Devour Utah May 2018

VOL. 4 NO. 5 • MAY 2018 • CHEF FREE COPY

COCKTAILS FOR MOM P. 56 SPRING SALAD P. 42

THE

ISSUE

Devour Utah • May 2018 1

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Sous-chef Supper What cooks eat

BY ELENI SALTAS

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14 THE DEVOUR DOZEN 42 Lettuce Eat Spring salads

BY MERRY LYCETT HARRISON

44 The Spread The Eklektik

BY DIANE HARTFORD

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Chefs: new faces, places & passions

BY THE DEVOUR STAFF

48 Things We Love Chef edition

BY LEVI ROGERS

50 A New Brew

Maud’s Café helps homeless youth

54 Devour This

Basil stir-fry recipe

BY JERRE WROBLE

56 Pamper & Pour Mother’s Day drinks

BY DARBY DOYLE

BY AIMEE L. COOK

46 Get Cooking Harmons opens in Holladay

BY AIMEE L. COOK

4 Devour Utah • May 2018

52 Plate It

Blue Iguana molcajete

BY JERRE WROBLE

66 Street Eats

Hiro’s okonomiyaki

BY SARAH ARNOFF

Devour Utah • May 2018 5

CONTRIBUTORS STAFF Publisher JOHN SALTAS EDITORIAL Editor Copy Editor Proofreader Contributors

Photographers

JERRE WROBLE SARAH ARNOFF LANCE GUDMUNDSEN SARAH ARNOFF, CAROLYN CAMPBELL, AIMEE L. COOK, DARBY DOYLE, BRIAN FRYER, MERRY HARRISON, DIANE HARTFORD, JEN HILL, HEATHER L. KING, LEVI ROGERS, ELENI SALTAS, MIKEY SALTAS

Levi Rogers is a writer and coffee roaster in Salt Lake City. He graduated from the University of Utah with a degree in English and has an MFA from Antioch University. He lives with his wife, Cat, his dog, Amelie, and his two cats, Chicken and Waffles.

NIKI CHAN, JOSH SCHEUERMAN, JOHN TAYLOR

PRODUCTION Art Director Assistant Art Director Graphic Artists

DEREK CARLISLE BRIAN PLUMMER JOSH SCHEUERMAN, SOFIA CIFUENTES VAUGHN ROBISON

BUSINESS/OFFICE Accounting Manager Office Administrators Technical Director

PAULA SALTAS DAVID ADAMSON, ANNA KASER BRYAN MANNOS

Writer and recovering archaeologist Darby Doyle highlights hip SLC as a cityhomeCollective contributor. She also blogs about boozy experiments at ABourbonGal.com.

MARKETING Marketing Coordinator

SAMANTHA SMITH

CIRCULATION Circulation Manager

ERIC GRANATO

SALES Vice President, New Business Magazine Advertising Director Newsprint Advertising Director Digital Operations Manager Senior Account Executives Retail Account Executives

SAM URIE JENNIFER VAN GREVENHOF PETE SALTAS ANNA PAPADAKIS DOUG KRUITHOF, KATHY MUELLER ANNE BAILEY, LISA DORELLI, ALEX MARKHAM, MIEKA SAWATZKI, JEREMIAH SMITH

Heather L. King writes about food, travel and culture in Utah and beyond. She is the founder of Utah Ladies Who Lunch and a proud Great Dane owner.

Cover Photo Illustration by: Derek Carlisle Distribution is complimentary throughout the Wasatch Front. Additional copies of Devour are available for $4.95 at the Devour offices located at 248 S. Main, Salt Lake City, UT 84101 • 801-575-7003 • DevourUtah.com Email Editor@DevourUtah.com Advertising contact: Sales@DevourUtah.com

Copperfield Publishing Copyright 2018. All rights reserved

@DevourUtah

6 Devour Utah • May 2018

@DevourUtah

@DevourUtah

Eleni Saltas grew up in Salt Lake City’s vibrant Greek community where she learned panhellenic dancing, cooking and creating delicious Mediterranean recipes. Learn more at EleniSaltas.com.

A family of restaurants with

SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE!

Chabaar Beyond Thai

Tea Rose Diner

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65 E 5th ave Murray, UT 801-685-6111

Siam Noodle Bar

Fav Bistro

5171 Cottonwood street Murray, UT

1984 E. Murray Holladay Rd, UT 801-676-9300

Bottom floor in bldg. 1 in IMC Hospital

801-262-1888

Huge Menus • Gluten Free & Vegan Options ANNYSTAKEONTHAI.COM

Devour Utah • May 2018 7

From Our Editor

ABOVE and BEYOND

M

any Thai cuisine lovers have found their way to Anny Sooksri’s latest passion project, Fav Bistro, in Holladay. Not only is her spicy fare out of this world but her charisma and charm seal the deal. Interviewing her for this special Chef Issue made me appreciate her savvy skills even more.

Anyone who wonders what it takes to be a chef, grow a business, manage employees and find happiness along the way should follow Sooksri’s lead.

Born in Thailand, Sooksri may have been raised on tasty Thai dishes, but for work, she initially chose the field of public relations, where she helped launch products and host events. Later, while still in her 20s, she left Thailand and joined a family member in California. She then met and married a Utahn, moving to Salt Lake City. The marriage didn’t last but she put down roots, learned English, took the postal-service exam and was hired as a clerk. After a decade at the post office, she was promoted to supervisor. Still, she wanted more out of life, so she left the service and, in 2007, launched the Tea Rose Diner in Murray.

For many, that would have been enough. She’d leap-frogged careers and achieved the American Dream. But Sooksri kept going. Not only did she go on to open Chabaar Beyond Thai in Midvale but then Siam Noodle Bar in Murray.

A year ago, she opened her fusion eatery, the Fav Bistro.

How does she maintain control of four restaurants, I ask. “I hire the right people,” she says. Her employees, she says, “are my family. They’re better than my family. I’m the head of a household. I want them to be happy. They’re like my kids.” She celebrates their birthdays, prepares food they love and brings them gifts from Thailand.

She says that her time with the post office made her realize she didn’t want to be a hard-driving taskmaster. “A supervisor is supposed to be there to support employees, someone to give them advice to do their jobs better and to run the operation well,” she says.

Even with good help, Sooksri admits she often works seven days a week.

Luckily, in Jeffery Kelsch, Sooksri has a life partner who understands her passion and works beside her every day. Together, they strive to elevate the cuisine they serve.

They’re dedicated to healthy dining for one thing. Fav Bistro filters its cooking water using reverse osmosis to remove lead, chlorine, fluoride, arsenic and other impurities. They make their own fermented foods, such as sauerkraut, mustard greens and kombucha that are packed with probiotics. Sooksri knows about herbs and teas and can add herbs they have on hand to dishes upon request.

“We never use MSG,” she says.

Fav Bistro, as the name implies, is a place where she serves her favorites.

“It’s the kind of food I like to eat,” she says. So, it isn’t strictly Thai, but a fusion of foods she feels belong together, dishes like yellow curry and pork schnitzel, seared scallops and green curry, steak massaman poutine, and lobster with dill and kale curry.

Being an overachiever is something Sooksri has in common with other chefs highlighted in this issue. Those we’ve recognized here are just a small sampling of chefs rocking the dining scene along the Wasatch Front.

We salute Utah’s hard-working chefs and thank you for continually going above and beyond. ❖ —Jerre Wroble

8 Devour Utah • May 2018

‘Mexican Comfort Food’ In The Rio Grande Train Station — www.riograndecafeslc.com Devour Utah • May 2018 9

Fab Four

Sous-chef supper DISHES that sous-chefs crave

By Eleni Saltas

10 Devour Utah • May 2018

Grilled Calamari $12

COURTESY OF CURRENT

As restaurant hierarchy goes, the executive chef is the highest in rank, often receiving the most recognition. But most executive chefs couldn’t run their kitchens without a hardworking souschef at their side. Sous is the French word for “under,” so sous-chefs are second to the head chef. Not only are souschefs skilled cooks, but they mentor their staff.

They clock long hours to ensure that everything in the kitchen works like a well-oiled machine.

Some have put in their time as dishwashers, line chefs and pantry cooks to get to where they are today. So, what do these unheralded chefs crave off their own menus?

DEREK CARLISLE

Pasta Pomadora $12.95

Chase Pinkney, Chase Cardoza, Jon Santiago

Michael Duke

Utah transplants Chase Pinkney, Chase Cardoza and Jon Santiago make up the sous-chef team at Current Fish & Oyster, and are a part of a new lineup introduced by executive chef Alan Brines. All agree that the pork steamed buns are easy go-tos, but Pinkney confesses that the grilled calamari, with its delicious aroma—served with lemon aioli, jalapeño, fingerling potatoes and scallion—is one of his favorites. The chefs not only cook for Current, but also the adjoining bar, Under Current, sometimes putting in 10-hour days. “It’s sometimes a thankless job for us, but it’s a passion,” Santiago says with pride.

Growing up in a large Utah family, Michael Duke knew early on that he wanted to be a chef but didn’t have an “in.” He stumbled upon a catering job in California and later decided to sharpen his skills at New England Culinary Institute in Vermont. Now, as sous-chef at Café Trio’s Cottonwood location, Duke helped create a branzino made with Israeli couscous, cucumbers, olives and tomatoes.

When he grabs a bite at work, it is often something simple like the pasta pomadora, made with spaghetti, organic plum tomatoes, basil butter, mozzarella and extra virgin olive oil. Don’t overlook it, he says. It’s delicious!

