Bon Appetit - October 2021

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The People

The Meals

The Audacity

Changing the Industry for the Better

We’ve Missed (and How to Make Them at Home)

of Opening a Restaurant During a Pandemic

P. 6 4

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Oc t o b e r VOLUME 66 NUMBER 8

BY ALIZA ABARBANEL

12 Family Meal Usher in fall with garlicky smashed chickpeas, fried lentils and bratwurst, and more recipes from Abra Berens’s new book, Grist.

BY ALEX BEGGS

24 The Pour Partners in life and business, the duo behind independent winery Camins 2 Dreams is devoted to terroir.

BY VICTORIA JAMES

28 Sweet Spot Bayou Saint Cake’s Bronwen Wyatt rounds out a dazzling apple-hazelnut dessert with rye flour and warm spices.

34 Talk You Through It Freezer blueberries are the secret to making Christina Chaey’s delightful berry compote all year round.

36 The Little Things A Chicago brewery with a decidedly funky design.

A PICTUREPERFECT FINISH P. 6 3

BY EMMA ORLOW

40 The Audacity of Opening a Restaurant During a Pandemic Five chef-owners share what inspired them to take the leap.

48 You’ve Got the Night Shift. Who’s Got Your Kids?

Writer Lydia Kiesling talks to hospitality workers about a career path seemingly at odds with family life and their hope for a reformed system.

56 Meals Worth Traveling For From soy-buttermushroom omusubi in L.A. to a charred broccoli salad in NOLA: Five food people share the dishes they dreamt of returning to this year.

64 Heads of the Table Meet the leaders who took it upon themselves to better the restaurant industry during its most challenging year.

81 Basically Should you buy an air fryer? Alex Beggs helps you decide.

88 Dream Dinner Party Through his restaurants and his nonprofit, World Central Kitchen, chef José Andrés feeds many. But what would he feed his dinner party guests?

BY DAWN DAVIS

IN EVERY ISSUE 6 editor’s letter 86 recipe index ON THE COVER

Chicken With Mushroom Purée and Swiss Chard (for recipe, see p. 42).

Photograph by Emma Fishman.

PHOTOGRAPH BY EMMA FISHMAN. FOOD STYLING BY PEARL JONES. PROP STYLING: SOPHIE STRANGIO.

9 The Buy A new generation of artist-designed merch captures what you love best about your favorite places to eat and drink.

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Editor in Chief

DAWN DAVIS Executive Editor SONIA CHOPRA Test Kitchen Director CHRIS MOROCCO Deputy Editor MERYL ROTHSTEIN Director of Editorial Operations NICK TRAVERSE

Editorial

Design

Test Kitchen

Editorial Director AMANDA SHAPIRO Digital Director SASHA LEVINE Senior Editor, Cooking SARAH JAMPEL Senior Staff Writer ALEX BEGGS Culture Editor HILARY CADIGAN Restaurants Editor ELYSE INAMINE Lifestyle Editor KAREN YUAN Associate Editors ALI FRANCIS, BETTINA MAKALINTAL Associate Editor, Cooking ANTARA SINHA Assistant Editor CHALA TYSON TSHITUNDU Digital Production Assistant NICO AVALLE Recipe Production Assistant MEHREEN KARIM Assistant to the Editor in Chief JENNA ADRIAN-DIAZ Entertainment Director CAITLIN BRODY

Art Director CHRISTA GUERRA Senior Designer ALEX MADRID Art Assistant JULIA DUARTE

Senior Food Editors ANDY BARAGHANI, CHRISTINA CHAEY Associate Food Editors RACHEL GUR JAR, ZAYNAB ISSA, KENDRA VACULIN Assistant Food Editor JESSIE YUCHEN

Photography Assistant Visuals Editor DONDRE STUETLEY Staff Photographer EMMA FISHMAN Associate Staff Photographer ISA ZAPATA

Operations Production Managers MATT CARSON, KATE FENOGLIO Copy Director GREG ROBERTSON Copy Manager BRIAN CARROLL

Global Commerce Category Director, Food & Home ELAHEH NOZARI Senior Commerce Editor MACKENZIE CHUNG FEGAN Commerce Writer TIFFANY HOPKINS

Recipe Editors LIESEL DAVIS, JONATHAN MILDER

Social & Audience Development Associate Director of Social Media URMILA RAMAKRISHNAN Associate Manager, Social Media OLIVIA QUINTANA Associate Analytics Director CLARA CHEN Senior Manager of Audience Development ALEX PASTRON Associate Manager of Audience Development NIDHA AHMED

Video Contributing Editor

MARCUS SAMUELSSON

Head of Video Programming & Development JUNE KIM Senior Director of Development DAN SIEGEL Director of Content ALI INGLESE Programming Manager HOLLY PATTON Senior Culinary Director RHODA BOONE Culinary Producer KELLY JANKE Directors CORY CAVIN, MATT HUNZIKER, JEFF KORNBERG, CHRIS PRINCIPE, RUSTY WARD Directors of Photography BEN DEWEY, KEVIN DYNIA Producers BLAKE JESSE, NESS KLEINO, PARISA KOSARI, TYRE NOBLES, TOMMY WERNER

Chief Business Officer

JENNIFER MORMILE VP, Brand Revenue FRANCESCA COIA MAROTTI Head of Marketing BREE M c KENNEY VP, Finance ROB NOVICK VP, Marketing TARA MASON Senior Business Director JENNIFER CRESCITELLI

HEADS OF SALES Fashion & Luxury DAVID STUCKEY Beauty LUCY KRIZ CPG & Vice JEFF BARISH Auto & Media/Entertainment BILL MULVIHILL Business/Finance/Technology DOUG GRINSPAN Health CARRIE MOORE Home & Travel BETH LUSKO-GUNDERMAN VP, Revenue–Midwest PAMELA QUANDT VP, Revenue–San Francisco DEVON ROTHWELL VP, Enterprise Sales–Los Angeles DAN WEINER

CREATIVE Senior Art Director PHUONG NGUYEN Art Director STEPHANIE OLSEN RABINOWITZ Associate Art Director MIRIAM ROSS Executive Producer LLOYD D ’SOUZA Senior Producer JULIE SULLIVAN Director of Creative Content Production DANA KRAVIS

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Chief Executive Officer ROGER LYNCH Global Chief Revenue Officer & President, U.S. Revenue PAMELA DRUCKER MANN Chief Content Officer ANNA WINTOUR President, Condé Nast Entertainment AGNES CHU Chief Financial Officer JACKIE MARKS Chief Marketing Officer DEIRDRE FINDLAY Chief People Officer STAN DUNCAN Chief Communications Officer DANIELLE CARRIG Chief of Staff ELIZABETH MINSHAW Chief Product & Technology Officer SANJAY BHAKTA Chief Data Officer KARTHIC BALA Chief Client Officer JAMIE JOUNING Chief Content Operations Officer CHRISTIANE MACK

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Editor ’s Letter

Restaurants on Our Mind is the restaurant guide for many of you. Once the list drops we’ve heard how readers rush to get reservations at the places we highlight, which often changes the financial trajectory of these establishments. We take that responsibility seriously. For much of the last year and a half, however, it simply wasn’t possible to travel to the restaurants that even managed to open, and it certainly didn’t seem like the right time to have them compete against one another for the 10 slots.

The time did seem right, though, for us to rethink what it means to be an outstanding restaurant. Of course, it’s about the food— bold flavors, local ingredients, and unexpected preparations.

But the pandemic reinforced that restaurants are much more W E K N O W B A ’S A N N U A L H O T 10

WHAT I’M LOVIN G Some picks from the new Marcus at Baha Mar Fish + Chop House

6 – O C T O B E R 2 0 21

There’s great seafood at Marcus Samuelsson’s new spot at Baha Mar resort in the Bahamas.

The sweetness of local tomatoes was the perfect foil to prawns, dressed in a watermelon and cane vinaigrette.

than that—they can inspire, reform, and build community. So this year we asked ourselves, Who is putting others first? Who is making the industry better?

We came up with a dozen restaurants, people, and organizations that stood out for their outside-thebox thinking, deep impact, and yes, often their stellar food. These are the Heads of the Table (page 64).

Our Restaurant Issue also includes a thoughtprovoking piece on parenting in the industry (page 48) and a feature on restaurants that boldly opened in the pandemic (page 40), including a neighborhood favorite of mine, Vestry in New York, as well as the places making food we dreamt about during lockdown (page 56). Collectively, these stories show the ways restaurants innovate even as they struggle. You can see that in the recipes, from the Picarones With Fig Chancaca Syrup (page 78), doughnuts made with sweet potato and cardamom, to the Flip Side Pizza sauce (page 79), a brew of molasses, black pepper sauce, and tomato paste.

In The Pour (page 24), you’ll meet Tara Gomez and Mireia Taribó, the winemakers behind Camins 2 Dreams. I first encountered their wines last fall at restaurateur Simon Kim’s Cote in New York. Cote’s steaks and Dwen-jang Stew are always memorable, but it was the wine that sommelier Victoria James poured that night that got my attention. Here James shares what makes Camins 2 Dreams so special.

Finally, each month I ask notable people who they’d invite for the Dream Dinner Party column (page 88). In an issue that highlights the givers, we give chef José Andrés the last word.

DAW N DAV I S edi tor i n ch i ef @bonappetitdawn on instagram

This deconstructed Key lime pie has all the goodies: strawberries topped with fresh mint, graham cracker crumbs, strawberry sorbet, dehydrated meringue shards, and little meringue peaks.

PHOTOGRAPHS: EMMA FISHMAN (BROCCOLI); ANGELA BANKHEAD (MARCUS).

FOOD STYLING BY PEARL JONES (BROCCOLI). PROP STYLING BY SOPHIE STRANGIO (BROCCOLI).

Bacchanal Wine in New Orleans does broccoli right.

P. 63

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WHAT TO DO WITH ALL THOSE APPLES p. 28

DRINK BEER, LOOK AT ART

R e c i p e s , E s s e n t i a l G o o d s , a n d Te s t K i t c he n K n o w - H o w

p. 36

Night + Market (Los Angeles) Dad hat,

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Friday Saturday Sunday (Philadelphia) tee,

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Rep Your Restaurants Merch4 partners with food businesses nationwide to produce design-minded hats, tees, and more

P H OTO G R A P H S BY E M M A F I S H M A N

O C T O B E R 2 0 21 – 9

Paris Magnolia

Th e B u y

Admire the City of Love

IN THE SPRING

Provence Lavender Enjoy the French Countryside

of 2020, Merch 4 Relief rallied to help restaurants and bars navigate the pandemic by creating merch at cost. The businesses earned 95 percent of the profit, while 5 percent went to the artist behind the design.

Now the nonprofit, started by friends Aubrie Przybysz, Vince D’Angelo, Sam Parker, and Pete Schaaf, is on its second act as Merch4 (merch4.com): a for-profit restaurant merch supplier with a do-gooder twist. “We want to eliminate the barrier to entry for producing your own merch,” Parker says. “All the little details of managing production can stop restaurants from even getting started.”

The group behind Merch4 hopes to provide restaurants with a consistent source of extra cash—and restaurant lovers with a steady supply of prized apparel. We’d better start clearing space in our closets now. — A L I Z A A B A R B A N E L

Bateau (Seat tle) tee,

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Eem (Por tland) tee,

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Rustic Canyon (Los Angeles) tee,

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Designs also available in Oui Dairy Free.

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Family Meal

Crispy fried lentils, garlicky chickpeas, and more from chef Abra Berens’s newest book, Grist

Berens likes to make her bulgur “a bit chewy, but not stuck-in-yourteeth gritt y.”

B U L G U R I S T H E canned margarita of grains—she’s ready to party, fast. “It’s one of the original convenience foods,” says Abra Berens, author of the wonderful new grain-and-bean-focused cookbook Grist, coming out October 26. This isn’t brown rice you have to cook for 45 agonizing minutes. To cook bulgur, the name for parboiled and dried wheat berries, just rehydrate the grain by covering it in boiling water and letting it sit for about 10 minutes. In Berens’s recipe on page 14, bulgur gets dressed up with a few herbs and served with fish and fennel for a simple dinner. — A L E X B E G G S

P H OTO G R A P H S BY E M M A F I S H M A N

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Family Meal

Crispy Salmon With Bulgur Plan ahead: Make a double batch of the mustard dressing to use as a sauce to serve with proteins or brighten up sturdy greens

1. Bring 1 cup water to a boil in a small saucepan. Remove from heat and immediately add bulgur.

Cover pan and let sit until bulgur is tender, about 10 minutes. Drain off excess water, then mix in dill and 2 Tbsp. oil. Season with salt and pepper.

2. Meanwhile, whisk shallot, vinegar, sour cream, mustard, and ¼ cup oil in a small bowl until smooth; season dressing with salt.

Set aside.

3. Heat remaining 1 Tbsp. oil in a large nonstick skillet over mediumhigh. Season salmon with salt and arrange skin side down in skillet.

Reduce heat to medium and cook, pressing down gently on fish, until skin is golden brown and crisp, 6–8 minutes. Turn fillets over and cook until just cooked through, about 3 minutes. Transfer to a large plate, arranging skin side up.

4. Combine fennel and radishes in a large bowl. Drizzle reserved dressing over to suit your taste (you won’t need all of it) and toss to coat. Season with more salt if needed.

5. To serve, spoon bulgur among plates, dividing evenly, and top each with a salmon fillet and fennel and radish salad.

Dressing can be made 3 days ahead. Cover and chill.

DO AHEAD:

14 – O C T O B E R 2 0 21

4 S E RV I N G S

1 cup medium-grind bulgur ¼ cup chopped dill 3 Tbsp. plus ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil, divided Kosher salt, freshly ground pepper 1 small shallot, finely chopped ¼ cup apple cider vinegar ¼ cup sour cream

Stuck with leftovers?

Toss them over your favorite salad mix for a quick midweek lunch.

¼ cup whole grain or Dijon mustard 4 6-oz. skin-on salmon fillets 1 large fennel bulb, shaved on a mandoline or thinly sliced 8 radishes, trimmed, shaved on a mandoline or thinly sliced

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Family Meal

Fried Lentils and Bratwurst Black, brown, or French green lentils are best here, as they’re smaller in size and will crisp up better than their larger counterparts

1. Cook lentils in a large saucepan of simmering salted water until tender but still firm, 20–25 minutes. Drain; transfer to a medium bowl. Let cool; pat dry.

2. Place rosemary, garlic, and red pepper flakes in a large bowl.

Heat ⅓ cup oil in a large skillet over medium-high until it begins to shimmer. Pour oil over aromatics in bowl; reserve skillet.

Let sit 10 minutes, then whisk in lemon zest and juice; season rosemary mojo with salt.

3. Meanwhile, heat remaining 2 Tbsp. oil in reserved skillet over medium-high. Cook sausages, turning occasionally and pressing down so they are making good contact with the pan, until deeply browned and they have released some fat, 7–9 minutes total.

Transfer to a plate.

4. Add lentils to skillet and increase heat to high. Season with salt; cook, stirring occasionally, until most of the lentils are crisp, about 5 minutes.

5. Add cauliflower to bowl with rosemary mojo and toss to coat.

Taste and season with more salt if needed. Add lentils and toss again. Add more oil if needed.

6. Divide lentil salad among plates and top with sausages.

1 6 – O C T O B E R 2 0 21

4 S E RV I N G S

1 cup brown, black, or French green lentils Kosher salt 2 small sprigs rosemary, leaves finely chopped 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped ¼ tsp. crushed red pepper flakes

This citrusy mojo sauce can also be used on blanched vegetables, roasted potatoes, and fish.

⅓ cup (or more) plus 2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil Zest and juice of 1 lemon 4 bratwurst 1 small head of cauliflower (about 1½ lb.), broken into large florets, florets sliced as thinly as possible

Family Meal

Cheesy Rice Porridge With Greens For thicker, creamier porridge, feel free to cook the rice for a few extra minutes until it has completely fallen apart

4 S E RV I N G S

6 cups low-sodium chicken broth Kosher salt ½ cup jasmine rice, rinsed until water runs almost clear 2 oz. sharp cheddar

1. Bring broth and a few pinches of salt to a boil in a medium saucepan. Add rice and cook until tender, 15–20 minutes.

Remove from heat.

2. Grate cheese on the large holes of a box grater directly into porridge and stir until cheese is melted (porridge will thicken a little). Add kale and stir until slightly wilted.

3. Ladle porridge into bowls and drizzle with chili oil.

Vegetable broth or water can be used in place of chicken broth.

1 8 – O C T O B E R 2 0 21

2 bunches kale, Swiss chard, spinach, or escarole, ribs and stems removed if needed, leaves cut into thick strips Chili oil (for serving)

Family Meal

Garlicky Smashed Chickpeas With Corn This technique for lightly crushing and crisping golden garbanzos is useful in infinite variations with different vegetables and pulses

1. Heat 3 Tbsp. oil in a large skillet over medium. Cook onion and chile, stirring, until tender, 6–8 minutes. Add corn, season with salt, and cook until corn is tender, about 4 minutes. Transfer corn mixture to a medium bowl; wipe out skillet.

