chefs’ secrets - newport restaurant group .pdf · rhode island monthlyrhode island monthly...

RHODE ISLAND MONTHLY l OCTOBER 2011 61 RHODE ISLAND MONTHLY l DECEMBER 2011 55

SECRETS C H E FS’

Pickled vegetables. Frozen Kit Kats. Anthony Bourdain. Nine of the state’s top chefs dish on their latest ingredient obsessions, guilty

pleasures and favorite food shows. Plus, they share expert advice on the best places to dine and drink locally, and their favorite no-fail recipes to make at home.

MattJennings

L a L a i t e r i e , P rov i d e n c e

By Lisa E. Harrison Photography by Nat Rea

Guilty pleasure? Dr. Pepper, Lebanese meat pies from Sam’s Bakery

in Fall River, and I’m a sucker for a good Blizzard from

Dairy Queen.

Watering hole? Thee Red Fez. Narragansett Tall Boy, please.

62 RHODE ISLAND MONTHLY l OCTOBER 2011 RHODE ISLAND MONTHLY l OCTOBER 2011 63

Nemo

David

Bolin

Reynoso

c o o k a n d B row n P u B L i c H o u s e , P rov i d e n c e

a L F o r n o , P rov i d e n c e

Why did you become a chef? I come from a family of great cooks. My mom and dad are

amazing cooks. My eleven brothers and sisters are also great cooks; most of them have been or

are professionals in the restaurant industry.

Ingredient obsession?

Honey. It reminds me of my home in Mexico,

where a pot of honey was always on the table to

spread on tortillas. Now I hide honey in marinades,

salad dressings and sauces. I love honey ice

cream, and it’s great spread on pancakes.

Signature dish? Handmade pastas. I make veal and pork ravioli with mush-rooms and fresh tomatoes. It tastes like Italy.

Why did you become a chef? I always liked food, and working in

restaurants is all I’ve ever done. And I realized long ago I wouldn’t

play left field for the Red Sox.

Pantry staple? Anything

pickled.

Favorite food show? Anything not involving

Anthony Bourdain. He is the worst. (“Good Eats” was the best, though

they just ended the series.)

Ingredient obsession? Right now it’s fresh chili peppers. They’re great dried, crushed into powder or flakes, added to salt for confits or made into pickles.

Late-night eats? Thee Fez for crab dip.

Special-occasion spot? I always end up at New Rivers on a night off. Charcuterie, of course, and if Beau is cooking barbecue, watch out.

Always in your home fridge? Bread and butter.

Pantry staple? Canned tuna. It’s easy, great in sandwiches and pasta and is a good way to get protein into my kids.

A bite for dinner? Minh Hai for the fresh spring

rolls and the curried vegetarian dishes.

Always in your home fridge? Parmigiano Reggiano. I love it with pasta, and it goes well with Mexican dishes.

RHODE ISLAND MONTHLY l DECEMBER 2011 5756 RHODE ISLAND MONTHLY l DECEMBER 2011

64 RHODE ISLAND MONTHLY l OCTOBER 2011 RHODE ISLAND MONTHLY l OCTOBER 2011 65 RHODE ISLAND MONTHLY l DECEMBER 2011 5958 RHODE ISLAND MONTHLY l DECEMBER 2011

Champe

SpeidelP e r s i m m o n , B r i s t o L

CambraJonathan

B oat H o u s e , t i v e rt o n

Why did you become a chef? I started at an early age as a dishwasher and absolutely loved the fast pace of the kitchen and how everyone was in it to help each other through daily service. Growing up, I also remember watching Julia Child’s cooking shows with my grandmother after school.

Favorite food show? “No Reservations.” You learn so much about many food cultures around the world.

Signature dish? Anything with Georges Bank scallops and corn.

Your kids’ favorite spot? In the summer, Blount Clam Shack for an early dinner on

the water: fish ‘n’ chips, clam cakes and chowder.

Place for great desserts? Pastiche for their banana cream pie.

Favorite breakfast spot? Green Eggs for theomelets.