Current Fish & Oyster 279 E. 300 South, SLC 801-326-3474 CurrentFishAndOyster.com

Café Trio 6405 S. 3000 East, Cottonwood Heights 801-944-8746 Cottonwood.TrioDining.com Devour Utah • May 2018 11

SERVING BRUNCH ON SAT & SUN SALT LAKE CITY

680 South 900 East Salt Lake City, UT 84102 Tel: 801 533. 8746

COTTONWOOD

6405 South 3000 East Salt Lake City, UT 84121 Tel: 801 944. 8746

PARK CITY

6585 North Landmark Dr. Park City, UT 84098 Tel: 435 649. 9654

www.triodining.com Come enjoy our award winning patio.

12 Devour Utah • May 2018

Fab Four

Matthew Jimenez It’s obvious Matthew Jimenez, who works under Tuscany chef Adam Vickers, enjoys his work, when he speaks of being able to “play with food and fire every day.”

While he checks on the roasted chicken—made with garlic dijon rub and served with roasted potatoes, shiitake mushrooms and an herb jus—turning a golden hue in Tuscany’s wood-fired oven, he recalls growing up in Orange County, Calif. On his days off, Jimenez revels in skiing Utah’s powder and makes time to watch food documentaries such as Chef’s Table on Netflix.

Roasted Chicken $28

ELENI SALTAS

Tuscany 2832 E. 6200 South, SLC 801-277-9919 TuscanySLC.com

Jerry Pacheco

Green Curry Mussels $21

Bambara 202 S. Main, SLC 801-363-5454 Bambara-SLC.com

JOSH SCHEUERMAN

Starting out as a dishwasher at Copper Onion eight years ago, Jerry Pacheco went on to work beside chefs at Avenues Bistro, Plum Alley, Tsunami, Finca and Pallet. Each restaurant helped inspire his own cooking style today.

Now, after six months at Bambara, Pacheco is adding some touches to a special menu item, the green curry mussels. This dish features black mussels cooked in an aromatic green curry broth served on a bed of shoestring potatoes and seasoned with a yuzu kosho compound butter.

Devour Utah • May 2018 13

Chef Issue

W

e all need to eat. Along with that basic need comes a more modern craving for food prepared by a chef, even if we know we could cook something similar at home. Hungry humans seek instant gratification.

There is, in fact, a growing obsession with food, as witnessed by the explosion of TV food networks and competitions, online restaurant reviews, cooking classes, magazines such as this one, food blogs and festivals. This food awakening both in the U.S. and Utah means that diners expect better-than-average restaurant fare. Food criticism is now instant and viral if diners are disappointed. But if chefs do their job well, they are respected and honored—in some cases to the point of celebrity—having their own TV shows and restaurant chains.

So, how is a chef so different from just any ol’ cook?

For starters, a chef has undergone training. They attend cooking institutes and colleges, but they also learn by apprenticing with an experienced chef. A chef masters all aspects of food preparation and, like a doctor, can specialize.

They not only master cooking skills but create menus, oversee food preparation and direct the meal’s presentation.

A chef depends on a system of organization to get food orders out promptly and cohesively. That’s why, in large kitchens such as those in hotels and large restaurants, you’ll find cooks with French-sounding titles. They’re using the French brigade system that relegates authority to the chef and his or her second in command, the sous-chef.

Reporting to the sous-chef are cooks in charge of sauces, meats, fish, salads, soups and fried foods. Often, there’s also a pastry chef in charge of desserts. The success of a restaurant depends on the chef leading a unified and skilled team.

Still, many of our favorite eateries in Utah tend to be Mom & Pops. The chef is often the owner who wears many hats and hires cooks who follow set recipes. The food-service industry remains a place where dedicated and talented cooks can rise to the top without a degree.

What follows are 12 local chefs who’ve intrigued the Devour staff for one reason or another. Some have unique jobs while others are new to the scene, new to their restaurants or working in a new role for their organization. Their stories help us appreciate the creative imaginations and deft skill sets behind the unforgettable cuisine we enjoy at their tables.

14 Devour Utah • May 2018

Chef’s Whites

A traditional chef’s uniform includes a hat (called a toque), neckerchief, double-breasted jacket, apron and a protective pair of clogs (let’s face it: sharp/hot/heavy objects have been known to fall on the floor).

The toque, in a style dating back to the 16th century, is designed to keep hair from falling into the food while cooking. The height of the hat often showed one’s rank in the kitchen.

Toques in formal kitchens typically are tall, white, starched and pleated. The hat’s pleats are said to signify a chef’s experience and/or mastery of a technique or recipe. A hundred pleats could mean the chef knows a hundred ways to cook an egg.

Twelve culinary artists leaving their mark on the Utah food scene

By THE Devour staff The hierarchy of the kitchen brigade Types of chefs system is a used in restaurants and from French brigade system hotels that employ a large staff.

Chef de cuisine (executive chef, head chef,

Poissonnier (fish chef): Prepares fish dishes,

master chef): Creates menu, manages kitchen staff and operation, oversees inventory.

butchers the fish and makes fish sauces.

Sous-chef: Schedules the kitchen staff, substitutes for head chef and fills in as a line cook as needed. Teaches and maintains standards in the kitchen.

Chef de partie: a line cook. In charge of an area in the kitchen.

Commis chef: a basic (or apprentice) chef working under the chef de partie.

Saucier (sauté chef): In charge of sautéed items and their sauces. Kind of the top dog.

Potager (soup chef): Soup maker.

Légumier (vegetable chef): Prepares Rôtisseur (roast chef): Cooks roasted and

vegetables.

braised meats and appropriate sauces.

Grillardin (grill chef): Grills foods.

Friturier (fry chef): Prepares foods cooked in oils or other animal fats.

Entremetier (entrée preparer): Cooks hot appetizers (and sometimes soups, vegetables, pastas and starches).

Garde manger (pantry chef): In charge of salads, cold appetizers, pâtés and charcuterie.

Boucher (butcher): Cuts meats, fowl and sometimes fish.

Pâtissier (pastry chef): Bakes pastries, cakes, breads and desserts.

Devour Utah • May 2018 15

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Chef Issue

MIKEY SALTAS

Katsanevas & Katrina Cutrubus Chef/pastry chef/owners Have a Passion Manoli

I

n three years’ time, partners Manoli Katsanevas and Katrina Cutrubus have taken Manoli’s Restaurant from a shared vision to a robust dining scene. Katsanevas and Cutrubus are known for infusing traditional Greek recipes with their own flair and style.

“Greek culture is all about hospitality,” Katsanevas says, “and that’s what we’re going for.”

Katsanevas also strives to foster a creative environment because they relish the challenge of transforming old favorites. “Sometimes, we’ll look in a Greek recipe book and say, ‘I haven’t tried that in awhile. How can we change it and elevate it?’” he says.

Trained in the culinary arts at Salt Lake Community College, Katsanevas grew up in the industry, working at Crown Burgers, his family’s business, starting at age 13. “I loved it,” he says, “and from there, I knew I wanted to do fine dining—something with more cooking involved.”

Cutrubus, who serves as a pastry chef and wine expert for Manoli’s, recalls her first date with Katsanevas. “He told me he wanted to start a restaurant,” Cutrubus says.

For this couple, it’s always been about the food. “You never open up a restaurant to be rich,” Katsanevas says, noting

that, for him, there were three other factors: “One, you have a passion for it. Two, you want to pay the bills. Three, you want to give back.”

Cutrubus says their goal is to tap into their customers’ comfort zones and sense of nostalgia. They want their dishes to make someone think, “‘Oh, that flavor reminds me of my time in Greece or in Spain or my parents’ house,’” she says.

For those who haven’t yet tasted Manoli’s cuisine, “You gotta go meze [small-plate] style,” Katsanevas says. “We have entrées, but I think our best dishes are our octopus, lamb riblets and our yemista [stuffed peppers]. Our seafood is something what we’re really good at, too.”

Cutrubus notes Manoli’s is one of few local eateries featuring specialty Greek wines, such as Kir-Yianni or the Boutari. As for dessert, she says “try the mestika (housemade ice cream) or loukoumades (Greek scones) and a Greek coffee.” —Mikey Saltas Manoli’s Restaurant 402 E. 900 South, SLC 801-532-3760 ManolisOn9th.com Devour Utah • May 2018 17

open for: lunch • Dinner • weekend brunch (801) 885-7558 3 3 3 0 N . U n i v e r s i t y Av e P r o v o, U T 8 4 6 0 4 w w w. b l o c k r e s ta u r a n t g r o u p.c o m

Carmine’s Welcome to

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Fettuccine with Scallops

2477 Fort Union Blvd | 801.948.4468 carmines.restaurant

18 Devour Utah • May 2018

Chef Issue

Weinner Chef/owner ON THE Cutting-Edge Katie

K

atie Weinner has built a career around her two great loves: creating out-of-the-box molecular gastronomy and spending as much time as she can in the great outdoors. She attended the Northwest Culinary Academy in Canada’s British Columbia, drawn by its reputation as a chef-run school where she immersed herself in Vancouver’s legendarily diverse food scene.

“I tried more varieties of international cuisine in that city than I’d ever experienced before,” Weinner says.

After working at Tahoe’s famed Plumpjack Café, Weinner joined the coast-to-coast guerrilla pop-up Mist Project as head development chef.

In 2012, this experience inspired SLC Pop and Nata Gallery, where at each event she plated 10-plus courses, each with cutting-edge elements. Her envelope-pushing style garnered an invitation to compete in Season 12 of Top Chef in Boston.

Since 2014, Weinner has split her time between Montana (she’s a chef for a fly-fishing lodge) and Utah, where the Red Moose Café in Sugar House has become her goto spot for monthly experimental multi-course popup dinners and seasonal Red Moose After Dark: her no-reservations dine-in (or take-out) spins on international comfort food—like Sri Lankan curries, poutine “nachos,” or hearty vegan mushroom miso ramen--all priced under $15.

“It’s the stuff I want to eat,” Weinner says.

