HOLIDAY 2016
WE BELIEVE GOOD FOOD CREATES MEMORIES, ENHANCES MOMENTS, NURTURES THE SOUL AND BRINGS MORE LOVE INTO EVERYONE’S LIFE. OUR MISSION IS TO ENRICH YOUR LIFE WITH CULINARY ADVENTURES THROUGH OUR HAND-CULTIVATED, METICULOUSLY CURATED, DELICIOUS EXPERIENCES. COOK. LOVE. LIVE.
FOUNDER’S LETTER
CHEF’D 2.0
From the beginning, Chef’d has been the brand of choice for discerning home cooks. Since we opened our doors in 2014, our number-one priority has been you, our customer. We want you to be able to order what you want, when you want it. In the coming months, we’ll be rolling out new features that will allow us to get to know your tastes and preferences even better. You see, in addition to being your brand of choice, we also aim to be the brand that responds to your lifestyle needs so we can curate custom meal solutions for precisely what you want. We want to have a natural conversation with you so we can make better informed recommendations so your meal planning and preparation process is even more streamlined. With more than 300 meal options now, and an anticipated 1,000 to choose from by the end of 2017, our goal isn’t just to offer more choices, but to offer smarter recommendations for you. By opening an ongoing dialog with you, we’ll learn what’s happening in your kitchen so we can curate the exact content and meal choices you want. We want to help you enjoy more delicious, value-oriented, home-cooked meals with your loved ones than you do right now. We’ll help you hone in on those recipes that are perfectly suited to your cooking style and taste preferences. We’ll customize recommendations exclusively for you, as well as make reordering your favorite Chef’d recipes easier than ever. In the coming year we will be adding new partners focused on small curated brands, global street food trends, and even more industry experts (including more James Beard award winners). We’re also expanding our core offerings with more options for dessert and breakfast. No matter what you’re hungry for, we can give you a variety of options for your palate. Maybe you like to eat healthy during the week and splurge on the weekends. Or maybe you’re a fast-and-easy cook on the hunt for new ideas for 10-minute meals. With our new Chef’d website and app, premiering in early 2017, we’ll give you the tools to help you tailor your menus to your unique cooking and dining style. —Kyle Ransford Founder & CEO, Chef’d
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MAINS 12 16 20 24
SNACKS
Give Thanks with The New York Times Cooking Just Desserts with Sarah Michelle Gellar Nothing Fishy Here with Anderson Seafoods Rock ‘N’ Roll Chef Chris Santos
EDITORIAL BRAND PUBLISHER | Hannah Lee ART DIRECTOR | Angela Akers EDITOR | Anne M. Russell COPY EDITOR | Laura Watts CONTRIBUTORS Kremer Johnson, Ron Antonelli
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Winter Warm-Ups Meals to Entertain Family-Friendly Dishes Final Cut: 3 Home Cooks Try Chef’d
200 N. Sepulveda Blvd. Suite 110 El Segundo, CA 90245 Tel 310-376-7800 • Fax 310-376-0200 MoonTideMedia.com
Charles C. Koones MANAGING PARTNER Todd Klawin MANAGING PARTNER
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CULINARY SHOWDOWN On October 22, five top celebrity chefs—including Chef ’d partner Ben Ford—faced off against each other in a dramatic kitchen showdown at the Loews Hollywood Hotel. Hosted by actor John O’Hurley, the inaugural Susan G. Komen Culinary Showdown—sponsored in part by Chef ’d— benefits the Los Angeles County chapter of the breast cancer charity. Participants who raised $1,000 received a ticket to the event, and those who raised $2,500 or more had the opportunity to participate in Celebrity Chefs School prior to the Culinary Showdown. The 50 top fundraisers for this campaign had the honor of joining one of the competing chefs on stage and were part of that chef ’s team during the cook-off.
In addition to sponsoring the event, Chef’d is donating a portion of the proceeds from the sale of the three Culinary Showdown Meal Collection meal kits—now through May 31, 2017—to the Susan G. Komen Foundation. The Collection includes Ben Ford’s Flattened Chicken with Corn Succotash, as well as his PanRoasted Swordfish and Hanger Steak Salad.
Order now! Chefd.com/culinaryshowdown
JOHN O’HURLEY
Flattened Chicken with Corn Succotash
CHEF FORD
CHEF FALKNER
CHEF LOFASO
CHEF FLORENCE
CHEF VOLTAGGIO
Hanger Steak Salad
Pan-Roasted Swordfish
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INGREDIENT OF THE SEASON
SWEET POTATOES
Surprisingly, these delicious, fat-free, golden veggies (yes, potatoes are botanically classified as vegetables) are lower in calories than white potatoes. Eaten by itself—without its high-calorie associates of butter, brown sugar and marshmallows—a medium sweet potato only has about 100 calories.
Although sweet potatoes are sometimes labeled “yams,” true yams are a different vegetable entirely and are not commonly sold in American grocery stores. Both Louisiana and North Carolina claim the sweet potato as their official state vegetable.
Consumption of sweet potatoes in the U.S. has grown from an average of 4.2 pounds per person in 2000 to 7.1 pounds in 2011.
For the best results, choose firm, smooth-skinned specimens when you shop. Bright orange and paler yellow varieties of sweet potatoes are harvested from August to October but are available in markets all year, since they store well.
Sweet potatoes are nutritional powerhouses. They are packed with the antioxidant vitamins A and C and are the best low-fat source of vitamin E. They are high in fiber as well.
Instead of loading sweet potatoes with sugary condiments, try going the savory route with just a touch of flavored olive oil (it helps with nutrient absorption) and salt and pepper. Or go spicy with a dab of Sriracha and a splash of low-fat coconut milk.
