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Ten Questions

10 ?’s with Fifth Street Brewpubs Chef Brandon Travis

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brandonChef Brandon Travis  has  over 2700 owner/bosses, at the Fifth Street Brewpub.   more than 11 years of food service experience. During that time, he worked in nearly every kitchen station and position, which allowed him to learn how to effectively run a kitchen to provide the highest quality of fare to customers. Chef Brandon specializes in obtaining the highest quality products available and focuses on responsible and sustainable sourcing. He strives to use locally grown and produced products in everything he creates. Chef Brandon attended Sinclair Community College’s culinary arts and hospitality management program. He’s worked at Fifth Street Brewpub since they first introduced their kitchen.

Just last week Chef Brandon introduced a new menu for the brewpub, which includes discounted prices for members and a Monday – Friday, 4 – 6 PM happy hour for all that offers $1 off drafts, and wine as well as all sharing plates, like the smoked salmon dip,  Co-op Cheese curds, and the ever popular Henry Chips not have an option to add chicken, pork or braised beef.   The entree menu includes a turkey avocado club, the best selling build your own burger, a vegan spinach wrap and 4 salads to choose from. Brunch is served Saturday and Sunday from 10am -2pm with breakfast classics like french toast, steak and eggs and some specialty items like chicken and waffles and the over the top banana foster waffle.  See the full menu here.

Chef Brandon took time out from the kitchen to answer our Chef’s 10 ?’s so we could get to know him a little better.  We learned he’s a man of few words, preferring to let his food do the talking.

 

What is your favorite ingredient to cook with? Cilantro

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Spatzel Pork – A breaded pork tenderloin fried to perfection served on spatzel dumplings topped with caramelized onions and our housemade beer cheese.

 

What ingredient do you dread? Tamarind

 

What’s your favorite dish to make? Risotto

 

What’s your favorite pig out food? Chinese

 

What restaurant, other than your own do you like to dine at in the Miami Valley?
Thai 9

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weekly specials change frequently, pictured here: tequila lime shrimp tacos

 

What’s your best advice for home chefs? Practice, practice, practice.

 

If you could invite any 4 guests to a dinner party who would they be and why?
I would invite Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher, Mark Hamill, and James Earl Jones to dinner because I’m a Star Wars nerd.

 

Who do you look up to in the industry and why? I look up to Tom Colicch

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Crabby Patty – A ½ pound handcrafted crab cake griddled to perfection served on a toasted brioche bun garnished with lettuce, tomato and a Cajun remoulade.

io, New York restauranteur, who is equal parts business and chef. He has five James Beard Awards under his belt.

What do you do in the Miami Valley on a day off? A day off starts with coffee at the Boston Stoker and a trip to Yellow Springs to hike with the dog and girlfriend.

 

Share a kitchen disaster, lucky break or other interesting story:
My best kitchen disaster story was when I tipped an entire storage rack over because I’m short and needed to climb it for a dish on the top shelf.

10 ?’s with Chris Coherd, Executive Chef, Mudlick Tap House

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chriscoherdChris Coherd, took over as Executive Chef at Mudlick Tap House this past  May. No stranger to kitchens around town, he worked at Truffles, Madison’s and Fresco.  Before making the move to this Germantown eatery, Coherd  spent three years as the Sous Chef under Chef Anne Kearney at Rue Dumaine.

Chef Chris believes in running a scratch kitchen, and whether that means butchering the  free range chicken he picks up from Ed Hill in Xenia or curing  his own meats, he prides himself on his  commitment to locally sourcing ingredients.

An avid outdoorsman, he loves to hunt and fish and has been spotted at Urban Krag doing some climbing as well. He also loves to spend time with his wife Elly and their 9 month old son Max.

Now that he’ s put his mark on the menu at Mudlick, he took the time time to answer our 10 ? Chef Interview.  Enjoy his answers below:

 

 

DMM: What is your favorite ingredient to cook with?

CC:   I cook with so many ingredients and I love all of them. My most common are butter, onion and garlic.   And fats…every dish is rounded out with some kind of fat whether its olive oil, bacon fat, butter, etc.

 

DMM: What ingredient do you dread?

CC:  Bony fish…deboning fish is time consuming and can also destroy the fish and create an unappealing visual.

 

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pan seared red snapper served with crispy yukon potatoes and local pea shoots finished with a relish of sweet corn, shallot, zucchini, red bell pepper and a champagne vinaigrette.

DMM: What’s your favorite dish to make?

CC:  Curry chicken and rice with fried basil leaves. I make my curry from scratch with curry coconut milk, garlic, jalapeno, and onion and reduce it to concentrate the flavors then add chicken and serve it over rice topped with some fried basil leaves.

 

DMM: What’s your favorite pig out food?
CC:  PIZZA-Pies and Pints – The Hot Mama

 

DMM: What restaurant, other than your own do you like to dine at in the Miami Valley

CC: Taquria Mixteca – I order the same thing every time I go – chicken steak shrimp fajitas

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New Zealand lamb chops with farm fresh pea shoots, sauté of white beans, sun-dried tomato, and lemon zest with a mint parsley pistou!

DMM: What’s your best advice for home chefs?

CC: Taste everything before you serve it!

 

DMM: If you could invite any 4 guests to a dinner party who would they be and why?

CC:

Brian Griffey – the first chef I ever worked for and my mentor

Phillip Cronin – Childhood friend and chef for Edward Lee in Washington DC

Aaron Allen-Former co-worker and chef de cuisine at Autumn Restaurant at Nemacolin Woodlands Resort

Nate Vance – Sous Chef at Salar

Worked with all of them, enjoyed working with them, respect their culinary skills and talent, and we all enjoy each other’s company

 

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Black grouper pan seared on a zucchini fritter & arugula with a relish of bell peppers, local sweet corn & wilted shallot on a roasted red pepper coulis!

DMM: Who do you look up to in the industry and why?

CC:  Anne Kearney

She’s a beast in the kitchen. If you think your fast at prep, work next to her for 30 minutes and you will realize how slow you really are. And her knife cuts will look better than yours!

 

DMM: What do you do in the Miami Valley on your day off?

WhSandwiches from Fifth Street Deli (The Champ), Beers and Giant Jenga at Warped Wing. But in the fall, you can find me in a tree stand.

 

DMM: Share a kitchen disaster, lucky break or other interesting story:

CC:  When I worked this year’s Celebrity Chef James Beard dinner in Columbus, Brian the chef de cuisine was originally supposed to cook the venison loin and at the last minute decided to hand off the responsibility to me which I was extremely nervous about since these are a lot of talented chefs. The venison came out cooked perfectly followed by several compliments from the many talented chefs in attendance.

 

 

 

 

 

 

10 ? With Chef Maria from Nibbles

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sxou03rnqvukicxc_400After 20 years as a dental hygienist, Maria Walusis decided it was time for a career change.  So she began to apprentice with accomplished chefs from L’Auberge and  Cumin in Cincinnati, restaurants that have since closed.  She launched her catering business about 6 years ago and then in Jan of 2015 she opened the intimate  800 square feet fine dining eatery Nibbles at 105 S. Second Street, which is the former Hamilton Hotel building in historic downtown Miamisburg.  Seating just over 30 guests inside, patio seating doubles the occupancy when weather permits.

Chef Maria shares that she customizes her menus “each season so you can have a unique food experience and not the same old thing you see all the time.”  With the start of summer, she introduces her 11th menu starting with a shrimp roll, fried green tomatoes and lobster hush puppies.  Entrees include her amazing chile relleno, jerk chicken or a tomahawk pork chop. See the full menu here.

 

Chef Maria agreed to take a break from cooking long enough to answer our 10 ?’s interview:

 

Vodka-cured Salmon with Soy Cubes, Yuzu Gelee

Vodka-cured Salmon with Soy Cubes, Yuzu Gelee

What is your favorite ingredient to cook with?    Hard to pick just one!  I love all seafood and there is always a variety of seafood items on our menus!  The current menu has lobster hush puppies!  I am already craving some.

What ingredient do you dread?
Artichokes are a pain in the butt.  They are prickly, and quickly turn a yucky shade of gray. I love to eat them but hesitate to work with them.

What’s your favorite dish to make?
I have a thing for braised meat of any kind. It’s some comforting and homey and smell amazing when cooking and just falls apart with a fork.

What’s your favorite pig out food?
Definitely pizza!  Pizza is amazing and when you want something late at night it’s the way to go!

What restaurant, other than your own do you like to dine at in the Miami Valley? There are so many great places and great chefs here in Dayton!  I like to support all the chefs as much as I can. Favs are Rue Dumaine, Meadowlark, Wheat Penny and Salar!  Very excited about some of the new places coming to Dayton soon like Basils!