4 S E RV I N G S

5 Tbsp. plus ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil, divided 1 small onion, finely chopped ½ poblano chile, thinly sliced 3 ears of corn, kernels removed Kosher salt 3 cups cooked chickpeas or two 15-oz. cans, rinsed

4 garlic cloves, finely chopped 4 large eggs Coarsely chopped dill or cilantro (for serving)

Starting with dr y chickpeas will earn you a gold star, but going with their canned counterparts will cut down on cook time.

2. Return skillet to medium heat and pour in ¼ cup oil. Add chickpeas and a big pinch of salt and smash with a spoon until evenly chunky. Cook, undisturbed, until chickpeas crisp a little on the edges, 7–9 minutes. Add garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until garlic is softened but not browned, about 3 minutes.

3. Divide chickpeas among bowls and top with corn mixture.

FOOD STYLING BY FRANCES BOSWELL

4. Pour remaining 2 Tbsp. oil into skillet and increase heat to medium-high. Crack eggs into skillet and season with salt.

Cook until whites are golden brown and crisp at the edges and set around the yolk (which should still be runny), about 2 minutes.

Transfer an egg to each bowl with chickpea and corn mixture and top with dill.

2 0 – O C T O B E R 2 0 21

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Born to an Italian-Portuguese American family, "marinara pretty much runs through my veins," Pelosi says. “Growing up, marinara sauce was like a scented candle in my family—you’d walk into anyone’s house and smell it.”

Though the kitchen was where he felt most at home, Pelosi pursued another career path, reserving cooking for the weekends.

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He began cooking and sharing his

creations, and the stories behind them, on Instagram—and people were paying attention. His following grew overnight.

“I quickly realized that my ability to live at home and feed myself resonated," he says.

Should you burn a recipe, Pelosi is the last person to shame you for a food fail.

“You are just making food; do it again.

Have fun!” Pelosi’s chatter with his followers is constant—solving cooking crises at a moment’s notice.

It’s this kind of approachable candor that began attracting Pelosi more and more attention and propelled him to launch a website, where he could share his “digital cookbook” and stories behind each recipe.

People were still hungry for more, and Pelosi realized he was onto something.

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Th e P o u r

Winemakers Tara Gomez (left) and Mireia Taribó in the field

New Vines

Mireia Taribó and Tara Gomez are breaking glass ceilings, dismissing old stereotypes, and making stellar Californiaterroir-driven wines at Camins 2 Dreams b y V I C TO R I A JA M E S

2 4 – O C T O B E R 2 0 21

when Mireia Taribó and Tara Gomez met 15 years ago in California. “Kind of the opposite,” Taribó says with a laugh. They worked at J. Lohr Vineyard & Wines in Paso Robles, Gomez as the enologist and lab manager and Taribó as a cellar and barrel intern. After finishing her work in the barrel room, “she would come and disrupt the lab,” Gomez says of Taribó. Then one day, Gomez said to her, “Hey, you want to learn something? Follow me.”

Unsure, Taribó followed Gomez around the back of the winery to a small space where Gomez was making wine under her own label, Kalawashaq’ Wine Cellars. Named for the village where her ancestors from the Chumash tribe once lived, I T W A S N ’T L O V E A T F I R S T S I G H T

P H O T O G R A P H S BY Z A C H A R Y G R AY

this was Gomez’s small, self-funded passion project. Working at J. Lohr paid the bills, but she’d always wanted something that was her own. Gomez handed Taribó a beer from the fridge and told her, “Okay, let’s get to work.”

Soon Gomez was picking her up every morning at 4 a.m., before their shifts began at J. Lohr, to help with punchdowns (pushing the grape skins in tanks into the juice) at Kalawashaq’.

When Taribó’s internship ended four months later and she returned home to Catalonia, the two kept in touch, and years later, arranged to work at the same winery in the Spanish Pyrenees mountains, Castell d’Encus. (Kalawashaq’ Wine Cellars was put on hold.) They ended up visiting wineries all over the world together. Slowly, something started to blossom—not just a working relationship but a romantic one.

“That’s how we came up with the name for our own winery, Camins 2 Dreams. Camins means ‘path’ in Catalan, so it’s ‘the path to our dreams,’” Gomez explains. “All of the paths we’ve followed have led us here to my hometown.” Gomez still had the license for Kalawashaq’, but the two wanted to focus on creating something new that represented both of them. After a whirlwind wedding and with additional funding from their parents, they were able to move the winery to Lompoc, south of Paso Robles, and rebrand it as Camins 2 Dreams, opening the tasting room to the public on June 21, 2019.

Their winemaking style is very hands-off: They ferment with natural yeasts and don’t do any fining—adding agents to clarify the juice— or filtering. The result is wine that conveys a sense of place. Unlike many of their neighbors whose wines are chemical concoctions of colorings, added acidity, and gloopy gobs of Mega Purple, their wines represent terroir. They’re truly Californian, with intensity coming from the striation of soils and exposure to sunshine, and freshness hailing from the cool climate of the unique transverse valley. “You’re never going to understand a person until you understand where they come from,” Taribó says. All of the best winemakers in the world recognize this important parallel, and the truly personal nature of Camins 2 Dreams has contributed to its cult following. The wines have been picked up by distributors in major cities like New York and featured in some of the city’s most iconic wine shops and on wine lists of Michelin-starred restaurants, including the one I work at, Cote.

Before the Camins 2 Dreams wines were even imported to New York, I’d heard of Gomez and the vineyard land that the Chumash tribe had purchased in Santa Ynez through my husband, who was selecting fruit from the vineyards for his winery project, Railsback Frères. On my next visit to California, I reached out to Gomez and she graciously met me at the Lompoc tasting

The 2020 Graciano, floral with a fruit y finish

“You’re never going to understand a person until you understand where they come from,” Taribó says.

All of the best winemakers in the world recognize this.

room for her tribe’s wine, Kitá. Though the wines were delicious, it was this little side project, Camins 2 Dreams, that was electrifying. That was two years ago, and now it seems as if more of America has fallen in love with not only the wines but the women behind the project.

While many neighboring wineries in Santa Barbara County are producing the easier-to-sell Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, Taribó and Gomez have hung their hats on more obscure varieties such as Graciano. It’s a bold choice that speaks to their conviction to follow their own path, despite how difficult it is in the wine industry.

Vineyard workers question their decision of when to pick the grapes, consumers make offhand comments about Indigenous people and alcoholism, and distribution in other markets is almost impossible to secure unless one is a part of the homogenous inner circle of wine.

Taribó is used to the fight—“I come from a culture that’s been fighting for independence from our Spanish neighbors,” she says—but acknowledges that this is nothing compared to what Gomez has faced. “I just can’t get a break,” Gomez says. “The first thing people see is my skin color.” Despite the opportunities she was given to attend private school and to study enology thanks to financial support from her tribe, Gomez felt alone. She was one of two O C T O B E R 2 0 21 – 2 5

Th e P o u r

savor the BAHAMAS

Let your culinary adventures begin with celebrity chef cuisine and authentic Bahamian flavors designed for every palate.

In the old boys’ club of wine, it’s rare to see women in positions of power — let alone two women married, one Indigenous and one who has immigrated.

women in the program and the only Indigenous person. “I feel like a statue in a museum. That’s how people perceive me, and it hurts,” she says.

Still, they are proud of their roots, and the path they have paved helps other marginalized groups find a way into the industry. Gomez and Taribó mentor several up-and-coming enologists, and many of them finally see themselves reflected. In the old boys’ club of wine, it’s rare to meet women in positions of power—let alone two women married, one Indigenous and one who has immigrated, with their own business. As of 2020 just 14 percent of California’s producers had a woman winemaker, according to a study

by Santa Clara University. “We want to be able to represent and be a support group,” Gomez says, “to show people that we fought for this and look, we’ve made it. So you can too.”

Victoria James is the sommelier, beverage director, and partner of Cote in NYC and Miami, and the author of Wine Girl: The Trials and Triumphs of America’s Youngest Sommelier.

Garnacha that Camins 2 Dreams will harvest soon

a world of

WO N D E R awaits

the best journeys are measured in memories, not miles.

AtlantisBahamas.com/BA 8 7 7. 5 5 3 . 6 9 2 3

Sweet Spot

Apple of My Rye This autumnal rye cake from Bronwen Wyatt of Bayou Saint Cake is an all-star for apple-picking season

Make it Insta-worthy Wyatt adorns her bakes with edible flowers, but you can also use fresh herbs or slices of fruit for a picture -perfect cake.

2 8 – O C T O B E R 2 0 21

P H OTO G R A P H S BY E M M A F I S H M A N

WHAT COFFEE IS MEANT TO BE

Sweet Spot

Apple-Hazelnut Rye Cake 8 – 10 S E RV I N G S

Big chunks of apple, toasted hazelnuts, currants, a little rye flour, and ground coriander (Wyatt’s favorite warm spice for sweets) come together to make a rich, deeply decadent cake that gets dressed up with a tangy buttercream. You can swap the hazelnuts for walnuts or pecans, the rye flour for whole grain flour, and add or subtract any spice you like. Just make sure you’re using tart baking apples or the flavor might get lost. Lastly, you really want to bake this cake until it’s a deep, burnished copper color. If you’re short on time, you can omit the buttercream and serve the cake warm with ice cream or crème fraîche.

CAKE

¾ 1¼ ¼ 1½ 1½ 1 1 ¼ ¼ 2

Nonstick vegetable oil spray cup (108 g) blanched hazelnuts cups (156 g) all-purpose flour cup (30 g) rye flour cups (300 g) sugar tsp. baking soda tsp. Diamond Crystal or ½ tsp.

Morton kosher salt tsp. ground cinnamon tsp. ground coriander tsp. freshly grated nutmeg large eggs

Rye is used for its punchy earthiness, which contrasts the cake’s sweetness.

3 0 – O C T O B E R 2 0 21

¾ cup (135 g) pitted Medjool dates, coarsely chopped ¼ cup plus 2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil 1½ lb. tart baking apples (such as Granny Smith; about 3 large), peeled, cored, cut into ½" pieces B U T T E R C R E A M A N D ASS E M B LY

3 large egg whites ¾ cup (150 g) sugar 1 tsp. Diamond Crystal or ½ tsp.

Morton kosher salt ⅛ tsp. cream of tartar (optional) 1¼ cups unsalted butter, room temperature, cut into pieces 3 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice ¼ tsp. vanilla extract Edible flowers and/or toasted blanched hazelnuts (for decorating; optional) Place a rack in middle of oven and preheat to 350°. Lightly coat a 9"-diameter cake (sides should be at least 2") or springform pan with nonstick spray. Line bottom of pan with a parchment paper round; lightly coat with nonstick spray. Toast hazelnuts on a rimmed baking sheet, tossing once, until golden brown, 8–10 minutes. Let cool.

CAKE

Meanwhile, whisk all-purpose flour and rye flour in a small bowl to combine.

Pulse hazelnuts, sugar, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, coriander, and nutmeg in a food processor until mixture looks sandy. Add eggs, dates, and oil and process to a thick paste (mixture will resemble freshly ground nut butter).

Transfer to a large bowl and add flour mixture. Using a rubber spatula or wood spoon, mix until almost no dry streaks remain. Add apples and, using wet hands, mix apples into batter (apples will be barely surrounded by batter).

Scrape batter into pan; press down firmly and evenly into pan with wet hands (batter will be very thick and sticky).

Bake cake, rotating halfway through, until very deep golden brown and a tester inserted into the center comes out

with only a few moist crumbs attached, 70–80 minutes. Transfer pan to a wire rack and let cake cool in pan. (This cake is very fragile when warm, so it’s important to let it cool completely in the pan before attempting to turn it out.)

Hold a plate upside down over pan and invert to turn out cake; peel away parchment paper. Chill cake 30 minutes (this will make it easier to frost).

FOOD STYLING BY FRANCES BOSWELL

B U T T E R C R E A M A N D A S S E M B LY While the cake is chilling, whisk egg whites, sugar, salt, and cream of tartar (if using; it helps stabilize the egg whites, giving you lofty peaks) in the bowl of a stand mixer just to

combine. Set over a medium saucepan filled with 1" of gently simmering water (the bottom of the bowl should not be touching the water). Heat, whisking constantly, until sugar is dissolved and an instant-read thermometer registers 185°, 8–10 minutes.

Fit bowl onto stand mixer fitted with whisk attachment and beat on mediumhigh speed until meringue is stiff and glossy and bowl feels barely warm to the touch, about 5 minutes. With the motor running, add butter a piece at a time, incorporating fully before adding the next piece, 8–10 minutes. If mixture starts to look chunky or liquidy, just keep beating; it will come back together. Add lemon juice and vanilla extract; beat on high speed until buttercream looks glossy and smooth.

To frost the cake, make sure bottom of cake is facing up (this will provide a flat surface for easy frosting). Scoop buttercream on top of cake and spread a thick layer over the surface with a small offset spatula or butter knife. Spread a thin film of buttercream over sides. Decorate top with edible flowers and/or toasted hazelnuts as desired.

D O A H E A D : Cake can be baked 2 days ahead; tightly wrap and chill, or freeze up to 2 weeks. If frozen, thaw in fridge before frosting. Frosting can be made 5 days ahead; cover and chill.

Bring to room temperature, then beat in stand mixer before using. Cake (without decorations) can be assembled 3 days ahead; cover and chill. Bring to room temperature before serving.

Refrigeration and Freezing

Ta l k Yo u Th r o u g h I t

113 Words on... make long after berry season: Bring a 1 Tbsp. pure 10-oz. bag frozen blueberries, lemon zest, ground cardamom, and ¼ cup a shake of water to a boil in a small saucepan. Reduce heat to low and simmer until berries have burst, and 8 –10 minutes. Stir 1 tsp. cornstarch 1 Tbsp. water in a small bowl to dissolve cornstarch, then whisk into blueberry mixture. Simmer until compote is nicely thickened, another minute or two.

1 tsp. fresh Remove from heat and stir in lemon juice. Use compote to jazz up a week’s worth oats, yogurt, or toast. — C H R I S T I N A C H A E Y of 3 4 – O C T O B E R 2 0 21

P H OTO G R A P H BY E M M A F I S H M A N

FOOD STYLING BY D’MYTREK BROWN. ILLUSTRATIONS BY SUPER FREAK.

a Freezer-Fruit Compote

N.Y.C. + VIRTUAL OCTOBER 4-10

Join us this fall, when The New Yorker Festival returns with both live and virtual events—an eclectic mix of conversations, performances, and experiences, featuring the biggest names in politics, literature, film, music, art, and pop culture.

newyorker.com/festival @ NewYorkerFest #NewYorkerFest

P R E M I E R S P O N SO RS

O F F I C I A L S P O N SO R

The Lit tl e Thi n g s

Come Together

Chicago’s Life on Marz Community Club is part brewery, part social club, part art project, and all fun b y E M M A O R LOW

FOR DECADES

Ed “Edmar” Marszewski has been a key player in the Chicago DIY arts scene. His zine, Lumpen, has blossomed into a universe of interdisciplinary projects: a gallery, a radio show, and art fairs as well as hospitality businesses in the city (Marz Community Brewing Co., Maria’s Packaged Goods and Community Bar, Pizza Fried Chicken Ice Cream, Kimski, and a food relief program that started in the pandemic and continues today). His latest venture is Life on Marz Community Club, a nanobrewery (an industry term for a brewery with a very small-scale production) that’s about good beer, of course, but also a place to highlight artists he’s developed connections with over the years. He tapped Adi Goodrich, a set designer and longtime collaborator, to do the interiors, and together they created their own world, inspired by Chicago’s athletic clubs and immigrant-run social clubs that were a haven for newcomers.

P H OTO G R A P H S BY DA N I E L L E A . S C R U G G S

The Wall Art Goodrich added this relief to make the ceilings appear lower and give the brewery a more intimate feel. The blobby wood cutouts are her interpretation of bacteria in the beer fermentation process, which happens right behind the bar.

▲

The Merch Wearing adornments like pins was once a way for social club members to identify themselves and one another.

At Life on Marz the way to show allegiance comes in the form of pins, T-shirts, hats, and these stickers designed by Marz’s in-house team.

The Beer Taps Marszewski, who is half-Polish, was fascinated by Chicago’s Polish social clubs, which had bars that sold beer. As a nod to that history, he and architect Charlie Vinz installed top-of-the -line Perlick beer taps. (Yes, it’s a smiley face.)

The Glasses Marszewski worked with his design team—illustrator Nana Nozaki and creative director Michael Freimuth— to create these cartoonish glasses that incorporate designs from their previous and current beer cans.