Take-out? Cabral’s Chicken; I love

the ribs, whole chickens, Portuguese potatoes and

macaroni salad.

Favorite cookbook?

James Beard’sAmerican Cookery;

it is a true vision of many classic

original dishes and techniques.

Why did you become a chef? It was an initial interest in the artistry and craft of cooking that involveda desirable manual component and now a persistent drive to perfect that component each and every service.

Can’t-live-without kitchen tools? A well-balanced spoon to sauce, baste, taste, turn meats (and annoy everyone by drumming it on the countertop); a thermal immersion circulator to keep me precise; and a pair of tweezers to pick and place all my herbs.

Special-occasion spot?

Two stools at Al Forno’s downstairs bar for the classics: a margarita pizza, the

dirty steak and one of Johanne’s seasonal

crostatas.

Pantry staples?

Fresh herbs, stocks and

glaces, salts and

high-quality butter.


BeauVestal

MatthewGennuso

c H e z P a s c a L , P rov i d e n c e

Why did you become a chef? Becoming a chef wasn’t what I thought I would do for a living. I had been cooking as a job since I was sixteen; I really liked it and I loved working hard. It took

about ten years until I realized that this is what I wanted to do for life.

Guilty pleasure? Frozen Kit Kats. I get a BJ’s box every year for my birthday, and it doesn’t last long.

Take-out? A buffalo chicken sandwich with a side of onion

rings, ranch dressing and extra blue cheese from Gregg’s on

North Main. I have the phone number memorized.

Always in your home fridge?

When my mom visits, she brings me bologna and

chipotle dip from Stew Leonard’s in Connecticut.

Signature dish?

Our pear upside-down

cake with creme fraiche

and blue cheese, or our pates and

pork dishes.

Pantry staple? Housemade bacon or tesa. We use it like plastic wrap; it always seems to be wrapped around something.

Why did you become a chef? It’s the perfect blend

of science and art, and I love the energy of a kitchen and

being part of a team that works together to accomplish

a goal. I love taking care of people, too.

Ingredient obsession? Anything pickled.

Favorite breakfast spot? Bagel Gourmet for salt bagels with lots of butter.

Late-night eats? Nice Slice for

cheese, ’roni and pepper pie.

Place for great desserts?

Olive oil cake at Al Forno.

Favorite food blog or

website? The Daily Meal.

Pantry staples? Mustard, vinegars and a well-appointed spice rack.

new rivers, Providence

Signature dish? We’re known for our use of wild foraged foods, especially mushrooms and greens, as well as our charcuterie and offal menu.



Matthew

VargaG r ac i e ’ s , P rov i d e n c e

Jake

Rojast a L Lu L a H o n t H a m e s , n e w P o rt

Why did you become a chef? I grew up in family of cooks, so cooking was all I knew.

Guilty pleasure? Beef Barn; I eat two roast beef sandwiches there, order one for the trip back to Newport and wash

it down with a vanilla shake.

Special-occasion spot? Bouchard; Chef Albert is a

master with foie gras (try the terrine). Also, the pork loin

wrapped in puff pastry is perfectly cooked every time.

A bite for dinner? TSK’s ever-changing menu is awesome. Try the jerk chicken with hush puppies, and the fresh-made doughnuts are a nice treat to finish.

Favorite breakfast

spot? Slice of Heaven —

breakfast burritos, fresh squeezed

OJ and a fruit tart.

Favorite place for lunch? Matunuck Oyster Bar for stuffies and Oysters Rockefeller.

Take-out? Crazy Dough’s Big Mac pizza is awesome.

Why did you become a chef? Cooking and using fresh ingre-

dients were a big part of my upbringing, so I think it’s in my

DNA. All the jobs I’ve held have been food-related. When it

came time for college, culinary school was a natural fit; I

wound up at Johnson and Wales and my career evolved

from there.

Cheap eats? I love going to Taqueria El Taconazo. I usually sit there by myself and eat about five or six tacos. Extra radishes, please.

Pantry staples? Sherry vinegar and piquillo peppers.