Brown Sugar Shortcake with Rhubarb and Candied Ginger

Brown Sugar Shortcake with Rhubarb and Candied Ginger

What’s your best advice for home chefs?  Cook! Cook! Cook!   Read cookbooks and study and just cook. Try  new things and have fun creating.

If you could invite any 4 guests to a dinner party who would they be and why?
I would invite all the local chefs who could get away from their restaurants!  We all work so hard and its difficult to actually get together for any sort of social time, so to be able to get us all together and cook some great food and kick back together would be awesome, and spoil them a little bit with some great food.

Who do you look up to in the industry and why?
I have had some mentors who have encouraged me along the way to becoming a chef and are a source of support, and answers to my sometimes silly questions.  Chef Anne from RueDumaine has taught me a lot along with Chef Michael from Michael Anthony’s at the Inn in Versailles.  Two amazing chefs with different styles and strengths who have both influenced my cooking and how I run my restaurant.Nibblesoutside

What do you do in the Miami Valley on a day off?  Well, since I haven’t had a “day off” in weeks I’m not sure!   We go out to dinner/drinks when we can to enjoy someone else cooking for us!  WE enjoy spending time with family and friends, our daughters and parents.

Share a kitchen disaster, lucky break or an interesting story:
I was running a private party for another chef as a favor, a private party in a home. As I was trying to get the filet cooked to temp it was taking forever and I finally realized the oven wasn’t working. I opened the door to the pro-viking range and the entire door literally fell off the oven into my arms! I was completely horrified and had to figure out how to finish cooking steaks for 60 guests with no oven!!

10?’s with Chef Don Warfe

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ChefDonWarfeDon Warfe was born in California, but as a  military kid he moved around a lot,  lived in Japan, and eventually his family came to Dayton where his grandparents lived.  He grew up always cooking and while working at Buddkan,  a fine dining restaurant  in Philly that featured Asian  fusion cuisine,  he realized that food was truly his passion. He had found his career and  moved from restaurant to restaurant to grow his skills, including a stint in upstate New York, five years with Fleming’s and then became  part of an opening team at a Colorado eatery where he served as an Executive Chef. 

It was at this job that Gordon Ramsey’s Kitchen Nightmares reached out to him and asked him to consult with them on a few episodes.   On the show he’d help introduce new menu items and help work with the kitchen crew to ensure success.  Chef Don would then stick around after the TV crew left,  for a few weeks to to stabilize the new menu, train the front and back of the house staff and ended up staying at one of the featured  restaurants for almost a year. 

After a working hundred hour weeks for years,  he needed a break.  He came back to Dayton to visit his family and decided to stay for a while .He had a friend that worked at the Trolley Stop and  they were looking to rework their food offerings.  Chef Don was hired as a consultant to bring fresh, locally sourced dishes and greater variety to their menu.  And while he was transforming the menu at this Oregon District business, there was a lady transforming his life.  Chef Don fell in love with Mindy and her son Theo and will be getting married soon.

While still running the kitchen at Trolley Stop, he’s also taken on a side job, consulting with Mike Schwartz, of Belmont Party Supply,  on his new joint coming to Centerville, Ollie’s Place.  A long time in planning, Mike’s new venture will be a tap room, whiskey bar and carryout.  Chef Don is  writing  the menu, designing their kitchen and training their staff.  Look for it to open in April with 60 beers on tap and “awesome food, ” according to Warfe.

And between both jobs, Chef Don took time to answer our 10 questions:

 

1.  What is your favorite ingredient to cook with?

This varies seasonally. I love using local ingredients. The local pork shoulder that I get from KJB Farms always makes me happy.

2.  What ingredient do you dread?

Salt and Pepper. Just kidding. I’m not a fan of using processed foods. I really don’t like using Chicken Base.

3.  What’s your favorite dish to make?

I love making so many different dishes. I love to cook fish and just about any meat. I really enjoy making Paella.

4.  What’s your favorite pig out food?

My special lady and I love to make antipasti boards and pig out late at night sometimes. It’s pretty amusing what items can end up on the board. It’s interactive and so much fun to share the experience together. It can range from smoked herring to chile chocolate to spicy kimchi. It’s pretty personal so I won’t say anything else about it.243072_147753738628195_1513875_o

5.  What restaurant, other than your own do you like to dine at in the Miami Valley?

I feel like I haven’t dined out very much in Dayton. There are still a lot of restaurants that I am waiting to go try. I really like Little Saigon.

6.  What’s your best advice for home chefs?

I would suggest that home chefs go to the local farmer’s market. It’s such an advantage for your cooking. You’re supporting local economy, using fresh quality ingredients that are better for you and ultimately taste better. I would also suggest that people have fun cooking. Take a recipe and make it your own.

7.  If you could invite any 4 guests to a dinner party who would they be and why?

Anthony Bourdain. Because he knows food and travel. I would love to hear the stories he could tell after a few drinks at the table.
Alice Waters. Again, I would love to sit there and just humbly listen to her experiences and enjoy a meal with her.
Christopher Walken. His voice at the dinner table. I would ask him to read all of our books out loud.
My grandmother, because I miss her very much. And of course Mindy would be right beside me serving as my c0- hostess for our dinner party.

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Chef Thomas Keller

8.  Who do you look up to in the industry and why?

Thomas Keller, because his cuisine seems so true. He is so ingredient driven and a master in this field. He has been a major influence on chefs today to embrace local ingredients from farms, fisherman, and gardens. His techniques are so sound and quality driven. I don’t know any chefs that aren’t inspired when they open The French Laundry Cookbook.

9.  What do you do in the Miami Valley on a day off?

Never the same thing. I love spending time with my ‘soon to be’ wife and her son. We play games in the park, or in the grocery store, or in the book store, or in the house. I enjoy having dinner with my family and relaxing. I’m currently reading all the volumes of the graphic novel, The Walking Dead, and watching Twin Peaks episodes.

10.  Share a kitchen disaster, lucky break or other interesting story:


Lucky Break: I was contacted by Gordon Ramsey’s Kitchen Nightmares to work as a chef consultant on the show in Colorado. It was my job to train restaurant staff their new menu and teach them how to function properly as a restaurant. They asked me to be on film for my last episode and it was a thrill to work with one of my favorite chefs. This also answers the kitchen disaster part of this question. Before the transformation, there were some pretty bad practices in place.

10?’s with Surjit Singh Mattu ofAmar India

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surjitEver since Surjit Singh Mattu was a young man in northwestern India he has had a business and numbers based mind set.  It is this mindset which has continually propelled the quick learning chef to success in American busines

 

Originally an electrician, Surjit Singh Mattu left India in 1981 and arrived in Boston, Massachusetts where he started to pursue and explore a career in the restaurant business.  He has always enjoyed cooking and this culinary experience helped him begin to learn and develop his own taste.  This was the beginning of what would be a largely successful career.  After living in Boston he had moved to Houston for a period and then in 1984 he packed and moved to Dayton to move closer to his sister and her husband, Dr. Sandhu of the University of Dayton’s Chemical Materials Engineering department.  In Dayton he helped his sister in her restaurant, Taste of India.  This exposure to the restaurant business inspired him to fall in love with cooking.

 

The first of his two restaurants, Amar India, opened in 1991 and then his second restaurant, Jeet India in 2003.  He has had success in starting both restaurants and continually finds reward in hearing his customer’s appreciation.  Cooking is an art to Surjit and serving his customers is a gratifying experience.  Sharing his food is like sharing his heritage.

Surjit caters to many events and businesses all over the Midwest.  On top of catering Surjit likes to give back to the community and he frequently donates to charity.  Some specific charities include the Red Cross, March of Dimes and Leukemia Lymphoma Society.

 

His restaurant is commended as the 42nd best restaurant in the United States by Ben Schott’s, Schott’s Food and Drink.  Surjit has won multiple awards for his cooking through the years and he has even had the opportunity to showcase his talents on Good Morning America and multiple local TV channels.

 

  1. What is your favorite ingredient to cook with?

    Buffet 1

    The daily buffet always includes 4vegetarian entrees and 3 non-vegetarian entrees.

He enjoys working with cumin seeds and garlic.

 

  1. What ingredient do you dread?

There is nothing he dreads more than brown sugar, but that’s about it.

 

  1. What’s your favorite dish to make?

Chicken korma, chicken tikka masala

 

  1. What’s your favorite pig out food?

Chicken korma, rice and naan

 

  1. What restaurant, other than your own do you like to dine at in the Miami Valley?
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Masala, White Rice, and Saag Paneer.

Bravos (Particularly the Salmon), Bone Fish Grill, and any Mexican restaurant

 

  1. What’s your best advice for home chefs?

Don’t ever serve food that you wouldn’t want to eat yourself.  Always use the best quality ingredients for the best taste.  Do your own thing and adapt your own style.

 

  1. If you could invite any 4 guests to a dinner party who would they be and why?

He would invite the 4 pickiest customers and anyone else who would critique his cooking.  He is always looking to improve his art!

