict: “You need to treat bartending like you’re hosting a party in your home; interact with everyone in the bar.” And a gracious welcome is made even better with a delicious umbrella drink in hand.

The Royal Jubilee

1½ ounce Laird’s apple brandy 1 ounce Cointreau ½ ounce lemon juice Rub the rim of a chilled coupe glass with lemon and dip in sugar.

Shake all ingredients with ice and strain into the glass; garnish with a lemon twist.

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SPIRIT GUIDE

Find Your Community

Under Current, 279 S. 300 East, SLC, 801-574-2556, UnderCurrentBar.com For more information about USBG Utah, visit USBG.org

Bar manager Alejandro Olivares, Under Current

A Sea Legs is a daiquiri-like drink that Olivares developed for the Under Current menu. “It’s smoky from the Islay Scotch and mezcal, with a lot of Tiki influence,” he says. “A nautical feel without the kitsch.”

DARBY DOYLE

As current president of the Utah chapter of the U.S. Bartenders’ Guild, Alejandro Olivares wears a lot of managerial and organizational hats. “We have great membership numbers for a small-tomedium bar market,” says Olivares of the group’s 90-plus members. “The majority are professional bartenders in Salt Lake City,” he explains, “and we also have spirits reps, bar owners and local distillers.” The group hosts educational events with visiting spirits representatives and local industry leaders several times a month. There’s even an “enthusiast” category of membership for those who aren’t professional bartenders but want to learn more about spirits and attend members-only tasting events.

Olivares joined the organization after years of working in the food and beverage industry, where he started out in management for the Pei Wei chain.

After studying public relations and communications at the University of Houston, he moved around the country opening Pei Wei outlets, including one in Salt Lake City in 2009. The opening coincided with the craft-cocktail movement taking hold nationally, and Olivares was inspired by the shift happening at spots like Bar X. “I missed having a creative outlet,” he says of his eventual professional shift to bartending, “and I could see that the cocktail culture had legs.”

“It was really fun to learn about the history of cocktails, and I started working at bars that were willing to invest in great ingredients,” says Olivares of the Copper Group restaurants and Under Current, where he is currently the manager.

He is proud that USBG is growing and supporting the quality of education for bartenders. “The biggest thing I take away is a sense of community,” he says. With established members mentoring industry newbies and events like the annual public Spring Fling competition fundraiser, “it goes beyond the four walls of your bar,” says Olivares. USBG membership “gets you connected to a whole world of bar culture.”

Sea Legs

1 ounce Laphroaig Scotch 1 ounce Wahaka mezcal ¾ ounce fresh lime juice ¾ ounce orgeat 2-3 dashes celery bitters Shake with ice; strain into a chilled coupe glass. Garnish with a dash of bitters.

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LAST BITE Laziz chef Moudi Sbeity’s green sleeves

Nomad chef Justin Soelberg’s cat named Ron Johnson

Tatted and Torn

Theories on the proverbial tattooed chef

I

PHOTOS AND WORDS BY MAYA SILVER

f a sailor, an ex-con and a chef walked into a bar, what would they discuss? Very possibly, tattoos. While people of many backgrounds get tattoos, some demographics are notorious for the ink their skin bears. The answer as to why a chef is more likely to get a tattoo than, say, a lawyer, is nebulous, yet theories abound. Here a few from local chefs.

Tattoos tell stories And chefs have a lot of stories. From the revolving door of co-workers, apprenticeships for eccentric chefs abroad and accidents with the knife, cooks accrue as many stories as spices on their racks. “For me,” says chef Moudi Sbeity of Laziz Kitchen, “tattoos tell a story about me and my past.” Sbeity’s forearms are painted with his favorite ingredients, including parsley, thyme and garlic, as well as a pomegranate that pays homage to his native Lebanon. Sbeity fled home when he was 18 years old during the Lebanese-Israeli War in 2006. A decade later, he opened Laziz. In his case, tattoos are not just ornamental, but “tell something much deeper.”

Like food, tattoos are an art form “We might not be making paintings and sculptures, but we see ourselves as artistic people,” chef Justin Soelberg of Nomad Eatery says. For him, tattoos are a mode of self-expression, a way to stand out from the other cooks flipping burgers on the line. Soelberg’s eight tattoos began with a quote on his arm: “Those who cannot remember the past are doomed to repeat it.” While many chefs tattoo themselves with the logo of their first restaurant, Soelberg’s Nomad Eatery tattoo tribute is a cat

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named Ron Johnson—a nod to a former quirky, long-winded employee.

Café sufferfest Anyone who’s worked in a kitchen knows it’s not for the weak of spirit, mind or body. Long hours on your feet, burn scars, continuous criticism—and that’s just the appetizer! So, as chef Jen Castle of Hell’s Backbone Grill suggests, perhaps a high pain tolerance is what predisposes cooks to tats. She got her first—a sun on her hip—at age 18 in a shop displaying a skeleton advising, “You better believe it hurts.” Now, she also has a recently revamped poppy arrangement to remind her of her (still living) grandma, and more botanical ink lies in her future.

A correlation rooted in rebellion Look no further than the late Anthony Bourdain—who memorialized his culinary world travels with ink (“They’re very personal statements,” he said, “even the silly ones”)— for the lawless chef archetype. This cliché might exist due to the requisite hours of the job. Unless you’re running a breakfast joint, you’re lucky if you’re off before midnight. Night owls are often typecast as drinkers, smokers and creative geniuses—in other words, the sorts of people already likely to get tattoos.

Perhaps staying up late also intersects with impulsivity, which Soelberg says explains the tattoo of utensils on his wrist. Next up for him? A cheesy slice of pizza, which he’ll place beneath a tattoo of his mom dressed as a cowgirl. All we can say is that it takes a brilliant chef to devise a pairing like that. ❖

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