For lots of great ideas, visit Chefd.com/sweetpotato.
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CHEF’D PEOPLE: MEET BEN CARIOU Benjamin Cariou is one of the newer members of the Chef ’d team. A veteran marketer with more than 15 years experience at places as varied as Skechers, Luxury Link Travel Group and OpenHouse, he serves as director of marketing and e-commerce at the El Segundo, Calif., headquarters of Chef ’d. In addition to his love of marketing, Ben is a passionate cook, husband, and father. We sat down with him to ask a few questions about his career and his culinary style.
You’ve overseen marketing for a number of different kinds of businesses. What do those jobs have in common?
I love getting people to discover new products and have a memorable experience while using them. I have a passion for e-commerce and online marketing, and I have loved all of my jobs. I am very proud to have worked at those companies.
Q:What has been your worst cooking disaster to date?
Q: Does your French heritage give you an advantage in the kitchen?
Ah, mais bien sûr! I come from a family of cooks. My grandmother, who was of French-Italian heritage, cooked every day of her life. She used to cook lunch for our entire family of 12 to 18 people every Sunday. I remember waking up on Sunday mornings with the amazing smell of homemade cooking. Q: How is e-commerce different from face-toface selling?
With e-commerce, you only have a few seconds to capture the interest of potential customers; they are only a click away from visiting your competitor’s website. Q: What’s your favorite Chef’d meal kit?
That’s a hard question—there are so many good ones! But one we tested recently, the Scallops with Wild Mushroom Risotto and Truffle Oil, is a current favorite.
Cheese soufflé! This is such a hard dish to make. Looked great in the oven, looked great when I took it out and a few seconds after … well, it looked like a quiche! Q: What’s your go-to meal for impressing guests?
Roasted leg of lamb with white beans and haricots vert. I make a paste with duck fat, rosemary, and garlic for the leg of lamb and cook it for a few hours. It’s delicious, easy-to-make, and always makes a great impression! Q: When you’re not in the office, what do you do for fun?
I have two young boys, 6 and 9, so I spend as much time as possible with them. I coach my oldest son’s soccer team. Sport rules most of our weekends—golf, soccer, skiing, biking, hiking. We go camping sometimes. Q: If you could travel anywhere, where would it be?
The next destination on our bucket list is Central America: Costa Rica or Nicaragua.
STRIKING A SWEET DEAL For those who enthusiastically follow the advice “Life is short—eat dessert first,” Chef ’d has exciting news! In September, Chef ’d and the Hershey Company struck a partnership deal to debut 10 dessert meal kits featuring Hershey’s Kitchens’ recipes and recipes from the artisan chocolate maker, Scharffen Berger. Each dessert kit generously serves eight, and choices include Scharffen Berger’s Flourless Chocolate Torte with Raspberry Sauce and Strawberries and Judith Ets-Hokin’s Chocolate Fondue. Hershey’s Kitchens’ options include No-Bake Toffee Fudge Bars and the classic Perfect Chocolate Chip Cookies.
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CHEF’D PARTNERS WITH ATKINS Chef ’d has joined forces with the biggest name in low-carb eating, Atkins Nutritionals, Inc., to deliver meal kits focused on protein, healthy fats, and fiber with fewer refined carbs and added sugars. In October, Chef ’d began the rollout of an Atkinsdesigned menu that includes 20 tasty, low-carb options. Three of the first available meals kits are Chimichurri Flank Steak and Cauliflower Mash, Chicken Picatta with Capers and Tomatoes, and Spicy Shrimp Diablo. Low-carb lifestyle fans have the option to order Atkins kits a la carte or as a convenient recurring meal plan on Chef ’d.
For lots of great ideas, visit Chefd.com/atkins.
GO-TO GADGET
TAKING THE TEMPERATURE At holiday meal time, an all-purpose kitchen thermometer or specialized meat thermometer is your best ally. Especially on a day when you’re making multiple dishes, and possibly ones not in your regular rotation, it’s great to have a thermometer to ensure you get every dish on the table—including your prized turkey—perfectly cooked. Javier Crespo, head of the Chef ’d test kitchen and food research and development, says, “I can’t overstate the importance of meat thermometers. A lot of people use the old press-the-meat-and-guess-the-doneness technique, and that works pretty well when cooking some meats. But it’s nowhere near as accurate as a good digital, instantread thermometer.” Myron Mixon, four-time world BBQ champion and a Chef ’d featured partner, concurs. In our last issue, Mixon named a meat thermometer as his number-one tool for turning out perfect BBQ. If you’re still using an old dial-type probe, it’s time to replace it, advises Crespo. The newer digital models give you easier, faster, more accurate readings of meat’s internal temperature. Professionally Crespo uses the super-fast Thermapen from ThermoWorks ($99, shown here) but says that home cooks may want to opt for something less expensive, like the ThermoWorks ThermoPop ($29) or the Lavatools Javelin ($28). “They are all great investments,” he notes.
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EYES ON THE PIES Javier Crespo oversees the Chef ’d test kitchens at the company headquarters in El Segundo, Calif. A professionally trained chef who graduated from Le Cordon Bleu Culinary School, Crespo ensures the company’s meal kits are delicious and easy to cook. We asked his expert advice about venturing into the world of from-scratch pie baking for the holidays.
What’s the most common newbie mistake when it comes to making pie dough?
A lot of people overwork their dough or don’t use cold ingredients when putting it together. If it has a uniform appearance like bread dough, it’s been overworked. With pie dough, unlike with bread, you don’t want to create gluten. You want the dough to be at a point that you can squeeze it together and it will hold but where it isn’t sticky or wet. There should be very obvious pieces of butter dispersed within the dough. Q: A lot of novice bakers are intimidated by making lattice crusts. Is there an easier way to top a fruit pie that still delivers a “wow” factor?