 

  1. Who do you look up to in the industry and why?

He has always look up to his older sister.  She had inspired him to open his own restaurants.

 

  1. What do you do in the Miami Valley on a day off?

He loves to go to any UD Flyer athletic event, especially basketball.  He also likes to attend Dayton Dragon’s baseball games or sit and watch any sport on the television.

 

  1. Share a kitchen disaster, lucky break or other interesting story.

Interesting Story:  One evening while in the restaurant a customer who had eaten at Amar India previously stopped by and dropped off a book with a marker within it.  The books name was, Schott’s Food and Drink.  Curiosity hit and the book was opened to the marker.  Surjit realized the customer had found a list of 42 best restaurants in the U.S. with Amar India at 42.  The author was unknown and he had no idea his restaurant had been featured on the list.  He saw it as an accomplishment and an interesting surprise.  He also found gratification that the customer notified him and had given him the book as a gift.

amarAmar India is located at 2751 Miamisburg Centerville Road, across from the Dayton Mall.

Monday thru Thursday      thumb-1

11:30am  to 2pm Lunch        5pm to 10pm Dinner

Friday & Saturday      

11:30am to 10pm

Sunday                                 

Noon to 9pm

This Chef 10?’s article was put together by UD students in Professor Rebecca P. Blust’s  UD Engineering Project Management class.  Our four member team , Gracelyn Key, Sushmitha Rayinadi, Emily Strobach and Daniel Williams spent the semester learning how to meet with a client (DMM) define the project, put a plan together and execute it.  This is the fifth of 9 Chef interviews they presented to us as their class project.  To read the first two interviews please see below:

10 ?’s with Chef Trish Miles of C’est Cheese

10 ?’s with Chef Narendar Thakkar of Namaste India

10 ?’s with Chef Lisa Perdomo of Arepas & Co

10 ?’s with Fifth Street Brewpub’s Chef Liam Hennessy

10 ?’s with Fifth Street Brewpub’s Chef Liam Hennessy

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Jan 23, 2013 11-27-28 AMFifth Street Brewpub’s Chef Liam Hennessy’s first experience in the restaurant business was working at a Mom and Pop sandwich shop. He started off as a dishwasher but soon moved to busing tables, serving, and eventually helping in the kitchen. Fifth Street Brewpub General Manager Dave Tickel first met Liam while working at TomKatz’s in Springboro. They both moved into other positions, but after 5 years of losing touch, Dave called Liam and offered him the position of head chef.  Liam left his job at the Dayton Country Club and is now working hard to create a unique menu at this new co-op brewpub. The chef also has worked at L’Auberge and Thirsty Dog Brewpub.

Experience Chef Liam’s menu at Fifth Street Brewpub located at 1600 East Fifth St, about 4 blocks east of the Oregon District. The pub is open  Monday – Thursday 4 pm – 11 pm and Fridays & Saturdays from 11 am – midnight.

 1.     What is your favorite ingredient to cook with?

Quite simply, animals. I love working with beef.

2.     What ingredient do you dread?

Nothing really, I’m not scared of anything. If I don’t know how to use an ingredient, I’ll look it up.

 3.     What’s your favorite dish to make?

Anything that makes people smile. Coming from the Dayton Country Club, I’ve had to adapt to a different style at the Fifth Street Brewpub. A lot of menu items here are broken-down fine dining, the Cuban sandwich for example.  It’s not on the menu, but we feature it from time to time. There is actually an email list that goes out to certain die-hard fans of that sandwich telling them when it will be served next.

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Enchurrito, rice, chicken, corn, peppers and cheese rolled in a flour tortilla, topped with a green chile sauce, and a cumin sour cream.

4.     What’s your favorite pig out food?

I grew up with peanut butter crackers, the ones that come in the pack of 6. Those with a glass of milk at the end of the day are great.

5.     What restaurant, other than your own do you like to dine at in the Miami Valley?

My wife and I just had kids, so it is hard to find time to go out. But when we do, we like to eat local. Bonefish is one of our favorites.

6.     What’s your best advice for home chefs?

Stop watching the food network; it glorifies food and creates very high expectations. Just keep it simple, try not to combine too many flavors.

 7.     If you could invite any 4 guests to a dinner party who would they be and why?

I would invite my grandparents and great-grandparents. They never had the chance to see this side of me.

8.     Who do you look up to in the industry and why?

Chris from TomKatz’s; we have remained great friends over the years. And the Sycamore Creek Country Club. That’s where my skills and ideas were refined.

9.     What do you do in the Miami Valley on a day off?

Watch my kids! Or sometimes go golfing if I get the chance.

10.  Share a kitchen disaster, lucky break or other interesting story.

Lucky Break: Working at the country club was my biggest break. I was a sous-chef at the time, and the GM recognized that I was doing most of the work. He saw my ability and potential, and offered me the position of head chef.

Disaster: This also happened while I was working at the country club. We were hosting a wedding for 150 people, but there was a storm the night before and all of the power went out. So we didn’t have any light, gas, electricity, so obviously we had a huge problem. We contacted the bride and explained the situation, and she wanted to continue with the wedding as planned. We had to adapt by using outside grills to make a meal for 150 guests. It turned out to be a success; the guests were understanding and loved the improvised menu.

 

This Chef 10?’s article was put together by UD students in Professor Rebecca P. Blust’s  UD Engineering Project Management class.  Our four member team , Gracelyn Key, Sushmitha Rayinadi, Emily Strobach and Daniel Williams spent the semester learning how to meet with a client (DMM) define the project, put a plan together and execute it.  This is the fourth of 9 Chef interviews they presented to us as their class project.  To read the first two interviews please see below:

10 ?’s with Chef Trish Miles of C’est Cheese

10 ?’s with Chef Narendar Thakkar of Namaste India

10 ?’s with Chef Lisa Perdomo of Arepas & Co

10 ?’s with Chef Lisa Perdomo of Arepas & Co

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1920408_699753960048080_873109947_nChef Lisa Perdomo is a Kettering native who received her undergraduate degree in business and her graduate M.B.A. from the University of Dayton.  She is married to Mr. Perdomo, who is a native from Columbia,  who received an engineering management degree from the University of Dayton.  The UD Flyer couple runs and owns Arepas & Co which serves a type of Americanized Columbian cuisine.  Her food is flavorful, fresh and fast.

 

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Arepas & Co is located at 1122 E Dorothy Ln in Kettering.

Initially out of college Lisa worked for the University of Dayton for 10 years.  Afterward she had a coffee shop in Cincinnati, but decided the commute was a bit too much and ended up bringing contacts together in order to become a vendor at the 2nd Street Market in downtown Dayton as Arepas & Co.  The vendor stand took off at the market and Lisa found her business having a tremendous amount of success with visitors.  To anyone who is timid about trying Columbian cuisine she is more than happy to educate and encourage the food she has grown to love.

 

With the success at the 2nd Street Market Lisa and her husband were able to open their second location here in Dayton.  Be sure when you visit to look for the Red House, that  sits back from the road behind the Sherwood Florist.  The restaurant serves as a great environment for a great meal.

 

Be sure to visit Arepas & Co. on Facebook for more info.

1.     What is your favorite ingredient to cook with?

Fresh Cilantro… Fish and Cilantro = awesome!

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Fresh and tasty Pollo Guisado and more waiting for you!

2.     What ingredient do you dread?

I love to cook and don’t have a definitive dreaded ingredient, but if I had to choose I would say extremely hot spicy peppers.  In particular the hot peppers  used to prepare her El Scorcho (Pique) homemade sauce. Wow… Hot!

 3.     What’s your favorite dish to make?

Pollo Guisado! It is a braised chicken thigh slowly cooked with carrots, bell peppers, and green beans. Served with rice and fried plantains.  It’s delicious.

4.     What’s your favorite pig out food?

I loves Reece’s peanut butter cups.  There is just something about that chocolate and peanut butter duo that hits the spot.

5.     What restaurant, other than your own do you like to dine at in the Miami Valley?

I love going to O’Charley’s with my 3 boys and husband.  I also like going to Logan’s Roadhouses and Carvers in Centerville

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“Party in your Mouth” Mazorca! Sweet corn, seasoned beans, chips, cheese, homemade sauces! Magic!

6.     What’s your best advice for home chefs?

Always have patience.  Don’t ever get discouraged from any advice or critiques and always welcome and appreciate feedback.

 7.     If you could invite any 4 guests to a dinner party who would they be and why?

Gordon Ramsay for his brutal honesty

Gabriel Marquez to recite beautiful poetry during the meal

A recent president.  Possibly Barack Obama.  Just so they can see how hard local businesses work

My husband so he can introduce guests to the Columbian culture and so he can keep our guest entertained. He’s a good talker.

