TA S T E
CHEF of the month
Great
Scott MEET Deborah Scott, Executive chef AND CO-OWNER OF Island Prime, Indigo Grill and Kemo Sabe by Nicole D’Alesandro Photo by Greg Ramirez
As executive chef and partner of Island Prime, Indigo Grill and Kemo Sabe, Deborah Scott has a full plate. Her restaurants are part of the Cohn Restaurant Group, a family-run culinary empire that also includes The Prado in Balboa Park, Blue Point and Dakota Grill in the Gaslamp, and six other local eateries. “If it weren’t for the Cohns, I would’ve never had the opportunity to achieve all that I have,” says Scott, whose partnership with the Cohns began when she opened Indigo Grill in Little Italy 14 years ago. David and Lesley Cohn frequented Indigo with their kids; David was such a big fan of Scott’s cooking that he approached her to be his business partner. The relationship blossomed, transcending the nuts and bolts of everyday hospitality management. “Not only are David and Lesley my business partners, but they are two of the best friends I’ve ever had,” says Scott. Focusing much of her creative energy on
36
JULY 2008 « PACIFICsandiego.com
presentation, Scott makes sure that the plates she serves are full of vibrant color. That, combined with her knack for blending Pacific Rim and Asian flavors, has certainly contributed to the success of Island Prime, where Scott spends most of her time. Scott developed her unique style while training at the prestigious Culinary Institute of America, but it was her father’s influence that made the greatest impact on her craft. “We grilled clams and oysters on a grate in the sand, and caught flounder and oysters during summers in the Outer Banks of North Carolina,” she recalls. Aside from the uncommon ingredients she uses every day – such as huitacoche, a corn fungus used for Indigo Grill’s tamales – Scott says that the most important thing to have in the kitchen is a love for food and the restaurant industry. “You have to have passion for this business,” she says. “It can’t be forced.”
q&A with chef scott: PacificSD: What was your involvement in creating the menus for Island Prime, Indigo Grill and Kemo Sabe?
PacificSD: What goals do you have now that you’ve accomplished so much?
SCOTT: Convert the former Rueben SCOTT: I write the menus, but also E. Lee [an old ship docked adjacent give my sous chefs the opportunity to to Island Prime] into a restaurant, interject their ideas. complete a cookbook and travel more. PacificSD: What do enjoy doing in your spare time? PacificSD: What is the best advice anyone ever gave you? SCOTT: Going to church, open houses, eating at other restaurants SCOTT: Don’t worry about what and having outdoor cookouts with my others may think, but be sure that life partner Sharon and friends. you are proud of yourself and your actions. PacificSD: What cooking tips can you offer for the non-chefs among us? PacificSD: Who would you most like to cook for? SCOTT: Buy good ingredients, barbecue outdoors more often and don’t be afraid to experiment.
SCOTT: I honestly love cooking for our guests. They are what have made me successful, and there is no larger pleasure than pleasing them.