The Entrance A wall of lit-up LED signs greets customers. They’re designed by video artist Davy Force of InfoChammel.

Each is programmed to play a 12- to 15-minute loop of words meant to evoke good vibes.

The Soundproofing As a courtesy to the apartments located above the brewery, Goodrich upholstered the Homasote -made soundboard on the ceiling with green and blue wool. Bonus points for matching the restroom doors.

The Restrooms One of Goodrich’s biggest pet peeves is when people are on their phones in line, so she wanted to give them something to look at. Each restroom is outfitted with frosted windows and backlit lighting so you can see the silhouettes of whoever’s inside.

The Snacks Life on Marz has its own private-label potato chips (cheddar!), which are manufactured by Ole Salty’s in Rockford, Illinois, and stuffed into custom bags illustrated by artist Jeremiah Chiu. Marszewski sells them wholesale and hopes to expand his chip portfolio.

O C T O B E R 2 0 21 – 3 7

e t R sa THE

I’m not sure how much longer it’ll be normal to say this, but it’s been a weird year

38

I’M NOT TALKING ABOUT 2020 , the year that

nearly broke the restaurant industry (and all of us) as the pandemic shut down restaurants and exposed just how punishing the industry’s margins are, and as reckonings on race, labor, gender, and power crystallized just how toxic these workplaces can be. I’m talking about 2021, the Not-Yet-New-Normal. I still don’t leave my apartment without a mask or sanitizer, and restaurants still haven’t recovered from the shutdowns. And yet it has also been a year of rebuilding, of hard work, of tough conversations.

So for this weird year’s Restaurant Issue, we wanted to highlight the glimmers of hope that have turned into crucial change and pure joy for the industry. We’re celebrating the chefs and

ru ant owners who risked it all to open in the middle of a pandemic. We’re talking about the seemingly impossible combination of being a parent and a professional in the hospitality industry—and what helpful reform could look like. We’re sharing the restaurants we can’t wait to go back to, plus recipes for our go-to dishes. And then we’re introducing a brand-new award: Heads of the Table. It felt wrong to do the Hot 10—our annual list of America’s best new restaurants—this year.

We couldn’t exactly travel to assess new spots, but more than that, we were amazed by the restaurants, people, and organizations that sprang up (or quickly recalibrated) in the pandemic to

iSSUE

serve their communities and better the industry overall. We believe they should be highlighted and recognized here, not because the work is done, but because it’s the start of something important. They’re redefining what it means to be the best, making clear that prioritizing equity is just as essential as delicious food and good vibes, that restaurants can be agents of change.

It’s inspiring and exciting, and it gives me hope that 2022 won’t be as weird.

— E LYS E I N A M I N E , R E STAU R A N TS E D I TO R 39

by HILARY CADIGAN

photographs by EMMA FISHMAN

The Audacity of Opening a Restaurant During a Pandemic

To r

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…and the recipes that made it possible

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Angry Egret Dinette LOS ANGELES OPENED OCTOBER 2020

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“I started Angry Egret Dinette during the pandemic because I was restless and bored sitting at home, dealing with the same pandemic depression most of the world was experiencing. We started as a pop-up. It gave me purpose and a place to work for me and six other people. The gamble paid off, because we’ve been able to grow: Now we have dinner service and even off-site catering!” —Wes Avila

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NEW YORK CITY OPENED OCTOBER 2020

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Wanna cook our cover?

This simplified version from chef Shaun Hergat t is per fect for home kitchens!

“We were supposed to open in April 2020. By October, there were a few signs that life was going to get back to relative normality, so I used some gut instinct and opened with a small team and strict protocols. It was weird at first, but on Valentine’s Day we did big numbers. Then in May we got a Michelin star. The thing about human nature is we don’t give up, regardless of challenges. That’s the beauty of being human.” —Shaun Hergatt

I’ve often wondered why anybody would open a restaurant.

I’m grateful they do, of course; for those of us lucky enough to eat out, restaurants are where we celebrate birthdays and nurse breakups and feed ourselves when we can cook no more.

They’re the keepers of our culture and our borrowed homes. But with the everincreasing rent, the utilities, the cost of food that quickly expires, the endless labor—all for an average net profit margin of just 3 to 5 percent—the prospect of running one has always seemed, to me, dubious.

So when COVID hit and I found myself taking my Stupid Little Walks™ through a ghost town of shuttered ramen shops and once-bustling pizzerias, hopelessness overwhelmed me. With survival so precarious in normal times, how could any of these places make it through…this?

“It takes bravery to open a restaurant in the first place,” says Subrina Collier, co-owner of Leah & Louise in Charlotte. “During a pandemic, it’s insane.” And yet that’s exactly what she and her husband, Greg, did when they forged ahead with their Memphis juke joint–inspired eatery in the spring of 2020.

They weren’t alone. While at least 17 percent of restaurants had closed nationwide by the end of 2020, new openings in the fall were outpacing rates from 2018, according to a Yelp report. In October 2020 alone, 6,750 restaurants arrived on the scene.

Why? In the face of doom and disaster, how could anyone love feeding strangers this much? To find out, I asked chefs and owners across the country one simple question: What made you open a restaurant during a pandemic? Here are their answers— and the recipes that made them decide it was all worth it.

42

Lamb Meatballs With Pecan Romesco 4 S E RV I N G S

When chef Trae Wilson opened Laurel, he knew juicy and comforting meatballs would be a smash hit—and he was right. Using pecans in the romesco sauce is not traditional but adds a subtle nuttiness and creaminess that pairs wonderfully with the smoked Gouda. The meatballs can be made with ground beef, veal, chicken, or pork instead of the lamb.

PECAN ROMESCO

2 Tbsp. plus ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil 1 large onion, finely chopped 4 garlic cloves, finely chopped 1 large ripe tomato, seeds removed, chopped 1 red chile (such as Fresno or jalapeño), finely chopped 1 12-oz. jar roasted red peppers, drained ½ cup raw pecans 1 Tbsp. smoked paprika 2 tsp. Diamond Crystal or 1¼ tsp.

Morton kosher salt ½ tsp. freshly ground black pepper M E AT B A L LS

2 Tbsp. vegetable oil ½ medium onion, finely chopped 4 oz. portobello mushrooms, finely chopped 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped 3 tsp. Diamond Crystal or 1¾ tsp.

Morton kosher salt, divided 1 small zucchini, finely chopped 1 large egg 1 lb. ground lamb 2 Tbsp. heavy cream 1 Tbsp. smoked paprika 1 tsp. freshly ground black pepper ¼ cup panko, plus more for coating 2 oz. smoked Gouda, cut into 12 pieces 4 Tbsp. unsalted butter Cilantro leaves with tender stems (for serving) Heat 2 Tbsp. oil in a medium pot over medium. Cook onion, stirring occasionally, until golden brown, 6–8 minutes. Add garlic; cook, stirring, until golden brown, about 2 minutes.

Stir in tomato, chile, and roasted red peppers, cover pot, and cook until tender, about 5 minutes. Let cool slightly.

Transfer onion mixture to a food processor and add pecans, paprika, salt, black pepper, and remaining ½ cup oil; PECAN ROMESCO

process until smooth. Transfer pecan romesco to a small bowl, cover, and set aside until ready to serve.

D O A H E A D : Romesco can be made 2 days ahead. Chill.

Heat oil in a medium skillet over medium. Cook onion, stirring often, until browned, 6–8 minutes. Add mushrooms, garlic, 1 tsp. Diamond Crystal or ½ tsp. Morton kosher salt; cook, stirring occasionally, until tender and liquid evaporates, about 5 minutes. Add zucchini; cook until softened but without taking on color, about 2 minutes. Let cool.

Transfer vegetable mixture to a large bowl. Add egg, lamb, cream, paprika, black pepper, ¼ cup panko, and remaining 2 tsp. Diamond Crystal or 1¼ tsp. Morton kosher salt and mix well.

Divide mixture into 12 equal pieces; roll into balls. Make an indentation in the center of a meatball, then place a piece of cheese inside; enclose with meat, sealing in well. Repeat with remaining meatballs and cheese.

Preheat oven to 375°. Scatter some panko onto a large plate. Gently roll each meatball in panko to coat.

Melt butter in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Arrange meatballs in pan 1" apart and cook until golden brown, about 2 minutes per side. Transfer to a 13x9" rimmed baking sheet and bake in oven until cooked through and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center registers 145°, 12–14 minutes.

To serve, spread pecan romesco over plates and arrange meatballs on top.

Scatter cilantro over.

M E AT B A L LS

COOK THE COVER

Chicken With Mushroom Purée and Swiss Chard 2 S E RV I N G S

Chef Shaun Hergatt of Vestry showcases simple, clean flavors in this dish. The chicken breasts have a crispy, golden skin and are served atop a silky mushroom purée leveled up with truffle oil for extra umami. Brussels sprouts or kale are good swaps for the Swiss chard.

MUSHROOM PURÉE

4 8 2 3 1 1 2

Tbsp. unsalted butter oz. button mushrooms, halved shallots, finely chopped garlic cloves, finely chopped sprig thyme bay leaf cups low-sodium chicken broth

C O N T I N U E D O N PAG E 4 6

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Laurel

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CHARLESTON, SC OPENED MARCH 2021

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Pecan Romesco

“I almost hate to say how fortunate I was, but I got a favorable lease because of the pandemic, and got to build the restaurant from the ground up without the pressure of business churning around me. My pain has come after. It’s hard to find employees now.

And business hasn’t gotten back to where it should be. But this experience taught me a lot about perseverance. Just keep going.” —Trae Wilson

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Tiny Champions HOUSTON OPENED DECEMBER 2020

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“We fundamentally believe in the power of a neighborhood restaurant to bring great people, food, and vibes together to help ease the losses of the last year, or at least distract us for a brief period. Restaurants can seem frivolous in the context of the past 18 months. But at the end of the day, where are we going to let loose and take a break? Where are we going to reconnect with each other? And when has this industry ever been easy anyway?” —Julia Doran

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Leah & Louise

CHARLOT TE, NC OPENED MARCH 2020

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“This restaurant is very personal. The food is an ode to Greg’s baby sister, Leah, and his grandmother Louise, both of whom have passed. The feel is a modern-day version of a 1920s Memphis juke joint: a place where Black people found fellowship and congregation (and drank prohibited liquor!) amidst the discrimination of the Deep South. And because we’re in a Black neighborhood that’s gentrifying, we wanted to create a place where longtime Black residents feel welcome, with a pay-what-you-can dish that’s always on the menu. All of this was too important to just walk away from.” —Subrina Collier

1 cup heavy cream 2 Tbsp. crème fraîche 2 tsp. truffle oil (optional) Kosher salt, freshly ground pepper C H I C K E N A N D ASS E M B LY

2 skin-on, bone-in chicken breasts Kosher salt, freshly ground pepper 3 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil, divided 1 shallot, finely chopped 1 garlic clove 1 bay leaf 2 cups low-sodium chicken broth 2 Tbsp. unsalted butter 1 bunch Swiss chard, ends trimmed, leaves chopped into large pieces Melt butter in a medium high-sided skillet over mediumhigh heat. Add mushrooms and cook, stirring occasionally, until browned and liquid is evaporated, 6–8 minutes. Add shallots, garlic, thyme, bay leaf, and broth, bring to a simmer, and cook until broth is reduced by half, 8–10 minutes.

Add cream and simmer until reduced by half, 10–12 minutes. Discard thyme and bay leaf and transfer mixture to a blender. Add crème fraîche and truffle oil (if using) and purée until smooth.

Season with salt and pepper; set aside.

MUSHROOM PURÉE

C H I C K E N A N D ASS E M B LY Preheat oven to 350°. Pat chicken dry; lightly season with salt and pepper. Heat 2 Tbsp. oil over medium-high in a medium nonstick skillet.

Cook chicken, skin side down, until skin is slightly crisped, about 3 minutes. Transfer chicken to a rimmed baking sheet and turn skin side up. Bake until skin is golden brown and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of breasts registers 160°, 23–25 minutes. Transfer to a cutting board and let rest 5 minutes; reserve skillet. Slice chicken; set aside.

Combine shallot, garlic, bay leaf, broth, and butter in reserved skillet and bring to a simmer over medium-high heat and cook until reduced to about ½ cup, 14–16 minutes. Strain jus through a finemesh sieve into a small bowl; set aside.

Heat remaining 1 Tbsp. oil in same skillet over medium. Add any Swiss chard pieces with ribs or stems, season with salt, and cook, stirring occasionally, 2 minutes. Add remaining Swiss chard and cook, stirring occasionally, until all of the chard is wilted and tender, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat.

To serve, spoon reserved mushroom purée onto plates; top with Swiss chard and reserved chicken. Drizzle jus over.

46

Fried Zucchini and Butternut Squash Torta

S P E C I A L E Q U I PM E N T :

A deep-fry

thermometer

4 S E RV I N G S

This torta at Angry Egret Dinette was riffed from a squash blossom taco Wes Avila served up from his street cart. Feel free to substitute the zucchini here with seasonal vegetables like broccolini or a variety of mushrooms.

Keep the beer batter on ice and don’t overcrowd the pan while frying to get the crispiest vegetables. Chili oil (Avila recommends raayu from Only Pans L.A.) is a great replacement for the salsa macha and adds the right amount of spice.

R I C O T TA S P R E A D

1 ½ 1 2 2 1

lemon peel, finely chopped oz. Parmesan, finely grated cup fresh ricotta Tbsp. finely chopped shallot Tbsp. thinly sliced chives tsp. Diamond Crystal or ½ tsp.

Morton kosher salt S A LS A M AC H A

¾ cup plus 4 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil, divided 4 guajillo chiles, cut into 2" pieces 3 dried chiles de árbol, stems removed 1 garlic clove, finely chopped 2 tsp. pine nuts ½ cup distilled white vinegar 1½ tsp. Diamond Crystal or 1 tsp.

Morton kosher salt, plus more SALAD

3 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil 2 Tbsp. sherry vinegar or red wine vinegar 1 tsp. Dijon mustard Kosher salt 4 cups spring greens salad mix ASS E M B LY

1 ½ 1 1 2 ¼ 1 1

1 ¼ 4 2

cup all-purpose flour cup rice flour Tbsp. Old Bay seasoning tsp. baking soda tsp. Diamond Crystal or 1¼ tsp.

Morton kosher salt, plus more tsp. freshly ground black pepper large egg, beaten to blend 12-oz. bottle or can pilsner Vegetable oil (for frying; about 8 cups) medium zucchini, cut into 2x½" pieces small butternut squash, peeled, seeds removed, sliced ¼" thick bolillos or hero rolls, halved, toasted medium heirloom tomatoes, sliced ½" thick

Mix lemon peel, Parmesan, ricotta, shallot, chives, and salt in a medium bowl until smooth.

R I C O T TA S P R E A D

Heat 1 Tbsp. oil in a medium skillet over medium. Toast chiles, turning occasionally, until slightly darkened and puffed, about 2 minutes.

Add garlic and pine nuts, reduce heat to medium-low, and cook, stirring occasionally, until garlic is tender and nuts are golden brown, about 4 minutes.

Transfer chile mixture to a blender and add vinegar, 1½ tsp. Diamond Crystal or 1 tsp. Morton kosher salt, and remaining ¾ cup plus 3 Tbsp. oil; blend until smooth.

Season salsa with more salt if needed.

D O A H E A D : Salsa macha can be made 1 week ahead. Transfer to an airtight container; cover and chill.

S A LS A M AC H A

S A L A D Whisk oil, vinegar, and mustard in a large bowl until emulsified; season with salt. Add greens and toss to coat.

ASS E M B LY Whisk all-purpose flour, rice flour, Old Bay seasoning, baking soda, 2 tsp. Diamond Crystal or 1¼ tsp.

Morton kosher salt, and ¼ tsp. pepper in a large bowl to combine.

Whisk egg and pilsner in a small bowl to combine, then pour into dry ingredients and fold gently until no dry spots of flour remain. Set batter over a medium bowl of ice.

Pour oil into a large skillet to come 1" up sides. Prop thermometer in pan so bulb is submerged and heat oil over medium-high until thermometer registers 365°. Working in 2 batches, dip zucchini into batter, letting excess drip back into bowl, and fry, turning halfway through, until golden brown and crisp, about 3 minutes per side. Transfer to paper towels to drain; season with salt.

Working in 3 batches, dip squash into batter, letting excess drip back into bowl, and fry, turning halfway through, until golden brown and crisp, about 4 minutes per side. Transfer to paper towels to drain; season with salt.

Spread 1½ tsp. ricotta spread over cut sides of each roll. Layer bottom halves with 2–3 tomato slices; season with salt. Top tomatoes with 2–3 fried butternut squash slices, then 3–4 zucchini pieces; drizzle 1 Tbsp. salsa macha over each. Mound salad on top and close up sandwiches.