Guilty pleasure? Kentucky Fried Chicken. I don’t eat it

a lot, but when I do, I park in a dark

corner of the lot and go

to town.

Signature dish? Bomster scallops, potato puree,

truffled popcorn, native corn.

Cheap eats? Sunrise

Restaurant’s beef combo pho, with

beef tendon, flank, Thai basil, bean

sprouts and Thai chiles.

➥For more chefs’ secrets

turn to page 97.

62 RHODE ISLAND MONTHLY l DECEMBER 2011


Matt JenningsLa Laiterie, Providence

Why did you become a chef? I was always inter-ested in the arts — music,

painting, literature. Still hobbies, but led to an interest in food. I also grew up in a family that used food as celebration: veggie gardens at home, pizza-making with Dad every Sunday. Food culture has always been very strong in my family. Ingredient obsession? Simple ingredients that take dishes to the next level by the addition of subtle nuance, like pollens (honey and fennel, for example) and lo-cally grown heirloom paprikas.Favorite breakfast spot? Nicks on Broad-way. Any style of Benedict is great (espe-cially with steak from Blackbird Farm), but I usually just trust Derek to cook for us. He’s brilliant.Favorite place for lunch? Hewtin’s Dogs. Matt’s hot dogs are the best in the city. A bite for dinner? The BiBimBop at Sun and Moon is supreme, the potato noodles a revelation and their dumplings are some of the best around. Cheap eats? Tallulah’s tacos. Chef Jake Rojas brings his Chicano flava to a taco cart. It’s dope, and the food is on point. Your kid’s favorite spot? Sawyer, who just turned two, has shown considerable inter-est in the sticky buns from Seven Stars. Can’t-live-without kitchen tool? The Japanese mandolin. We use it for every-thing. Simple, shaved vegetables and fruits are one of our favorite things. Always in your home fridge? Champagne, homemade salad dressing and pickles, Sir Kensington’s ketchup, my grandmother’s mustard, Kenyon’s cornmeal. Special-occasion spot? Chef Beau’s char-cuterie and simple, rustic menu is inspi-rational at New Rivers and Chef Matt Varga’s innovative menu at Gracie’s, made gorgeous with use of items from his roof-top garden, is a special treat. The Details: Nicks on Broadway, Providence, 421-0286; Hewtin’s Dogs, Providence, 421-4422; Sun and Moon, East Providence, 435-0214; New Rivers, Providence, 751-0350; Gracie’s, Provi-dence, 272-7811; Sam’s Bakery, Fall River, Mass., 508-674-5422; Thee Red Fez, Providence, 272-1212; Tallulah’s Tacos, Newport, 849-2433; Seven Stars Bakery, Providence, 521-2200.For Matt Jennings’s recipe for tourtiere, visit rimonthly.com. >>

Chefs’ Secrets| | CONTINUED frOm PAGE 63



timate and romantic. The food is delicious and the service is discreet and professional. Cheap eats? Taqueria El Taconazo. I usually get three steak tacos. They give you a bunch of limes and salsa. Place for great desserts? When I don’t have time to make a birthday cake for my kids, I order the almond layer cake filled and frosted with whipped cream from Scialo Bros. Yum. Your kids’ favorite spot? Mike’s Kitchen. Mike does Italian comfort food like no one else, and my kids love pasta as much as I do. The Details: The Liberty Elm, Providence, 467-0777; Minh Hai, Cranston, 383-8071; New Rivers, Providence, 751-0350; Persimmon, Bris-tol, 254-7474; Taqueria El Taconazo, Providence, 437-8808; Scialo Bros., Providence, 421-0986; Mike’s Kitchen, Cranston, 946-5320.For David Reynoso’s recipe for marinated steak tacos, visit rimonthly.com.