Her website features her current schedule and locations. —Darby Doyle

ANNE STEPHENSON

SLC Pop and Red Moose After Dark SLCPop.com

Devour Utah • May 2018 19

20 Devour Utah • May 2018

Chef Issue

Hodgson Executive chef Always Mentoring Peter

House.

In 2016, after suffering six blood clots in his lungs, he began making the switch to a more vegan diet. “I have a new love of vegetables and plant-based foods,” he says.

He suggests reversing the ratio of 70 percent protein and 30 percent vegetables served by most restaurants. Hodgson also recommends applying meatcooking methods to vegetables— such as grilling, poaching and sautéing. “Take a whole beet and put it in the rotisserie for a charbroiled effect,” he says.

“Roast a lemon and squeeze it over vegetables—and meat.”

—Carolyn Campbell University of Utah Chartwells Dining Services 200 Central Campus Drive, No. 30, SLC 801-581-7257 DineOnCampus.com

COURTESY UNIVERSITY OF UTAH

P

eter Hodgson, certified executive chef (CEC), is one of the city’s most decorated chefs. In 2011, he was one of 20 chefs in the nation inducted in to the American Academy of Chefs (AAC), the honor society of the American Culinary Federation. He was further honored in 2017 with the ACF’s Cutting Edge Award.

A kitchen veteran since 1966, Hodgson says it was his first chef employer who inspired him. “He could transform any food into a ‘wow effect.’” The oldest of nine children, Hodgson also admired his mom’s kitchen know-how. “She was a little Irish lady who could really cook—she made big casseroles and bread,” he says.

Now, as executive chef for the University of Utah’s Chartwells Dining Services, he’s responsible for all university catering as well as feeding students and athletes.

He’s also a chef mentor for ProStart, a nationally accredited program providing high schoolers with a food-service education. “They learn basic cooking techniques, food safety and recipe development. Any student who completes the program will be fasttracked to any culinary program in the country,” Hodgson says. He accompanied students from two Utah high schools who won local competitions to ProStart’s national invitational in April. He views his participation as a way of giving back.

Hodgson served on a team that spent six weeks planning a buffet in honor of Queen Elizabeth’s visit to his native Canberra, Australia, for the 1988 opening of Parliament

Devour Utah • May 2018 21

“YOU SIT DOWN AT KATZ'S AND YOU EAT THE BIG BOWL OF PICKLES AND YOU'RE EATING THE PASTRAMI SANDWICH, AND HALFWAY THROUGH YOU SAY TO YOURSELF, I SHOULD REALLY WRAP THIS UP AND SAVE IT FOR TOMORROW. BUT THE SANDWICH IS CALLING YOU: REMEMBER THE TASTE YOU JUST HAD. SO FATTY. IT'S WHAT YOU WANT. IT'S WHAT YOU ARE! I'VE NEVER GOTTEN HOME FROM KATZ'S WITH A DOGGIE BAG IN MY HAND. A PASTRAMI SANDWICH AT KATZ'S IS WHAT'S BAD AND GOOD ABOUT FOOD. IT'S THE SACRED AND THE PROFANE.” - MARIO BATALI

2005 E. 2700 SOUTH, SLC FELDMANSDELI.COM @ FELDMANSDELI OPEN TUES - SAT TO GO ORDERS: (801) 906-0369

New Spring menu now available

OPEN

365

DAYS A YEAR

326 S. West Temple (in the heart of downtown) For Reservations: 801-819-7565 22 Devour Utah • May 2018

20 1 7

Chef Issue

Ferran HEAD Chef Pasta Play Joey

T

alking to chef Joey Ferran tells you a lot about the man behind the dynamic small-plates dinner menu at Cucina Wine Bar. Just a few bites of his dishes tells you more. Ferran is both passionate and studious about layered textures and tastes that celebrate individual ingredients.

He credits much of his skills to the teachings of Log Haven executive chef Dave Jones, whom he worked under as a sous-chef for nearly a decade. “I learned the most about building flavors and how to create recipes from Dave, so a lot of my recipes come from his standard,” Ferran says. You can see a lot of what he taught me in my food.”

Yet, in just two short years, Ferran has made a name for himself at Cucina with inventive interpretations of Pacific Rim flavors—whether it be the 30-ingredient mole rojo paired with braised and charred Spanish octopus, or the use of raw cacao to add depth to the fruity flavors at work in his tandoorispiced Australian lamb chops.

But the ever-changing housemade pasta is the one dish that most represents Ferran’s talents. He discovered an Imperia pasta roller at Cucina on his first day and fresh pasta has been on the menu ever since. “The pasta gets the most attention because that’s what my staff and I work on to highlight the best and freshest ingredients,” he explains. Changing once or twice a week, diners can enjoy robust offerings like the earthy guajillo tagliatelle with plump shrimp, freeze-dried corn, foraged wild mustard greens and a delicate sake and ginger beurre blanc sauce.

In short, he concludes, “We love our food here! Half the fun is making it.” —Heather L. King

JOHN TAYLOR

Cucina Wine Bar 1026 E. Second Ave., SLC 801-322-3055 CucinaSLC.com

Devour Utah • May 2018 23

24 Devour Utah • May 2018

Chef Issue

NIKI CHAN

Soelberg executive Chef/OWNER Keeping It Simple Justin

C

hef Justin Soelberg finally has a home.

The chef who originally hails from Boise, Idaho, and spent several nomadic years bouncing between SLC, Chicago, Provo, Boise and Manhattan (attending the French Culinary Institute), finally has an abode and restaurant to call his own—named, appropriately, Nomad Eatery, which opened in late 2017.

Soelberg’s worked at some of Utah’s top restaurants including Communal, Pago, Café Niche, and HSL, and he also helped open Avenues Proper, Proper Burger and Pizza Nono.

The last two, in particular, helped showcase Soelberg’s philosophy of cooking and the culture of Nomad. “Simple,” he says. “Four or five ingredients. I like stuff that’s in my face. If I’m gonna eat celery, I want to know that I’m eating celery.

I want something with a punch. … I have 20 things on my menu, and I’m happy with all of them.”

Nomad is, in many ways, modeled after chefs Soelberg looks up to, like David Chang and Danny Meyer, and is similar to SLC’s latest fast-casual hot chicken restaurant, Pretty Bird. Soelberg’s simple and casual ethos is a very welcome addition to Salt Lake and Utah’s growing food scene (which can often get quite pricey). Look for his impression on the scene with his signature zucchini pickles, beet salad or his popular spicy chicken sandwich at Nomad.

“Everywhere I’ve been in town, I’ve left a little bit of myself,” Soelberg says, “And now, I’ve gathered it all here.”

—Levi Rogers Nomad Eatery 2110 W. North Temple, SLC 801-938-9629 Nomad-Eatery.com Devour Utah • May 2018 25

Turn your passion for food into a dream career

Attend a FREE culinary school presentation · ·

May 19 11:00 AM - 1:00 PM May 23 6:00 PM - 8:00 PM

2233 S. 300 E., Salt Lake City The event is free but you must register diane@sliceutah.com or 801-464-0113 Now accepting applications for summer term. | Classes begin June 2018

26 Devour Utah • May 2018

Chef Issue

Billingsley, Pastry chef at Stanza Italian Bistro & Wine Bar and Current Fish & Oyster Works of Edible Art Amber

A

AUSTEN DIAMOND PHOTOGRAPHY

ward-winning pastry chef Amber Billingsley’s life is richly layered with sweet surprises.

Originally a journalist by trade, Billingsley began working in the restaurant industry at Oasis Café, where she eventually learned to make commercial-quality pastries under Jared Young—a man she considers one of her greatest mentors in the culinary world. It was also there that she met her husband, chef Robert Angelilli, who, in turn, introduced her to the professional Carpigiani gelato machine that’s brought her fame and acclaim in Utah.

Renowned for her sweet and savory gelato creations beginning at Vinto and continuing on at 3 Cups and Amour Café, Billingsley fell in love with the medium because it’s “so receptive to immediate gratification as far as flavor and experimentation,” she says. “If I get inspiration for a new recipe, I can just spin that into gelato and 20 minutes later, it’s there— that’s when I get excited.”

Now, 18 years after her culinary career began in the kitchen at Oasis, she’s returned to The LaSalle Group as the master of desserts at both Stanza Italian Bistro & Wine Bar and Current Fish & Oyster. Further honing her magical touch with flour, sugar, butter and cream, Billingsley is focusing full time on her true love—desserts— as she continues to transform mere ingredients into delicious works of edible art for everyone to enjoy.

—Heather L. King

Stanza Italian Bistro & Wine Bar 454 E. 300 South 801-746-4441 StanzaSLC.com Current Fish & Oyster 279 E. 300 South 801-326-3474 CurrentFishAndOyster.com Devour Utah • May 2018 27

501 E. 900 S. SLC | (385) 202-7167 | www.traditionslc.com

28 Devour Utah • May 2018

Chef Issue

Lowrey Executive chef France Meats Italy Sebastian

S

ANGELA HOWARD PHOTOGRAPHY

ebastian Lowrey joined Spencer’s for Steak and Chops as executive chef in May 2017. Before moving to Utah, he spent four years as executive chef at Piatti Restaurant in Mill Valley, Calif.

Lowrey studied at The Culinary School of the Rockies in Boulder, Colo., which is a classical Frenchbased school. During school and immediately after, he apprenticed under a French chef who owned a restaurant in downtown Boulder. There, he says, he learned early on to handle criticism and learn from it.

Chef Lowrey prides himself on creating timeless meals, ones that do not necessarily follow a trend, but which sustain cravings. Passionate about aging, curing and smoking meats, he’s an expert butcher, excited to add his signature dry-aged steaks and house-cured meats to the restaurant’s charcuterie boards.