Creamy Braised Beans With Charred Pickles and Croutons 6 S E RV I N G S

Bean love runs deep at Tiny Champions and pastry chef Julia Doran recommends using the best-quality beans you can find (like Rancho Gordo) here.

You can skip the toppings and serve these beans with toasted crusty bread or as an appetizer on a cheese and pickles plate.

And if you want to make this dish vegan, use toum instead of the labneh sauce.

BEANS

1 lb. dried large lima beans 5 Tbsp. plus ⅓ cup extra-virgin olive oil, divided 5 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped 1 Tbsp. freshly ground black pepper 1½ tsp. fennel seeds ½ tsp. fennel pollen (optional) 1 medium onion, finely chopped ½ fennel bulb, fronds reserved, finely chopped 2 celery stalks, finely chopped 3 wide strips lemon zest 2 bay leaves 1⅓ cups low-sodium vegetable broth 1 Tbsp. Diamond Crystal or 1¾ tsp.

Morton kosher salt, plus more PICKLED PEPPERS

FOOD STYLING BY REBECCA JURKEVICH. PROP STYLING BY SOPHIE STRANGIO.

1 lb. fresh banana peppers, Anaheim chiles, or other sweet peppers 1 small bunch dill 1 Tbsp. coriander seeds 2 tsp. black peppercorns 1½ tsp. fennel seeds 1 tsp. mustard seeds 2 cups distilled white vinegar ¼ cup sugar 2 Tbsp. plus 1½ tsp. Diamond Crystal or 1 Tbsp. plus 1½ tsp. Morton kosher salt 6 garlic cloves, smashed CROUTONS

3 slices sourdough bread, torn into 1"–2" pieces ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil 1 tsp. Diamond Crystal or ½ tsp.

Morton kosher salt ½ tsp. freshly ground black pepper L A B N E H S A U C E A N D ASS E M B LY

1 cup labneh 1 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice 1 garlic clove, finely grated Kosher salt, freshly ground pepper Place beans in a medium bowl and pour in cold water to cover, Let soak 1–3 hours, then drain.

BEANS

Heat 3 Tbsp. oil in a large Dutch oven or other heavy pot over medium. Cook garlic, pepper, fennel seeds, and fennel pollen (if using), stirring often, until garlic is lightly browned, about 2 minutes. Add onion, fennel, celery, lemon zest, and bay leaves and cook, stirring often, until vegetables are softened, 6–8 minutes.

Add beans, broth and 1 Tbsp. Diamond Crystal or 1¾ tsp. Morton kosher salt, then pour in water to cover beans by about ½". Increase heat to high and bring to a boil. Cook 10 minutes, then reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer, adding more water if needed, until beans are tender, 60–65 minutes. Taste and season with more salt if needed.

Stir in remaining ⅓ cup plus 2 Tbsp. oil.

Smothered Cabbage With Sausage and Hot Honey 6 S E RV I N G S

This fresh take on classic smothered cabbage from Leah & Louise is an ode to chef Greg Collier’s late sister, Leah, who loved to experiment in the kitchen. Steaming the cabbage over low heat gently cooks the layers until they are tender and allows the creamy and velvety sauce to coat them quickly.

HOT HONEY

1 cup honey 1 Tbsp. Diamond Crystal or 1¾ tsp.

Morton kosher salt 1 Tbsp. smoked paprika 1 tsp. cayenne pepper C A B B A G E A N D ASS E M B LY

Rotate banana peppers directly over the flame of a gas burner until charred all over, about 1 minute per side. (Alternatively, you can broil peppers on a rimmed baking sheet, turning occasionally, until charred all over, about 2 minutes per side.) Transfer banana peppers to a medium heatproof bowl and add dill, coriander seeds, peppercorns, fennel seeds, and mustard seeds to bowl.

Bring vinegar, sugar, salt, and 1½ cups water to a boil in a small saucepan and cook, stirring often, until sugar and salt are dissolved, about 1 minute. Pour into bowl with banana peppers (they should be submerged) and let sit at least 2 hours.

Remove banana peppers from brine and slice before serving.

D O A H E A D : Peppers can be pickled 5 days ahead. Let cool, then transfer to an airtight container. Cover and chill.

PICKLED PEPPERS

Preheat oven to 400°.

Spread bread out evenly on a rimmed baking sheet. Drizzle oil over and toss with your hands until all the bread is lightly coated. Sprinkle salt and black pepper over and toss again to combine.

Bake, tossing after 10 minutes, until croutons are golden brown but still chewy in the center, 18–20 minutes.

CROUTONS

Mix labneh, lemon juice, and garlic in a small bowl; season with salt. Cover and chill until ready to use.

Ladle beans evenly among bowls and top each with a dollop of labneh sauce and some pickled peppers, croutons, and fennel fronds; season with a grind or two of pepper.

L A B N E H S A U C E A N D ASS E M B LY

1 large head of cabbage, outer leaves removed, cut into 6 wedges Kosher salt 2 slices bacon, cut into ½" pieces 1 andouille sausage, cut into ½" pieces 2 cups heavy cream 2 cups low-sodium chicken broth ½ cup cilantro leaves with tender stems ½ cup parsley leaves with tender stems 1 tsp. extra-virgin olive oil 1 tsp. fresh lemon juice Warm honey in a small saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in salt, paprika, and cayenne. Remove from heat; whisk in 1 Tbsp. water. Set aside.

HOT HONEY

Preheat oven to 300°. Generously season cut sides of cabbage with salt. Place wedges, cut sides up, on a rimmed baking sheet; pour 1 cup water into pan. Cover with foil; bake until tender (a paring knife should slide through easily), about 2 hours.

Cook bacon in a large skillet over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until browned and crisp, about 3 minutes.

Transfer to a plate. Cook sausage in same pan, stirring often, until lightly browned, about 3 minutes. Return bacon to pan and add cabbage, cream, and broth.

Cook 1 minute. Using a slotted spoon, transfer cabbage to plates. Cook liquid in pan until reduced by half, 10–13 minutes. Spoon sauce over cabbage.

Toss cilantro and parsley in a medium bowl. Drizzle oil and lemon juice over and season with salt; toss to coat.

Scatter herb salad over cabbage and drizzle ½ cup hot honey over.

C A B B A G E A N D A S S E M B LY

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The restaurant world has never been hospitable to parents.

Lydia Kiesling explores the punishing economics, childcare scrambles, and work-life imbalance that define the industry—and what it will take to build a more sustainable future

You’ve Got the Night Shift.

Who’s Got Your Kids? photographs by EMMA FISHMAN, LUCY HEWET T, and KYLE JOHNSON

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It’s Tuesday afternoon and Paloma Gonzales, a single mom, has spent the day taking care of her four-year-old daughter.

They had breakfast, they played, they took their dog to the park, they ate lunch, they wiggled through the early afternoon.

Now the little girl is watching a movie while Paloma panics. Her shift starts in two hours and her babysitter just flaked.

Paloma works at a family-friendly Mexican restaurant in Portland, Oregon, that her parents have owned for nearly two decades. She’s held every position over the past seven years—from cook to hostess to server, depending on what needs to get done. At the moment she’s the bartender on a pandemic-reduced four-hour shift four nights a week. The restaurant is operating with a skeleton staff, and if she doesn’t come in, it won’t be able to open.

The business is struggling with the pandemic; meanwhile, Paloma is struggling with a broken childcare system, and today she needs to improvise a solution—fast.

Like “parents,” “restaurant workers” is a huge category that includes the people who wash the dishes, write the menus, and cut the checks. People who work in dive bars, food carts, massive chains, and Michelin-starred restaurants. People who make sub–minimum wage plus tips and (far fewer) people who pull in six figures a year. Regardless of role or status, this is an industry where the concept of work from home is laughable, the shifts are long and the schedules variable, with prime moneymaking hours falling well after the sun goes down.

A veil of romance surrounds the industry in the popular imagination; it’s work that can invite condescension from civilians but also garner their voyeuristic interest. Some of the mystique is predicated on visions of suffering—the hot, rowdy back of the house, the bellows of hell from which beautiful plates emerge.

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But there’s a danger in romanticizing any place that immolates the idea of work-life balance.

And in America—where the social safety net is famously flimsy, where fundamentals like health insurance and childcare are considered luxuries instead of rights, and where work and school schedules are built around an idealized, largely mythical two-parent, one-income home—it’s hard for restaurant workers to stay afloat. This affects our food culture: who gets hired and who moves up the ladder; who can dictate their own schedule and who will drop out.

For many businesses and employees, COVID-19 was the last straw. But as we collectively imagine a post-pandemic future, the combination of a shellshocked industry, a lot of individual effort, and an unprecedented federal investment could, finally, bring some much-needed change.

Bad Math While Paloma goes through her mental catalog of past babysitters, she tries to ignore the upsetting numbers at the root of her problem: If she can track down a sitter, she’ll pay at least $18 an hour for their time, even though she makes just shy of $14 an hour.

Paloma is hardly alone. The average American household with children under the age of five spends nearly 10 percent of its monthly income on childcare; those at the poverty line spend 35 percent, soaring five times past the 7 percent considered

Hermilo Diaz Barback The Snug San Francisco People say the restaurant world is very hard. It is hard, but I love it too. When my daughters were little, we took care of them in shifts. Mama worked during the day and I worked at night. For a while I was working two jobs (at a hotel and a restaurant). During the pandemic my youngest daughter got diagnosed with leukemia. We had insurance and got a lot of help from family and friends. I was laid off and could travel with her while she got treatment. Now I have one job with eight-hour shifts. I have Sundays and Mondays off, and I can spend time with my family, especially my youngest while she gets better.

PHOTOGRAPH BY LUCY HEWETT

Af ter dropping of f a CSA deliver y for Abundance Set ting , chef Beverly Kim checks on her boys at home before ser vice .

affordable by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Perversely, parents of any income don’t come close to paying the true cost of childcare: Caregiving staff are underpaid and overworked, and facilities are crumbling as providers, many of which are nonprofits, struggle to cover rent and payroll.

Though day care is a frequent solution for working parents, for people like Paloma, the issue is right there in the name: Most day cares, whether home- or center-based, close at 5 p.m. In 2015, only 8 percent of American childcare centers were open in the evening—a number that has certainly decreased in the pandemic’s wake.

Halfway across the country, Chicago chef Beverly Kim felt like she’d won the lottery when she finally found an evening care facility for her firstborn. In 2014, just prior to launching their first restaurant, Parachute, Kim and her husband, fellow chef Johnny Clark, collectively made less than $31,000 a year. They lucked out with the night care center and also landed a subsidized preschool spot for their son through the federal Head Start program.

Once Parachute was up and running, their second son was born; their third arrived in 2019, one month before the opening of their follow-up restaurant, Wherewithall. Kim wore the baby in a sling while prepping for service.

Childcare has always been a struggle for Kim and Clark. During her first pregnancy Kim was a restaurant line cook on a punishing noon-to-midnight schedule.

She switched to Whole Foods and worked as a hot-bar line cook for a more manageable 6 a.m. to 2 p.m. shift. Once their firstborn arrived, Kim took six weeks off unpaid. When she returned, Clark also began working at Whole Foods on opposite hours; to avoid childcare costs the couple would meet in the market’s lobby between shifts to hand off the baby. Kim eventually left to become chef de cuisine at the famed Fairmont Chicago restaurant Aria, and Clark stayed home fulltime. Kim worked 11 a.m. to 11 p.m., sometimes going 12 hours without pumping breast milk, resulting in bouts of agonizing mastitis.

The couple has earned James Beard Awards and much critical acclaim. But over the phone Kim speaks bitterly about the hours and the costs, both literal and emotional, of pursuing a dream in restaurants. “I was told, ‘Long hours, little pay.

It’s all about the passion.’ But when you strip that away, it’s kind of inequitable, determining who has more passion than others.” Kim, a previous Top Chef contestant, points to the glorification of celebrity chefs as a way of glamorizing the dysfunction of restaurant culture. “The reality is, it’s a very, very difficult lifestyle,” she says. “There’s so much sacrifice on the back end.”

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hot-bar line cook days, she hid her pregnancy until it was no longer possible.

Myriad statistics show that restaurant work is built on powerful fault lines of gender and race. A 2015 study by the Restaurant Opportunities Centers United, an advocacy group for restaurant workers’ rights, found that restaurant workers occupied 7 out of 10 of the lowest-paid occupations, with women and workers of color funneled toward the industry’s lower-earning positions. Restaurant workers of color generally experienced poverty at nearly twice the rate of their white peers, with women of color earning the lowest wages.

Many must supplement their income with second jobs to make ends meet.

Hermilo Diaz, a barback I spoke with in San Francisco, described years of a schedule that had him working one 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. shift, coming home for a nap, and then heading to another job for a second shift just to afford rent.

When these workers have families, they must cobble together childcare through a patchwork that can involve relatives, neighbors, a parade of babysitters, or the rare night care center Kim and Clark were so fortunate to find. When a kid gets sick, parents often have to choose between staying home and keeping a job.

PHOTOGRAPH BY KYLE JOHNSON

These sacrifices radiate through all aspects of life. Financially, Kim estimates 40 to 50 percent of her and Clark’s current income is spread across morning and evening babysitters. There’s the personal cost too: the diminished family time spent together.

And then there are the professional losses. In Kim’s experience, women are far more likely to leave the field. “Women make up 54 percent of culinary schools,” she recites from memory. “But that number becomes 6 or 7 percent in executive chef positions.”

The lack of female leadership has palpably impacted the tenor of kitchen culture, which in turn fuels a vicious cycle. For fear of retribution, her peers have avoided reporting sexual harassment. And in Kim’s case, back in her

During a day off, chef Peter Cho and Sun Young Park play with Legos and decorate ceramics with their sons in Han Oak’s courtyard.

Jerome Grant Executive Chef Jackie Washington, D.C.

When Work Is Home For Paloma, the family restaurant is an integral part of her life, but the bar, where she’s most needed, is not a place she can take a four-year-old. In restaurants across America, though, family businesses sometimes function as a de facto work-around for childcare.

If you visited Manuel Rojas’s El Tepeyac Cafe in the ’60s, for example, you might have seen a little girl doing homework or playfully taking orders. Elena Rojas grew up to work for her father, eventually taking over the iconic Boyle Heights, California, Mexican restaurant after his death.

Rojas often brought her own children to the restaurant while she worked. “My dad couldn’t stand it,” she said. But having her kids close by mattered more than his grumbling. These days she’s semiretired and regularly babysits two of her 12 grandchildren while their adult parents run El Tepeyac Cafe.

Rojas acknowledges that the dynastic model isn’t for everyone. There are a lot of restaurants she knows “where the kids grow up and don’t want to be there.” And what works for the boss isn’t necessarily an option for anyone else; staff members cannot bring their children to El Tepeyac during shifts for insurance reasons. A family business is still a business.

In chef Peter Cho’s case, embracing the porous boundaries of home and work was a way to reimagine restaurant culture’s all-consuming status quo. Cho and his wife, Sun Young Park, had their first son in 2015. Two years prior, when Cho helmed The Breslin in New York, the couple knew a traditional, grinding schedule wouldn’t fit with the family life they hoped to create. So when they moved to Portland, Oregon, Park found a unique rental—an auto body shop refurbished into a four-bedroom loft with an interior courtyard—and the couple built a restaurant in their own home.

For nearly five years they lived and worked in their acclaimed Korean American restaurant, Han Oak. Their baby boy

I had my first son in 2008. I wanted to be there for him and have a career, which was super difficult. I was working 14-hour days six days a week. I missed his first steps, birthdays, and I sure as hell missed holidays because I was serving other people.

When I got married, my wife, Sophia, told me I needed to prioritize family time. I didn’t listen. I still answered the phone if somebody called. But after my daughter was born, I took a month off and realized the restaurant wouldn’t burn down without me. I said no to certain opportunities.

I had to make decisions based on what was best for my family— especially once COVID hit. I used to believe you had to peel, cut, steam, mash, salt, and serve the potato on your own to make sure it was perfect. Now I trust the process.

I’m home to make breakfast every day for my kids and dinner three nights every week.

If you hire the right people, you can empower them to make critical decisions when you aren’t physically there. We take care of each other as a team.

Then when we start cooking, the food tastes better, and it’s a lot more fun.

learned to walk there and was soon followed by another son. Evening service found diners in a cozy space that moved seamlessly from dining room to courtyard. A toddler might weave between tables to say hello. If he wandered into the kitchen, staff would call out, “Baby on the line!”—working conditions that Cho and Park readily concede required a specific kind of personality.

This homey atmosphere charmed guests, but the dynamic became far from ideal as the family expanded and the pace of service picked up. “At first we were open only two nights a week. It was just me, another cook, and our friends who pitched in with service. Sometimes I would hold Elliott in a baby carrier, and we would bounce around as I expedited.” When the second baby arrived, Cho and Park found themselves yoked to a nightmarish evening schedule, juggling a toddler, a newborn, a babysitter, and the work of hosting and feeding guests.