I think any homemade pie already carries a “wow” factor. But if a lattice crust seems too difficult, a new and impressive trend is polka dots. Simply roll out your top crust and punch holes using round cookie cutters. Then place that dough (with holes in it) on top as usual. If all else fails, just skip the top crust and dust the pie with powdered sugar or a dollop of whipped cream right before serving. Q: Is there a chef’s trick or secret ingredient you can share for guaranteeing a perfect crust?
A secret ingredient for ensuring a perfect pie crust is vodka or another strong alcohol. Alcohol will help inhibit the development of gluten, and it bakes out of the dough. Replacing a good amount of the water
in the recipe with vodka will give you a better chance at a flaky crust. Another trick is to let the pie dough rest in the fridge for a day. A lot of recipes will call for 30 to 60 minutes in the fridge before rolling, but I’ve found that a day really allows the flour to hydrate fully and makes the dough more easily workable. Q: What’s the best choice for a pie pan: aluminum or glass?
Sturdy tempered glass pans seem to work best, as they heat evenly and quickly enough to cook the bottom crust of a filled pie before the butter has a chance to fully melt away. Ceramic pie dishes, while generally pretty to look at, don’t always produce very good pie crusts. They are too slow to heat up, and you can end up with a bottom crust that’s compressed and dense. If you plan on giving away the pie, you can use a disposable aluminum pan—but they generally produce the worst results. Placing the pan on a preheated baking sheet helps a bit with getting a nice bottom crust. Q: Is it possible to make a gluten-free pie that will please everyone?
It’s totally possible! Most gluten-free pie crust recipes include xanthan gum, which helps give the dough some elasticity and strength so that it’s easier to work with. Without the xanthan gum or some similar stabilizer, you’ll end up with a crust that falls apart and is crumbly instead of flaky.
WIN FREE MEALS FROM CHEF’D! Show us your Chef ’d culinary masterpiece, and you could win TWO 2-serving meals of your choice on us! Just snap a photo of what you prepared from your Chef ’d delivery before digging in and post it to Instagram with the hashtag #GetChefd. We pick a winner every month!
This month’s winner is Lorig (@candiedpumpkin), who whipped up our gorgeous Ocean Trout with Cippolini Onions, Maple-Roasted Parsnips and Apple Celery Root Salad.
Use the hashtag #GetChefd to win each month!
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NO WASTE, NO WAY! Chef ’d believes in giving their customers the power of choice. With over 300 meal options always available on www.chefd.com, plus exclusive holiday offerings like Easter Feasts and Thanksgiving, not to mention meal plans with lifestyle brands like Weight Watchers and Atkins, the shelves of the Chef ’d warehouse are always packed with a wide variety of fresh, pre-portioned ingredients ready to ship to customers. But, when food doesn’t make it into a Chef ’d meal kit, you might wonder whether or not that food goes to waste. Not to worry! While the holidays are a great time to give back to those less fortunate, Chef ’d believes in donating to the hungry year-round. The fresh produce and other food that doesn’t get used in meal kits ends up benefiting people in need all over Los Angeles. Chef ’d donates the bulk of the unused food to Food Pantry, LAX, which is in Inglewood, Calif., near the Chef ’d El
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Segundo headquarters. Other Chef ’d donation recipients include House of Hope, AIDS Project Los Angeles, Valley Restart Shelter, and RescueA-Life Foundation. On average, Chef ’d donates two shipping pallets of food a month, which is about 3,000 pounds of fresh, high-quality produce. During the holiday season, this food can make the difference between a family getting to enjoy a Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner or having nothing on the table. Chef ’d founder Kyle Ransford says, “Chef ’d would never want to be known as the they in ‘why would they do that?’” regarding perfectly good food being thrown out. “Although donating the food costs more than throwing it away, we’re committed to doing our part, especially for those that would otherwise go hungry tonight.”
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Give Thanks with The New York Times The editor and founder of an enormously popular cooking source at The New York Times shares his thoughts on the many ways you can do Thanksgiving right.
S
am Sifton revels in Thanksgiving. As the food editor of The New York Times and the founding editor of The New York Times Cooking recipe resource and tool, Sifton gets to indulge both personally and professionally. There is no doubt Sifton’s heart belongs to November. “Thanksgiving, to me, is the greatest American holiday— our holiest secular holiday,” he says. Yet many people stress out about the prospect of preparing the holiday meal. Will everything be good enough? Will people like the menu? Self-criticism is a holiday tradition few of us want to celebrate, and yet far too many of us do.
CHEF’D TO THE RESCUE
WRITTEN BY SEÀNAN FORBES
One of his primary reasons for creating Chef ’d, says founder and CEO Kyle Ransford, was to take that pressure out of people’s kitchens. “We look for different ways to make holidays easier,” he says. “Our mission statement is to cultivate and curate experiences of love through food.” With the partnership of Chef ’d and The New York Times Cooking, making your Thanksgiving memorable—in a good way—can be uncomplicated and delicious. “It’s remarkable to me to see the extent to which Americans embrace this holiday,” Sifton says, from the perspective of one who’s spent years reporting on Thanksgiving, “both as a way of sharing traditions—the classic Norman Rockwell tableau of the bird and the side dishes—but also to create new traditions … immigrant traditions.” Yes, that Rockwell classic is in the Chef ’d Thanksgiving menu: a classic roasted turkey with gravy, green bean casserole, roasted brussels sprouts with garlic, creamed corn, and traditional sweet potatoes. You have Sifton to thank for that. But times have changed, and the Times has changed with them. If yours is a household of one or two and you don’t feel like living on leftover turkey for two weeks—or if you simply fancy something more unusual than the traditional big bird—then Chef ’d and Sifton have a recipe for Roasted Cornish Game Hens with Pan Sauce. Made with rosemary, garlic, honey, wine, and butter, this recipe will satisfy small gatherings with large appetites for flavor.
