EAT/DRINK
"Food is a great vehicle to connect with people." —Chef Brian Huskey
OFF HOOK the
Chef Brian Huskey Creates Meals to Remember at Tackle Box
WRITTEN BY: PRISCILLA NG
Chef Brian Huskey was one of the top five finalists for Top Chef, Season 11. He’s from
Pasadena and has a background in economics. After graduating from UCLA, he decided to dive into the culinary field after working as a short order cook in LA. He earned a
degree at the California Culinary Academy in San Francisco and climbed his way up the culinary ladder to stardom. fter being featured on Top Chef, he received multiple offers to become the executive chef at many high-end restaurants. Since then, he has worked as Chef de Cuisine of LA Prime at the Westin Bonaventure, Executive Chef for Room Forty, and has also helped start up three new restaurants: Picca, Mo-Chica and Paiche. He now has his own restaurant called Tackle Box, just off the coast of Corona Del Mar. Brian Huskey’s interest in cooking began at a very young age when he used to travel with his parents. As a kid, Huskey felt blessed to have been able to visit Asia, South 62 | LOCALE MAGAZINE
America and Europe, which opened up his view of the world and sparked his interest in food. “Food is a great vehicle to connect with people,” he says, and that became his source of inspiration. Here in Orange County, Tackle Box has been open for about a year. The concept behind it is being able to serve food of the same quality as what you would have at a finedining restaurant, but at a much more reasonable price. “Anyone can create a great experience with lobster and caviar, but can you do that for everyday products like chicken and salmon? That’s the idea. My concept is to change the perception of what $20 can
get you. Here at Tackle Box, you can get a fresh sandwich, house made chips and a drink all for a reasonable price.” There are many popular dishes at Tackle Box, and about a dozen in-house sauces that go with their designated dishes, like the salmon poke, buffalo cauliflower, cheesesteak and lobster roll. Huskey’s secret ingredient? “I put a lot of love in all them,” he says with a laugh. “To work in this industry, it’s very hard. There are a lot of long hours. But in general, life isn’t easy. It’s a struggle, but it makes it that much more special. The key is being humble, working hard and being patient.”
THE WANDERING CHEF: g Some of Huskey’s favorite restaurants in Los Angeles and Orange County are Bestia, Newport Seafood Restaurant, Jitalda, Tito Taco, Kan Hodon Baekjeong, Osteria Vicario, Crab Cooker and Koi Sushi Restaurant.
LONG WALKS ON THE BEACH: g Growing up in Los Angeles, Huskey loves going to the beach and calls himself a beach bum. He also likes to take his dog, Titan, out for walks.
TACKLE BOX 3029 E Shore Ave Newport Beach, CA 92625 949.723.0502 www.tackleboxoc.com