“It was bonkers,” Park recalls. “I don’t even know how we did that.”

In March 2020 the couple moved to a house with a larger living space, finally ready to separate their home from Han Oak. But the lockdown threw them back together. The low-key family time they initially enjoyed was quickly subsumed by full-time caregiving responsibilities as they also hustled to open a new restaurant, Toki. Ultimately, they are grateful for the closeness. In New York, Cho wasn’t sure whether it was even possible to have a chef career and a family. Now he knows you can, with limits. “You can’t be that kind of chef, and you can’t have that kind of restaurant.”

A Deep Well of National Need Just a few miles away from Han Oak, Paloma is still stuck with her intractable problem. She belongs to a Facebook group called Finding Child Care in PDX. Of the more than 2,000 members, parents—primarily moms—post in a low thrum of panic as they search for babysitters or day cares with openings. Unlike many of the women in the Facebook group, Paloma works “nontraditional” hours, so she usually strikes out.

If nine-to-fivers have it rough on the childcare front, restaurant workers occupy a special hell. It makes sense, then,

that some solutions to the persistent problems of the industry originate within the industry too.

Baltimore-based private chef and culinary instructor Catina Smith now works mostly for herself, but when she was making her bones at venues like Guy Fieri’s Kitchen + Bar, she found herself on the line missing many moments with her two older kids (now 12 and 13). One grueling shift, she showed a family photo to her executive chef, saying she hoped to see her little people again soon. “Maybe you shouldn’t be a chef,” he told her. Smith left her job shortly after that exchange, opting for catering gigs that allowed her a more flexible schedule and work environment.

“My kids have been to all my events,” she tells me over the phone. “Either they’re helping me or sitting in the back somewhere quietly, but they’re always there.”

Smith and her partner added a pandemic baby to the family a few months ago.

Smith’s experiences in the kitchen illuminated the intersecting struggles of Black women in the industry, where only 9.5 percent of chefs are African American. In 2018 Smith created a group called Just Call Me Chef to elevate Black women through mentorship and networking, and in three years the organization has expanded to more than 10 chapters.

Sixty chefs belong to the Baltimore and greater D.C.-area branches; they are particularly tight-knit, with members frequently stepping up to babysit for one another when there’s a need, collectively building an informal solution to gaps in the social safety net.

During the pandemic Smith and another chef, Kiah Gibian, bought an 8,000-square-foot building to create Our Time kitchen—a mixed-use retail and office space that will include an incubator commissary, where women chefs can explore restaurant concepts via hourly rentals. Memberships will include on-site childcare through local providers, from whom Smith is securing reduced rates in exchange for a guaranteed number of hours they’ll work at the incubator.

Back in Chicago, Beverly Kim is likewise eager to ease the path of women in the industry, particularly women of color and single moms. Last October, as the pandemic surged, she and Clark established the Abundance Setting, a nonprofit organization that provides professional mentorship and meal relief to mothers in the restaurant industry. One reason moms 54

Camilla Marcus Chef-Owner west~bourne NYC Once I was visibly pregnant, many assumed I was leaving my restaurant to stay home with my kids. It felt like I had two choices: abandon my family to pursue my career or stay at home to be a baby maker. Our industry deserves more flexible thinking than that.

It turns out many of my team members were struggling to balance work and parenting too.

So I helped create an employer-subsidized childcare program tailored to my team’s needs. Parents could drop their kids off at Vivvi—a local childcare and early learning center—from 7 a.m. to 1 a.m. Given what I experienced at west~bourne, I know employer-subsidized programs work if there are government incentives. Childcare needs to function like health care: with tax rebates to make the economics tenable.

There are, of course, many hurdles: getting a childcare operator to accommodate restaurant hours and affordability, plus building awareness for these programs— how they operate and how team members can take advantage. You have to invest in training, information sharing, and creative scheduling to help foster significant change. This is a whole new world for our industry, and in the absence of structural childcare support, it will take time and leadership to steer the boat in a new direction.

are forced out of jobs, Kim notes, “is because the quality of family time is so little and horrible.” Setting up parents with meals for the family is a small but meaningful way to get “a little more quality time with their kids.”

While these efforts are making a difference, policy experts are clear that the problems facing restaurant workers— and American parents broadly—are beyond the power of individuals to solve.

The United States is behind just about every wealthy country in what it offers parents; out of 37 industrialized nations, America ranks 35th in governmental spending on things like subsidized childcare or preschool.

Julia Henly, a professor at the Crown Family School of Social Work, Policy, and Practice at the University of Chicago, emphasized in a phone call that the American childcare system is uniquely difficult for service workers. Parents must pay out of pocket for all childcare unless they qualify for government subsidies, which are small and support only a fraction of families who need them. Moreover, subsidies don’t cover a major component of childcare that evening workers like Paloma need: individual babysitters.

“There might be someone taking care of kids in your neighborhood and doing an excellent job at serving the needs of restaurant workers, but they don’t meet the quality standards that the city or the state might apply,” Henly explains, meaning they usually cannot be paid with subsidy dollars.

Gina Adams, a senior fellow at the Urban Institute (a think tank focused on economic and social policy research), points out that addressing this lack of evening options will require an intentional focus. “There’s a presumption that organized childcare settings are what we should be helping families to access,” says Adams. But it’s not clear that this is what all families want. Kim, for example, spoke wistfully of a group setting option, such as evening childcare for parents working in what she calls a “counterculture industry.” Others

PHOTOGRAPH BY EMMA FISHMAN

Chef Catina Smith shops for an upcoming catering gig with her son, Joshua.

might prefer to use a trusted sitter from down the street. As Paloma’s situation reveals, those caretakers can be difficult to find, perhaps precisely because they are left out of the formal infrastructure of childcare.

Henly emphasized that the current problem is one of funding and availability but also of labor law. The majority of service workers, particularly lowerpaid employees in restaurants, don’t know their schedules more than a week ahead, a situation Henly says must be resolved with fair workweek legislation.

Additionally, Henly cautioned against

romanticizing “the village” that parents end up relying on: Its members may also be living with precarious conditions.

“There’s no way to solve this issue without really significant subsidization of the childcare market,” Henly adds. She suggests that states make use of spaces like community centers, contracting with childcare providers to use the facilities at night, guaranteeing a certain number of spots—a much larger, institutionally backed version of the mechanism Catina Smith envisions for the Our Time incubator. Direct payments to parents, like the ones that have recently begun under the American Rescue Plan, are appealing, says Henly, but will need to be coupled with a considerable buttressing of childcare

options. With the pandemic hollowing out an already fragile industry, demand can’t spontaneously generate supply.

The pandemic may have occasioned a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for major change. Adams ended our conversation on a hopeful note, pointing out that the American Rescue Plan included an unprecedented $24 billion to states specifically for childcare stabilization. “We have never had those kinds of resources in this field.”

It’s a unique moment to examine how the government can best serve the many parents who go to work after 5 p.m.

Adams emphasizes what an expansive childcare overhaul would do for the problems laid bare by the pandemic—the societal racism and income disparity that made line cooks so profoundly vulnerable in a COVID-19-ravaged industry. Prioritizing childcare would begin to “address some of those inequities by taking care of an entire population of parents.”

Kim has a wish list of what that federal money might one day fund: “parental leave, childcare support, night care resources, free preschool.” Without these things, the industry has to get creative because the consequences of inaction are profound. “Without our community creating support systems,” she says, “having children is really not an option for a lot of people.”

In the meantime, Paloma Gonzales will keep finding herself in that Tuesday afternoon panic. Today she’ll find a lastminute babysitter through a family friend.

She’ll spend her shift providing flawless service to her guests, hoping her daughter is sleeping soundly. She doesn’t know whether she’ll have a babysitter tomorrow, or if the day after that she’ll be back in the same scramble. She does know one thing: It shouldn’t be this hard.

Meals Worth Traveling For Destination-wor thy dishes for when you’re ready to hit the road (and recipes to hold you over until then)

a s t o l d t o E LYS E I N A M I N E a n d C H A L A T YS O N TS H I T U N D U photographs by EMMA FISHMAN 56

PHOTOGRAPH BY CHERYL GERBER

Bacchanal Wine is a lively hub for small plates and local New Orleans jazz.

THE LANTERN INN “I really love the seasonal pasta at the Lantern Inn in Wassaic, NY, a hamlet on the Connecticut border where a lot of our city friends decamp during the weekends.

The last time I had the pasta was in the spring, so it was filled with peas, and I could feel that happiness in the food. The Lantern is making delicious food, buying from farmers, and treating everyone well–if this place were in Brooklyn, it would be mobbed.”

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When we couldn’t eat at restaurants, we dreamed about them.

We looked longingly at Instagram and recounted memories of epic meals past.

We obsessed over the spots across the country that were too distant for delivery and imagined where we’d go when the bans were finally lifted. For this special restaurant issue, our favorite food people tell us all about the meals they love at the restaurants they’re racing back to.

SUNNY BLUE

“Venice is probably the area in L.A. that I stay in the most to be closer to the beach. Main Street has lots of different dining options, and you can walk along and do your own tasting menu, like I do with my wife and son. Start with omusubi at Sunny Blue–it’s the perfect snack, and who doesn’t like perfectly cooked rice wrapped with some nori?”

—MARCUS SAMUELSSON, CHEF & CO - OW N E R , R E D R O O ST E R

Omusubi With Soy-Butter Mushrooms P. 62

ILLUSTRATIONS BY JORDAN AWAN

THE SLANTED DOOR

“The dining options in San Francisco are too many to count. I often let my bookseller friend Paul Yamazaki take me to whatever new restaurant in North Beach, near his shop City Lights, has caught his imagination.

But here’s one stop I insist on: the Slanted Door. Its appetizers will make your mouth water, but the grilled lamb is not to be missed.”

— D AW N D AV I S , E D I TO R I N C H I E F

Bandit Patisserie in the hear t of Birmingham boasts a wide range of cookies, croissants, and seasonally inspired pastries.

BANDIT PATISSERIE

“One of my best friends recently moved to Alabama and for months she would send me photos of stunning pastries from Bandit Patisserie in Birmingham.

The bakery was closed for my first two visits, but the third time was a charm.

I fell hard for the delicate pastries—like this incredible pear and chocolate tart.

I want to come back every season to get the full range of fruit offerings (is it strawberry season yet?).”

—SONIA CHOPRA, EXECUTIVE EDITOR

Charred Broccoli Salad With Figs P. 63

“When I was filming a series in New Orleans, the crew insisted we go to Bacchanal Wine. This outdoor oasis had live music, shareable small plates, and a feeling of celebration. The charred broccoli salad has bright notes of lemon, and the tahini creates this smooth texture alongside the crunchy broccoli.

They really gave broccoli a facelift, not that she needed one.”

—L AZARUS LYNCH, CHEF & P E R F O R M I N G A RT I ST

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PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY OF BANDIT PATISSERIE/ KRISTEN HALL

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Winter Squash and Kale Pasta With Pecan Breadcrumbs 4 S E RV I N G S

There’s an entire butternut squash and a whole bunch of kale in this cozy fall pasta from the Lantern Inn, making it healthy and indulgent all at once. ½ ½ 2 1

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2 12 6 1 ½ 1 ¼ ¼

cup finely chopped pecans cup panko tsp. finely grated lemon zest tsp. plus 3 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil, divided Kosher salt large butternut squash (about 3 lb.), peeled, halved, seeds removed, cut into 1" cubes tsp. dried oregano Freshly ground black pepper oz. spaghetti or other long pasta garlic cloves, thinly sliced large bunch kale, ribs and stems removed, leaves torn into 2" pieces cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into pieces oz. Parmesan, finely grated cup chopped parsley cup fresh lemon juice

Place racks in upper and lower thirds of oven and preheat to 350°. Spread out pecans and panko on a small rimmed baking sheet and toast on upper rack, tossing halfway through, until nuts are slightly darkened and panko is golden, 7–9 minutes. Let cool slightly, then transfer pecans and panko to a small bowl and stir in lemon zest, 1 tsp. oil, and a pinch of salt. Set pecan breadcrumbs aside.

Increase oven temperature to 400°.

Divide squash between 2 rimmed baking sheets; drizzle with 2 Tbsp. oil. Sprinkle oregano over, season with salt and pepper, and toss to coat. Roast, tossing halfway through, until tender and browned in spots, 25–30 minutes.

Meanwhile, cook pasta in a large pot of generously salted boiling water, stirring occasionally, until very al dente, about 2 minutes less than package directions. Drain, reserving 1½ cups pasta cooking liquid.

Heat remaining 1 Tbsp. oil in a medium Dutch oven over medium. Cook garlic, stirring, until tender but not browned, about 1 minute. Add kale and cook, stirring, until beginning to wilt, about 2 minutes. Add 1 cup reserved pasta cooking liquid, cover pot, and cook until kale is completely wilted, about 4 minutes.

Uncover pot, add butter, and stir until melted. Add Parmesan and pasta and cook, tossing vigorously with tongs and adding more pasta cooking liquid if 62

needed, until pasta is al dente and sauce coats pasta, about 2 minutes.

Remove from heat and toss in squash, parsley, and lemon juice. Taste and season with more salt if needed.

Divide pasta among shallow bowls; top with reserved pecan breadcrumbs and season generously with pepper.

Grilled Lemongrass Lamb Chops 4 S E RV I N G S

Lamb chops have plenty of fat, which make them prone to flare-ups on the grill. When making this recipe from the Slanted Door, turn and move the chops around often so they brown without taking on an acrid charred flavor.

4 shallots, coarsely chopped 4 lemongrass stalks, bottom third only, tough outer layers removed, coarsely chopped 4 Thai chiles, coarsely chopped ½ cup plus ½ tsp. sugar 2 Tbsp. plus ¼ tsp. fish sauce 4 Tbsp. grapeseed or vegetable oil, divided, plus more for grate 12 1"–1¼"-thick lamb rib chops (about 2¼ lb. total), frenched Kosher salt 1 Tbsp. fresh lime juice 1 small garlic clove, finely grated ½ tsp. finely grated peeled ginger 1 bunch mature arugula, trimmed ½ Asian pear, thinly sliced Blend shallots, lemongrass, chiles, ½ cup sugar, 2 Tbsp. fish sauce, and 2 Tbsp. oil in a blender until smooth. Season lamb chops generously with salt; place in a baking dish. Pour marinade over chops; turn to coat. Cover and chill 2 hours, then let sit at room temperature 30 minutes.

Prepare a grill for high indirect heat (for a charcoal grill, bank coals on one side of grill; for a gas grill, leave one or two burners off); oil grate. Scrape excess marinade from lamb; grill over direct heat, turning every minute or so and moving to indirect heat as needed, until deeply browned and an instant-read thermometer inserted into thickest part registers 130° for medium-rare, 6–8 minutes. Transfer to a platter and let rest 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, whisk lime juice, garlic, ginger, remaining ½ tsp. sugar, and ¼ tsp. fish sauce in a medium bowl until sugar is dissolved. Gradually drizzle in remaining 2 Tbsp. oil, whisking until emulsified; season dressing with salt. Add arugula and pear to bowl; toss to coat.

Serve lamb chops with salad.

Omusubi With Soy-Butter Mushrooms MAKES 9

Earthy shiitakes and milder enoki and shimeji mushrooms are all easy to find in any Asian supermarket, but any mushrooms will work. Just make sure they’re cut small enough to fit inside these little rice packages from Sunny Blue.

2 cups short-grain sushi rice, rinsed until water is almost clear 2 Tbsp. unsalted butter 5 oz. shimeji mushrooms, finely chopped 3½ oz. shiitake mushrooms, stems removed, caps very thinly sliced 2 oz. enoki mushrooms, trimmed, halved crosswise Kosher salt 1 Tbsp. plus 1½ tsp. soy sauce 1 Tbsp. sake or mirin 1 tsp. toasted sesame oil Pinch of shichimi togarashi or crushed red pepper flakes 5 toasted nori sheets, cut in half Furikake (for serving) Bring rice and 2½ cups cold water to a boil in a medium saucepan over mediumhigh. Reduce heat to low, cover pan, and cook until water is evaporated and rice is tender, 18–20 minutes. Remove from heat and let sit, covered, 10 minutes. Fluff rice with a rice paddle or fork, cover again, and let sit until ready to use.

Melt butter in a nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add all of the mushrooms, season lightly with salt, and cook, stirring occasionally, until slightly softened, about 2 minutes. Reduce heat to medium-low.

Add soy sauce, sake, and oil and simmer, tossing occasionally, until liquid is reduced to a glossy sauce that coats mushrooms, about 2 minutes. Stir in shichimi togarashi.

Transfer to a small bowl and let cool.

Set up a workstation with a small bowl of water, a small bowl of salt, cooked rice (it should still be warm but cool enough to handle), mushroom mixture, and nori.