NEW TRADITIONS MEET OLD
If you want to put your own spin on a classic, go ahead. This is an opportunity for experimentation—for trying what
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Sifton terms “pre-traditions.” Sifton, as the voice of encouragement, says, “You can build a meal out of the traditions you have and out of the traditions that you want to try out. And if it works, maybe your grandchildren will be talking about those maple candied sweet potatoes that you didn’t have until the Thanksgiving of 2016.” (If the sweet potatoes sound like a tasty addition, Chef ’d can provide.) “From the very beginning,” Sifton continues, “Thanksgiving has been about personal traditions and new traditions.” Yes, Chef ’d has a pecan pie recipe for your Thanksgiving, but it’s chocolate pecan. The pumpkin pie looks just like you’d expect, but a surprise ingredient is brandy, adding a new twist. With its sugar-and-spice familiarity, Sifton’s apple pie recipe would make Norman Rockwell smile.
A PLACE AT THE TABLE
As family connections grow and change and new guests arrive at the table, so do new spices, textures, and cultures. For a household with Jamaican origins, for example, Sifton speculates: “There might be jerk marinade on the turkey, or rice and peas on the table in addition to the other sides.” Immigrant traditions come in new and old. As Sifton points out, that in itself is a national tradition. “The presence of cranberry sauce on the table is a direct line to the fruit chutneys of Britain.” Regional ingredients are often featured in holiday dishes—no longer by necessity but by choice. “The taste of an Alabama Thanksgiving is very different from the taste of an Oregon Thanksgiving, or a Washington State Thanksgiving, where maybe there’s salmon on the table.” Sifton sounds as if he were tasting each region—and liking it. “I love how multicultural this nation is and how that shows itself on Thanksgiving Day.” With meal kits from Chef ’d and The New York Times Cooking, you can make your Thanksgiving culinary experience both easy (although your in-laws don’t need to know that) and personal. You can also fill in gaps … little things, like a salad worthy of attention. With sweet apple, sharp cheddar and earthy kale, Sifton’s salad will hold its own—filling vegetarians and omnivores with holiday contentment. Order what you need—or what makes your mouth water—and fill in the spaces with what you and yours know and love. Trust your instincts. “If it’s delicious to someone,” Sifton says with warmth and honesty, “then it has a place on the table.”
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MAINS
HERB-ROASTED TURKEY
ROASTED CORNISH GAME HENS
with Pan Gravy
55 MIN
with Pan Sauce
12-15 LBS $79
60 MIN
DINNER FOR 8 $59
DESSERTS
CHOCOLATE PECAN PIE
1.5 HRS
14
DESSERT FOR 8 $39
APPLE PIE
2 HRS
DESSERT FOR 8 $25
BRANDIED PUMPKIN PIE
2 HRS
DESSERT FOR 8 $25
BRIOCHE STUFFING
ROASTED BRUSSELS SPROUTS
with Mushrooms and Bacon 1.5 HRS
DINNER FOR 8 $14
DINNER FOR 8 $22
MAPLE CANDIED SWEET POTATOES 60 MIN
DINNER FOR 8 $19
GREEN BEAN CASSEROLE
60 MIN
DINNER FOR 8 $37
DINNER FOR 8 $18
CLASSIC MASHED POTATOES 45 MIN
DINNER FOR 8 $18
KALE SALAD
with Apples and Cheddar
30 MIN
DINNER FOR 8 $19
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CREAMED CORN
45 MIN
45 MIN
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45 MIN
with Garlic
DINNER FOR 8 $29
CLASSIC CRANBERRY SAUCE
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SIDES
Sarah Michelle Gellar wants to stir up the traditional home-baking biz with her new kits for making fun, kid-friendly treats.
est known for her long run on the TV series as teen heroine Buffy the Vampire Slayer (1997–2003), actress Sarah Michelle Gellar, 39, now seeks to bring new life to the home-baking industry with her new venture, the cooking and lifestyle e-commerce brand Foodstirs. Last October, she joined with two partners—former public relations executive Galit Laibow and ex-Martha Stewart Living editor Gia Russo—to launch kits and mixes for making organic, non-GMO, fair-trade, “Pinterest-worthy” desserts. Like Gellar, the other two women are mothers of young children. “Our children were initially the inspiration,” says Gellar. “For children, being in the kitchen is a learning experience. It’s math, it’s science, it’s vocabulary, it’s gross motor skills, it’s confidence-building. We wanted them to enjoy the food and the process.” Based in Santa Monica at the start-up accelerator workspace MuckerLabs, Foodstirs recently signed a distribution deal with Chef ’d. Chef ’d will offer four of the company’s dessert kits: Carrot Cake Hearts, Lemon Chia Cupcakes, Rosemary Olive Oil Cake, and Snickerdoodles. Chef ’d founder and CEO Kyle Ransford is thrilled with the partnership. “It is extremely exciting to include Foodstirs in our platform,” he says. “Many of our customers are interested in baking, and what Sarah has put together in a short amount of time exemplifies what a talented entrepreneur she is.” Gellar acknowledges that launching a business while going up against long-established brands can be demanding. “Every day is a surprise when you’re venturing into new territory,” she says. “You’re trying to change a system that’s a little bit antiquated. That’s what makes it fun; that’s what makes it challenging and worthwhile.”