 8.     Who do you look up to in the industry and why?

Julia Child because who doesn’t.

9.     What do you do in the Miami Valley on a day off?

I enjoy going hiking in Yellow Springs and watching television with my  boys.  Overall I just likes to spend some time offline.

10.  Share a kitchen disaster, lucky break or other interesting story.

Lisa shared stories of times when she cooked in a kitchen without a necessity such as gas, electric or water.  She expressed it always makes for an interesting situation.

 

 This Chef 10?’s article was put together by UD students in Professor Rebecca P. Blust’s  UD Engineering Project Management class.  Our four member team , Gracelyn Key, Sushmitha Rayinadi, Emily Strobach and Daniel Williams spent the semester learning how to meet with a client (DMM) define the project, put a plan together and execute it.  This is the third of 9 Chef interviews they presented to us as their class project.  To read the first two interviews please see below:

10 ?’s with Chef Trish Miles of C’est Cheese

10 ?’s with Chef Narendar Thakkar of Namaste India

10 ?’s with Chef Narendar Thakkar of Namaste India

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main_logocleaneditcutupChef Narendar Thakkar moved to the U.S. when he was young gentleman in his twenties.  For approximately 24 years he worked and managed a Dunkin Donuts.  The past 5 years he has been the master mind of Namaste India creating the cooking foundation needed for an authentic Indian cuisine.  He reads the customers mind and listens to what he or she likes.  With that information he will adapt the cuisine accordingly and make a tasty meal.  He shared that his customers always ask for a to-go box because they want to enjoy every last bite.

 

Namaste India is a family owned restaurant looked over by both his son and himself.  His son works in the medical field Monday thru Friday and he looks after the restaurant in his free time.  The atmosphere of the restaurant is very clean and inviting.

 

Cool Fact: Thakkar influenced and created the logo of the restaurant.

 

Chef Narendar Thakkar is a character who will spoil each of his guests with hospitality.  He loves spice and will vary his cooking spice level as well as his recipes to assure the customer is happy.  Narendar perfects his food with cooking by sight and aroma.  His restaurant is always busy 7 days a week.    You can enjoy a lunch buffet Monday – Saturday from 11am – 3pm for just $7.99.

1.     What is your favorite ingredient to cook with?581965_10151142402559305_1784576883_n_op_800x600

Too difficult to choose one ingredient.  so probably, onion, tomato gravy, garam masala, garlic paste, coriander leaves.

The key to cooking with so many favorite ingredients is to observe the food while cooking and to know when to add extra of an ingredient.

2.     What ingredient do you dread?

He doesn’t like cooking with butter or heavy cream.  He shared that cream is not healthy and contains 36% fat.  He also shared that crème takes away from an authentic Indian cuisine.

 3.     What’s your favorite dish to make?

Chicken Tikka Masala, Chicken Tikka Wraps

4.     What’s your favorite pig out food?

I love Mexican food.  Particularly burritos and my very own salsa

5.     What restaurant, other than your own do you like to dine at in the Miami Valley?

I’m a fan of  Bravo Italian and thinks it’s real quality.

I also like Mexican food.  In particular,  El Rancho Grande .  Oh and Donatos Pizza

6.     What’s your best advice for home chefs?

Don’t cook because you have to or because you are forced.  Cook from the heart and with your interests in mind.  Cook for enjoyment.

 

Oh… and always clean your hands before cooking

 7.     If you could invite any 4 guests to a dinner party who would they be and why?

A dinner is best when shared.  It’s too hard to choose 4, so I would like to invite friends, family, and individuals who compliment and give thanks for good food.

 8.     Who do you look up to in the industry and why?417378_10151142402459305_954301651_n_op_800x600

Anyone who has a restaurant with a good inviting environment that is clean.

9.     What do you do in the Miami Valley on a day off?

I  like to watch basketball and also loves to go to the casinos.  I’ll take my employees every once in a while also so they can enjoy themselves.

10.  Share a kitchen disaster, lucky break or other interesting story.

Kitchen Disaster:  There was an extremely hot day a past summer.  The restaurant was extremely busy and the environment around the kitchen area was hot.  In all the combustion of the busy work environment an exhaust fire started.  The fire was not a great experience and so I never has another experience like it happen again I continually checks equipment temperatures and keeps the equipment spotless.

 

 

This Chef 10?’s article was put together by UD students in Professor Rebecca P. Blust’s  UD Engineering Project Management class.  Our four member team , Gracelyn Key, Sushmitha Rayinadi, Emily Strobach and Daniel Williams spent the semester learning how to meet with a client (DMM) define the project, put a plan together and execute it.  This is the second of 9 Chef interviews they presented to us as their class project.  To read the first please see below

10 ?’s with Chef Trish Miles of C’est Cheese

10?’s with Chef Trish Miles of C’est Cheese

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trishWhat’s Your Story?

I started cooking at a young age when my sisters and I would do “make -ups”….basically putting together different creations involving butter, sugar and other ingredients for an after school snack. One of my daily jobs included making the salad for dinner. This led to me to starting my own garden and betting my dad that I could live off of it for two weeks. I caved to ice cream and sweets!

Trish pictured here with her dad!

 

I attended the College of St. Benedict in MN, graduated in 1986, and moved to Dayton for a teaching position at Incarnation Elementary school. Soon afterward I met my husband and was married in 1989. In ’91, we had our first child and three more children followed. I decided to stay home, but at the same time some students at the University of Dayton were trying to start up a rowing team. Both my husband and I had rowed in college, and we agreed to coach. At that time I began to train heavily in my own boat where I developed a pretty competitive career in racing. In 2003, my husband and I began a high school girls rowing program called Dayton Boat Club where we both currently coach outside of our other jobs.

 

The coaching, my own competitive rowing, and the kids kept me busy, but with the kids growing up, our expenses increased. I needed to find a way to establish a more financially stable income.

 

The thought of finishing my masters at UD was an option, but the time commitment probably wouldn’t allow me to coach or have the freedom to visit family as much as I’d like to. I had always joked about having my own café, but, again, I knew that was probably even more time consuming. There were a couple food truck ideas in the making when I thought, nobody had done anything solely dedicated to grilled cheese! The menu options were endless and fun to create! When I started looking into the truck, logistics and the unique idea, it all came together and people were very excited about what I had to offer. It took off!

1.       What is your favorite ingredient to cook with?

You’d think I’d say “cheese” is my favorite ingredient, but what I really like about making the sandwiches are the fresh vegetables and spices that go together.  The Don Quixote is one of my favorites as it has the corn, black beans, jalapeño with two different cheeses and a chipotle mayo. Recently, too, I’ve discovered how cooking with lemon can really bring in a lot of flavor

2.       What ingredient do you dread?

Opening a jar of sauerkraut.  It smells terrible, but once it’s on the grill and added to the Reuben, it can be amazing!

 3.       What’s your favorite dish to make?gouda

There are currently 9 different sandwiches on the menu and I tend to favor the vegetarian based ones.  I do love the Don Quixote, but the “Oh My Gouda” has a whole different flavor with the onions, mushrooms, Gouda, mozzarella and a spicy mustard mayo.

As far as the ones that meat in them, I’d have to go with the Buffalo Blue:  shredded buffalo chicken, mozzarella, cheddar, blue cheese with a splash of Franks

4.       What’s your favorite pig out food?

Harvest, sweet potato fries. Delicious!

5.       What restaurant, other than your own do you like to dine at in the Miami Valley?

Dewey’s Pizza, every Thursday night – date night.  I have to give Dewey’s pizza some credit.  A lot of my combinations have stemmed from the way I see and taste how certain ingredients go well together.  Love their pizza!

6.       What’s your best advice for home chefs?

Try a recipe, but don’t be afraid to make it your own.  Start with what you know works, pay attention to what you like when you’re out in a restaurant, and try to bring those ideas home.

7.       If you could invite any 4 guests to a dinner party who would they be and why?

Bridget, Matthew, Patrick and Madeline Miles. I love to have my kids all home for dinner.

 8.       Who do you look up to in the industry and why?

Todd Jesdale, truly a genius in the field of coaching rowing, but also a bit eccentric in a comforting and enjoyable way.  He is a previous US national boys’ team coach.

 

Patrick, from Harvest Mobile Cuisine.  He has inspired, encouraged and looked out for me in my C’est Cheese endeavor.  I’m addicted to his sweet potato fries, so much that I gave them up for lent!

 

Devin Oliver.  Humble, kind, a true leader and he plays pretty good basketball. Love those Flyers!

9.       What do you do in the Miami Valley on a day off?

I might substitute teach at Holy Angels, where my kids all attended grade school or if the weather is nice, I’ll get out in my boat for a row.  Then there is the possibility I might go and visit my son in Columbus or my daughter in Chicago.

