CHEF PROFILES .................... 23

CHEF PROFILE

Jonathan Harootunian Fulton Market Kitchen 311 N. Sangamon St., Chicago Current Position: Executive chef Favorite Food to Eat: You can defi nitely count me as a ramen afi cionado! Awards/Honors: It’s always gratifying and humbling to earn a publication’s top star or “best of” rating, both on a personal level and, most especially, in recognition of a hardfought team effort. Memorable Customers: A visit by actor Keanu Reeves at a former restaurant jumps to mind. The frontof-house staff got quite worked up, but Keanu very much seemed like a down-to-earth type of guy. Worst Part of Job: Like other demanding lines of work, we put in some very long, tough hours. It’s ultimately highly rewarding, that’s why we do it. But it does take its toll on one’s life away from the restaurant. Most Humorous Kitchen Mishap: Hah! I well remember being tasked, as a very young chef, with producing six key lime pies. Not recognizing, unfortunately, that someone else had mistakenly emptied a 50-lb. bag of salt into the sugar bin! Favorite Food to Prepare: I love the purity of preparing great Italian food for the deceptive simplicity of combining just a few great ingredients at a time. And in particular, there’s something very meditative and satisfying about stirring up a pot of risotto. What part of the job gives the most pleasure: The chance to “give back,” to be able to help younger, aspiring culinarians to learn, grow and succeed. If you couldn’t be a chef, what would you be and why? I’ve always been fascinated with aviation, and there’s just something alluring about the life of a commercial airline pilot. Best advice you ever got: “Keep your eyes down and mouth shut.” Long-ago advice that has served me well to remember from time to time. Other than family, who was your greatest culinary influence? So many infl uences along the way. I remember reading Anthony Bourdain’s “Kitchen Confi dential” and being struck by how many of the experiences and personalities he describes resonate so deeply with me as well.

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“Before anything else, preparation is the key to success.” —Alexander Graham Bell