WRITTEN BY ANNE M. RUSSELL
Sarah Michelle Gellar’s two children, Rocky James and Charlotte, were the inspiration for her fun new Foodstirs dessert kits and mixes.
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Gellar (right) joined two friends and fellow moms, Galit Laibow (left) and Gia Russo (center) to launch the Foodstirs brand in October 2015.
FROM SCREEN TO START-UP
Post-Buffy, Gellar appeared in a number of films, including I Know What You Did Last Summer, Cruel Intentions, and the two Scooby-Doo films. She returned to TV briefly to co-star with Robin Williams on the comedy The Crazy Ones in 2013. She met her husband, actor Freddie Prinze Jr., on the set of I Know What You Did in 1997. They began dating a few years later and married in 2002. They have a daughter, Charlotte, 7, and a son, Rocky James, 4. (Prinze himself has formal culinary training—his cookbook Back to the Kitchen: 75 Delicious, Real Recipes (& True Stories) from a Food-Obsessed Actor came out in June 2016. But he isn’t officially involved in Foodstirs.) Their daughter was instrumental in Gellar meeting her future Foodstirs partners, since they got acquainted through Charlotte’s school. A discussion there led to the idea for healthier baking mixes and kits since Laibow, Russo and Gellar all agreed they had trouble finding mixes for home baking that didn’t have a lot of chemical additives. Gellar believes that photo-driven social media like Instagram and Pinterest has put a new focus on “inspirational and aspirational food crafting.” Foodstirs’ kits emphasize cute, photogenic desserts like brownie pops and cupcake cones. But the recipes, developed and tested by
Foodstirs’ own chef, are designed to be easy—with six steps or fewer— and to taste homemade. Although Foodstirs’ initial emphasis was on families enjoying the experience of baking together, Gellar says the food-crafting market is bigger than that. “Foodstirs is really for anybody who wants a dessert with quality ingredients,” she notes. “Young or old, anyone can do it. We’ve taken the fear out of it. We’ve tried to make it as foolproof as possible.”
CHARITY BEGINS AT HOME
Gellar has a long track record of philanthropic work, including building homes with Habitat for Humanity, serving as a spokeswoman for No Kid Hungry, and hosting multimillion-dollar fundraisers in 2014 and 2015 for Los Angeles’ Mattel Children’s Hospital UCLA. She says she wants to pass the importance of advocacy down to her children and, of course, reflect those values in Foodstirs, where a portion of the company’s sales of certain products are donated to various charities. “Charitable work is something that’s always been influential in my own life,” says Gellar. “It’s something that we feel is very important as a company culture.”
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LEMON CHIA CUPCAKES
60 MIN
DESSERT FOR 8 $35
DESSERT FOR 8 $28
SNICKERDOODLES
45 MIN
DESSERT FOR 8 $22
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ROSEMARY OLIVE OIL CAKE
60 MIN
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45 MIN
DESSERT FOR 8 $27
CARROT CAKE HEARTS
Nothing Fishy Here
Anderson Seafoods focuses on delivering fresh, safe, and sustainable ocean products from around the world to customers like Chef’d.
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WRITTEN BY ANNE M. RUSSELL | PHOTOGRAPHED BY KREMER JOHNSON
“
We are very traditional in that we deal directly with fishermen,” says Josh Anderson, 31, a member of the third generation of Andersons at the 37-year-old Anderson Seafoods in Anaheim, California. “Our business is unique in that respect. We have a very nostalgic story in a 21st century time: We’re the last industry that still hunts for food.” He is pleased, for example, that his family’s processing-and-distribution company has done business every year since its start with the same source, Clear Springs Foods, for its supply of rainbow trout. Founded in 1979 in Orange County, California, by Dennis Anderson, Anderson Seafoods supplies 21 different fish and shellfish items for Chef ’d meal kits in the Western region, including Ben Ford’s Pan Roasted Swordfish and Chris Santos’ BBQ Sushi Tuna Satays, as well as his Wasabi Pea Crusted Salmon. Anderson worked closely with Chef ’d to develop unique vacuum packaging for the seafood destined for the meal kits, Josh Anderson says. “It was unlike anything we’d done in the past, but we’re used to doing custom work for our customers,” he explains.Using its own fleet of refrigerated vans and trucks, the company delivers six days a week to a wide range of clients—from small, exclusive restaurants and hotels, to large and small groceries in Arizona, California, and Nevada. In addition, they custom-ship a limited number of orders nationwide. Anderson has more than 1,000 SKUs to identify the fish, shellfish, and seaweed products they stock. “Just one shrimp can have eight different SKUs for ways you can buy it,” says Josh—meaning raw, cooked, tail on, tail off, etc. Josh says the company works with about 50 regular suppliers and 30 spot suppliers who deal in seasonal catch. Fresh wild salmon from
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Alaska’s Copper River is available a mere three weeks a year. Atlantic salmon is Anderson’s most popular fish, while shrimp is the best-selling shellfish carried by the company. But they also handle more obscure offerings, like alligator tail, frogs’ legs, and live sea urchins. And because poke bars are a hot trend, demand for the fish and seaweed used in poke bowls has exploded, Josh says. The Hawaiian seaweed known as “ogo” is their current big seller. (“Limu,” which you will see mentioned in poke recipes, is Hawaiian for any edible sea vegetable.)
