DEPARTMENTS C H E F ’ S T A B L E
VIDRIO
EXPERIENCE ACCLAIMED MEDITERRANEAN DISHES AMID ELEGANT INTERIORS
V
BY ELLIOT ACOSTA | PHOTOS BY MASH PHOTOGRAPHY idrio introduced a refined state
of memories and emotions that Rahman
produced seasonal dishes like Harissa
of dining to the rowdy streets of
attempts to recreate at Vidrio.
Roasted Joyce Farms Chicken, classics like
Glenwood South when its doors opened in 2017. The eatery
Although the restaurant’s Mediterranean
Coq Au Vin and seafood specialties like
menu is a departure from the cuisine of
Carolina Mountain Trout. Each dish is an
earned instant acclaim by stunning diners
Rahman’s childhood, his upbringing still
extension of the kitchen’s soul, and may be
with an awe-inspiring glass art wall and
inspires many of his dishes. Rahman’s
why Rahman hesitates to pick out a favorite
Mediterranean-focused menu.
focus on using local ingredients is founded
from his menu. “It’s like asking me to pick
in memories of cooking with ingredients
out my favorite child,” he says.
At the helm of Vidrio’s kitchen is Executive Chef Saif Rahman. A person of
from his grandmother’s garden. When the
deep faith, Rahman believes his journey
pandemic made getting supplies to Vidrio
TASTE TOURS
into professional cooking was simply
challenging, Rahman leaned into those
Determined to showcase the Mediterranean
“following what he was supposed to be
humble beginnings by using whatever
region beyond Greece and Italy, Rahman
doing.” Becoming a chef wasn’t so much a
limited ingredients were made available to
has offered themed dinners for the
choice for him, as it was a path chosen for
him, and then creating refined dishes from
Mediterranean’s less-celebrated culinary
him. While working in highly regarded
them. Rahman’s skill of transforming these
cuisines from countries like Portugal,
kitchens—like Michelin 3-star restaurant
simple ingredients into delicious entrees is
Egypt and Morocco. These “Taste Tours,”
Grace in Chicago—may have sharpened
on display in Vidrio’s “From the Garden”
as Rahman has named them, are a vehicle
his skills, Rahman insists his culinar y
menu, which elevates plain produce such
to support regions in need. Vidrio hosted
talents are more of a divine blessing than
as carrots into posh fare, thanks to his
a Ukrainian Taste Tour, then donated the
personal manifestation. Before destiny
ability to expertly grill them and then add
proceeds to support the World Central
guided Rahman to work as a chef, he
complexity with tahini yogurt.
Kitchen’s mission to feed Ukrainian families
had already ventured into other pursuits,
in the war-torn country. When creating the
such as working in the financial sector.
ADD SOME SOUL
tours, Rahman strives to make personal
However, as he recalls, “ever ything came
Rahman has a simple ethos when crafting
connections to discover the countries’
back to cooking.”
Vidrio’s menu: “Food doesn’t have soul—
dishes. He chose to forgo easily accessible
it’s the cook that puts the soul in the food,”
research methods such as YouTube and,
BANGLADESH BEGINNINGS
he says. This philosophy became especially
instead, learned about the featured country’s
Chef Rahman’s call to the kitchen started
important when Rahman took over the
recipes by seeking out a native from that
in his grandmother’s village in Bangladesh.
kitchen at Vidrio in the middle of the
country. In the case of his Taste Tour of
Unbeknownst to the younger Rahman, the
pandemic, which weighed so heavily on
Ukraine menu, Rahman gleaned recipes
time in his grandmother’s lush rice fields
his staff that “cooking didn’t have feeling
from his Ukrainian seafood delivery man.
and plentiful garden of produce would
anymore,” he says.
provide the foundation of his culinary career.
“Cooking is easy,” Rahman says. His
When diners come to eat at Vidrio, Rahman hopes they support him and the
“Back then I didn’t realize what it was, but
bigger challenge at Vidrio is inspiring
restaurant, but also hopes they understand
now [looking back] it was the most amazing
his team to put soul into the food. This
the struggle that goes into making his
thing,” Rahman says.
approach is partly why Rahman entered
operation a success—that they understand
He marvels at the access he had to fresh
and won the North Carolina Restaurant &
the hard work and soul that comes into
fruit, like mangoes and lychees. But it wasn’t
Lodging Association’s Chef Showdown in
each dish at Vidrio. Because Rahman’s goal
just his grandmother’s bountiful garden that
2021. He stresses that he didn’t win for
for Vidrio isn’t to chase down accolades;
amazed Rahman, it was how she was able
himself, but competed for his parents, his
rather, he is driven by the daily pursuit to
to “make people happy, make people smile
grandmother and his staff. The passion
do his best and to keep his team and
and touch the soul.” Those are the kinds
Rahmen has cultivated from his cooks has
diners happy.
80 | midtownmag.com