 

10.   Share a kitchen disaster, lucky break or other interesting story.

I’ve had a few disasters… I think you have to if you’re going to learn anything!

 

When we were first married, my husband’s parents came to visit.  I wanted to make this zucchini pasta.  The zucchini burnt and stuck to the pan. The fire alarm in our house was blaring.  I took the pan and whacked it against the outside of our house where it was in view of my in laws (I didn’t know they were there).  I looked over to the patio where they were sitting, and said: “dinners ready”!

 

I guess I’ve come a long way since those days…. I’ve learned a lot by trial and error, but I think I’m on a good path and I love what I’ve been able to do!  I’ve loved getting to meet a lot of people in the Dayton area.  I love to meet other small business owners and share in the experience of working hard to be successful.  Who knows, maybe someday I’ll have the time to open a café with French tablecloths, good music and a fun atmosphere!

 

Extras:cestchz

C’est Cheese Schedule:

Monday:  Wilmer Hale on Research Blvd and Founders

Tuesday:  Ghostlight Cofee on Wayne

Wednesday:  5 Rivers Metro Park office on monument

Friday: Wilmer Hale

Weekends vary according to events. Often I’ll be on the schedule for either Eudora, Yellow Springs, and Star City Brewery’s

 

The best way to find Trish is on twitter:  @cest_cheese

She can be  scheduled for  graduation, block, birthday parties as well as wedding showers.

Contact info:  937-344-4771         cestcheese.info

This Chef 10?’s article was put together by UD students in Professor Rebecca P. Blust’s  UD Engineering Project Management class.  Our four member team , Gracelyn Key, Sushmitha Rayinadi, Emily Strobach and Daniel Williams spent the semester learning how to meet with a client (DMM) define the project, put a plan together and execute it.  This is the first of 9 Chef interviews they presented to us as their class project.

 

 

Dayton BBQ Entrepreneur Tackles DMM’s 10?’s

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Lea-Richards-BBQ-Pit-Master-for-Pig-of-the-Month-BBQ1-880x1024Growing up Lea Richards and her family would go on family vacations every year and turn each trip into one big barbecue hunt. They literally went to every so-called BBQ hot spot and had their fingers deliciously smeared from digging into A LOT of different kinds of barbecue. As Lea describes it, “we went through some tough ones (pun intended), but we also found some authentic, finger-lickin’ good ones—usually from mom-and-pop restaurants and other hole-in-the-wall dining places. And after scouring every town, city, state, or region, our search has finally ended. Guess where?  Right in our kitchen. But, we realized that we need not continue the hunt, fun as it was. We didn’t have to go anywhere for the best barbecue. We had all the experience, tips, and recipes from around the country to make the best barbecue in the country, right in our house!”

Thus began the Pig of the Month BBQ business in 2010. Lea left her hectic life on Wall Street in 2010 and began the mail order barbecue company.  Recreating her favorite barbecues from different regions, she makes  smoked barbecue ribs, award winning pulled pork, specialty sausages, gourmet bacon, BBQ sides, and lip-smacking Award Winning BBQ sauces—and share the53055 goodness with you! Pig of the Month offers ribs just the way all barbecue lovers want them: perfectly seasoned, tender-on-the-inside but crispy-on-the-outside, smoky, and mouthwatering—just tear-off-the-bones good barbecue.

This 2009 UD grad has grown her business into a successful company and has been featured on Good Morning America, been written about in Forbes Magazine and had her BBQ featured in Playboy Magazine.  She’s won awards for her Mustard based BBQ sauce and Martha Stewart Magazine recognized Pig of the Month as a Best Gift, while Southern Living Magazine awarded them with the Best Ribs title.  They’ve filled orders for Whoopi Goldberg, Iron Chef Michael Symon, Paula Deen, Stephen Colbert and Chelsea Handler.

Pig of the Month has been nominated as one of 100 finalists in the FedEx Small Business Grant Contest and will find out at the end of March if she’ll be awarded a grant to help her “expand her product line and offer her customers even more delicious items to choose from.”  In the meantime Lea agreed to answer our Chef 10 Questions:

1. What is your favorite ingredient to cook with?581514_10151109621059611_1649510167_n

Well, I think this may be a bit obvious, but Bacon!

2.  What ingredient do you dread?

Personally, anything I don’t like to eat: shrimp, fennel, or oysters mainly.

3.  What’s your favorite dish to make?

For an easy weeknight meal, fish tacos. For something dressier I make a killer wild mushroom bread pudding.

 

4.  What’s your favorite pig out food?

 

Grilled Cheese Sandwiches made with pulled pork, pimento cheese, and extra BBQ sauce

 

5.  What restaurant, other than your own do you like to dine at in the Miami Valley?

 

I’m obsessed with Roost, I love the patio at Lily’s, and you can’t beat lunch at Coldwater Cafe.

 

6.  What’s your best advice for home chefs?

 

Follow the recipe to the T the first time, and then experiment to make it your own once you know what its supposed to taste like.

 

7.  If you could invite any 4 guests to a dinner party who would they be and why?leasguests

 

Winston Churchill for the commentary, George Clooney to seduce, Anna Kendrick because she’s Anna Kendrick, and Grant Aschatz to help me cook.

 

8.  Who do you look up to in the industry and why?

Since our business is mostly mail order, I tend to be more in the business side of things nowadays.

I do admire what Kim at Olive, An Urban Dive has done though – she sticks to all natural ingredients, uses local suppliers, and works hard to make sure everything is cooked from scratch. That’s something I try to replicate at Pig of the Month

 

9.  What do you do in the Miami Valley on a day off?

I love the MetroParks! I go trail running with my puppy at Englewood and Wegerzyn all the time. And then I head to Roost for a cocktail and some truffle fries 🙂

10.  Share a kitchen disaster, lucky break or other interesting story:

When I first started my business we were lucky enough to be asked by Michael Symon to be on Good Morning America as a last minute segment. At that time I was still cooking all the ribs and everything all by my lonesome, and I found myself with 4,000+ orders to fulfill all at once.

Since I had never cooked so many ribs at one time, I didn’t realize that when I flipped them that all of the grease would hit the charcoal all at once….yep, you guessed it. Big flames!

I had to call everyone and let them know their orders would be late, and it took a week for pro’s to clean it all up! Lesson learned!

 

10?’s with Rick Schaefer of Brock Masterson’s Catering

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284144_1872989506739_274657_nThere’s rarely a festival in Dayton where you don’t find Brock Masterson’s hawking their “Down East” Blue Lump Crab Cakes, “Fatty” Reuben, Grilled Salmon  and Brock’s Legendary 3-Potato Hash.  There’s always a line, yet the food is so good it’s worth the wait. Brock Masterson’s Catering was founded in 1986 by Chef Rick Schaefer, and while catering is his main business, Brock Masterson’s can be found grilling out at over 20 festivals throughout Dayton region. But now you can also find Brock Masterson’s in your grocery store.  “Customers have been asking for years about the special blend of spices that we use to season our grilled meats, so bottling the spices for the customers just made sense,” said Rick Schaefer, Owner & Executive Chef of Brock Masterson’s.

Brock’s Dust, cooking & grilling spices come in four varieties:  Brock’s

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Dust for Poultry, Beef, Seafood and Pork.  Each one is specifically formulated to enhance that type of meat.  Chef Rick suggests sprinkling the meat liberally before cooking, grilling or broiling, and then sprinkle Brock’s Dust again immediately before serving.

Brock’s Dust is available locally at all 3 Dorothy Lane Market locations, both Dot’sMarket locations, through our website www.brockmastersons.com or by visiting our booth at an upcoming festival.

And while we were talking with Rick about his new spice line, we insisted he do  10 question interview:

What is your favorite ingredient to cook with?

Butter, it just makes everything taste better and it’s God’s gift to the culinary universe.

1478_470331306335239_127566160_n

The Big Fatty- Brock’s reuben Puff Pastry, it’s a pain to work with.

 What ingredient do you dread?
Puff Pastry, it’s a pain to work with.

What’s your favorite dish to make?

 Parmesan encrusted Sea Bass with Buerre Blanc Sauce

What’s your favorite pig out food?

 Cheese Burgers of any kind.

What restaurant, other than your own do you like to dine at in the Miami Valley?

 I make it a point to seek out and dine at local restaurants.  Some of my favorites:  Golden Nugget for breakfast, Amar India or Ajanta for lunch, and The Oakwood Club for dinner. 

What’s your best advice for home chefs?

Recipes are over-rated, unless baking where exact measurements are critical; don’t be afraid to add your favorite spice or ingredient to make the dish your own.  Plus, always have fun, some of our best dishes we serve were originally “failed science experiments”.  Invite friends and family over to share your culinary creations; this is the perfect time for bonding.  Food is the tie that binds and instills comradery among family.

If you could invite any 4 guests to a dinner party who would they be and why?