ON THE LINE
On the processing floor at Anderson’s 10,000-square-foot facility in Anaheim, it’s a pleasant surprise to discover the 37º work area smells fresh and ocean-y—not fishy. It doesn’t smell like chemicals, either, because they don’t use them. Anderson uses a cutting-edge ozone water purification system to kill any bacteria, viruses, mold, or algae that might be present. Anderson’s fresh-fish processing area operates seven days a week, and most of the work takes place at night—with a large crew of skilled fish cutters working 10 p.m. to 8:30 a.m. and another smaller crew operating 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. The delivery trucks start rolling out at 11 p.m., with a target delivery time to customers of 6 a.m. Including its drivers, Anderson has more than 100 employees. Josh is understandably proud to show off the company’s high standards of hygiene, since compliance with the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Seafood Inspection Program is voluntary, and fewer than 2% of seafood handlers choose to do so. Anderson invests a hefty $250,000 annually for the USDC to monitor and ensure the safety of every shipment coming in and out of their plant.
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HOLIDAY SEAFOOD TRADITIONS Turkey may rule the roost in most American homes as the main dish to celebrate the winter holidays, but some families—both in the U.S. and abroad—welcome seafood dishes as the star of the season. Here are a few of those traditions:
BACALHAU COM NATAS
The three generations of Anderson Seafoods (left to right): Josh Anderson and his grandfather Dennis, his father Todd, and VP of sales Carl Oliphant, who has been with the company 24 years.
The Portuguese have long favored codfish, and the winter holidays are no exception. This delicious traditional Christmas dish combines potatoes and onions baked crispy with cream (natas), cheese, and salted cod.
CIOPPINO Every step of the process is tracked and logged, ensuring that the 33º storage temperature doesn’t vary. All fish come in whole and are cut only when orders are received. Although “from boat to throat” isn’t nearly as appealing a slogan as “from farm to fork,” the USDC inspection process guarantees that seafood is traceable all the way from the ocean to the dining table. “We source responsibly,” says Josh. “We know the method of harvest, who harvested, how, and when. We know the effect it had on the ecosystem, and if we don’t like it we won’t source from that area.”
This savory fish stew hails from Northern California’s wharfs, created by San Francisco’s Italian immigrant cooks. It contains an improvised mélange of fish and shellfish in a broth of crushed tomato, white wine, and garlic, of course. (If you want to start a new cioppino holiday tradition the easy way, try Chef’d’s Cioppino meal kit from The James Beard Foundation.)
GUMBO
Like cioppino, exactly what goes into gumbo is at the will of the chef, but this robust Cajun stew is likely to contain oysters, crab or shrimp, along with okra and roux. It is served with rice on Christmas Eve.
MTUZI WA SAMAKI
For African-Americans who celebrate Kwanzaa, the holiday is an opportunity to enjoy traditional African dishes such as this coastal East African coconut curry with fish. Influenced by trade with India, this aromatic curry originated on the island of Zanzibar and can include any kind of fish filet or shrimp.
OYSTER STEW
Left: Anderson Seafoods worked directly with Chef’d to create packaging for the company’s meal kits. Right: Expert fish cutter Andres Hernandez at work in the chilled processing room, where he slices fresh filets and steaks as orders are received.
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This American Christmas Eve tradition may have originated with East Coast Irish immigrants. The rich, buttery stew is fragrant and satisfying, especially when served with Irish soda bread.
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JUMBO SCALLOPS
35 MIN
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DINNER FOR 2 $39
DINNER FOR 4 $72
with Dashi Broth
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30 MIN
DINNER FOR 2 $39
with Jasmine Rice and Avocado
45 MIN
SPICE LEVEL
DINNER FOR 2 $33
DINNER FOR 4 $52
MAPLE GLAZED SALMON with Fresh Corn Quinoa and Spinach
SPICE LEVEL
DINNER FOR 4 $75
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25 MIN
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DINNER FOR 2 $32
DINNER FOR 4 $58
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MISO GLAZED SEA BASS
SEARED AHI TUNA POKE ORDER NOW AT CHEFD.COM/HOLIDAY2016
with Wild Mushroom Risotto and Truffle Oil
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Chris Santos is a heavy metal-loving celebrity chef, boxing fan, and TV star who can’t stop opening award-winning restaurants.
WRITTEN BY ANNE M. RUSSELL | PHOTOGRAPHED RON ANTONELLI
ou may not be able to get a seat easily at any of Chef Chris Santos’ three extremely popular restaurants on New York’s Lower East Side, but you can cook one of his genre-blending recipes any time you want—thanks to his collaboration with Chef ’d. His meal kit collection boasts five recipes, including Pan Roasted Hanger Steak with Tomato Panzanella and Blue Cheese and Ancho Caramel Glazed Pork Tenderloin. As a hot sauce aficionado, Santos, 45, frequently includes a peppery surprise in his menus and recipes. In fact, when asked what spice he’d be if he were reincarnated as such, he said he’d be a ghost pepper—the notoriously fiery Indian chile also known as bhut jolokia. It’s an apt pick, given his track record of rolling out super-hot eateries like Beauty & Essex. Its first location opened on New York City’s Lower East Side in 2010 and its second location debuted this year inside Las Vegas’s hip Cosmopolitan hotel. He’s currently working on a third Beauty & Essex in Los Angeles, with an opening date later this year. Santos’ first big restaurant success came in 2005, when he joined with two partners to launch The Stanton Social on New York’s Lower East Side. It focuses on “experiential communal dining,” or the social aspect of eating together and sharing food. Santos encourages home cooks to follow his formula. “There’s nothing like going out to eat with a group of friends and family and ordering a ton of dishes to try little bits of,” he says. “It brings a sense of camaraderie that can be easily replicated at home.”
