cuisine
Sapporo Scottsdale focuses on Pacific Rim fare of sushi, stir fry and teppanyaki. As the executive chef at Sapporo and the western regional corporate chef for Tavistock Restaurants, Stephen Stromberg shares his passion for Asian cuisine. WHAT INSPIRED YOU TO BECOME A CHEF? My sister and I grew up in a single-parent household in Fort Collins, Colorado. With my mom working, I started cooking for us at a really young age. Most kids opt for video games and sneaking into their parents’ liquor cabinet, but I was more into thawing meat and sneaking into the spice cabinet. By 16, I was not only cooking for my family but also working in restaurants.
CHEF CONVERSATIONS In the kitchen with Stephen Stromberg of Sapporo Scottsdale BY ALISON BAILIN BATZ PHOTO BY MARK MORGAN
HOW DID YOU GET TO ARIZONA? I moved to Boulder, Colorado, to mentor under Chef Kenneth Moody at the Hotel Boulderado in the mid-90s. After three years, we opened Dolan’s, growing it into a Boulder dining hot spot. There, I really fell in love with Asian flavor profiles and seafood. When Moody moved on, I stayed on as the executive chef. Just 22 at the time, it was like being back in my mom’s kitchen, albeit with more ingredients to play around with. After a few years, I missed family and friends and wanted an adventure. Since my dad lived in Arizona, I set out to the Valley. TELL US ABOUT YOUR JOURNEY TO EXECUTIVE CHEF AT SAPPORO. I made a list of 20 Valley restaurants that I liked or heard were cool. My goal was to knock on every door until one gave me an interview. Roy’s was first on my list – and the last. Then-chef Justin Beckett hired me on the spot. Working at Roy’s was like earning a master’s in Asian-influenced cuisine. Beckett was to thank for my next gig, opening Latitudes 30 at the Arizona Grand Resort. I then made stops at Pure Sushi and LGO Hospitality, but when I heard Tavistock Restaurants purchased Sapporo, I again jumped at the chance to be a part of (re)developing a concept from the onset. HOW HAS YOUR ROLE GROWN? In addition to Sapporo, I am now the corporate regional chef for all of Tavistock’s West Coast restaurants, including properties with varied menus and concepts across Arizona, California and Nevada. WHAT WOULD PEOPLE BE SURPRISED TO KNOW ABOUT YOU? Most people know I am a competitive runner and triathlete, most recently competing in a 109-mile race, but I am also an urban farmer! I just planted 100 fruit trees at my house to accompany my three gardens. Sapporo Scottsdale, 14344 N. Scottsdale Road, Scottsdale; 480.607.1114; www.sapporoscottsdale.com.
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| JULY 2016
6/22/16 2:16 PM