Nemo Bolinco ok a n d Brow n Pu B L ic House, Providence

Favorite cookbook? Old-school: Simple French Food,

by Richard Olney; it’s classic, soulful food in a book with no pictures. New-school: A Return to Cooking, by Eric Ripert. I like the combination of different art forms and expression in this one. Plus the pic-tures are great.Favorite place for lunch? Not Just Snacks is great for Indian; I’m into the palak paneer (spinach with fresh cheese). A bite for dinner? Sun and Moon is fun for a quick bite. Lots of kimchi is a must, and the pork belly with squid is good.Guilty pleasure? Gummy candy (Haribo Gold Bears specifically).Watering hole? Lili’s for ’Gansett or whiskey.Cheap eats? Sanchez Market for tacos. When the chorizo is done right, it’s re-ally hard to beat, and an apple soda to wash it down.Take-out? Joe at Providence Pizza Co. makes a good, no-frills pizza (I get it a little well done).Place for great desserts? Ice cream or frozen yogurt with berries from Juniper. Last meal? Anything at a big table with lots of family around.The Details: Not Just Snacks, Providence, 831-1150; Sun and Moon, East Providence, 435-0214; New Rivers, Providence, 751-0350; Lili Marlene’s, Providence, 751-4996; Thee Red Fez, Providence, 272-1212; Sanchez Market, Providence, 831-5470; Providence Pizza Co., Providence, 331-1030; Juniper, Providence, 421-4851.For Nemo Bolin’s recipe for rice pudding with salted caramel, visit rimonthly.com.

Champe SpeidelPersimmon, BristoL Favorite food show? No matter how cheesy it gets, I’ll always love (past and

present) “Iron Chef.”Favorite food blog or website? The New York Times dining section is a staple, and I love Eater.com’s real-time coverage of the food scene. Favorite breakfast spot? The Sunnyside. We live a mile away, and I can’t separate myself from Joe’s eggs Benedict.Favorite place for lunch? Nicks for a rare Blackbird burger with smoked bacon or, if I can’t get in there, Bob and Timmy’s for a four-cheese pizza.A bite for dinner? Broadway Bistro never disappoints. The menu changes often and they’re open Mondays.Watering hole? In Providence, the Avery makes a great Manhattan. In Newport, whatever Geremie at Fluke recommends; any bar that stocks forty-six rums has my trust.Take-out? I love the pad kee mao and scallion pancakes from Tong-D. Their curries are fantastic and travel well.The Details: The Sunnyside, Warren, 247-1200; Nicks on Broadway, Providence, 421-0286; Bob and Timmy’s, Providence, 453-2221; Broadway Bistro, Providence, 331-2450; Al Forno, Providence, 273-9760; The Avery, Providence; Fluke, Newport, 849-7778; Tong-D, Barrington, 289-2998.For Champe Speidel’s recipe for risotto with lobster, visit rimonthly.com.

Jonathan CambraBoat House, tiverton

Ingredient obsession? Garlic, fresh from the gar-

den after it has dried for a few days. The flavor of the fresh, local garlic is so sweet and clean. Another favorite is Portuguese olive oil. Favorite food website? Farmfreshri.comis packed with information about what’s going on with the local farmers and what Farm Fresh is up to. They’re really helping move locally raised food to Rhode Island restaurants. Can’t-live-without kitchen tool? A fish spatula. It’s one of the tools of the trade that help you have a successful service, and it beats a giant grill spatula any day.Pantry staple? Hot sauce, Portuguese, of course, or Spanish. Always in your home fridge? Authentic chourico from Fall River, St. Jorge cheese from Portugal and Long Trail Pale Ale beer.Favorite place for lunch? The Beehive Cafe for a grass-fed Aquidneck Farm beef burger.A bite for dinner? DeWolf Tavern — lots of oysters and naan bread with spinach dip.Guilty pleasure? Any type of salty, cured pork, especially using locally raised hogs.Cheap eats? I’ve been going to Rod’s Grill for wieners since I was a kid with my mom and dad, and now I enjoy it with my chil-dren, Zoe and Cody.Last meal? Roasted beef tenderloin, au-tumn veggies, pickled Portuguese peppers.The Details: Green Eggs, Bristol, 253-3443; Beehive Cafe, Bristol, 396-9994; DeWolf Tavern, Bristol, 254-2005; Rod’s Grill, Warren, 245-9405; Cabral Gourmet Chicken, Bristol, 253-3913; Pastiche, Providence, 861-5190; Blount Clam Shack, Warren, 245-3210. For Jon Cambra’s recipe for New England seafood stew, visit rimonthly.com.