While Lowrey creates dishes with a French flare, his roots are Italian, having learned to cook from his mother who is originally from the Campobasso Mountains of southern Italy. After spending time at Green Gulch Farm, the oldest organic farm on the coast of California, Lowrey has a passion for cooking from scratch and creating flavors and unique dishes using local ingredients.

At any given time, you’ll find something quite imaginative on the menu, such as slab bacon with peanut butter, blackberry jam and spiced almond brittle.

He aspires to be known for giving an identity to the place he works. He finds inspiration from chefs Tim Raue and Gabrielle Hamilton and strives to leave a legacy sharing what he’s learned by passing it on to others.

—Aimee L. Cook

Spencer’s for Steaks and Chops 255 S. West Temple, SLC 801-238-4748 bit.ly/2EXW4rW

Devour Utah • May 2018 29

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Chef Issue

Richey HEAD chef/owner We Are the Revolution Michael

T

JOHN TAYLOR

rained in the northern California ethos of farm-totable dining, chef Michael Richey keeps it real on Regent Street.

At a time when buzzwords like “sustainable” and “local” are thrown around the restaurant world sometimes very loosely, Richey and his team at Fireside on Regent, tucked behind the Eccles Theater in downtown Salt Lake City, walk the talk right down to the fruit wood from Santaquin they burn in their pizza oven.

Working with local producers like Frog Bench, Sand Hill and M&M Farms, and hand-crafting pastas, sausages and hand-pulled mozzarella cheese, Richey’s sleek but cozy bistro stands in stark contrast to downtown food-factory chains.

“I want the produce to speak for itself,” Richey says, and later boldly texts, “We make everything in house. We are the revolution. We sustain the sustainability!”

Originally from Buffalo, N.Y., Richey graduated from college but is among numerous chefs who bypassed culinary school. He was passionate about food, went to work in restaurants and learned from great teachers.

Richey was chef de cuisine at the Tree Room at Sundance in the late 1990s before moving to San Francisco where he was immersed in the locally produced, sustainable food philosophy of the area cultivated by chef icons such as Alice Waters and Jeremiah Tower.

Among his stints in the Bay Area, Richey was sous-chef at the renowned Foreign Cinema in the Mission District, and he opened Pico Pizzeria in Larkspur across the bay in the Marin County town of Larkspur. “I was very lucky to find the people I did and work where I worked,” he says. Upon returning to Utah, he opened Pago with Scott Evans and helmed the kitchen there for three years before lighting his fire on Regent Street. —Brian Fryer

Fireside on Regent 126 S. Regent St., SLC 801-359-4011 FiresideOnRegent.com Devour Utah • May 2018 31

Chef Issue

K

amal and Geeta Niroula’s story originates Bhutan, a tiny country nestled among the towering Himalayas between two powerful neighbors. Bhutan pioneered the concept of gross national happiness and is known as the world’s most “carbon-negative” country, meaning it sucks up three times the CO2 emissions that its population of 700,000 produces.

Their scene then shifts to Nepal, where the couple endured a 20-year layover in a refugee camp. Seven years later, they miraculously arrived in a mountainous region on different continent, a place called Utah, which they now call home.

Once in the United States, Kamal and Geeta acted on a vision for their family and took the opportunity to sign up with the Spice Kitchen Incubator program, where they became “foodpreneurs” in the truest sense.

Self-taught and wanting the best for their family, their persistence and dedication led them to highlight the remarkable culinary influences of Bhutan, Nepal and India as the owners of Bhutan House Restaurant. From their ema datshi—a chile and cheese stew considered the national dish of Bhutan—to their freshly made cheese paneer and yogurt, the menu reflects their own personal Himalayan journey.

Their curries, momos, steamed dumplings, chow chow 32 Devour Utah • May 2018

JOSH SCHEUERMAN

& Geeta Niroula Owner/chefs Spice Kitchen Hatchlings Kamal

noodles, tandoori naan, traditional chutneys and cucumber yogurt-based raita deliver all the right notes with beautifully crafted spice blends.

After establishing a catering business, the Niroulas opened their Sandy restaurant in September 2017. Greatly influenced by her parents, Geeta always had a natural affinity for cooking and continually challenged herself to master traditional methods and recipes. With Geeta’s guidance, Kamal was able to learn from his wife and has himself stepped into the kitchen. He additionally gained restaurant smarts from working at Bombay House. Their two daughters, Kiki and Srijana, work as hosts and managing the business.

Most days, the Niroula family works tirelessly from dawn until late evening.

Kamal and Geeta have a young son as well, but he prefers to kick around on his scooter in the strip-mall parking lot, not yet fully mindful of his family’s incredible journey to get here.

—Jen Hill Bhutan House Restaurant 1241 E. 8600 South, Sandy 801-679-0945 BhutanHouseSandy.com

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Flowers, Gifts & Gallery 1344 S. 2100 E. | 801.521.4773 everybloomingthing.com Devour Utah • May 2018 33

Chef Issue

“W

e can’t just run to town if we are out of something,” Jeanie Wilcox Jensen (above, right) says of her careful meal planning at remote Tavaputs Ranch. Even with ideal road conditions, the closest store to her familyowned 10,000-acre cattle ranching operation in southeast Utah is almost two hours away, and the nearest hospital 45 minutes—by helicopter. But these considerations are second nature to mother-daughter cooking team Jensen and Jennie Jensen Christensen, who, during the June-September season, serve three delicious buffet-style meals a day for up to 35 guests, a dozen ranch cowboys and—when fires scorched the plateau in recent years—300-plus wildland firefighters.

They also pack up countless lunches to-go daily for guests who venture out on guided activities at the ranch, from wildlife sightseeing to archaeological tours led in collaboration with the Natural History Museum of Utah.

Christensen bakes treats from-scratch daily in the ranch kitchen, producing a decadent bounty of serve-yourself brownies, cakes and cookies to accompany a steaming cup of ranch coffee on a chilly afternoon.

34 Devour Utah • May 2018

NICOLE MORGENTHAU

Wilcox Jensen & Jennie Jensen Christensen Ranch chefs /Dude Food Wranglers Remote Repasts Jeanie

Not surprisingly, beef is often the star of the menu, from steaks and roasts to the occasional Rocky Mountain Oyster breakfast fry-up.

Jensen’s ancestors started ranching in the area in 1887, and Christensen’s young sons represent the seventh generation of cattle ranchers to work this isolated plateau perched thousands of feet above Desolation Canyon. A haven for hunters and recreationists since the 1950s, Tavaputs is one of the oldest guest ranches in the state.

Over the years, guests requested recipes from Jensen’s mother, Jeanette Wilcox, so often that Jensen helped her assemble a collection of favorite recipes. This Dude Food recipe book has now gone through two publishing runs with a third edition in the works. —Darby Doyle

Tavaputs Ranch P.O. Box 1736, Price 435-637-1236 TavaputsRanch.com

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Chef Issue

Gilroy LANDING IN NEW SPACES Jenchef/OWNER

O

Meditrina 165 W. 900 South, SLC 801-485-2055 MeditrinaSLC.com

Porch 11274 Kestrel Rise Road South Jordan 801-679-1066 PorchUtah.com

JOHN TAYLOR

riginally hailing from Vernal, Utah, Meditrina’s Jen Gilroy cut her teeth in the Nashville food scene while learning, as she calls it, at “the school of hard knocks.” Gilroy, a self-taught chef, moved back to Utah and worked at Red Rock Brewing Co. for a couple of years. She then opened Meditrina (named for the Greek goddess of wine and healing)—one of Utah’s original small-plates restaurants—and eventually opened Porch in the South Jordan/Daybreak area.

Gilroy says she was inspired to open Meditrina— situated initially on West Temple and now in a new location on 900 South near Blue Copper and Water Witch—as a neighborhood restaurant that serves small plates because “that’s what I like to eat.” As for her new location in the Central Ninth neighborhood, “It honestly hasn’t been the easiest transition,” she says, but “I love moving into upand-coming areas.”

Gilroy says her style of cooking is “bold, Southern comfort food,” but the entire menu exemplifies her approach to fresh comfortable cooking, like with the Korean barbecue pork belly, mushrooms & Brie, and shrimp & grits.

Her weekly specials— such as Tapas Tuesday, Wine Wednesday, weekend brunch with $3 mimosas as well as lunch specials and a Utah Happy Hour featuring three dishes for $10—attract a loyal following. Porch offers similar Southern comfort fare but with more traditional entrées in an upscale, comfortable setting.

—Levi Rogers

Devour Utah • May 2018 37

38 Devour Utah • May 2018

Chef Issue

& Adolfo Nunez Chefs & Brothers Danny

becoming a head chef himself in 2012. Working side by side in the Layton restaurant, the brothers have learned to adapt to the pressures of working with fresh produce, meats and spices. All the sauces are made each morning, the meats are cooked onsite each day.

They acknowledge that with six restaurants, consistency is a challenge, not only in maintaining the flavorful cuisine Café Sabor is known for but also because certain communities have strong food preferences, and that means chefs need to adjust. “We love to make people muy happy!” the brothers say in unison.

In the meantime, two other Nunez brothers now work for Café Sabor, making it a true family affair.

—Eleni Saltas Café Sabor 200 S. Main, Layton 385-245-1636 CafeSabor.com

ELENI SALTAS

D

anny Nunez (below, left) and his younger brother, Adolfo, grew up in a farm town outside of Zacatecas City, located in north-central Mexico.

Dining out was rare for the Nunez family, so they learned to cook using fresh farm ingredients in their mother’s kitchen.

The two are now chefs at Layton’s Café Sabor, a Mexican restaurant with six locations in Utah and Idaho.

