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from LULMagazine: "A Taste of Luxury"- Iss. #7

BURGHALIE

Chef Ed Porter dishes on what makes the perfect recipe.

Written by: Cyn The Great

Ingredients

Becoming the maestro of flavor, for Celebrity Chef Ed Porter, has proven to be a journey against self. Being able to take control of his life at a young age was a choice that also revealed his culinary gift. Determination and skill served as the key ingredients to his success in and out of the kitchen. Learning the food industry was a gig that came with trials and tribulations, but more importantly allowed him to pull from his experiences in order to create memories that would last with people forever from one meal. When he was told “no” he did not get defeated; instead he would find new innovative ways to better his craft in order to create his YES. As Ed cultivated his craft his name became a delicacy that landed him a huge opportunity on Netflix’s hit series

Pressure Cooker. His experience on the show led him to tap back in with his love for music. With many projects and plans underway, Ed is able to juggle family, music and business while enjoying the art of creating a taste of luxury with everything he puts his hands to.

Preparation

When Ed recalls his origin story in terms of falling in love with cooking he shared, “I literally fell into it because my mom gave me an ultimatum.” He was given the option to go to job core or to live in the streets of Bronx, NY and follow a path of self destruction. When given the choice to pick a trade the 16 year old decided that if he chose culinary arts, at least he would be able to be around food; unknowing that he had a hidden gift in the kitchen. The program he enrolled in was scheduled for a year but Ed finished within the first six months and was given the opportunity to attend Delaware Community College on a scholarship. Once he earned his degree, Ed immediately started working for a restaurant chain called the Ground Round. Initially he was placed at the front of the house as a host where his instant goal became working his way to the kitchen. There were times where he felt discouraged but instead of becoming defeated he learned everything he could about every position. Being a host led him to becoming a good server and being a server molded him into a great cook. He learned all the components required to provide a great dining experience for every customer.

Presentation

Ed expressed that there was an instant gratification that came with the long hours knowing that he had the chance to make his “tomorrow” better than he was “yesterday” as a cook. Once he made way into the kitchen things started to take off rapidly. People were asking for him by name, his private clientele list was becoming filled with reputable people and from there he crossed over into fine dining and never looked back. There were times that he would do the job without pay just to get the experience by going in and shadowing different lead chefs. He would mimic what they did until he was able to do whatever it was the dish entailed with his own flare.

Ed was often the darkest and youngest cook in the kitchen and recalled being purposely misled a couple of times by older chefs so he began stealing with his eyes. He made it a point to surpass anyone threatened by his ability to make money. At the time he did not understand the corporate world and had tunnel vision to pay for studio time to work on his music. Ed expressed “ I had the mindset that if you wanna see me win; tell me that I can’t do something”.

Music had always been a part of Ed since he could remember. His earliest memories of music drew him back to when would sit on top of his family’s white fuzzy couch listening to different types of music staring at his mother’s album covers admiring the vivid images. He recalled being gifted a record player, Casio keyboards, drums , guitars and always being around music. At that time Ed did not understand the parallels between food and music in terms of creating art. He did not set his mind on the idea of being a chef full time until he was about two years into the industry. Over the years cooking funded Ed’s music career. He took a break for a long period of time as his music group was traveling and working on getting signed.

During that time in his life Ed felt like music and cooking were at war with one another because he could not focus on one without having the other idle. Being on Netflix’s hit show Pressure Cooker allowed Ed to merge the two. He had already competed in Guy’s Grocery Games so he already knew how to head into the challenge . Ed’s expertise in the culinary world became evident as he brung a wealth of knowledge and flavor to the show. Being on the show gifted him friends that became family and the chance to learn from his peers. His discerning palate and ability to articulate his culinary expertise made him a respected and influential figure on the show. His charismatic personality and quick wit made him a fan favorite among viewers. Although he did not take the number one spot he walked away with a new sense of accomplishment and a new single PressureCooker that was inspired by his experience on the show.

When creating any dish, Ed’s main objective is to evoke every emotion by telling a story through the menu, ambience, ingredients and presentation. He spoke of a restaurant he opened in 2006 called the Willie Mays Skybox Lounge. The food items were created to pay tribute to who Willie Mays was as a person and his experiences in life. Ed’s creative eye allows him to focus on small details that would go over the heads of most. He has perfected the art of working around different food restrictions and make each meal taste equally as good. Since the show; Ed has been working on plans to open up a new restaurant, release new music, marry his fiancé and create new dishes and experiences.