To make 1 omusubi, scoop ½ cup rice onto a work surface. Dip your hands in water to moisten, then rub them with a little salt. (This prevents the rice from sticking to your hands as you work and also flavors the omusubi.) Cupping rice in your nondominant hand, make a shallow well in the center of the rice mound and fill with a heaping tablespoonful of mushroom mixture.

Using your hands and moistening as needed to prevent rice from sticking, gently but firmly shape rice into a ball, fully enclosing mushroom mixture. Place

rice ball back on surface and flatten lightly. Using the side of a wet chef’s knife, gently push into a triangle shape.

Wrap in a sheet of nori and sprinkle with furikake. Repeat with remaining rice, mushroom filling, and nori.

Charred Broccoli Salad With Figs 4 S E RV I N G S

A high-speed blender will give you the smoothest consistency for the broccoli-tahini purée in this bright salad from Bacchanal Wine, but you can also use a food processor—it will just have more texture. This recipe makes more purée than you need, but you can use the hummuslike condiment as a dip for warm pita or raw vegetables, or as a sandwich schmear.

FOOD STYLING BY PEARL JONES. PROP STYLING BY SOPHIE STRANGIO.

2 lb. broccoli (about 3 medium heads), ends trimmed, stems peeled ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil Kosher salt, freshly ground pepper ½ cup labneh or whole-milk plain Greek yogurt 2 small garlic cloves, finely grated, divided ½ cup coarsely chopped dried figs (such as Turkish or Mission) Zest of ½ lemon 3 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice, divided 1 cup tahini Small handful of mixed tender herbs (such as mint, tarragon, and/or parsley), leaves torn if large Sumac (for serving) Prepare a grill for high heat. Cut broccoli lengthwise into ¼"-thick planks (try to keep crown and stem attached). Toss broccoli planks with oil in a large bowl to coat; season with salt and pepper.

Grill, turning occasionally, until charred all over (they’ll look burnt, and that’s a good thing) but stems are still crisptender, about 5 minutes; reserve bowl.

(Or you can broil broccoli in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet, undisturbed, until well-charred on 1 side, 14–16 minutes.) Transfer broccoli back to reserved bowl and cover tightly and let sit 30 minutes to steam.

Meanwhile, whisk labneh, half of garlic, and 2 Tbsp. water in a small bowl until smooth and the consistency of ranch dressing (add more water if needed).

Season dressing with salt and pepper.

Cut broccoli into bite-size pieces (about 3"), separating florets from stems as you go. Coarsely chop stems and measure out 1 cup; set aside. Return

remaining broccoli to bowl; add figs and 1 Tbsp. lemon juice. Toss to combine; season with salt and pepper. Set aside.

Blend tahini, reserved broccoli stems, remaining garlic, remaining 2 Tbsp. lemon juice, and ½ cup water in a highspeed blender until very smooth and the consistency of a loose hummus. Season purée with salt and pepper.

Spread ½ cup purée on a platter. Top with reserved broccoli salad and spoon dressing over (you won’t need all of it).

Scatter herbs, sumac, and lemon zest over.

D O A H E A D : Dressing can be made 3 days ahead. Cover and chill.

Chocolate-Almond Pear Tart M A K E S O N E 9 " TA R T

Pastry chef Kristen Hall of Bandit Patisserie swears by fraisage, a classic French technique in which you use the heel of your hand to smear the tart dough across your work surface for a crust that rolls out with minimal cracking.

TA RT S H E L L

1 Tbsp. Dutch-process unsweetened cocoa powder ¼ tsp. kosher salt 1⅓ cups (167 g) all-purpose flour, plus more for surface 5 Tbsp. unsalted butter, room temperature ⅓ cup (67 g) granulated sugar 1 large egg, room temperature F I L L I N G A N D ASS E M B LY

1 cup (121 g) almond flour or meal 3 Tbsp. (23 g) all-purpose flour 2 Tbsp. (12 g) Dutch-process unsweetened cocoa powder ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature ½ cup (100 g) granulated sugar 3 large eggs, room temperature 3 oz. bittersweet chocolate, melted, cooled 1 tsp. vanilla extract ½ tsp. almond extract ¾ tsp. Diamond Crystal or ½ tsp.

Morton kosher salt 2 firm but ripe pears (such as Anjou, Bartlett, or Packham), thinly sliced ¼ cup sliced almonds Powdered sugar (for dusting) S P E C I A L E Q U I PM E N T : A 9"-diameter tart pan with removable bottom

Whisk cocoa powder, salt, and 1⅓ cups flour in a medium bowl.

Beat butter and sugar in the bowl of a TA RT S H E L L

stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment on medium-low speed until combined, about 2 minutes. Beat in egg.

Reduce speed to low; with motor running, add dry ingredients. Mix just until a soft dough forms. Using a rubber spatula, fold in any remaining dry streaks of flour.

Transfer dough to a surface; gather into a ball. Using the heel of your hands, smear dough straight out across surface by a full arm’s length, then using a bench scraper, gather dough back up into a ball. Smear and regather dough 2 more times; flatten into a disk. Wrap tightly in plastic and chill until firm, at least 2 hours.

If dough is very firm, let sit at room temperature 10–15 minutes to soften slightly. Roll out dough on a lightly floured surface to about a ¼"-thick round, dusting with flour as needed. Carefully transfer dough to tart pan and gently press into bottom, corner, and sides of pan, letting excess hang over edges. Run rolling pin over top of pan to shear off excess dough. Prick bottom of dough all over with a fork. Chill in freezer 1–12 hours.

Arrange a rack in middle of oven and preheat to 325°. Bake tart shell until firm and dry to the touch and starting to pull away from edges of pan, 14–18 minutes.

Transfer to a wire rack and let cool.

D O A H E A D : Dough can be made 1 week ahead. Keep chilled, or freeze up to 1 month.

Increase oven temperature to 350°. Whisk almond flour, all-purpose flour, and cocoa powder in a medium bowl. Beat butter and sugar in the clean bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a clean paddle attachment on medium-low speed until fluffy, about 5 minutes; scrape down bowl. With motor running, add eggs one at a time, incorporating completely before adding the next one. Reduce speed to low; add dry ingredients and beat to combine.

Add chocolate, vanilla extract, almond extract, and salt and beat until smooth.

Spread frangipane evenly across bottom of tart shell. Top with pear slices to cover, fanning out to make an attractive pattern (you might have some left over—snack away!). Scatter almonds around edges of tart and bake until pears are tender and frangipane barely jiggles when pan is gently shaken, 40–45 minutes. Transfer tart to wire rack; let cool.

Just before serving, dust edges of tart with powdered sugar.

D O A H E A D : Tart can be baked 2 days ahead. Store tightly wrapped at room temperature.

F I L L I N G A N D ASS E M B LY

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Presenting

Trailbla Leaders Changing 64

p ro d u c e d b y E LYS E I N A M I N E

HEADS OF THE TABLE

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Restaurant Industry illustrations by JORDAN AWAN

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DOWN NORTH PIZZA

Chef Nikkia Rhodes (right) with her McAtee Community Kitchen mentee Zyrann Hibbit t

THE LEE INITIATIVE

Supporting Restaurants, Farms, and the Next Generation Chef Edward Lee and Lindsey Ofcacek, the wine director at Lee’s 610 Magnolia in Louisville, Kentucky, had a clear focus when they started the LEE Initiative in November 2017: to connect Kentucky women early in their restaurant careers with established chefs, with the hope of elevating them to future leadership positions. But when the pandemic hit, they immediately expanded its scope. “Chef and I realized that we had all of these people who work here at 610 Magnolia and all of this food,” Ofcacek said. So they began to support those in need (outof-work restaurant workers, restaurants, and local farms) while continuing to build future culinary leaders (young cooks of color and women in the industry). Here’s a snapshot of how they grew—and changed the industry for the better. — M I C H A E L P H I L L I P S 66

March 17, 2020 Offered free meals at 610 Magnolia to unemployed restaurant folks. Hundreds came.

March 27 to April 14, 2020 Replicated its meal program with 21 more restaurants nationally.

May 9, 2020 Offered restaurants $1 million in credits to spend at 65 farms.

June 15, 2020 Launched McAtee Community Kitchen to train and mentor seven aspiring chefs.

Down North Pizza is about dope food: Detroit-style pizza that’s nostalgic and reminds people of Pizza Fridays as a kid. But it’s also about training, hiring, and housing people like me, guys who have spent time in prison. No one gives you a crash course in returning to society. It’s hard to find a job, because of your track record, and housing, since landlords want to know your previous residence, and it’s not good if that was the state. But Down North Pizza is helping people like me move on and become productive citizens. It starts with hiring; a lot of guys come in through word of mouth. We help them find housing and we also have apartments above the restaurant, one of which I’m currently living in. I train everyone so they can do culinary math, make mother sauces, and operate a kitchen.

I ended up at Down North Pizza because chef Kurt Evans brought me in as executive chef. He and I worked at Booker’s. He and Muhammad [Abdul-Hadi], the owner, thought I was the ideal candidate. And I am.

Down North Pizza has given me a voice. It’s allowed me to talk to people—reporters, customers, anyone—about the carceral system. During the last election a lot of judges came in. They’re the gatekeepers of justice, and I was able to explain what it was like to live in the system.

Working here has given me the opportunity to develop my first menu. It’s really freeing. I can make things like my own take on Hawaiian pizza. It’s allowed me to empower my guys in the kitchen. The other day my guy came in with the idea for a lamb sausage pizza with lemon ricotta and za’atar. We worked on it together, and I gave him credit for it on the menu. Chefs need to give their cooks their due. It’s another kind of justice.

—M I C H A E L C A R T E R , E X E C U T I V E C H E F, AS TOLD TO ELYSE INAMINE

PHOTOGRAPHS: ISA ZAPATA (THE LEE INITIATIVE); EMMA FISHMAN (DOWN NORTH PIZZA).

FOOD STYLING BY REBECCA JURKEVICH (DOWN NORTH PIZZA). PROP STYLING BY SOPHIE STRANGIO (DOWN NORTH PIZZA)

A SECOND CHANCE FOR FORMERLY INCARCERATED PEOPLE

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NO US WITHOUT YOU L A

PUTTING BACK-OFHOUSE WORKERS FIRST In the beginning of the pandemic, all the restaurant GoFundMes were focused on helping front-of-house workers, but no one was helping workers in back-of-house, especially those who were undocumented, who receive no help from the government. They’ve given their lives to the industry, and we felt that we had a social responsibility to help them.

We’re going on our 19th month in operation. We’ve been feeding over 1,600 families in Los Angeles, primarily back-ofhouse workers. We move 160,000 pounds of food every week, which are paid for by individual donors and grants from foundations or are donated by partners we’ve previously been in business with through our bar consulting company.

We’re going to keep doing this as long as we can. We’re nothing without our people.

—OT H Ó N N O L AS CO (TO P) A N D DAMIÁN DIAZ, FOUNDERS, A S T O L D T O E ST H E R T S E N G

FA R M C L U B

Where You’ll Find the Future of Farm to Table Tell you what business nobody’s getting into these days: farming. Yet something about sustainability and permanent soil stuck in fingernails drew Nic Theisen to it. He and his wife, Sara, own Loma Farm with restaurateurs Gary and Allison Jonas, and together they opened Farm Club last year (yes, that year) in Traverse City, Michigan. What makes Farm Club so special is that it takes an arguably pretty bougie genre of dining— farm to table—and makes it approachable, low-key, and familial. That means no tasting menu, no waiting list, no ingredients revealed from under a smoking cloche. Instead, every inch of Farm Club is thoughtfully designed to invite you into nature (and have a beer). Here’s how they did it. — A L E X B E G G S

The Restaurant Local architects Designsmiths’ goal with the barnlike space was to take you outside when you’re dining inside, with giant windows.

Loma Farm Thirteen of Michigan’s 10 million acres of farmland belong to Loma, an organic farm in Big Ag land.

It’s down the road.

The Little Farms There are many small plots in Farm Club’s backyard.

They’re used for crop rotation, experiments, and rare produce.

The Market Pick up a pint of gooseberries, sourdough, and Farm Club’s chili oil in the corner market at the entrance of the restaurant.

The Brewery Corey Valdez (the Jonases' brother-inlaw) makes easydrinking beers with flowers (lavender!) from those plots in the yard.

The TART Trail This 6.1-mile bike ride from downtown Traverse City is the best commute. Once you see Farm Club’s sign, you know you’re almost there.

PHOTOGRAPHS: DONDRE STUETLEY (NO US WITHOUT YOU LA); COURTESY FARM CLUB

THE UNITED SOMMELIERS FOUNDATION

WINE PEOPLE HELPING WINE PEOPLE Chris Blanchard, treasurer and cofounder of the United Sommeliers Foundation (USF) and Northwest regional manager of Opus One Winery in Oakville, California: On March

17 I received phone calls from sommeliers panicked about being laid off. I texted Cristie.

Cristie Norman, USF president and cofounder and lead sommelier at Delilah in Las Vegas:

I told Chris we should start a GoFundMe. We had no idea it would snowball into the United Sommeliers Foundation.

Blanchard: With vice president Erik Segelbaum and secretary Jon McDaniel, our mission is to provide a support network for the sommelier community. The sommelier is the first to get laid off when money is tight—and the last to get hired back. We wanted to provide cash to out-ofwork sommeliers to pay for medical bills, rent, groceries, and other needs.

Norman: Raising $1 million initially seemed unattainable.

Blanchard: But we reached that

within a year and have helped more than 1,000 sommeliers.

This organization will be here for the long term; in April we filed

for 501(c)(3) status. Our goal is to assist restaurant wine workers, give them career advice, and act as a spokesperson so others can understand how important their work is. Sommeliers play a key role in a restaurant: They often handle opening and closing, clear plates, wash dishes, anything that a restaurant needs. It’s been so rewarding to hear from sommeliers. To help even a little is so fulfilling.

— I N T E R V I E W B Y E L S I E YA N G

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Bibin g ka Waf f l es

URSULA

A SAFE AND CREATIVE SPACE FOR QUEER COOKS When Eric See closed the Awkward Scone in June 2020, he considered leaving Brooklyn. “I took a road trip to figure it out,” he recalls, “but when I came back, I was buoyed by the community-building following the protests.” He had to stay.

In need of cash, See did two pop-ups at Claire Sprouse’s Hunky Dory. But instead of focusing on the baked goods he was known for, See leaned into his New Mexican heritage. These dishes were a wild success, and soon he was converting a storefront into a permanent home for Ursula, a New Mexican café named after his grandmother. In no time, lines of breakfast burrito seekers snaked down the sidewalk.

With buzz building around Ursula, See wanted to pay it forward. “Hunky Dory gave me an opportunity to launch a new business,” explains See, “and I wanted to do that for my queer community.” Starting in February, See invited six LGBTQ+ chefs to stage pop-ups, and he was adamant that the guest chefs keep the revenue because Sprouse did the same for him.

The series launched with Woldy Reyes, who had lost much of his catering business.

“Eric gave me a safe space to share my food,” says Reyes, who gave us a recipe from his pop-up (bibingka waffles!). Part of that stems from the fact that Ursula’s staff is overwhelmingly queer. “It’s so unlike other kitchens that are transphobic and homophobic,” says Hender Gonzales, who works as a sous-chef at Ursula and also participated in the pop-up series.

What started as a six-chef series has become an ongoing project. “Our queerness is rooted in mutual care,” See says.

“We’ll continue to be here for our queer and trans family as long as they need it.”

—M A C K E N Z I E C H U N G F E G A N

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Bibingka Waffles 4 - 6 S E RV I N G S

Whisk together 1 cup (135 g) rice flour, 1 cup (165 g) glutinous rice flour, ½ cup unsweetened coconut flakes, ½ cup (100 g) sugar, 1 Tbsp. baking powder, and 1 tsp. Diamond Crystal or ½ tsp. Morton kosher salt in a large bowl.

Whisk one 13.5-oz. can unsweetened coconut milk, ½ cup club soda, and 1 tsp. vanilla extract in a medium bowl

to combine. Pour into dry ingredients; whisk until combined.

Heat a Belgian or standard waffle iron and lightly coat with nonstick vegetable oil spray. Pour ½–¾ cup batter per waffle onto iron. Cook waffles until crisp and light golden, 5–8 minutes. Repeat with remaining batter.

Serve waffles warm, topped with coconut yogurt, fresh fruit, and toasted unsweetened coconut flakes.

PHOTOGRAPH BY EMMA FISHMAN

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THE FUTURE OWNERS OF R E E M ’S C A L I F O R N I A

Back row, left to right: Zaynah Hindi, Eric “Chops” Wong, Rebeca Cid Del Prado, Maria Sor del Carmen Gonzalez Angel Middle row, left to right: Võ Hai, Diana Aguirre, Luis Vazquez, Bertha Sigmundsdóttir, Reem Assil Bottom row, left to right: Tim Huey, Angela Lima, Armando Bibiano

Reem’s other Sumoud participants (not pictured): Scheherazade Shafigh, Luz Morales, Mariana Acevedo, E Saltman, Elizabeth Garcia, Shaza Banna, and Talal Aldousairi.