Chef Carlos Villpulta originally developed recipes for Cafe Sabor in Logan 16 years ago. Reflecting the cuisine of several regions—such as Durango, Veracruz and Northern Calisto—the offerings are not what you’d expect to find at traditional Mexican-American restaurants.

Danny was hired at Café Sabor’s Bear Lake location in 2002, first as a dishwasher and then as a server. He worked his way up the kitchen lines to became sous chef under Villpulta and also under chef Jose Martinez, eventually becoming Bear Lake’s head chef. Danny’s outgoing personality meant he could teach others while helping with community outreach.

Brother Adolfo followed, training under Danny and

Devour Utah • May 2018 39

40 Devour Utah • May 2018

Devour Utah • May 2018 41

Profile

Lettuce Eat Many greens for spring salads are now ripe for pickin’

BY MERRY LYCETT HARRISON

I

t’s May, and your garden is likely popping with herbs and cool-tolerant greens and vegetables. Tender lettuces and young leaves from chard, kale, spinach and beets are ready to eat. Peas, radishes, asparagus, rhubarb and strawberries soon will ripen.

The early spring garden offers fresh, super nutritious, tender new growth and fantastic flavors—all of which lend themselves to cool and warm dishes. Salads can be made of leafy mixes with chopped herbs added for extra flavor. Sour cream, yogurt and hummus dips can benefit from herbs, as can sandwich spreads made with mayonnaise, cream cheese or butter.

Garden sage, rosemary and thyme are perking up from their winter slump. Chives might be blossoming with pretty pink flowers that can be pinched off and used by separating the blossoms, providing a burst of onion flavor in salads and dips. Chives die back when the weather heats up, but they’ll return in the fall.

42 Devour Utah • May 2018

Parsley from last year might appear as if it will produce again, but don’t be fooled. Parsley is a two-year plant whose only mission in its second year is to flower, go to seed and die. Thus, it’s best to plant more every spring.

Cilantro and sorrel, if planted early enough, should be perfectly leafy. Mint is starting to show, but its best flavor comes later, as with marjoram and oregano.

Heat is not a friend to fresh, young, delicate herbs, but warmth releases their essential oils and can help infuse a dish with their flavor. Add them to egg dishes like quiche and omelets, and they complement pasta dishes of all sorts.

Drain the pasta and while it’s still warm, drizzle with oil and toss in baby spinach, beet greens and chard along with a generous amount of chopped herbs. Serve immediately.

When barbecuing, marinate chicken or fish in an olive oil and lemon juice mixture that includes a handful of chives and lemon thyme. Yes, high heat is necessary, but even when the herbs char a bit, they are still delicious.

Hunting for early greens: Diane Blackburn of Diane’s Garden

NIKI CHAN

Trish & Ken Rose grow their own for Tiburon and Hoof & Vine

COURTESY DIANE’S GARDEN

Chef Grown Le Potager Supplies Restaurants Ken and Trish Rose supply two of their restaurants, Tiburon (8256 S. 700 East, Sandy, 801-255-1200, TiburonFineDining. com) and Hoof & Vine (7680 S. Union Park Ave, Midvale, 801-569-4645, HoofAndVine.com), with fresh produce and herbs from their large, garden complex. Named Le Potager, it was established in 2016 it and has been certified by the National Wildlife Federation as an organic ecosystem garden. Chef Ken uses their fresh thyme and parsley to make his delicious veal stock. He crushes fresh rosemary with black peppercorns for the rub for his popular New Zealand lamb tenderloin.

Trish, who oversees the garden, reports that cilantro grows abundantly in the spring. They add it to their pineapple fried rice served with the Ahi tuna entrée. Their strawberry patch seems huge, but they comment that, though prolific, they need to plant more to supply their restaurants.

Flower Power at Diane’s Garden Diane Blackburn of Diane’s Garden (801-272-7248, Facebook.com/DianesGarden) turns her entire yard in Millcreek into a mini farm and grows enough to supply her CSA. While she specializes in organic heirloom and hybrid tomatoes, she shares her knowledge of early spring gardening, starting with greens and lettuces.

Mache—a smooth, non-bitter lettuce—is very early. Also known as corn or lamb’s lettuce, it’s been grown in Europe for centuries. Seeds were brought to California by some enterprising chefs, and it has gained in popularity.

Blackburn says to look for pretty, red-leaf lettuce (Red Sails) and Black Seeded Simpson as well head lettuces like romaine and butter. Combine any or all of these to make your own mesclun mix. Early spinach, beet greens and arugula can also be added.

Blackburn raves about edible flowers such as Violas and Nasturtium leaves, which she says are mild flavored and silky. Sweet violets are also fun to nibble on.

Some wintered-over vegetables like broccoli are at their best now, she says, and encourages enjoying the early flowers of kale. Overwintered carrots are especially sweet because the sugars have accumulated. The green leafy tops have died off so they might be a little hard to find. ❖ Herbalist Merry Lycett Harrison owns SLC-based Millcreek Herbs.. In addition to offering classes in medicinal herbs, culinary herbs and herb gardening, she leads summertime herb trips in the wild. To learn more, visit MillcreekHerbs.com.

Devour Utah • May 2018 43

Black beer bondiolas

Spread the

Provolone shrimp cannoli

Shaved shrimp Toscano

44 Devour Utah • May 2018

The Spread

The Eklektik

Soul Kitchen, Brews & Store

W

alking into The Eklektik, you quickly get a sense of the owners’ sense of whimsy. Built and furnished using mostly recycled materials, the space is designed as a restaurant, event and art space.

One wall is covered exclusively with paper menus from hundreds of restaurants. Looking up, there’s a rainbow-colored border created with assorted cards while other walls are painted with striking murals or festooned with a trio of mannequin legs wearing alarmingly high heels.

The front of an old blue car directs diners toward the restrooms. Each chair, table, dish, glass and art piece is a “throwaway” given a second life at The Eklektik.

The menu is as eccentric as the décor, reflecting the Latin American influences of owners Aliza Levy Sidi—a former Mexico City TV producer, restaurateur and artist (she also painted the wall murals)—and her husband, Sion Croudo, a music aficionado who operated restaurants in Mexico City and San Diego.

Sourcing food locally as much as possible, The Eklektik is preparing to pluck fresh veggies from its own onsite garden.

Don’t look for smothered burritos on this menu. Instead, you’ll find intriguing offerings like hibiscus flautas, grilled cactus leaf topped with refried beans and black beer bondiolas made with pork loin, onions, mushrooms, black beer and heavy cream.

The Eklektik encourages indulging your curiosity and rewards you with a unique sensory overload. ❖

The Eklektik 60 E. 800 South, SLC 385-528-3675 TheEklektik.com —Photos & feature by Diane Hartford Devour Utah • May 2018 45

Where to Get

A

spiring chefs and those wishing to upgrade their cooking skills should look no further than Harmons cooking schools, of which, with the recent grand opening of Harmons Holladay store (4675 S. Holladay Blvd., 385-257-8300, HarmonsGrocery.com), there are now six.

Being taught to cook by professionally trained chef instructors while using Harmons’ modern kitchen appliances and tools can help take the most novice home cook to the next level. Cooking-school chefs are not only well trained— with some coming from Le Cordon Bleu, The Art Institutes and the National Gourmet Institute—they can provide hands-on instruction and demonstrate techniques for becoming a master chef in your own kitchen.

Tyler Kofoed, director of Harmons Cooking School, invites home cooks and aspiring chefs to try a class. The environment is casual and stress-free, which, he says, allows cooks to practice in the presence of a trained chef who offers guidance and coaching in a no-pressure environment.

46 Devour Utah • May 2018

AIMEE L. COOK

Education

Harmons’ first cooking school was established in 2008 at the Bangerter Crossing location. Back then, Harmons was rebranding, and customers were reluctant to try the new products. “So originally,” Kofoed says, “the cooking school provided a way for us to introduce them to our new products, to educate them on why they were great.”

Since those first classes, the focus has shifted from products to educating a foodie community that has genuine enthusiasm for creating different types of foods. Recent classes include Master Knife Skills; Gluten-Free Baking; Wines and Cheeses of Italy; and Grillin’, Searin’ and Roastin’. Juniorchef classes are also offered. Kids can experience hands-on cooking, baking, decorating or how to make the perfect pizza.

“We give creative license to each individual chef running each school,” Kofoed says. That way, chefs can offer their best skills and knowledge. The six chefs “are branding their own individual schools, giving us pockets of different expertise,” he says.

By Aimee L. Cook

AIMEE L. COOK

Cooking

Harmons Holladay store brings innovation and a new cooking school

Kofoed hopes that Harmons’ cooking schools will be, as he puts it, “the food authority for home chefs.”

The cooking school is just one of the ways Harmons stands out from other grocery stores. The family business started in 1932 is not only growing but is connecting with the community with its savvy approaches. Harmons’ Holladay store is its 18th with plans underway to open another this year in Riverton.

Along with its cooking school, the Holladay market boasts 16,500 square feet and includes a mezzanine and outdoor balcony seating. While it is smaller than other Harmons, this location still houses two-thirds of the products found in its larger stores.

“We are using this innovative store as a way to get more products in a small space,” co-owner Bob Harmon states. “It is not about having a product in every size but having the right items in the right size.”

From offering artisan breads (for which bakers travel to San Francisco to learn the craft) to the 100 percent

antibiotic-free dry-aged beef, co-owners and brothers Bob and Randy Harmon not only manage to stay on food trends but determine the best products to bring to Utah. Harmons carries more than 2,300 local products and more than 200 varieties of cheeses. Recently their specialty cheese buyer, Mariah Christensen, was inducted as a Garde et Jure (guard and judge) for Guilde Internationale des Fromagers, an international organization of cheesemakers, making her only the second person in Utah to hold this distinction.