Well, at a fantasy table where we could intelligently discuss music, science, religion and social issues:  I would invite: Albert Einstein, Mother Teresa, John Lennon, and Carl Sagan.  The reality is that I would give almost anything to just have one more meal with my 4 grandparents.  Some of my very best childhood memories were making and eating holiday meals with my grandparents.

 Who do you look up to in the industry and why?37057_10150833109023717_898274413_n

There are just too many to name, but I do have the utmost respect for anyone who can open a local restaurant/business and go through the daily grind of making it succeed.

What do you do in the Miami Valley on a day off?

Day off, what’s that?!? Just kidding.  I love to drive, go for walks/bike rides on the local bike trails, eat out at local restaurants, and because it’s open 24 hours a day, I do find time to sneak away to the Horseshoe Casino to play Baccarat or throw some dice.

Share a kitchen disaster, lucky break or other interesting story:

Lucky Break:  I have the very best employees and the greatest staff in Dayton and I love them all.

Disaster:  Well, we were at a client’s home, and something almost too horrifying to mention happened.  I went to the bathroom, just #1, I swear, flushed and much to my horror, the water started rising.  I reached down below the toilet to turn off the water valve, but this was an older home and there was no shut-off valve.  There was no plunger, coat hanger, nothing.  As the water started spilling over the lid, the most horrifying thoughts were running through my head since the hosts were entertaining just a few feet away in the dining room.  I grabbed the only thing I could, the host’s elegant, embroidered towels and sopped up the mess.  I peeked around the bathroom door and flagged down one of my staff members.  She thought it was strange that I wanted to see her in the bathroom, she walked over, peeked inside, looked up at me with wide eyes and ran to get paper towels and a trash bag.  We cleaned up everything and threw the mess into the trash bag.  Somehow in the midst of cleaning up we got the giggles and could not stop laughing.  We were bent over laughing so hard at how ridiculous the situation was.  I looked at my employee and told her we had to find the washing machine and pronto.  While the guests continued eating, unaware of the scene in the nearby bathroom; I quickly threw the towels into the washing machine.  Once they were cleaned and dried, I hung them back up in the bathroom.  A gentleman had been in the bathroom right before I was and I blame this entirely horrifying situation on him. 

10?’s with the Chef of Mohawk Freestyle Grill Food Truck

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941117_410294842445187_590716949_nChef Aaron Hanover has always loved food for the art and wonder it can create. At a young age, art was always a great outlet for his creativity, but the prospect of work behind a desk as a graphic designer day in and day out was an option that didn’t interest him. Food always seemed like a hands on artistic outlet that included few desks and endless possibilities for medians to work with. With his culinary degree from Pennsylvania Culinary, he started honing is skills in local restaurants and big corporate kitchens. Learning management, fine dinning, and banquets from names like Aramark, Marriott, Bob Evans,  as well as working a few other local upstarts and private events. After a few years in the business working under corporate rule, he stepped out to create his own way. It’s been his motto to do it his own way. He worked in  sales and marketing, kitchen design, and even became a national expert in sports memorabilia.  All the while meeting chefs  and trying all kinds of regional foods at the places only the locals would eat at. He wasn’t completely out of the industry, still  doing small private events and catering weddings to keep his skills sharp. In 2010 he and his wife Allison, started the preliminaries for 185880_140286429446031_961840840_ngetting back full time in the kitchen. In June 2012 for his birthday,  Aaron bought his kitchen- a 1974 ex-Phillidephia Fire Department Equipment Truck. It is his restaurant, his way. Called Mohawk Freestyle Grill named after the mohawk on Chef Aaron’s head and the way he runs a kitchen. He describes it as “an ever evolving style of food using local seasonal ingredient in an out of the box way.”

 

What is your favorite ingredient to cook with?
I like fresh local seasonal ingredients like when I was in Georgia for a year the Georgia coastal shrimp were the sweetest freshest shrimp, or Stone crabs in Florida, lobster, scallops, and clams in New England.  Here I like the local Beef and bison and elk,  it’s bigger and more flavorful when it hasn’t been frozen and shipped across the country. So I guess meat is a main ingredient of mine. Definitely bacon has to be a favorite also, but that’s seems like a cop out. you can’t go wrong with.

 

What ingredient do you dread?
Lima beans there just isn’t any reason for anyone to ever eat them, I’m not sure bacon can even make them better.

 

What’s your favorite dish to make?
I know as a chef I should say some crazy french something or some great souffle or so1001491_411337945674210_1059881076_nmething but at the moment I like making our Mohawk burger.   It’s a ground ribeye steak blend that is messy and just a great classic burger made the right way. I love it when someone trying a dish I make goes -wow that was great. That is what makes it a Favorite to me it seems to always bring a smile to peoples faces.

 

What’s your favorite pig out food? 
Anyone that has ever eaten with me will laugh at this question because anytime we go to a new restaurant or truck I tend to order way more than I need but I love to try new food and different interpretations of the dishes they make. So I’m always sitting at the table at a new place with like five plates, passing this one to this friend and saying “hey can I try that.” That is how I roll. Food wise though I tend to pig out on greasy foods like pizza and burgers, bar foods wings and the normal stuff.

 

What restaurant, other than your own do you like to dine at in the Miami Valley?
I like local authentic and original idea places, like Thai9, Coldwater Cafe, and definitely all the local food trucks.
 
What’s your best advice for home chefs?
Keep it simple.  Sometimes salt and pepper is all you need, but you definitely always need them.
 

 

If you could invite any 4 guests to a dinner party who would they be and why?Ty-Cobb
I thought about this pretty hard probably for my answers, too hard,  but there are plenty that could take anyone of these four seats but here they are. Ty Cobb- he was hated and loved at the same time for being the best and most focused in his field and at the same time was never happy.   He seems like now he may have some life lessons and I am forever a Detroit tigers fan. Teddy Roosevelt -he once rode a moose in a river – need I say more. Ernie Harewell- he seemed to be a great guy always had a funny story to tell and again I love baseball and the Tigers. Fourth seat is always reserved for my wife, you never can eat enough meals with your spouse and she has the best pallet I know, so afterward we could talk about the food and so she’d believe me when I said who was there.

 

Who do you look up to in the industry and why?
I have to look up to all the guys in trucks already,  vastly more popular and successful than me. There are some great trucks already in the Miami Valley. A guy I’ve looked up to for years in the food industry is Scott Schmucker. An instructor and Chef extraordinaire at Art Institute Pittsburgh, who I had the  privilege of having as an teacher at PA Culinary.

 

What do you do in the Miami Valley on a day off? 
Swim in my pool. Look for other food trucks. My favorite days are when I go out and eat at three or four restaurants for lunch like an appetizer here, a side here, entree here, some desert here, some food shopping at Dorothy Lane Market and or a farmers market I come across, and then home to create something new.

 

Share a kitchen disaster, lucky break or other interesting story:943732_398893570251981_1630578662_n
As a food truck owner you’re always battling a vehicle as well as the  normal kitchen issues. I’ve blown engines and had to tow my truck into an auction on a tow cord but this week after just getting a new engine,  it broke down again.  I towed the truck to the event and on the way home I realized that when they fixed the truck last they added a new fuse for the fuel pump and I had over looked that,  looking for fixes for why it wasn’t running. I towed it 30 miles to Kettering and back before I realized my problem was a $1.10 fuse.  It’s always something silly like that for me.

 

10?’s with Patrick Sartin, The Man in the Black Truck

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food truck photo shot

Chef Patrick inside his truck. Photo courtesy of Dolce Photography

Patrick Sartin started cooking at a young age in Dayton working in several local kitchens including The Country Club of the North, Rocky’s Pizza, and Kohler Catering, before attending the Culinary Institute of America, where he graduated in 2002. After graduation Sartin did a stint as the Head Chef at Chanterelles here in Dayton, before he achieved his goal of travel and work in as many different regions of the US as he could, gaining as much culinary knowledge as possible.

Patrick has worked in the industry across the United States from Colorado to Maine working with very talented culinarians including two ACF Certified Master Chefs. As a chef for the prestigious Ocean Properties LTD in Bar Harbor Maine for the last 7 years, Patrick assisted in opening and overseeing the daily operations in hotel kitchens and large catering facilities up and down the east coast. Sartin has extensive knowledge and experience executing large banquet functions, operating multiple outlets, and producing a wide variety of foods indigenous to the different regions and cultures of The United States. With his new mobile venture Harvest Mobile Cusine, a valuable harvesttool for street vending, catering, and exposure of flavor, Patrick hopes to spread the love of cuisine he has gathered through his extensive travels and aims to show how important it is to get back to the simplicity of cooking, using local ingredients and simple time honored techniques.  Patrick takes on DMM’s infamous 10 questions:

What is your favorite ingredient to cook with?

