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Fill in the blank: If I weren’t a chef, I’d be… I would probably be a teacher, history or science. Who are your favorite chefs? Thomas Keller, Chris Kostow, Joseph Humphrey, and George Morrone.
Besides your own restaurant, what’s your favorite restaurant in Louisville? 610 Magnolia. (Chef de Cuisine) Nick Sullivan is doing a great job over there. I have great respect for (owner) Edward Lee. He puts good talent in his restaurants.
Other than The Oakroom, where’s the first place you’d take an out-of-towner? I’d say Nulu in general. I’d take them on a restaurant walk with a course at each place. Which seasonings don’t you respect? Italian seasoning. Nothing against Italians. It’s the marketing behind it. Which are underrated? Smoked paprika. It adds a nice dimension.
Are there any culinary trends you are wild about right now? Farm to Table. It is trendy right now, but it’s an aspect of being a chef you should be in tune with throughout your career. Any trends you consider overrated? Tacos. What do you think is the next worthwhile food/dining trend? The small plate movement. I think when diners come in they want to try eight things rather than one big entrée. What music was playing in the kitchen last night? One of our favorites is Heartless Bastards. We like Devil Makes Three and Trampled by Turtles. What was the last book you read? Eleven Madison Park: The Cookbook, by Daniel Humm. His cookbook tells a story through food and the seasons. What’s your favorite go-to ingredient? Foie gras. Is there a guilty-secret ingredient in your kitchen — something you’d rather not be spotted using? Ranch dressing. Duet of Hudson Valley foie gras served seared and terrine with gooseberry compote, brioche and Marcona almonds.
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What’s in your fridge at home? We like to eat healthy. There is always fresh cut vegetables and dips, hummus. Maybe some steaks, and a lot of eggs.
Is there anything in that home fridge you’d rather not admit to having? It’s not in my fridge, but on my fridge. A giant jar of Jelly Bellys.
What food is your guilty pleasure? Jelly Bellys and ice cream bars. My wife buys these really indulgent ice cream bars.
Is there a food you can’t bring yourself to eat? No. I’ll try anything once.
Favorite quick meal to prepare at home? Sloppy Joes. Your worst kitchen nightmare? The first restaurant that I ran, the walk-in freezer shut down the night before Valentine’s Day and ruined ever ything. We had been voted the most romantic restaurant in the Bay Area, so we were booked to the gills. Best cooking tip for a novice? Don’t be afraid to make a mistake. What is the dumbest thing you’ve ever done with food? I have to watch myself, because I do a lot of dumb things. When I first messed with xanthan gum, a food stabilizer, I used too much. When you do that, it turns to glop. I turned a batch of sauce into a pot of snot. What’s your last meal on earth, if you had the chance to choose? A tasting menu at Joël Robuchon in Las Vegas. Most memorable meal? When I worked on the boats, we were at this hotel called Delito. It had this little dump of a dining room. The chef was this 85-year-old woman. She blew my mind with the most amazing seafood. Last food-related “wow moment” was...? A lot of things wow me with food. The last one would have to be the meal that we cooked recently at the annual Field-to-Fork dinner. Every ingredient that we used came from within a 20-mile radius. Give us one reason Louisville should be considered a culinary destination for traveling foodies? Ultimately, it comes down to the dining public. This community really suppor ts creative chefs, which is liberating. F&D www.facebook.com/foodanddine Winter 2014 15