Beau Vestalnew rivers, Providence Favorite cookbook? Julia Child’s Mastering the Art of French Cooking; when I

need a jumping off point for a recipe for anything, Julia’s always a good place to start. Favorite food show? The old Marco Pierre White shows on YouTube because they really show him in his heyday and his ultimate drive to be the best. Plus, you get to see a baby-faced Gordon Ramsey, and he’s the one getting yelled at. Brilliant. Cheap eats? Don Gallo for chorizo >>

David ReynosoaL Forno, Providence

Favorite food blog or web-site? I like the Italian food

blog, CavolettodiBruxelles.it. The pictures are inspiring.Can’t-live-without kitchen tool? A boning knife. I love butchering. Favorite breakfast spot? I’m fussy about eggs because I raise chickens. The Lib-erty Elm Diner uses local eggs. I always order fried eggs with ham and home fries. Special-occasion spot? When I take my wife, Wendy, out to dinner we go to New Rivers or Persimmon. Though each res-taurant is very different, they are both in-



and tongue tacos and pineapple soda; La Arepa for roasted pork arepas. Always in your home fridge? Newman’s Limeade, loads of hot sauces and variet-ies of mustard. Favorite place for lunch? Nicks on Broadway for a burger on their home-made English muffin. I go almost every Wednesday and started an obsession with my cooks. Best burger in the city. Can’t-live-without kitchen tool? My six-inch Shun chef ’s knife because it’s my workhorse, and my left-handed fish spatula because it’s awesome to even find lefty tools, and I use it for every-thing.A bite for dinner? Ebisu for grilled skewers (we like the chicken skin, the asparagus and the green onion). Also, their gyoza is the best around. Take-out? Apsara Palace for noodles and nime chow; Not Just Snacks for samosas and biryani. Last meal? A medium-rare burger with bacon and ripe tomato, great salty fries and a freezing cold root beer.The Details: Bagel Gourmet, Providence, 453-5560; Nicks on Broadway, Providence, 421-0286; Ebisu, Providence, 270-7500; Nice Slice, Providence, 453-6423; Don Gallo, Prov-idence, 369-7477; La Arepa, Pawtucket, 335-3711; Apsara Palace, Providence, 831-4722; Not Just Snacks, Providence, 831-1150; Al Forno, Providence, 273-9760.For Beau Vestal’s recipe for roast chicken, visit rimonthly.com.

Matthew GennusocHez PascaL, Providence

Ingredient obsession? Qua-tre epices, a spice mixture

used widely in France. We use one that’s a mix of black pepper, clove, nutmeg and cinnamon. It’s a staple for our country-style pate, and it makes our cassoulet sing. Favorite cookbook? Right now, The Hun-dred Glories of French Cooking, by Robert Courtine. It’s great to look at those classic French recipes and adapt them to local ingredients in more modern times.Favorite food show? My wife, Kristin, turned me on to “The Two Fat Ladies” years ago. They seem to always use pork, and even though the shows are older, the food is local and seasonal. Plus the equip-ment — vintage stoves and cookware — is fascinating.Can’t-live-without kitchen tool? A sharp knife. My favorite is the Mac >>



everything on it. Don’t forget the baklava.Take-out? Tong Chinese Restaurant has the best General Tso’s chicken for eight bucks. Sometimes, if I’m lucky, it’s waiting for me when I get home from work.Favorite cookbook? I most often refer-ence the Flavor Bible by Karen Page and Andrew Dornenburg. They also wrote Culinary Artistry; it’s not really a cookbook but more of a guide for pairing flavors. It helps get the creative juices flowing.Place for great desserts? I had a carda-mom panna cotta at Tallulah on Thames that was so good it made my toes curl. The Details: Seaplane Diner, Providence, 941-9547; Hewtin’s Dogs Mobile, Providence, 421-4422; East Side Pockets, Providence, 453-1100; Taqueria El Taconazo, Providence, 437-8808; Tong Chinese Restaurant, War-wick, 941-3880; Tallulah on Thames, New-port, 849-2433.For Matthew Varga’s recipe for roasted brussels sprouts, visit rimonthly.com.