Fresh local ingredients are my passion. It may sound simple but I can’t wait for the local fruit and vegetables to become available. One of my favorites is the strawberry, there is simply nothing like a fresh local strawberry.

What ingredient do you dread? Every cell in my body is opposed to the idea of using frozen or canned ingredients.

What is your favorite dish to make? I live for the opportunity to enlighten people and expand palates; introducing someone to something new is a challenge I get excited about.  I like getting meat eaters to try a vegetarian dish and right now I am having a lot of success doing that with my Falafel.

What is your favorite pig out food?
This is going to sound like I am making it up but the only thing I could say I really “pig out” on is salad. Even my four year old is a big salad eater, believe it or not.

What restaurant do you dine out in?
I am sure you’ve heard it before but for cooks, there isn’t much time to eat out. That being said I love to eat anywhere that features farm to table cuisine like Meadowlark. Other than that we always choose locally owned venues like Marrions Pizza over the corporate chains.

What is your best advice to home chefs?

559685_298099570317455_1007539246_n

Harvest Tacos – Wild caught northern Atlantic haddock, jicama slaw, citrus cream

My best advice is twofold, firstly keep it simple. Don’t over think your dish, and keep the seasonings straight forward. Secondly, look to your local bounty, focus on farm fresh produce and meat.

If you could invite any 4 guests to a dinner party who would they be and why?

My Grandmother Caroline:  To thank her for showing me the ropes of cooking at a young age, and guiding me towards my passion for farm fresh ingredients;

My Mother:  To share my accomplishments to the one person who has always provided that stable ground for me to stumble upon;wedding photo

My wife/daughter: The two most important people in my life who I strive to nurture with every small step into the future;

Phish(the band):  For providing the musical inspiration that continues to push me forward down the bumpy roads of life.

Who do you look up to in the industry and why?

I guess I most admire the two Certified Master Chefs I worked with.  Dan Dumont has a breadth of knowledge and passion that is impressive and inspiring. I am driven to achieve a work ethic that I leaned from these chefs who have risen to the very limits of accreditation for our profession.

What do you do on day off?
We are a very outdoors oriented family. We love the Five Rivers MetroParks and often select a new one at random to explore on days off. I love hiking, biking cannoning; these parks are a major draw for Dayton.

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Presidential picnic basket

patrick w:obama

Patrick with President Obama

The most interesting highlight of my career thus far was the time I spent working for Bar Harbor resorts and was hand selected by white house staff for an opportunity to cook for the first family. I was chosen to join a team of two other chefs who catered to the Obama’s when they visited the resorts. The most memorable times were spent preparing their picnic lunches. We prepared local meals for the sitting president and his family to enjoy in the park.   The picnic basket was the size of a car trunk and was loaded with beautiful china and stemware.

 

For your chance to try a meal from the Harvest Mobile Cuisine Truck you can check his calendar to find a  location near you.  You can also hire him for catering for special events with customized menus to suit. The truck’s menu is constantly changing, but we can recommend the chicken tortilla soup and the tacos.  You can aslo follow Harvest Mobile  on Facebook

Here’s where you can the truck this week:

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Veggie Pita – Roasted red pepper hummus, marinated and grilled seasonal vegetables, and local greens

TUESDAY
KETTERING    11:00-2:00pm
ACCO Brands, LLC.   4751 Hempstead Station Drive

BEAVERCREEK    3:00-8:00
KMart (Across from The Greene)   4480 Indian Ripple R

WEDNESDAY
DAYTON    11:00-2:00
LORD Corporation     4644 Wadsworth Drive

THURSDAY
BEAVERCREEK    11:00-2:00
Apple Valley Business Park   4021 Executive Drive
4021 Executive Drive

FRIDAY
DAYTON   11:00-2:00
Five Rivers Metro Parks    409 East Monument

URBAN NIGHTS FOOD TRUCK RALLY   5:00-10:00
East Monument St. Dayton

SATURDAY

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Hill Family Farms Jumbo Wings – Thai barbecue sauce, roasted peanuts, and cilantro.

DAYTON    NOON-10:00
Fifth Street Brewpub Open House   1600 East Fifth Street

SUNDAY   12:00-7:00
YELLOW SPRINGS
Village BP   4 Xenia Ave

 

 

10 ?’s with Chef Markus Montreuil from Amelia’s Bistro

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Chef Markus Montreuil’s first job in the business was as a bus boy at Carmels.  In his down time he loved to watch the cooks  and would often stand on the side of the line fascinated by the skills and wanting to learn.  He would beg the cooks to teach him and  finally a cook took pity on him and made a deal with him.  If a ticket came into the kitchen in the next 1/2 hour, he’d teach him, if not, Markus would stop asking. Markus was excited and waited anxiously.  And waited.    He wandered out to the dining room and excitedly told the bartender about his upcoming cooking lesson. The bartender explained that they were closed between lunch and dinner and there were no guests to order. But feeling sorry for the kid, he ordered his lunch and that ticket came into the kitchen and Markus learned to make his first dish- nacho’s!

He went on to work at Bob Evans, with a long term goal to attend the Culinary Institute of America. However attending the CIA isn’t cheap and he had to figure out how to fund that dream.  He found work as a machinist, and figured he could do that while he tried to save  money for school.  Life went on, as it does and suddenly 5 years down the road, Markus got injured.

During his rehab he realized that he worked very hard to be successful as a machinist but his heart was not in it.  He dreamed of being a chef and while the CIA still wasn’t in the budget, he had ogther options.  He got a job as a line cook  at the Schindler Banquet Center in the winter of 2006 and soon after enrolled in the culinary arts program at Sinclair College.

Gaint Tortoise Cream Puff filled with brown sugar whipped cream topped with bourbon caramel, chocolate ganache and candied pecans!

As part of the program he interned as a saute cook at Cena, then as a pastry chef at C’est Tout.  He also served as captain of the Culinary Competition Team. Upon graduating he found a job as a prep cook at Amelia’s Bistro and then was recruited back to the Schindler Banquet Center, where he worked his way up to Executive Chef, only to get let go when they lost a major contract and had to cut budgets.  Luckily, the folks as Amelia’s appreciated his skills and work ethic and were able to rehire him.

The rest, as they say, is history.  Markus earned the Executive Chef title at Amelia’s this past January and is now enjoying creating menu’s and producing perfectly plated meals, as demonstrated by his restaurant week specials.  Speaking of which, Amelia’s Bistro will be extending their restaurant deal for a second week, so stop by and taste Chef Markus Montreuil’s specialties on the 3 course pre fixe menu for $25.12, a few of which are pictured below:

 

And now, Chef Markus answers our ten questions:

Grilled Pork Chop topped with Fried Onions finished with a Caramelized Onion Barbecue Sauce and served with Mashed Potato and Vegetable

What is your favorite ingredient to cook with?

There are so many ingredients I love, I don’t know if I could pick only one.  My top three would have to be Duck, Pork and Garlic, and not necessarily in that order.

 

What ingredient do you dread? 

There isn’t much cooking wise I don’t like, but if you put a gun to my head I would say Offal. I know that in itself is not a specific ingredient, but rather a category of glands and organs. And I don’t dread it, it is just my least favorite.  (Offal is everything from the heart, liver, lungs, and entrails of an animal, to the tail, feet, and head, each part with its own unique  flavor. The word “offal” actually comes from the Old English “off” and “fall,” referring to the pieces that fall from an animal carcass during butchering.)

 

What’s your favorite dish to make?

I know it is not a dish, but stock is my all time favorite thing to make. It is a slow meticulous process, but I love it.  There are so many things you can do with, and the difference between home made a store bought is like night and day.

 

What’s your favorite pig out food?

Nachos are the first thing I learned to cook in a restaurant when I was a busboy at Carmel’s as kid, and they have been my favorite ever since.

 

House Cut Filet served with Mashed Potatoes, Vegetables finished with Fraser Sauce & Green Onion Oil

What restaurant, other than your own do you like to dine at in the Miami Valley? 

I don’t eat out much, but when I do my favorite place to go is Cheng’s Gourmet. It is a little place in Xenia (and I mean 3 or 4 tables little) but the food is incredible.

 

What’s your best advice for home chefs? 

Focus more on the journey and less on the destination. Remember that recipes are guidelines not laws. Be fearless and above all else have fun in the kitchen!

 

If you could invite any 4 guests to a dinner party who would they be and why?

I would have to say Sun Tzu, Albert Einstein, Jean Michel Basquiat and Julia Child. They were all innovators in their varying fields and I am fascinated by all of them. Plus I can’t imagine there would be any shortage of dinner conversation.

 

Pan Seared Almond Crusted Salmon over Sautéed Zucchini and Rice Pilaf and Finished with Mango Lobster Sauce

Who do you look up to in the industry and why?

