Taste
CUISINE
CHEF CONVERSATIONS In the kitchen with Drew Holowicki of The Scottsdale Plaza Resort
BY ALISON BAILIN BATZ / PHOTO BY DEBBY WOLVOS
Drew Holowicki is the executive chef at The Scottsdale Plaza Resort, overseeing all culinary operations including JD’s Restaurant and Lounge, Garden Court, Cafe Cabana, in-room dining and banquets.
How did you get your start in cooking? I grew up in Detroit and studied criminal justice at Michigan State University, thinking I might go into federal law enforcement. But, I loved cooking. So much so I took a year off after my junior year to work more seriously on my craft. But, with only one year left in college, I went back and earned my degree before moving to Scottsdale in 2002 to attend the Scottsdale Culinary Institute. Tell us about your trajectory in Arizona. I started in the kitchen at Desert Mountain Country Club before moving over to the Fairmont Scottsdale Princess in 2003. There, I met a kindred spirit in fellow chef Erik Forrest. I eventually became a chef for Nordstrom Restaurants, including the location at Scottsdale Fashion Square, where I worked for nearly six years and served as executive chef from 2010 to 2015. What was the best thing about heading up the Nordstrom kitchen? Be jealous. I got 33% off at all Nordstrom locations nationwide. How did you make your way to The Scottsdale Plaza Resort? Erik Forrest, the executive chef at that time and my above-noted kindred spirit, recruited me to be his sous chef back in January. When he transitioned to food and beverage director in May, I was named executive chef. Tell us about your newly launched menu at JD’s Restaurant and Lounge. While we aren’t going so far as foams or emulsions, JD’s has evolved into a gastropub. We launched a new menu to match this vision. Ingredients are fresher, techniques have been modernized, and the menu is a now mix of elevated comfort food and sharable date night bites. What ingredients do you love right now? Or hate? Kale needs to go back to being a garnish, where it belongs! Conversely, Mexican oregano is one of the most underrated spices of all time. The Scottsdale Plaza Resort, 7200 N. Scottsdale Road, Paradise Valley; 480.948.5000; www.scottsdaleplaza.com.
So Scottsdale! October ‘19
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