R E E M ’S C A L I F O R N I A

Changing the Restaurant Ownership Model Reem’s California has always been about the people, from employees to neighbors to the local ecosystem (farmers and vendors). It’s inspired by bakeries I visited in Syria and Lebanon; they were places of refuge for those experiencing political disruption. After I opened two locations of my restaurant, I realized I had become a “boss.” I was essentially the middle person between the forces of capitalism and workers who are struggling to survive.

I had been dreaming about transforming Reem’s into a worker-owned co-op restaurant. In many ways the pandemic was divine intervention. It disrupted my business, so we had to change quickly to keep my

employees working and the kitchen open.

Now was the time.

So I created Sumoud, a one-year apprentice program for workers at Reem’s, through a fellowship with the Emerson Collective, an organization focused on social change.

Sumoud is an Arabic word that means “steadfast resilience.” Through this program we bring our own knowledge and experiences working in restaurants to unlearn the systems that have harmed us and reimagine the kind of industry we want. With input from community partners, we’re figuring out what collective leadership, participatory governance, and shared ownership looks like. We’re learning about business growth and self-care through

RESTAUR ANT WORKERS ’ COMMUNIT Y FOUNDATION

PHOTOGRAPH BY ANDRIA LO

A NONPROFIT REFORMING THE INDUSTRY IN IMMEDIATE AND LONG-TERM WAYS

the lens of justice, particularly language justice, which means everyone’s voices are represented and respected. We have interpreters at our meetings so people can fully express themselves in the language they feel most comfortable. Next spring my hope is to sell Reem’s to graduates of Sumoud, so they will become founding worker-owners. We hope that Sumoud can serve as a catalyst for more restaurants to become worker-owned.

The pandemic made me realize that I didn’t have to be alone in saving my restaurants. Partnering with my employees has allowed me to build a stronger foundation for the future. —R E E M A S S I L , C H E F A N D F O U N D E R, AS TO L D TO N A N E T T E D E E T Z

The 2016 election led hospitality pro John deBary to think deeply about public policies that could adversely affect restaurant workers. So with his former colleague Alex Pemoulié, he founded the Restaurant Workers’ Community Foundation (RWCF), which distributes grants to nonprofits aimed at resolving longstanding problems ingrained within the restaurant industry, including mental health, racial injustice, and gender inequity.

Then, when statewide shutdowns began, RWCF found itself well-positioned to step in. It raised over $7 million in COVID-19 crisis-relief grants for individual restaurant workers and for zero-interest loans for restaurant operators. And following last summer’s protests, it formed the Racial Justice Fund in recognition of the grassroots Black- and brown-run organizations already addressing industry-wide inequities. Now that chef Kiki Louya has stepped in as RWCF’s executive director, the community foundation is continuing on its initial mission. “This organization was founded by restaurant workers who really just wanted to make sure that the industry was hospitable for all,” Louya says. —ANGELA BURKE

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L U C I L L E ’S A N D L U C I L L E ’ S 1913

A HOSPITALITY GROUP CARRYING ON THE FAMILY TRADITION

Making Chinatown More Resilient Back in mid-March, when there were mandated shutdowns across New York City, Chinatown was hit the hardest, not only because of xenophobia but also due to its off-the-grid nature.

I posted on Instagram, asking friends if they were interested in helping these businesses. Over 50 people showed up for our first meeting, and Send Chinatown Love was formed. We reached out to merchants to figure out what they needed, then created fundraisers, gift card vouchers, and a gift-a-meal program, which put $1 million back into their pockets. Now we’re looking to the future. What can we do to make Chinatown businesses more resilient? How can we diversify their revenue streams? We’re leaning into pro bono consulting and business development, which includes helping merchants rebrand, get on to delivery apps, and build websites so they don’t have to rely on foot traffic. We want to continue to restore hope to Chinatown. — J U S T I N M K I B B E N , F O U N D E R , A S T O L D T O E L Y S E I N A M I N E c

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“Master of her craft and fearless entrepreneur.” That’s how chef Chris Williams describes his great-grandmother Lucille B. Smith, who was famed for her biscuits and her generosity. Williams shares how the desire to be like her powers his Houston restaurant, Lucille’s, and his nonprofit, Lucille’s 1913.

You were running a popular restaurant when the pandemic hit. What did you do?

We knew many restaurants were going to furlough their team. We kept 99 percent of our staff, but they didn’t want to sit there and get paid. So we started feeding first responders. The first 20 days we did close to 3,000 meals. Then we got the bug.

You got the bug to serve others, like your great-grandmother, which caught the eye of José Andrés and his nonprofit, World Central Kitchen (WCK)?

Exactly. WCK wanted to feed locals in Sunnyside, which is where my father’s family lives. They were giving them Philly cheesesteak wraps, but people weren’t interested. That gave me an idea: I’d make my own menu, cooking meals that spoke to their palates. WCK funded us for two weeks, and from there we grew organically.

Now that the pandemic has entered a new phase, are you still focused on community?

Yes, I created Lucille’s Hospitality Group, which includes my nonprofit, Lucille’s 1913.

We started a fermentation lab where we make deconstructed chowchow and employ refugees from around the world. We still do meal distribution on our own and with other organizations. Our one-year anniversary for the nonprofit was on August 27, which was also our ninth anniversary for the restaurant. We’ve come full circle.

— I N T E RV I E W BY D AW N D AV I S

PHOTOGRAPH BY EMMA FISHMAN. FOOD STYLING BY REBECCA JURKEVICH. PROP SYTLING BY SOPHIE STRANGIO.

SEND CHINATOWN LOVE

Williams ’s roast chicken is an homage to his greatgrandmother and a reflection of his restaurant, Lucille ’s.

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FRANCESCA HONG

FROM CHEF TO POLITICIAN Whenever I was in the dish pit, filling in as a line cook, and working as a sous-chef, there was always a helping hand pulling me up. Madison’s restaurant industry has taught me the value of being there for others, especially if you’re barely making it yourself. My time working in restaurants now informs the legislation I’m working on as a state representative for the 76th district of the Wisconsin State Assembly. With other state representatives I’ve worked on eliminating tipped minimum wage (a paltry $2.33 per hour in Wisconsin) and proposed a fair $15 per hour living wage, and introduced a bill that would help locals apply for grant funding to cover down payments on homes. The policies we are fighting for—to build economic agency and security—will make the restaurant industry stronger because we are advocating for investment in people. — F R A N C E S C A H O N G

S U L L I VA N S C R A P KITCHEN

A Delicious Way to Fight Food Waste

PHOTOGRAPHS: ADAM HESTER (HONG); JUSTIN WALKER (GNOCCHI)

When Terence Rogers started his catering company TBD Foods in 2014, his focus was more on sourcing quality local ingredients than on using them up. But after learning more about sustainability through cooks from all over the world at Blue Hill at Stone Barns in Pocantico Hills, New York, his outlook changed.

He started a sandwich pop-up using TBD Food’s leftovers, and he got such rave reviews that he opened Sullivan Scrap Kitchen in Denver last summer with coowner (and wife) Holly Adinoff.

Here he breaks down the leaveno-ingredient-behind ethos in his seasonal gnocchi. — A L L Y S O N R E E D Y

JOSÉ ANDRÉS: BOOTS ON THE GROUND

The Gnocchi Rogers sources russet potatoes from Strohauer Farms, frying the skins for nachos and scooping the fluffy insides for gnocchi. He folds bruised herbs, like fall sage, into the dough for extra flavor.

The Mushrooms Cold-smoked, hardseared mushrooms add richness, heartiness, and crispy texture to the gnocchi while the stems are thrown in to risottos and veggie burgers.

The Pesto Kale stems left over from a TBD Food’s salad are blended with pumpkin seeds, garlic, olive oil, salt, and a splash of white balsamic vinegar for an unconventional but clever pesto.

For Heads of the Table, we wanted to acknowledge people who have started new organizations, opened restaurants, or rejiggered what they were doing to help their community and the industry at large during the pandemic. But we still wanted to give a small shout-out to someone who has been doing relief work for the past decade: chef José Andrés. Through his nonprofit, World Central Kitchen, he laid a blueprint for what it means to work with communities in crisis, supplying meals to people in need (oftentimes partnering with restaurants) and helping build stronger food systems. Andrés is the prime example of giving back, and you can hear more from him on page 88. — J E N N A A D R I A N - D I A Z

77

Picarones With Fig Chancaca Syrup M A K E S A B O U T 12

“Nothing reminds me of my childhood in Peru more than picarones,” says Hender Gonzales, who served a version of those doughnuts, arguably Peru’s most ubiquitous street food, at their Hender NYC pop-up.

SY R U P

1 small apple, halved ½ medium orange, zest removed in wide strips with a vegetable peeler 1 3" cinnamon stick 2 whole cloves 8 oz. chancaca (piloncillo) or 1 (packed) cup light brown sugar ½ cup dried figs ½ cup plus 2 Tbsp. (125 g) granulated sugar 1 tsp. aniseed DOUGHNUTS

1 Tbsp. cardamom pods 2 tsp. aniseed 2 medium sweet potatoes (about 1 lb.), peeled, coarsely chopped 2 tsp. active dry yeast 1½ tsp. granulated sugar 2 cups (250 g) all-purpose flour 1¼ tsp. Diamond Crystal or ¾ tsp.

Morton kosher salt, divided Vegetable oil (for frying) A layer of cheesecloth; a deep-fry thermometer; a wooden chopstick or skewer S P E C I A L E Q U I PM E N T :

Bring apple, orange zest, cinnamon stick, cloves, chancaca, figs, granulated sugar, aniseed, and 1¼ cups water to a boil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring occasionally and scraping bottom of pan, until reduced by about a third, 40–50 minutes. Strain syrup into a medium bowl; let cool.

D O A H E A D : Syrup can be made 1 week ahead. Cover and chill. Bring to room temperature before using.

Meanwhile, purée sweet potatoes in a food processor or blender until smooth. Scrape purée into a large bowl.

Whisk yeast and sugar into reserved cooking liquid, then whisk into purée. Add flour and ¼ tsp. Diamond Crystal or Morton kosher salt. Mix with a wooden spoon until a sticky dough comes together, about 5 minutes. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and let dough rise in a warm, draftfree spot until doubled in volume, about 1 hour, or chill overnight.

When ready to fry, fit a medium heavy pot with thermometer; pour in oil to come 2" up sides. Heat over medium-high until thermometer registers 325°.

Stir remaining 1 tsp. Diamond Crystal or ½ tsp. Morton kosher salt and ¼ cup water in a small bowl until salt is dissolved. Dip your hands in salt water, then punch down dough. Pinch off a golf-ball-size piece, roll into a ball, and flatten slightly. Push your thumb through the center to create a hole. Carefully slide into oil. Stick chopstick or skewer through hole and spin doughnut around to widen hole slightly and set shape.

Fry until deep orange-brown and crisp, about 5 minutes per side. Transfer to a wire rack set over a baking sheet.

Repeat process with remaining dough, dipping your hands in salt water to prevent sticking and adjusting heat as needed to maintain oil temperature. (Pan should fit 3 or 4 doughnuts at a time.)

Generously spoon syrup over doughnuts to coat.

SYRUP

Bundle cardamom and aniseed in cheesecloth and tie with kitchen twine. Place sachet in a medium saucepan; pour in 2 cups water. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low and simmer 5 minutes to infuse.

Add sweet potatoes to pan; cook until fork-tender, 17–19 minutes. Remove sachet and drain sweet potatoes, reserving ¼ cup cooking liquid. Let cooking liquid cool slightly.

DOUGHNUTS

78

New Mexican–Style Breakfast Burritos MAKES 2

Breakfast burritos are a staple in New Mexico, the home state of Ursula’s Eric See, where they are distinguished by shredded hash browns and New Mexico chiles.

SAUCE

10–12 dried New Mexico chiles (about 2 oz.), seeds removed 3 garlic cloves, smashed ¼ tsp. Mexican oregano ¾ tsp. Diamond Crystal or ½ tsp.

Morton kosher salt 1 Tbsp. plus 1½ tsp. all-purpose flour BURRITOS

8 oz. fresh chorizo, breakfast sausage, or plant-based sausage 1 large russet potato (about 10 oz.) ¾ tsp. garlic powder ¾ tsp. Diamond Crystal or ½ tsp.

Morton kosher salt, plus more

¼ tsp. freshly ground black pepper, plus more 3 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil, plus more 4 large eggs 1 Tbsp. chilled unsalted butter 2 9"–10" flour tortillas 1 cup shredded cheddar ¼ cup jarred New Mexico green chiles Combine dried chiles, garlic, oregano, and 2 cups water in a small saucepan; add more water if needed to cover chiles. Bring to a simmer over medium heat. Cook until chiles are soft, 10–15 minutes.

Transfer chiles and cooking liquid to a blender; purée until smooth. Strain red chile sauce through a fine-mesh sieve back into pan; discard solids. Whisk in salt and flour and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Cook, whisking constantly, until thickened, 5–7 minutes.

D O A H E A D : Sauce can be made 1 week ahead. Transfer to an airtight container; cover and chill.

SAUCE

Remove chorizo from casings if needed and place in a small saucepan.

Add 1 cup red chile sauce. Cook over medium heat, stirring often and breaking up sausage with a spatula, until sausage is cooked through, 8–10 minutes.

Meanwhile, peel potato and grate on the large holes of a box grater.

Transfer to a fine-mesh sieve and rinse under cold water to remove excess starch; drain well and pat dry. Transfer potato to a medium bowl. Add garlic powder, ¾ tsp. Diamond Crystal or ½ tsp. Morton kosher salt, and ¼ tsp. pepper and toss to coat.

Heat 3 Tbsp. oil in a medium nonstick skillet over medium-high. Add potato, pressing gently. Cook, undisturbed, until a golden brown crust forms, 5–7 minutes.

Break up potato with a spatula and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until golden brown all over, 6–8 minutes more (add more oil if pan seems dry).

Transfer hash browns to a plate.

Return skillet to medium heat. Add eggs and butter; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring with a heatproof spatula, until eggs are glossy and just set, about 3 minutes. Scrape eggs onto a plate and wipe out pan.

To assemble burritos, place tortillas on a work surface. Arrange half of hash browns, scrambled eggs, cheese, and chorizo mixture in parallel strips across center of each tortilla, leaving a 1" border BURRITOS

on left and right sides. Spoon half of green chiles over each. Fold in sides of tortillas and roll up tightly.

Place burritos, seam side down, in pan.

Cook over medium-high heat until sealed and light golden brown, about 2 minutes.

Turn over and cook until light golden brown on other side.

as chicken rests), about 30 minutes longer. Let chicken rest in baking dish at least 15 minutes before carving.

Toss parsley with juice of remaining lemon half and a drizzle of oil in a small bowl; season with salt. Serve chicken with vegetables alongside; top with dressed parsley.

Berbere-Spiced Roast Chicken and Vegetables

Flip Side Pizza

4 S E RV I N G S

Chris Williams loves to use berbere, a hot and complex Ethiopian spice blend, at his restaurant, Lucille’s. “It’s one of my favorite tools for bringing excitement to humble ingredients,” he says.

Williams employs it here to create a bold one-dish meal that welcomes whatever seasonal veg you might have on hand.

5 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil, divided, plus more 6 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped ½ cup berbere 2 lemons, halved 2½ tsp. Diamond Crystal or 1¼ tsp.

Morton kosher salt, plus more 6 radishes, trimmed, halved 2 cups fingerling or other small potatoes (about 14 oz.)

1 cup brussels sprouts (about 5 oz.), halved 1 cup baby carrots (about 6 oz.)

Freshly ground black pepper 1 3½–4-lb. whole chicken 1 small onion, quartered ⅓ cup parsley leaves with tender stems Preheat oven to 400°. Heat 4 Tbsp. oil in a small skillet over medium. Cook garlic, stirring constantly, until softened and light brown, about 3 minutes.

Scrape oil and garlic into a blender.

Add berbere, juice of 2 lemon halves, and 2½ tsp. Diamond Crystal or 1¼ tsp.

Morton kosher salt. Purée to a loose paste.

Place radishes, potatoes, brussels sprouts, and carrots in a 3-qt. baking dish. Drizzle with remaining 1 Tbsp. oil and season with salt and pepper.

Place chicken, breast side up, on top.

Massage berbere paste all over skin, inside cavity, and between breast and skin. Stuff cavity with onion and 1 lemon half. Loosely cover baking dish with foil and roast 1 hour.