As Harmons’ branded packaging says, “Ours is a story about real food, real ingredients and real people.” That’s a great recipe for those who love to cook, who want to utilize local products and who want to savor healthy fresh foods. ❖ Harmons Cooking Schools Bangerter Crossing City Creek Holladay Market

Santa Clara Station Park Traverse Mountain

HarmonsGrocery.com Devour Utah • May 2018 47

The Joy of Cooking Originally published in 1931 by Irma Rombauer and now in its eighth edition, The Joy of Cooking is a fan favorite of chefs and home cooks alike. Rombauer was a self-taught home cook, and the original Joy of Cooking contained a selection of some of her favorite recipes. Café Niche chef Andy Morrison (whose interest to cook professionally was sparked the PBS Great Chefs series) says, “I used to sit and read that book like it was a novel.”

Tin Angel Café chef Jerry Liedtke concurs. “The Joy of Cooking has such a complete reference of diverse cuisines, cooking methods, charts, descriptions and lessons about food. All the recipes are solid, time-tested and reliable,” he says.

1

Knives 2 Sabatier Liedtke is also a fan of forged Sabatier Knives, made in France since 1810. “My knife is old,” he says. “I can feel the history in it. These older knives can be bought online for under $100.

The steel is hard but not brittle. They can endure [the test of] time and a heavy workload while maintaining a sharp edge.”

Glass Storage Containers 3 Pyrex Not sexy, but very practical. Café Niche’s Andy Morrison says that they’re essential to any kitchen. “I’ll even bake small lasagna in them, pop the lid on once it’s cooled, store it in the fridge and have a quick dinner for the next few days,” she says. “They’re great for freezing foods as well.”

Immersion Blender 4 Waring “An immersion blender was the first thing I got for the kitchen when I came to Rye,” says Andrew Lund, chef at Rye Diner & Drinks, noting the blender is good for making soups and purées. You can stick it in a 5-gallon bucket and mix up 52 quarts at a time.

Scale 5 Kitchen “I think everyone should have a scale in their kitchen so their baking can be more consistent,” says Romina Rasmussen, pastry chef and owner of Les Madeleines (their OHAUS Valor 1000 scale is shown). “It helps avoid disappointment of something not working out because the measurements are always the same.” ❖ 48 Devour Utah • May 2018

Things We Love

4

THINGS CHEFS

LOVE

1

BY LEVI ROGERS

5

2 3 Devour Devour Utah Utah •• April May 2018 49

Profile Hope learns the barista trade

Brewing Up a

Future Maud’s Café gives homeless youth a foothold in the workforce

BY AIMEE L. COOK

PHOTOS BY NIKI CHAN

A

t first glance, Maud’s Café looks like any other sleek and stylish new coffee shop. But as you speak with the staff and perhaps read the menu, you realize there’s much more going on inside these walls.

Lives are changing, for one thing. The friendly young crew preparing snacks and beverages at this modern café in Salt Lake’s Central Ninth neighborhood are part of an 8- to 12-week employment-training program offered by the Volunteers of America Utah’s Homeless Youth Resource Center and Young Men’s and Women’s Transition Homes.

“It has been an amazing learning experience,” says Hope, a formerly homeless 19-year-old trainee from the Salt Lake Valley. “I have never been a barista before, so this has been a major learning experience for me.”

Now, as she is learning about coffee and tea service, restaurant operations, working as an employee (and with co-workers) and even gardening, Hope’s world is expanding.

She’s currently enrolled in a trade school and getting to know more people in the workforce. She feels more a part of things and says that service events held at the café give her a sense of community.

Maud’s Café sources its coffee and food offerings locally as much as possible. Caffe Ibis Coffee and Tea Grotto tea is served in house with food items such as Creminelli snack packs and fresh-baked goods from Stoneground Bakery.

Snacks rotate occasionally to ensure a variety and offer seasonal items.

“The training with the youth has been going really well,”

50 Devour Utah • May 2018

says Kiara Polee, café manager and social worker for VOA. “In the very beginning stages of their training they stick to the technical side of things, and then slowly work towards the customer service side once they get confident that they are serving a good product.”

Polee expressed her appreciation for the tremendous amount of support the community has given them. Having people drive by, see the café sign and stop in has given everyone working there a sense of accomplishment, she says.

The café is part of the The Greenery, a retail, office and residential property developed by Artspace a little over a year ago. Artspace approached Volunteers of America (VOA) to see if they would open a coffee shop to serve not only Greenery tenants but the surrounding neighborhood.

Artspace has worked side by side with VOA, including making a significant donation to get Maud’s Café (named after Maud Ballington Booth, a co-founder of VOA in 1896) up and running.

The training is expressly designed for homeless youth who ask to join the program. Then, the Utah Department of Workforce Services, which collaborates on this program, helps them with preparation skills, testing and gets them ready to work—as some might need help with basics such as having identification, a home address, etc.

From there, a training manager from VOA assists them in developing an appropriate training schedule. The youth then begin learning all the facets of having a job, including getting to work on time.

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“Customer service is a big part of the training,” says Cathleen Sparrow, VOA’s chief development officer.

“Homeless youth do not trust adults, generally speaking. So, part of the training is learning how to interact with adults.”

Being comfortable serving the public is vital, she continues. It allows the trainees to become comfortable in that role, which in turn builds confidence and allows them to move on to other jobs without that fear.

Trainees are regular employees who collect a pay check and pay taxes. After their training is complete, others help find them a job in the private sector. All profits earned at Maud’s Café go back into the training program.

The benefits of the program go beyond the café. Not only are homeless youth better able to stabilize their lives, the neighborhood now enjoys a popular coffee shop and adjacent businesses have more foot traffic.

“Artspace agrees with our fundamental mission of providing training opportunities for homeless youth,” Greg Lambert, VOA chief financial officer, says. “Everything is driven by that concept, and our goal is to train between 20 to 30 youth every year and give them the opportunity to have a real-life training experience.” ❖ Maud’s Café 422 W. 900 South, SLC 801-597-2868 MaudsCafe.com

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OPEN 7 DAYS A WEEK I T A Q U E R I A 2 7 . C O M Devour Utah • May 2018 51

Plate it

E

very chef should have a signature dish, and for Blue Iguana’s Manuel Castillo, it’s his molcajete (pronounced mohl-kah-HEH-tay).

The native of Durango in northwestern Mexico was taught to cook by his paternal grandmother, and he used her training as a foundation when starting as a prep cook at Salt Lake’s “other” Iguana (the red one). The Cardenas family once owned both the Red and Blue Iguana before selling the downtown Blue Iguana to Kris Cappaert 20 years ago. That’s also when Castillo joined the “blue” team and came aboard as executive chef.

52 Devour Utah • April May 2018 2018

MOLCAJETE Blue Iguana

165 S. West Temple, SLC | 801-533-8900 | BlueIguanaRestaurant.net

While more and more Mexican restaurants offer a molcajete (named after the oversize heated volcanic rock mortar and pestle in which it is served), Chef Castillo’s dish features his own special touches. Overflowing with strips of grilled marinated chicken and steak, plump prawns, bacon-and-cheese-wrapped peppers, spring onions and queso panela cheese, the molcajete’s base is filled with a tangy tomatillo and nopales (cactus leaves) sauce.

A strip of tender meat, cheese or prawns with a spoonful of sauce on a warm tortilla is the very definition of

heaven. The dish, at $31.95, is designed to be shared, so find some compadres and take time to savor the multifaceted flavors, spices and textures along with a bottle of Blue Iguana’s private-label wine. ❖

—Jerre Wroble Photos by Eleni Saltas

Devour Devour Utah Utah •• April May 2018 53

Devour This | Recipe

Fav Bistro Chef Anny Sooksri

Basil Stir Fry for Two WORDS & PHOTOS BY JERRE WROBLE

A

s a hardworking chef, Anny Sooksri often rewards herself at the end of her day with a basil stir fry. The chef/ owner of the Thai restaurant group that includes the fabulous Fav Bistro, Sooksri says basil stir fry is a go-to comfort food in Thailand.

Sooksri says most Thai natives prefer the Siam Queen variety of basil, which imparts a licorice or anise flavor. But because of its short shelf life, U.S. restaurants typically use Thai sweet basil.

Sooksri stresses the importance of using all fresh ingredients and taking care not to overcook the vegetables. “You want them to be crisp and still nutritious,” she says. Another Thai tradition is to place a fried egg over a serving of rice and then ladle the stir fry on top. Keep the yolk runny, Sooksri advises. “I love that fried egg.”

Basil Stir Fry (With Chicken Mince) Ingredients

2 tablespoons vegetable oil 3-5 cloves of garlic sliced or minced Crushed Thai chile (optional for spice) ½ pound minced chicken (meat from one chicken breast) ¼ cup carrots, peeled and cut in half ovals or coins ¼ cup sliced yellow onion (thinly sliced lengthwise into thin wedges) ¼ cup each of red bell & Jalapeno peppers, cut into strips

¼ cup sugar snap peas, with pod stems and strings removed 2 tablespoons chicken stock 1 tablespoon oyster sauce 1 tablespoon fish sauce Dash sugar 1 bunch basil leaves (about 2½ ounces, or about 1 cup of packed basil), chopped if using a larger leaf basil.

Optional: 1 egg to fry in oil Cooked white rice

Process Remove skin from and debone a fresh chicken breast, rinse and pat dry. On a cutting board, with a sharp knife, cut raw meat into 2-inchwide strips. Then, use a meat clever to chop raw meat cubes by hand into a medium mince.

In a wok or large skillet, heat oil on low heat and cook garlic and Thai chili. Add chicken mince and break it up with spatula. Cook on high heat until chicken starts to turn white, about 1 to 2 minutes.