Santos is a graduate of Providence, Rhode Island’s Johnson & Wales culinary arts school, where he also studied hospitality—a discipline he puts to good use at his venues, which are known for their high-energy ambience. He opened his newest Bowery-area restaurant, Vandal, in partnership with the TAO group in January. It is decorated with street art murals and sculptures, and features a bar and lounge with a DJ. Guests enter Vandal through Ovando, an upscale florist shop. The menu is typical Santos, with multicultural small plates meant for sharing. The focus here is on elevated street food, with a New York Hot Pretzel Steak Tartar and Spicy Korean Rice Cakes as representative fare.
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Early in his career, Santos spent a year traveling in Europe, and he continues to be fascinated with international cuisine. He recently visited Southeast Asia, which he says was a somewhat humbling experience. “I learned how little I know about food! One of the amazing things about being a chef is that there’s always room for discovery,” he says. “There are always opportunities for knowledge and inspiration. Southeast Asia provided all these things—many times over—often within the same block!” The tattoo-covered Santos, who says he would be a boxer if he weren’t a chef, is generally a pretty tough guy. But he does admit to an intense spider phobia. With edible insects looming as the next hot culinary trend, Santos says, “I would eat insects, yes. I would not, however, eat a spider. In Cambodia deep-fried tarantulas are a traditional roadside snack. There is just no way I would eat that; it’s a terrifying thought.”
Besides his new record label Blacklight Media, Santos has also launched his own hot sauce, Rattler BBQ Sauce, that’s sold at his restaurants and will soon be available on his website. He has a cookbook coming out in February 2017 (Share: Delicious and Surprising Recipes to Pass Around Your Table) and is continuing into a seventh year as a judge on the Food Network cook-off show Chopped. In spite of being extremely busy with new venues and ventures, Santos still finds time for philanthropy, contributing to City Harvest, The Bowery Mission, and Whole World Water. “The charities I am a major part of are all ones where I can really take action and be involved with, in regards to the restaurants especially,” he says.
CHRIS SANTOS’ SPECIAL HOLIDAY COCKTAIL Nothing says “autumn” more distinctly than apple cider, and nothing says “fun” better than Jägermeister—the popular, botanically flavored German liqueur. Here, celebrity chef Chris Santos, managing partner of Beauty & Essex in New York City and Las Vegas, and a featured Chef’d partner, shares his fragrant, flavorful recipe for an apple cider cocktail with a bite.
Jäger Spiked Hot Apple Cider Serves 4
Place apple cider, orange juice, cinnamon stick, cloves, and star anise in a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and allow mixture to simmer for 5 to 10 minutes. Add Jägermeister, strain out spices and serve warm in 4 highball glasses. Garnish each with a slice of orange or orange peel, and a cinnamon stick.
6 shots Jägermeister 4 cups apple cider 1 cinnamon stick (5 needed if used for garnish) 1 shot orange juice (whole orange needed if used for garnish) 3 whole cloves 844-552-4333 26 1 star anise
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with Soba Noodle Beet Salad and Asian Pesto
45 MIN
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DINNER FOR 2 $36
DINNER FOR 4 $56
with Tomato Panzanella and Blue Cheese
30 MIN
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DINNER FOR 2 $36
DINNER FOR 4 $58
with Mango
40 MIN
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DINNER FOR 2 $33
DINNER FOR 4 $61
THE ULTIMATE CHARRED BURGER
with Baked Sweet Potato Fries
SKILL LEVEL
60 MIN
SPICE LEVEL
DINNER FOR 4 $49
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PAN ROASTED HANGER STEAK
BBQ SUSHI TUNA SATAYS
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WASABI PEA CRUSTED SALMON
WINTER WARM-UPS Warm up with the flavors of fall—from apples and squash to stews and other classic comfort foods.
SAUSAGE RAGÙ 60 MIN
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ANCHO BEEF AND BULGUR CHILI
45 MIN
SKILL LEVEL
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DINNER FOR 2 $27
DINNER FOR 4 $35
APPLE GLAZED PORK CHOPS
with Pecan Lentil Rice Duo
SKILL LEVEL
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DINNER FOR 2 $28
DINNER FOR 4 $39
BUTTERNUT SQUASH SOUP
50 MIN
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DINNER FOR 2 $30
DINNER FOR 4 $49
CIOPPINO
with Pumpkin Seeds
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35 MIN
28
DINNER FOR 2 $26
SPICE LEVEL
DINNER FOR 4 $42
60 MIN
SKILL LEVEL
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DINNER FOR 2 $38
DINNER FOR 4 $66
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HONEY MUSTARD CHICKEN
NEW ENGLAND CLAM CHOWDER
with Roasted Vegetables
45 MIN
with Sourdough Bread Bowls
SKILL LEVEL
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DINNER FOR 2 $27
DINNER FOR 4 $36
TURKEY AND PROSCIUTTO
35 MIN
SPICE LEVEL
DINNER FOR 2 $32
DINNER FOR 4 $57
MOM’S FABULOUS CHICKEN POT PIE with Biscuit Crust
DINNER FOR 4 $53
With Crimini Mushrooms
45 MIN
SKILL LEVEL
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DINNER FOR 2 $24
DINNER FOR 4 $39
SKILL LEVEL
1.5 HRS
SPICE LEVEL
DINNER FOR 4 $38
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DINNER FOR 2 $29
LOW MAINTENANCE RISOTTO
with Port Wine Glaze and Asparagus SKILL LEVEL
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45 MIN
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MEALS TO ENTERTAIN Impress your guests—and enjoy your own party— with these recipes that won’t leave you hidden away in the kitchen.
