Plating Pros

Meet: Chef Sid Gongwer

by Mike Petrucelli photos by Mike Deak

Sid Gongwer, the executive chef at Ruhe152 in Nappanee, started as a busboy in his native Los Angeles, and then headed straight to the kitchen after culinary school at Le Cordon Bleu in Pasadena, California. He says he’s only worked in restaurants, but this does not infer limitation or lack of experience. Reality is quite the contrary.

His first job was at Los Angeles’ famed Chateau Marmont, where he met celebrities from Lionel Richie to Lindsay Lohan (ask him about those stories), but he has also cooked as a private chef—on cruise ships and in mansions.

Nappanee may be a ways from the Hollywood Hills, both literally and figuratively, but Gongwer’s experience and influence is a key part to the cool modern vibe that Ruhe152 brings to lakes country.

LAKELife readers, meet Chef Sid Gongwer.

Ruhe152 Restaurant, Brewery and Distillery

152 W. Market St. Nappanee 574.832.7843 www.ruhe152.com

How did your passion for cooking begin?

I started cooking at a young age just from pure curiosity and passion to eat any and everything. I continued through my teens and always cooked for my friends, since I was the only one comfortable to do more than microwave or pour milk. I mean it wasn’t much, but I thought my ‘Jif Peanut Butter and Sriracha Ramen Pad Thai’ was a great dish for a bunch of 16-year-olds with the munchies.

Any non-food pursuits that’ve had an unexpected effect on what you do?

I’ve only worked in restaurants, starting as a busboy then straight to the kitchen after culinary school at Le Cordon Bleu in Pasadena. I listen to so much music, which my father being a career musician and dj definitely played a huge role in. I love everything from ‘70s punk, classic rock, and funk to ‘80s new wave and ‘90s hip-hop.

Then, in my private chef years, I did plenty of dinners for big company execs, actors, models, and musicians. I did a gig at Coachella for the week in Sylvester Stallone’s old mansion for these young 20-something Manhattan art dealers. They had kosher meat shipped in from their favorite deli/butcher, which were some expensive, amazing cuts! They had house guests from Johnny Manziel and Paris Hilton to some of the guys from Drake’s crew— and I may have gotten a kiss on the cheek from Rihanna that night since she enjoyed her special order welldone burger so much. All that being said, being around crowds like that, and cooking in some of the places I have, definitely makes you want to strive for greatness and be extra creative. I’ve cooked on cruise ships in Alaska and mansions in the Hollywood Hills, so the style might not exactly be the same out here in Nappanee, but I definitely get to use my previous influences in what I do now.

What sets Ruhe152 apart? A scratch kitchen, brewery AND distillery is a lot. What's your role in realizing the overall vision?

What sets us apart is our overall joint effort in those three sections for quality, consistency, creativity, as well as the overall farm-to-table/scratch mentality. You can taste the difference in our made from scratch cuisine and our in-house crafted beers and spirits compared to many other places.

What’s the greatest reward of your job right now?

Our loyal customers and the great feedback we get from them and firsttimers too. Also, watching my guys in the kitchen learn and grow. Seeing a dude go from washing dishes to cooking a perfect medium-rare filet in less than a year is always rewarding!

What do you enjoy most about being a chef/running a kitchen?

My creative freedom, and having the owners put full trust in me when it comes to running features and menu ideas. Doing old recipes like corn bread and tweaking them a little, making them Mexican street corn bread or trying something completely new like a camel burger with a Moroccan spice blend— and it selling out with rave reviews.

What aspirations do you have for yourself?

I take it day by day, just always trying to learn and grow in my field and keeping my passion hot! I want Ruhe to blow up and we get multiple locations, narrowing the vibe and direction on certain joints like having a strictly sushi-and-ramen bar in one place or having a brew and barbecue location with live music, etc., and taking Ruhe to other cities and states. Eventually I want to pass the torch, step out of the kitchen and become a day trader, work from home, and cook soups and stews and bake bread in my chonies and an apron all day.