To the meat, add carrots and onions, stir fry over high heat until onions become translucent. Add oyster sauce, fish sauce, chicken stock and sugar, heat until liquid begins to boil while mixing in with other ingredients. Then, add bell peppers, snap peas and basil, and gently mix over heat for half a minute, then remove from heat.

In a small skillet, fry an egg in hot oil, sunny-side up. Cook the white crisp and keep yolk runny. Place egg over serving of rice, then cover egg and rice with stir-fry ingredients. ❖

Fav Bistro 1984 E. Murray Holladay Road, Holladay 801-676-9300

54 Devour Utah • May 2018

Serves 2

Siam Noodle Bar 5171 Cottonwood St., No. 160, Murray 801-262-1888

Chabaar Beyond Thai 87 W. 7200 South, Midvale 801-566-5100

Tea Rose Diner 65 E. Fifth Ave., Murray 801-685-6111 ASooksri.com

SUMMER

SALADS ARE HERE!

pictured: The Okinawa

801.355.2294 | 216 East 500 South, SLC

801-713-9423 5692 South 900 East Murray, UT 84121

www.japanesegrill.com

Devour Utah • May 2018 55

Spirit Guide

P

r e p am pour and

Mother’s Day drinks to celebrate Mom

WORDS AND PHOTOS BY DARBY DOYLE

A

t our house, Mother’s Day rules are sacrosanct: Mom doesn’t have to cook, clean or break up any fights. When my sons (now teenagers) were toddlers and my now-silver-muzzled Labradors were just puppies, this was the bare minimum for pampering in my book. And as much as I really do love to cook, the bounty of restaurants serving Mom’s Day brunches and special dinners makes for a delicious respite from household food prep, sibling squabbling notwithstanding.

In fact, Mother’s Day is the restaurant industry’s busiest holiday (followed by Valentine’s Day and Father’s Day). Last year, the National Restaurant Association found that 92 million Americans— that’s almost 2 in 5 adults—relied on restaurants for dine-in service or take out on the second Sunday in May. The percentage gets even higher for families with kids under the age of 18, where the industry group notes that 44 percent plan to dine out on Mother’s Day and 13 percent plan on getting takeout or delivery.

It’s uncertain how much alcohol sales are part of this annual industry mother lode (heh), but it just so happens that most of Utah’s favorite spots have festive beverages at the forefront of their celebratory menus. “I think every mom deserves a toast. And for me, nothing says a toast like bubbles,” Pago Restaurant Group’s Scott Evans says.

Read on for some tasty cheers-to-Mom selections from the bustling dining rooms and sunny patios around town. And check out my own recipe for an easy, refreshing tea julep with a festive and sweet flair the whole family can enjoy.

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Agave & Apples (Paloma riff) 1½ ounces Vida Blanco tequila 4 ounces Mountain West Ruby Cider ¾ ounce grapefruit juice ½ ounce simple syrup ½ ounce fresh lime juice pinch of salt

Pour some kosher salt on a plate.

Rub half of the rim of a highball glass or tall Collins glass with grapefruit wedge; dip rim of glass in salt. To a shaker, combine grapefruit juice, lime juice, pinch of salt and simple syrup. Dry shake to combine, then pour into the saltrimmed serving glass. Gently stir in tequila, add crushed ice to the top of the glass, and top off with cider.

Garnish with a grapefruit wedge.

“Palomas are just plain delicious, and you may have heard of our obsession with cider,” Scott Evans says of the several rare varieties rotating on the thoughtful East Liberty Tap House menu. The ELTH patio is also one of the prime peoplewatching spots in SLC’s hip 9th & 9th neighborhood, which Evans says is a great excuse for Mom to “drink our Paloma riff on the patio and watch the strollers cruise by. Go ahead and put your feet up on an extra chair.” Sounds like my kind of easy Sunday.

East Liberty Tap House 850 E. 900 South, SLC 801-441-2845 EastLibertyTapHouse.com

Devour Utah • May 2018 57

Spirit Guide

Strawberry-basil Caipirinha

Legendarily mixed up in rural Brazil since the 1800s, early versions of the caipirinha (pronounced kai-pirin-ya) were made with locally produced cachaça (a sugarcane-based hard liquor) mixed with sugar and lime. This concoction was especially popular with agricultural workers. Eventually, even the most bougy imbibers of cosmopolitan São Paulo embraced the beverage, especially after it was widely prescribed at the end of World War I to ease the effects of the rampant Spanish Flu. (Many of these old recipes called for cachaça, green lemon, honey and crushed garlic. Ugh.) Fast forward to the modern era, and variations of Brazil’s national beverage can be found all over the world. This strawberry-basil caipirinha created by Café Niche general manager Caprice Ossana hits all the springtime high-notes, Brazilian-style. Made with muddled strawberries and basil with fresh lime juice, cachaça and a balsamic reduction, it’s sure to please. And it also goes perfectly with Café Niche’s delectable croque-madame—just sayin’.

Café Niche 779 S. 300 East, SLC 801-433-3380 CaffeNiche.com

Mom-osa

Pago owner Scott Evans realizes that as any quick Google search will tell you, there are dozens of cheersworthy “Mom-osa” spins on the classic bubbly mimosa.

Evans says that since Mother’s Day is a “brunchy-type holiday,” he wanted to curate cocktails that are light in style with a high acid point perfect for food-pairing.

Pago’s Mom-osa is distinctively local, featuring booze from two Utah producers. With a definite sense of humor, Evans describes this sipper as “refreshing, light, pretty, with that extra punch for that extra kid you just had not planned for.”

“Mom”osa 1 ounce Dented Brick Antelope Island white rum 1 ounce Alpine Distilling Preserve liqueur 1 ounce fresh blood orange juice 4 ounces sparkling rosé To a mixing tin with ice, add rum, liqueur and juice.

Shake well, then strain into a wine glass with a few cubes of fresh ice. Top with sparkling wine; garnish with a skewered blood orange segment.

Pago 878 S. 900 East, SLC 801-532-0777 PagoSLC.com

58 Devour Utah • May 2018

!

This Not

Contemporary Japanese Dining

LUNCH • DINNER • COCKTAILS

18 MARKET STREET • 801.519.9595

X

This

801.485.1031 | 2057 East 3300 South | finecandies.com

Devour Utah • May 2018 59

Spirit Guide

BONUS:

Darby’s Tea Julep

Being originally from Kentucky, Mother’s Days of my younger years were usually the weekend after Derby Day. Having lived outside the South for so many years, my tolerance for both sweet tea and super-sweet mint juleps has declined precipitously. This news is often received with a “Well, bless her heart,” in side-eyed rebuke when I’m now visiting the Commonwealth.

In response to such divisive recipe decisions, I often defer to the DIY model of mixology at my own home bar: Make the base drink and let your guests add sugar to their taste. As both sweet tea and mint juleps are basically 2- to 3-ingredient beverages, consider the super fun and kid-friendly option of adding pieces of cotton candy (it’s

60 Devour Utah • May 2018

essentially spun sugar, anyway, right?) to melt into the drink and gradually reach a singularly arbitrary level of saccharinity. Utah’s own Lollipuff Gourmet Cotton Candy (LollipuffCottonCandy.com) even has delectable organic flavors like peppermint, mint limeade and wintermint (among dozens of options) to add flair.

Method: Smack a sprig of mint between your hands (in a firm clapping motion) to release fragrance, drop it into the bottom of a chilled silver julep cup or old-fashioned glass.

For the grown-ups, add 1½ ounces of bourbon. Fill the glass to the rim with pebble or crushed ice and pour in 4 to 5 ounces cold black sun tea. Add more ice to the rim of the glass and garnish with another sprig of smacked mint.

Serve with cotton candy for folks to sweeten to their heart’s content. ❖

ARE YOU CURRY’OUS?

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Come Visit Us For Dinner

353 West 200 South,

161 West 900 South,

SLC, UT

SLC, UT

801.521.2106

801.924-0939

7am-midnight Mon-Sat; 10am-10pm Sunday

Contact us to cate r your next event!

1659 W. North Temple, Salt Lake City (inside the RAMADA INN) PLENTY OF FREE PARKING

801-363-7555  STAROFINDIAONLINE.COM

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serving locally produced beers & spirits

75+ BEERS AVAILABLE

CRAFT COCKTAILS - WINE - BEER 80’S NEW WAVE NIGHT EVERY THURSDAY 7PM-11PM W/ DJ BIRDMAN (RAFFLE PRIZES & GIVEAWAYS) FEATURING ONE OF EAST-SIDE, SALT LAKE’S BEST PATIOS

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FULL DINING MENU FROM CAFE TRIO

BOOK YOUR NEXT PARTY OR EVENT AT ELIXIR!

6405 s. 3000 e. Holladay | 801.943.1696 | elixirloungeslc.com Devour Utah • May 2018 61

Content provided by Utah Restaurant Association

A

Chef’s Presence

T

he heart of any restaurant can be found in the kitchen and what makes that heart beat is the passion of a chef. In our estimation, there are few more noble positions than that of a Chef. The chef community in Utah is one that supports one another, cheering each other on and helping each other out.

A chef must be a leader but also be able to work as a team. The skills it takes to become a chef can definitely come with training, but the finesse, work ethic and love is something that runs through the veins of a chef. The desire to nourish people, treat them to an experience and educate their patrons is the blue print of a true chef. And the restaurant culture in Utah is embracing women as leaders. Female chefs and restaurateurs like Alice Waters and Dominique Crenn have been leading the way for years and we are proud to highlight a few of the many women rocking the restaurant industry in Utah. There is so much to be inspired about in Utah and the next generation is hearing the call to join the industry. We know that every single person in a restaurant contributes in their unique way and former ProStart students

62 Devour Utah • May 2018

now stepping into leadership roles as they begin their journey as restaurant professionals are no exception. We love celebrating their successes.