VEAL BOLOGNESE
with Ricotta Garlic Toasts
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CARNE ASADA PLATTER
40 MIN
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DINNER FOR 2 $34
DINNER FOR 4 $55
40 CLOVES GARLIC CHICKEN
with Purple Smashed Potatoes and Spinach
40 MIN
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DINNER FOR 4 $45
DINNER FOR 8 $66
45 MIN
SKILL LEVEL
SPICE LEVEL
DINNER FOR 2 $29
DINNER FOR 4 $43
ANCHO CARAMEL GLAZED PORK TENDERLOIN
AHI POKE
and Asian Pear with Avocado and Cucumber Slaw
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with BBQ Black Beans and Onion Crisps
30 MIN
30
SKILL LEVEL
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DINNER FOR 2 $37
DINNER FOR 4 $67
55 MIN
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DINNER FOR 2 $34
DINNER FOR 4 $55
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BEEF BOURGUIGNON
4-HOUR PULLED PORK TACOS
with Mashed Potatoes and Herbed Green Beans
50 MIN
with Pickled Onions and Guacamole
SKILL LEVEL
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DINNER FOR 2 $29
DINNER FOR 4 $44
SKILL LEVEL
4 HRS
SCALLOPS AND APPLE GASTRIQUE
and Sweet Potato Croquettes
60 MIN
SKILL LEVEL
SPICE LEVEL
DINNER FOR 2 $36
DINNER FOR 4 $66
60 MIN
GINGERY POT STICKERS with Cooling Cucumber Salad and Ginger Tamari Dipping Sauce
30 MIN
SKILL LEVEL
SPICE LEVEL
DINNER FOR 2 $33
DINNER FOR 4 $55
SKILL LEVEL
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DINNER FOR 2 $32
DINNER FOR 4 $49
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18 TACOS $50
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MINT LAMB CHOPS
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FAMILYFRIENDLY DISHES
Keep the entire family satisfied with these quick and easy (and tasty!) recipes that even the pickiest of little diners will love.
WHITE PIZZA WITH BROCCOLI AND MUSHROOMS
with Arugula Salad and Lemon Mint Vinaigrette
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ARROZ CON POLLO
50 MIN
SKILL LEVEL
SPICE LEVEL
DINNER FOR 2 $33
DINNER FOR 4 $51
BAKED FISH AND CHIPS
and Plantain Chips
with Tartar Sauce SKILL LEVEL
60 MIN
DINNER FOR 2 $30
SPICE LEVEL
DINNER FOR 4 $48
FRIED HERBED CHICKEN 844-552-4333
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SPICE LEVEL
DINNER FOR 2 $29
DINNER FOR 4 $46
HOISIN PORK TENDERLOIN
with Apple-Cabbage Coleslaw
45 MIN
45 MIN
SKILL LEVEL
with Avocado Mango Salad
SKILL LEVEL
SPICE LEVEL
DINNER FOR 2 $31
DINNER FOR 4 $42
30 MIN
SKILL LEVEL
SPICE LEVEL
DINNER FOR 2 $28
DINNER FOR 4 $48
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ITALIAN TURKEY MEATBALLS
MONGOLIAN BEEF
with Green Beans and Jasmine Rice
with Roasted Asparagus
40 MIN
SKILL LEVEL
SPICE LEVEL
DINNER FOR 2 $32
DINNER FOR 4 $59
30 MIN
SPICE LEVEL
DINNER FOR 2 $35
DINNER FOR 4 $58
THREE-CUP CHICKEN with Jasmine Rice
with Italian Turkey Sausage
35 MIN
SKILL LEVEL
SPICE LEVEL
DINNER FOR 2 $25
DINNER FOR 4 $35
WEEKNIGHT CHICKEN PAD THAI
30 MIN
SPICE LEVEL
DINNER FOR 2 $31
DINNER FOR 4 $44
SKILL LEVEL
SPICE LEVEL
DINNER FOR 2 $25
DINNER FOR 4 $37
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40 MIN
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ONE PAN ORECCHIETTE PASTA
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FINAL CUT
Whether you’re a beginner or an expert—or anything in between— in the kitchen we’ve got options for you. Feel free to stay in your comfort zone or challenge yourself with a more difficult skill set. Need some inspiration? Take a look at what three real-life Chef’d customers had to say about the recent meals they tried and loved!
EASY INTERMEDIATE DIFFICULT
“The meal was everything we hoped for and more! The flavors were outof-this-world—not too overbearing with garlic like one would think. It was just the right amount.”
KELLINA
Instagram: @kavnet Experience: Intermediate Dish: 40 Cloves Garlic Chicken Difficulty Level: Price: Dinner for 2 for $29 Est. Cooking Time: 45 min. Who do you usually cook for? “I typically cook for me and my husband, or friends when I’m having a dinner party.”
“This was my first foray into making a risotto. I was grateful for having all the ingredients and steps ready to go so I could focus on the task at hand—always stirring the rice. I modified the recipe slightly by adding lemon juice while finishing the dish, and also by loading it up with extra butter.”
BRIAN
Instagram: @Joncurry6 Experience: Beginner Dish: Jumbo Scallops Difficulty Level: Price: Dinner for 2 for $39 Est. Cooking Time: 45 min.
Who do you usually cook for? “I usually just cook for myself or for my roommate, who is a professional chef.”
“The meal was absolutely delicious! For a house full of athletes, we loved this option. It had just enough arugula and Italian turkey sausage to make it a healthier option, along with some good old carbs as well. Super easy to make— I did it with my 14-year-old’s assistance too.”
TASHA
Instagram: @thebdmethod Experience: Beginner Dish: One Pan Orecchiette Pasta Difficulty Level: Price: Dinner for 2 for $25 Est. Cooking Time: 35 min. Who do you usually cook for? “I cook most nights for myself and my three daughters while my husband is currently overseas. We are a busy family, so having Chef’d has made the cooking realistic for me!”
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