Remove foil and continue to roast until chicken is well browned and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of a breast registers 155° (temperature will climb to 165°

M A K E S O N E 13 X 9 " P I Z Z A

This is Down North Pizza’s version of Hawaiian pizza, replete with caramelized pineapple and a tangy, smoky homemade barbecue sauce (feel free to substitute with your favorite store-bought barbecue sauce if you like). Executive chef Michael Carter uses beef bacon to keep the pizza halal, but pork bacon works equally well.

SAUCE

2 ½ 1 ¼ ¼ 3 2 2 1 1 1 ½ ½ ½ ¼ ¼ 1

tsp. extra-virgin olive oil small sweet onion, thinly sliced 15-oz. can tomato sauce cup apple cider vinegar cup black pepper sauce (such as Lee Kum Kee or KA-ME) Tbsp. honey Tbsp. robust-flavored (dark) molasses Tbsp. tomato paste Tbsp. mustard powder Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce tsp. liquid smoke tsp. Diamond Crystal or ¼ tsp.

Morton kosher salt tsp. garlic powder tsp. smoked paprika tsp. freshly ground black pepper tsp. onion powder 1" piece ginger, peeled, coarsely chopped

brown, 10–15 minutes. Stir in tomato sauce, vinegar, black pepper sauce, honey, molasses, tomato paste, mustard powder, Worcestershire sauce, liquid smoke, salt, garlic powder, smoked paprika, ground black pepper, onion powder, and ginger. Increase heat to medium-high and bring sauce to a simmer. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer gently, stirring occasionally, until thickened, 15–20 minutes.

Transfer barbecue sauce to a blender and purée until smooth.

D O A H E A D : Sauce can be made 3 days ahead. Transfer to an airtight container; cover and chill.

D O U G H Generously coat a 13x9" metal baking pan with oil. Whisk together yeast, sugar, and 2 cups plus 2 Tbsp. room-temperature water in the bowl of a stand mixer. Fit bowl onto mixer fitted with dough hook. Add flour and 2 Tbsp. oil and mix on low speed until just combined, about 1 minute. Scrape down sides of bowl and add salt. Mix on low speed, gradually increasing to medium-low, until dough is smooth and has pulled away from sides of bowl, about 5 minutes (dough will be sticky).

Transfer dough to prepared baking pan (don’t spread it out; dough will spread as it rises). Cover pan with plastic wrap; let rise in a warm, draft-free spot until dough covers most of pan, about 20 minutes.

Preheat oven to 500°. Uncover pan and, using lightly oiled hands, press dough into corners. Let sit, uncovered, until dough has risen slightly, about 20 minutes.

Parbake dough until bottom is just beginning to turn golden brown, about 3 minutes.

DOUGH

2 1 2 4½ 1

Tbsp. vegetable oil, plus more Tbsp. instant yeast tsp. sugar cups (550 g) bread flour Tbsp. Diamond Crystal or 1¾ tsp.

Morton kosher salt ASS E M B LY

8 2 1 1

oz. beef bacon, coarsely chopped Tbsp. sugar 14-oz. can crushed pineapple lb. low-moisture mozzarella, coarsely grated ⅓ cup pickled jalapeños Heat oil in a medium saucepan over medium. Cook onion, stirring occasionally, until softened and golden SAUCE

ASS E M B LY Heat a medium skillet over medium-high. Cook bacon, stirring often, until cooked through and some fat has cooked out, 5–8 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer bacon to a plate.

Stir sugar and pineapple with juice into fat in skillet. Reduce heat to mediumlow. Cook, stirring occasionally, until pineapple is deeply browned and juice has cooked off, 10–20 minutes, depending on amount of juice.

Scatter mozzarella over parbaked dough. Top with bacon and pineapple mixture. Bake until crust is golden brown around edges, 10–15 minutes.

Transfer pizza to a cutting board; slice into 8 pieces. Drizzle barbecue sauce over and top with pickled jalapeños.

79

S T E P-BYSTEPS

TIPS & TRICKS

Almost everything you need to know (and nothing you don ’t)

More Than Hot Air Move over, Instant Pot—the air fryer is the hottest time-saving, counter-hogging appliance on the scene

by A L E X B E G G S

ILLUSTRATIONS BY TIM LAHAN

For more on these homemade chicken tenders, see p . 84

P H OTO G R A P H S BY E M M A F I S H M A N

O C T O B E R 2 0 21 – 8 1

Basically

3

1 What Is an Air Fryer, Anyway?

Let’s get this out of the way: Air frying is a rebrand of the stodgy old term convection—they’re essentially the same thing. Air frying just sounds so much lighter, doesn’t it? An air fryer is a mini countertop convection oven, fitted with a fan that helps heat circulate around food more efficiently. It preheats in minutes and makes weeknight cooking convenient, mostly hands-off, and so, so crispy.

2

O K AY, I R E A L LY, R E A L LY WA N T O N E— A N D A C O R N D O G— NOW. BUT WHICH ONE? You have two options: a futuristic-looking basket-style unit or a toaster oven–esque one. And it mostly comes down to how much space you’re working with.

B R E V I L L E ’S S M A R T

C O S O R I ’S A I R F R Y E R

OVEN AIR FRYER

MAX XL

Our favorite toaster oven–style air fryer. $350; crateandbarrel.com

Our favorite basket-style air fryer. $120; amazon.com

Pros It’s also a toaster and regular oven all in one. It’s considerably roomier and front-loading, making it easier to cook larger items. And the window means you can watch food as it cooks. (Fun!)

Pros It’s easy to unplug and stash under the counter, ideal if you have limited counter space. You can also fry foods right in the basket without worrying about them dripping and smoking.

Cons It takes up a lot of real estate! And you need to line the basket with parchment for foods that might drip, or place a pan below it to shield the heating rods on the floor of the unit from falling fat.

Cons The basket is enclosed, meaning you’ll have to keep opening it to check for doneness, which will release some heat. And as a single-purpose appliance, it’s just not as versatile.

How Do I Know If I Need One? Like shearling-lined Birkenstocks and children, an air fryer is something you want, not something you need.

The only person who needs an air fryer is someone who has no other oven and craves a corn dog. If you answer “yes” to two or more of these questions, you’re gonna love an air fryer: •Do you have counter space you’re willing to give up?

•Are you kinda impatient?

•Do you get extremely excited about new kitchen gadgets and just want permission to buy this one?

•Do you L-O-V-E roasted vegetables but hate turning on your oven and heating up the whole apartment?

8 2 – O C T O B E R 2 0 21

Both st yles of air fr yer look appropriately Space Age, no?

5

It’s Healthy, Right?

Air frying sounds almost calorie-free; it’s ingenious marketing. But it’s not healthy by default. Yes, the air fryer uses less oil than deep-frying, and it does make roasted veg in a flash, which maybe means you’ll eat more of them. But if you’re mainly using it to make mozz sticks and pizza rolls, well…yeah.

4

PHOTOGRAPH BY ISA ZAPATA (FRIES)

THE TRUTH ABOUT FRENCH FRIES One of the most googled air fryer recipes? Surprise, surprise: homemade french fries. But here’s the truth: Real-deal, restaurant-worthy DIY fries are a labor of love, and they need to be soaked in water beforehand to remove excess starch and cooked multiple times. Annoying! But the good news is that frozen fries (and tater tots, and just about any freezer aisle potato product) are sooo much better in the air fryer than in the oven. Keep a stash handy for whenever a junk food craving strikes and let yourself live a little!

6

How to Convert Recipes for AirFrying

Some foods might take the same amount of time to cook as they would in the regular oven, like dense meatballs, while others will cook faster, like chopped broccoli. Set the air fryer to 25 degrees lower than the recipe calls for and start checking halfway to your recipe’s indicated cook time.

O C T O B E R 2 0 21 – 8 3

8

A Little Fat Goes a Long Way Air fryers work with a lot less oil than deepfrying, but you still need some fat. Here are two ways to get just the right amount in the mix.

7

WHAT TO COOK (AND NEVER C O O K ) I N A N A I R F RY E R You might find yourself wanting to use your trusty air fryer for all sorts of things you used to slide into the Big Oven, but certain foods benefit from this magic device more than others.

WHAT TO COOK

Broccoli, cauliflower, brussels sprouts

Cornstarch-coated tofu cubes

Frozen foods of all shapes and sizes

Anything breaded, really

Potato wedges Chicken wings

Spice-coated chickpeas

Fish (whole or fillets)

Leftover pizza

8 4 – O C T O B E R 2 0 21

WHAT NOT T O COOK

Watery veg, like zucchini and mushrooms (may cause the machine to billow steam or the food to never quite brown)

Eggs (a novelty, but go ahead, try it first)

Pies, pastries, or cakes (they tend to dry out from the fan action)

Steak, burgers, or anything typically pan-seared

Bacon (a mess to clean)

Incorporate It Breaded foods get nice ’n’ toasty in an air fryer, but without some fat mixed into the breading they’ll take longer to brown, and the food inside could overcook.

Tragedy! For our Sesame Coconut Chicken Tenders (page 81; find the recipe at bonappetit.com /sesame-coconutchicken-tenders), we toss the breadcrumb mixture with a generous amount of oil before using it to coat the tenders, which ensures the result is perfectly golden brown outside while insulating the juicy meat within.

FOOD STYLING BY PEARL JONES

Crisp-tender roasted veggies have never been this easy.

Coat It EVERYTHING you cook in an air fryer needs a coating of fat to encourage browning and to prevent sticking.

Some users swear by spray bottles of oil— and we recommend La Tourangelle Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil Spray, a higher-quality olive oil—but veg can just be tossed in oil in a bowl before cooking.

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recipe index

These juicy lamb chops will make your mouth water (if it isn’t already).

P. 62

MAIN COURSES

PASTA

VEGE TARIAN

Chicken With Mushroom Purée and Swiss Chard p. 42

SEAFOOD

Crispy Salmon With Bulgur p. 14

Winter Squash and Kale Pasta With Pecan Breadcrumbs p. 62

BREAKFAST

MEAT

POULTRY

Creamy Braised Beans With Charred Pickles and Croutons p. 47 Fried Zucchini and Butternut Squash Torta p. 46 Garlicky Smashed Chickpeas With Corn p. 20 Omusubi With SoyButter Mushrooms p.62 Winter Squash and Kale Pasta With Pecan Breadcrumbs p.62

Bibingka Waffles p. 70 New Mexican–Style Breakfast Burritos p. 78 SALAD

Charred Broccoli Salad With Figs p. 63 SANDWICH

Fried Zucchini and Butternut Squash Torta p. 46

The Flip Side Pizza p. 79 Fried Lentils and Bratwurst p. 16 Grilled Lemongrass Lamb Chops p. 62 Lamb Meatballs With Pecan Romesco p. 42 Smothered Cabbage With Sausage and Hot Honey p. 47

Berbere-Spiced Roast Chicken and Vegetables p. 79 Cheesy Rice Porridge With Greens p. 18 Chicken With Mushroom Purée and Swiss Chard p. 42

VEGETABLES, SIDE DISHES

Charred Broccoli Salad With Figs p. 63 Smothered Cabbage With Sausage and Hot Honey p. 47 DESSERTS

Apple-Hazelnut Rye Cake p. 30 Chocolate-Almond Pear Tart p. 63 Picarones With Fig Chancaca Syrup p. 78

bon appétit is a registered trademark of advance magazine publishers inc. copyright © 2021 condé nast. all rights reserved. printed in the u.s.a. volume 66, no. 8. Bon Appétit (ISSN 0006-6990) is published ten times a year by Condé Nast, which is a division of Advance Magazine Publishers Inc. principal office: 1 World Trade Center, New York, NY 10007.Roger Lynch, Chief Executive Officer; Pamela Drucker Mann, Global Chief Revenue Officer & President, U.S. Revenue; Jackie Marks, Chief Financial Officer. Periodicals postage paid at New York, NY, and at additional mailing offices. Canada Post Publications Mail Agreement No. 40644503. Canadian Goods and Services Tax Registration No. 123242885-RT0001. postmaster: send all uaa to cfs. (see dmm 707.4.12.5); non-postal and military facilities: send address corrections to Bon Appétit, P.O. Box 37617, Boone, IA 50037-0617. for subscriptions, address changes, adjustments, or back issue inquiries: Please write to Bon Appétit, P.O. Box 37617, Boone, IA 50037-0617, call 800-765-9419, or email BNAcustserv@cdsfulfillment.com. Please give both new and old addresses as printed on most recent label. subscribers: If the Post Office alerts us that your magazine is undeliverable, we have no further obligation unless we receive a corrected address within one year. If during your subscription term or up to one year after the magazine becomes undeliverable, you are ever dissatisfied with your subscription, let us know. You will receive a full refund on all unmailed issues. First copy of new subscription will be mailed within eight weeks after receipt of order. Address all editorial, business, and production correspondence to Bon Appétit Magazine, 1 World Trade Center, New York, NY 10007. For reprints, please email reprints@ condenast.com or call Wright’s Media at 877-652-5295. For reuse permissions, please email contentlicensing@condenast.com or call 800-897-8666. Visit us online at BonAppetit.com. To subscribe to other Condé Nast magazines on the World Wide Web, visit CondeNastDigital.com. Occasionally, we make our subscriber list available to carefully screened companies that offer products and services that we believe would interest our readers. If you do not want to receive these offers and/or information, please advise us at P.O. Box 37617, Boone, IA 50037-0617 or call 800-765-9419. bon appétit is not responsible for the return or loss of, or for damage or any other injury to, unsolicited manuscripts, unsolicited artwork (including, but not limited to, drawings, photographs, and transparencies), or any other unsolicited materials. those submitting manuscripts, photographs, artwork, or other materials for consideration should not send originals, unless specifically requested to do so by bon appétit in writing. manuscripts, photographs, and other materials submitted must be accompanied by a self-addressed stamped envelope.

8 6 – O C T O B E R 2 0 21

PHOTOGRAPH BY EMMA FISHMAN. FOOD STYLING BY PEARL JONES. PROP STYLING BY SOPHIE STRANGIO.

COOK THE COVER

José Andrés’s Dream Dinner Party The chef turned humanitarian would feed oysters, gazpacho, and lots of fried eggs to some of history’s most influential people

Learn more about World Central Kitchen (and how to help with its mission) at wck.org.

FOR OUR ANNUAL

Restaurant Issue, we’re focusing on the people working to improve their industry and their communities. How could we not, then, turn the lens on chef José Andrés, whose organization World Central Kitchen provides meals in times of crisis. For more information on WCK’s work, turn to page 77. But if you want to know who Andrés would invite to his Dream Dinner Party, you’re in the right place.

slaves to freedom. While others were giving speeches, she had boots on the ground. She kept going back into danger because she didn’t want to have freedom while others didn’t. And Clara Barton, founder of the American Red Cross. Her office was in D.C., where I opened my first restaurant. She did amazing work, caring for wounded soldiers and bringing relief to their families through the Missing Soldiers Office.

What’s on the menu?

Tubman’s on my list too. What would you ask this group of powerhouse women?

Women who change the world need more than soup!

I’d start with gazpacho.

I was amazed to discover the recipe for gazpacho—the quintessential summertime soup in Spain, where I come from— in a 19th-century cookbook from Virginia, in the United States…the country where I belong. When you’re an immigrant, you have a heart in both places. So you can build bridges, and show how many things two cultures share, versus how different they are.

— D AW N D AV I S

You’ve traveled the world and met so many people. Which three would be at your dream dinner party?

Dolores Huerta. She’s a fighter for workers’ rights, for farmers, for food. When we talk about hunger and food production, we often miss the most important part, which is the people. Huerta fights for the people. I’d also invite Harriet Tubman, who brought many 8 8 – O C T O B E R 2 0 21

Women carry the world forward. Yet it seems men dictate how we move humanity forward. Why? What can we do to bring more women into leadership? How do we ensure armies of women are in every corner of society, running companies, running hospitals?

This is not about equality.

It’s about pragmatism.

Oysters. I am crazy for oysters.

I’m becoming briny like the Chesapeake Bay, and I’ve got a lot of stories—from the history of oyster ketchup, a forgotten condiment made from oysters, vinegar, and black pepper [it’s older than tomato ketchup, made as far back as the 1700s] to the tales I’ve heard from generations of oyster farmers.

Cold soup and oysters sound lovely but I need more.

My mom, a nurse, used to roast peppers until the skin turned brown; then she would peel them and separate the skin from the seeds. They were sweet, delicious, and had a nice touch of viscosity. She’d put them in oil with garlic, then add water and cook them slowly until an emulsified sauce formed. Then a few drops of sherry vinegar for acidity.

Those red peppers alone, they deserve a round of applause.

With what do you serve this stew of peppers?

Fried eggs. When people ask me why eggs are so big in Spanish culture, I show them a painting by Diego Velázquez, with a woman frying an egg in a terra-cotta bowl over a fire.

Show me another culture that has such an amazing painting portraying a woman frying an egg. And eggs with peppers?

Believe me: life-changing.

I L LU S T R AT I O N BY J OA N A AV I L L E Z

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