eight-inch Hollow Ground chef’s knife. I have an arsenal of knives I’ve been collect-ing since I started cooking. I revisit them every once in a while and they always bring back memories.A bite for dinner? We love Thee Red Fez; the grilled eleventeen spice wings are so spicy and fantastic. The fact that someone can make wings that good without deep-frying impresses me. Special-occasion spot? The food is great at Mamma Luisa — properly seasoned, clean and simple flavors. The atmosphere is so cozy, we always feel like we’ve gone far, far away.Watering hole? Doherty’s East Ave. is on the way home and they have eighty-plus beers on draught. Cheap eats? Not Just Snacks for samosas. They hit the spot without denting your wallet.The Details: Thee Red Fez, Providence, 272-1212; Mamma Luisa, Newport, 848-5257; Doherty’s East Ave., Pawtucket, 725-9520; Not Just Snacks, Providence, 831-1150; Gregg’s, Providence, 831-5700.For Matt Gennuso’s recipe for nougatine glace, visit rimonthly.com.

Matthew VargaGracie’s, Providence Can’t-live-without kitch-en tool? I’m obsessed with spoons. I have about 250:

one from Noma in Copenhagen, one from Eleven Madison Park in New York, one from Vetri in Philly, spoons that are an-tique, silver, coin, plated, slotted, big, small. I use them for tasting, stirring, plating and saucing.Ingredient obsession? For a while I was obsessed with mustard oil, used for mak-ing fruit mostarda. Always in your home fridge? In the freezer: Ben and Jerry’s Cherry Garcia ice cream. In the fridge: something pick-led, like ramps, eggplant or giardiniera.Favorite breakfast spot? When I was in college, I loved going with friends to the Seaplane Diner at like 4 a.m. Two eggs over easy, hash browns, bacon, toast and coffee for five bucks.Favorite place for lunch? Occasionally I treat my crew to lunch from Hewtin’s Dogs Mobile. I order one of everything and save the bacon-wrapped pork meatloaf with coleslaw and spicy fig compote for me. Late-night eats? East Side Pockets; I get the grilled chicken and falafel combo with

Jake RojastaLLuLaH on tHames, newPort

Favorite cookbook? Any-thing Thomas Keller. The

attention to detail, yet simplicity of his food, is so inspirational.Can’t-live-without kitchen tool? Gray Kunz plating spoons.Favorite food blog or website? Ideas in Food.Always in your home fridge? Vermont Creamery cultured butter.Pantry staple? Maldon sea salt.Ingredient obsession? Vinegar.Watering hole? The drinks at Fluke are always fresh and innovative; try a Daiquiri.Late-night eats? The beer selection at Pour Judgment is awesome. Southwest egg rolls and a burger with cheddar are my picks.Place for great desserts? Pastiche. Any-thing chocolate.Last meal? Pork belly with a triple order of house-made charcuterie at New Rivers, washed down with one of their many Bordeaux.The Details: Slice of Heaven, Jamestown, 423-9866; Matunuck Oyster Bar, East Matu-nuck, 783-4202; TSK, Newport, 846-9100; Res-taurant Bouchard, Newport, 846-0123; Beef Barn, North Smithfield, 762-9880; Fluke, New-port, 849-7778; Pour Judgment, Newport, 619-2115; Sunrise Restaurant, Middletown, 848-2252; Crazy Dough’s Pizza, Newport, 619-3343; Pas-tiche, Providence, 861-5190; New Rivers, Prov-idence, 751-0350. For Jake Rojas’s recipe for mustard-crust-ed pork loin, visit rimonthly.com.

102 RHODE ISLAND MONTHLY l DECEMBER 2011 RHODE ISLAND MONTHLY l DECEMBER 2011 103

chefs’ secrets - newport restaurant group .pdf · rhode island monthlyrhode island monthly...

Documents