At our URA Annual Restaurant Industry Awards Gala we recognize a “Chef Of The Year” as a key component to the success of our industry. The event is all about community, and celebrating every person that contributes to the growth and diversity of our culinary landscape. The 2018 Restaurant Industry Awards Gala is open to all those interested in celebrating the greats in the industry, both front and back of the house. A cocktail reception will take place prior to dinner, a three course meal prepared by head chef of the Grand America, Fernando Soberanis will be served and local TV personality Nicea DeGering will be master of ceremony. Guests may anticipate an evening to remember as we celebrate seventy five years serving Utah. If you are interested in attending the 2018 Restaurant Awards Gala please visit www.UtahRestaurantAssociation.org to reserve your seats or call the Utah Restaurant Association’s office to reserve over the phone: 801.274.7309.

Content provided by Utah Restaurant Association

MONDAY, MAY 7, 2018 6:00pm - 8:30pm grand america hotel Tickets are available now online at www.UtahRestaurantAssociation.org

Devour Utah • May 2018 63

Content provided by Utah Restaurant Association

Women Who Rock The Industry Women have always been a force to be reckoned with in the restaurant industry and many have worked very hard to gain their place in leadership roles both in front-of-the-house positions and back of-the-house positions. These three women have been leading the charge and pushing the boundaries as to what it means to be a female in the restaurant industry in Utah, innovating in the kitchen and using their leadership to affect change.

Alexa Norlin Owner normal® ice cream Alexa Norlin has been innovating and infusing sweetness into restaurant dessert menus all over the Salt Lake valley. After spending years refining her art at dining hot spots such as The Rose Establishment, Fresco Italian Cafe and most recently HSL and Handle; she is the girl power behind normal ice cream, a one of its kind ice cream food truck serving not-so-normal ice cream flavors. Norlin utilizes her expertise as a trained pastry chef to offer ice cream creations that will surprise, delight and hook you. The menu changes monthly, with special features like doughnut ice cream sandwiches on Sundays and choco tacos with horchata ice cream on Tuesdays and even vegan sorbet options. Norlin uses the best ingredients like local chocolate from Solstice or world celebrated Valrhona dulcey blond chocolate.

And flavors such as tiramisu, London Fog and toasted sesame just may expand your definition of dessert. The unmistakable chromed out vintage food truck can be found right now parked inside the east entrance of Trolley Square and hours vary.

Once the weather permits you will find the normal truck at varied downtown Salt Lake City locations.

To stay up to date on where to taste Norlin’s next soft-serve creation - follow normal.club on IG. You will also find normal ice cream offered at Mazza, Nomad Eatery and Caputo’s Market.

64 Devour Utah • May 2018

Jodie Rogers Director of Food and Beverage Deer Valley Resort Jodie Rogers has been rocking kitchens since 1994. Early on in her career in her native Australia she was an intricate part of culinary teams that took the gold medal in Australian Salon Culinare, Restaurant of Champions. In her twenty plus career as chef she has opened restaurants in London and Sydney. She relocated to Deer Valley and began serving as Executive Chef of Snow Park Lodge in 2000 and now oversees Empire Canyon Lodge, Deer Valley Grocery Cafe, The Brass Tag, among many other responsibilities. Rogers was invited to cook on NBC’s Today Show in March of 2014 and has served as a guest judge on TeenChef Pro. She is passionate but also one of the most kind people you’ll ever know. She is dedicated to serving the larger food community and serves as co-president of Park City Area Restaurant Association, sits on the Board Of Directors of Utah Restaurant Association, volunteers her time encouraging the next generation of female chefs working with Utah ProStart, and works with several Park City and Summit County sustainability and nutrition initiatives.

Jenn Brinkerhoff Culinary Director Even Stevens Sandwiches Jenn actually thought she was leaving a successful career in the restaurant industry behind in 2015 to pursue a less stressful position with Even Stevens just as they were opening their second restaurant in Sugarhouse. Her curiosity about food was ignited into a full-fledged passion while working along side inspired chefs like Even Stevens Executive Chef Brandon Price and Logen Crew. But maybe not in the traditional way one would think.

Jenn has an incredible eye for details and as Even Stevens Culinary Director she works diligently taking Brandon’s menus and the restaurants dedication to craft, sourcing local and using quality ingredients and translates that into something that can be scaled and consistently executed by 20 stores and 700+ team members. It is thanks in part to Jenn’s efforts that every time you eat the Beer Cheese, Salmon BLT or Breakfast Sandwich at any Even Steven’s it tastes like Chef Brandon prepared it himself. Her reward? Bridging the gap between the mind of the chef, and the valuable guests who dine at Even Stevens locations all over the country.

Content provided by Utah Restaurant Association

Utah

Passport To Passion

ProStart is the premiere culinary arts and hospitality program in Utah High Schools. This curriculum based two year program is meant for those juniors and seniors who have an undeniable passion for the restaurant industry and food community. It is the gateway to a career in the restaurant industry, whether students choose to place their emphasis in culinary or management.

The restaurant industry in Utah is peppered with these ProStart grads, shining examples of what the ProStart program is helping to create in Utah.

The curriculum is intended to be vigorous and challenge students. Austin Shimada is our Utah ProStart highlight this month. He credits Utah ProStart for his passport to success and is thriving in Utah’s growing restaurant industry.

Austin Shimada General Manager Caputo’s Market - Holladay Location As a junior in high school Austin was passionate about food. He knew he wanted to learn more and so he enrolled in Utah ProStart at Northridge High School. There he found an environment rich in technical training, challenging curriculum and peers with the same passion he had. He auditioned for both his ProStart Culinary and Management team and ultimately had to choose between them. He loved to cook but knew the business management skills he would gain by competing on management would be invaluable. By the time he graduated from high school and the ProStart program, Austin was working at Zucca Trattoria in Ogden under Chef Elio Scanu.

He stayed there for seven years working his way up to Sous Chef. It was his ProStart training that helped him secure the job at Zucca and it was in the kitchen at Zucca that he learned about quality sourcing and the importance of each ingredient. As a former ProStart student he relishes the ability to mentor students still in the program. He’s helped advise culinary competition teams and even created internship programs for interested ProStart students.

A few years ago, he followed his passion for food, to Caputo’s. He learned about Caputo’s while working in the industry and their adherence to sourcing the best ingredients, education and offering those not only to local restaurant chefs in the industry but also home cooks. At 26, he’s a young General Manager and very proud of his career and his training. He gets the opportunity to talk to chefs and customers every day about food and continue to share his love of the industry. He still keeps in touch with several of his ProStart classmates, in fact there are two other former ProStart students who work with him at the Caputo’s Holladay location.

Austin still plans to open his own restaurant in the future and understands the invaluable nature of his experience and the culinary thread ProStart weaves to secure the future of the industry.

Devour Utah • May 2018 65

SARAH ARNOFF

Last Bite

Street Eats okonomiyaki Hiro dreams of

A

BY SARAH ARNOFF fter working as a sushi chef for more than two decades, Tokyo native Hiro Watanabe yearns for a change. Trained in his native Japan, Watanabe worked as a sushi chef in Alabama and Tennessee before moving to Utah 11 years ago. He’s now a sushi chef at Draper’s Wasabi restaurant but wants to create his own business that serves Japanese street food to Utahns. Most notably, Watanabe wants to cook up fresh okonomiyaki, a dense pancake-like dish popular during festivals in Japan.

“I want to introduce something new to people here,” Watanabe says. “Okonomiyaki is kind of comfort food— street food—in Japan. Everybody likes it.”

He hoped to have his food truck, Lucky One, up and running by summer but still has a way to go. He only just registered his business and still needs a website or socialmedia profile, both a challenge for him as English is not his first language. He envisions getting his start at farmers markets and is now connecting with other food-truck owners to figure out how to make his dream come to life.

His food-truck concept is simple, just like the dish it will 66 Devour Utah • May 2018

serve: Okonomiyaki consists of just a few ingredients— mainly flour, baking powder, egg and julienned cabbage mixed together and fried in a lightly oiled pan with whatever mix-ins the eater desires. Watanabe says shrimp, mixed seafood, sliced pork belly and squid are all popular choices in Japan, but he’s also experimented with American toppings such as pepperoni and pulled pork.

But the add-ons don’t necessarily make the dish. “Sauce is boss,” Watanabe says, explaining that the sauce used for okonomiyaki is a cross between teriyaki and sweet barbecue sauce. Once the steaming pancake is doused in sauce and Japanese mayonnaise, it’s then sprinkled with seaweed flakes and fish shavings and is ready to be gulped down.

Lucky One will offer just two types of okonomiyaki pancake at first: curry and original. Watanabe says he’s also thinking about serving karaage, a Japanese boneless fried chicken, and if he eventually is able to open a brickand-mortar restaurant, he’ll offer even more street foods such as takoyaki (fried octopus pieces).

Transitioning from making fresh fish dishes to fried street foods is a big leap, but Watanabe is just fine with leaving the sushi world behind—the American one, at least. “I already miss Japanese sushi,” he says, explaining that American sushi focuses more on rolls and incorporates a lot of cooked elements.

“For the Japanese, sushi is about freshness of seafood,” he says.

For now, Watanabe, like any a chef trying to steer his career in a new direction, can only look ahead and dream of the days when he can drive the streets of Utah and deliver authentic, tasty meals, widening the spectrum of what locals know as Japanese food. Unfortunately, okonomiyaki is not popular in Utah. “Not yet,” he says. ❖ Have advice for or want to assist Hiro Watanabe in his new venture? He can be reached at HiroWatanabeUtah@gmail.com

Hiro Watanabe’s okonomiyaki

Devour Utah • May 2018 67

68 Devour Utah • May 2018