Some of my favorites are Emeril Lagasse, Art Smith and Homaro Cantu. In spite of the over commercialization Emeril has always been my favorite. Art Smith is just an incredible Chef and person. And Homaro Cantu made the best meal I have ever eaten!

What do you do on a day off?

I really like to go to movies and festivals with my wife and kids, but I probably spend a few too many of days off reading and writing recipes, sorry Honey.

Share a kitchen disaster, lucky break or other interesting story:

I would say my lucky break was being hired at Amelia’s Bistro. It was the first fine dining job (that wasn’t an internship).  In about three years I have gone from a part time lunch pantry position to Pastry Chef then on to Sous Chef and then at the beginning of this year I was named Executive Chef. So I would say that is a pretty lucky break.

 

Chef Markus created a recipe especially for DaytonDining:

Lemon and Dill Grilled Chicken Salad Lettuce Wraps

4 boneless/skinless chicken breast (grilled and diced)

¾ cup mayo

½ cup lemon curd

½ cup red onion (fine dice)

3 Tablespoons Fresh Dill (chopped)

Zest and juice of one lemon

½ teaspoon pepper

¼ teaspoon salt

2 heads Bibb lettuce

 

In a large bowl, toss the chicken, red onion and lemon zest. Mix in the mayonnaise, lemon curd, lemon juice, fresh dill, and salt and pepper. Serve the salad in lettuce cups and roll up to eat.

 

Meet Culp’s Cafe’s Chef Jose

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Chef Jose Calzada is originally from Chicago.  He graduated with a culinary degree from Kendall College and spent a lot of his early years in the kitchen at Italian and French eateries. He took over as Executive Chef  at Culp’s Café at Carillon Park last year. The historic restaurant was originally opened in 1902 by Charlotte Gilbert Culp, a young widow with six children, began baking and selling bread, cakes and rolls by having her children go door to door in their West Third Street neighborhood. Soon they had a stand at the South Main Street market with the “Culp’s Cake” being a best seller. Her eldest son, Howard Gilbert Culp, leased space in the Arcade, and expanded the business selling poultry, eggs, cheese, and dill pickles at three lunch counters where downtown workers could purchase a complete lunch for 35 cents!

 

In the 1930s, the Culps opened a cafeteria in the Arcade across from Keith Theater. The cafeteria specialized in home-

Chef Jose and his wife Carol

cooked food and was famous for its pies and pastries. Dayton’s population boomed in the 1940s and Culp’s cafeteria served as many as 5,000 customers a day. Culp’s was the first restaurant in Dayton to have air conditioning and the first electric Hammond organ in the area.  As the downtown area changed due to the development of suburbs and the popularity of television, the Culp family reluctantly sold the business in 1960.

The spirit of this family-operated restaurant lives on at Carillon Historical Park with Chef José Calzada managing Culp’s Café 7 days a week and working daily with his wife Carol. Starting June 2nd Culp’s Cafewill be serving up breakfast, Sat – Mon from 7:30am-3:00pm. They are also open for lunch Tues- Fri 11am – 3pm.  Culp’s is located at 1000 Carillon Blvd, at Carillon Park.

DaytonDining wants to treat one of our readers to a FREE breakfast at Culp’s Cafe.  Just leave a comment below telling us why you’d like to have breakfast at Culp’s and a random winner will be drawn on Friday from the commenters.

And now Chef Jose answers DaytonDining’s 10 questions:

 What is your favorite ingredient to cook with?

I love to cook with fresh herbs, like Oregano, Thyme, Rosemary and  especially Basil – I love the taste and the smell of it. Using fresh herbs brings out a better flavor on soups, meats and sauces.

What ingredient do you dread?

I really dread working with kale I don’t like the taste and the smell. If I had to use it I would only use it as a garnish.  No offense to kale lovers.

What’s your favorite dish to make? 

I love to make soups, a nice chicken noodle soup or corn chowder on a cold day or a chilled avocado soup with fresh crab meat on a  hot summer day .  10 or 15 years  ago I would have said pates or terrines . When I first started cooking I used to love making duck liver pate and vegetable or meat  terrines.

What’s your favorite pig out food?

I love cheeseburgers, here in Dayton I like to go to Smashburger. My favorite place to go for a burger is Illinois Bar and Grill in Chicago , their one pound burgers are the best I have ever had.

What restaurant, other then your own do you like to dine at in the Miami Valley?

My wife and I love to go to Tony’s Italian Kitchen on North Main Street in Englewood, it is a very small neighborhood  restaurant with great food, but most of all authentic. We have tried everything on the menu and we are always satisfied.

What’s your best advice for home chefs?

Have fun doing what you love!  Like one of my chef instructors would always say  “It is not rocket science, just have fun and enjoy it!”

If you could invite any 4 guests to a dinner party who would they be and why?

I wouldn’t know were to start there are a lot of people to choose from like by brother who passed away 12 years ago, my mentors Chef John Hogan and Chef Mike Greagson. There are also my chef instructors, my collies, my favorite athletes and actors and actresses . It would be very hard to just pick 4 guests.

Who do you look up in the industry and why?

I look up to a lot of people in this industry, from a chef I have had the pleasure to know like, Priscilla Satkof, who has been one of the top female chefs in Chicago for over 15 years, Michel Coatrieux who is a chef instructor for over 25 years,  Georges “Kiki” Cuisance who has been in the restaurant business for over 35 years and still doing a great job. To the celebrity chefs like Gordon Ramsay, Emeril Lagasse who have educated  many people about food.

 What do you do in the Miami Valley on a day off ?

In my day off I like to spend as much time with my family as I can,  in this business you don’t have many days off.  So we go to the movies, out to dinner or just to the park.

Share a kitchen disaster, lucky break or other interesting story.

The best time I had ever had in the kitchen was when we cooked a dinner for Julia Child  and a group of friends. I was working at Kiki’s Bistro as a sous chef  at the time. The chef and I prepared a 5 course dinner for them with the main entrée of Roasted Squab ( that’s what she order in advance). After the dinner the waiter came to the kitchen and said that she wanted to meet the chefs who prepared  the wonderful meal. That was one of the best feelings I ever had as a chef  – cooking and meeting  someone I idolized growing up, and a person I watched on TV.  It was an experience I will never forget.

 

10?’s with Chef Matt Hayden of Scratch Event

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Chef Matthew Hayden

Chef Matthew Hayden credits his mom as being his first mentor in the kitchen.  Being a “sick kid” Matt missed many days of school and spent a great deal of time with his mother. She taught him to cook and how to channel his creativity into other useful skills. Matthew’s father Phillip travelled the world extensively and introduced Matthew to the cultures, customs, and cuisines of many different countries. His father instilled in him a strong work ethic, a sense of pride in his community, and an entrepreneurial spirit.

He graduated from Ohio University with a psychology degree, worked as a “smoke tester,” climbing smoke stacks and performing technical services for the EPA and local Engineering firms. He then spent time as a studio musician, and still writes and performs original music, in his spare time.  In the late 90’s Matt and his family purchased and operated the Centerville Pourhaus Tavern. Hayden’s next venture took him to Miamisburg, buying the old TW’s and reinvented it as The Chimney’s Inn.  Matt spent  eight years building his catering business while running the restaurant.  Last year he sold that building  to the Anticoli family, who now run Giuliano’s Tavern there.  This allowed Matt to open his next venture, which he calls his dream business: Scratch Event Catering.

 In the short time since he founded Scratch, Matt has earned a reputation in Dayton as a creative, forward-thinking chef and business-owner. He proudly offers his talents to his native city and devotes a great amount of time to his community. He serves in numerous non-profit capacities in Montgomery County: he is a trustee on the board of Dayton Opera, a member of Centerville Noon Day Optimists and Generation Dayton, and acts as a foodservice consultant for Aids Resource Center Ohio and numerous other non-profit organizations.  Matt is optimistic for Dayton’s future and will continue to offer his talents and creativity to the city that gave him the opportunity to succeed.

 

What is your favorite ingredient to cook with?
At this moment, a common Indian spice blend called garam masala. For a chef that is compelled to explore new flavors continuously, a spice mix such as garam masala represents a stepping stone to endless possibilities. Because it contains numerous spices that are considered both savory and sweet to a western tastes, it can be substituted for cinnamon, traditional curry, clove or even cumin to tremendous effect. Imagine a apple with hints of cardamom and cumin or chicken salad with hints cinnamon and star anise….

What ingredient do you dread?
Im not sure I can say that I dread any ingredient. But if I did, I imagine it would be the ingredient that could only be prepared one way.

Seafood Gumbo with Crab Claws, Mussels, Shrimp, Chicken & Andouille Sausage!

What’s your favorite dish to make? Probably Seafood Soups and Stews – They are festive in nature and are indigenous to nearly every culture. E.g. New Orleans Gumbo, Ciopinno, Brazilian Moqueca, She Crab Soup, Clam Chowder, Bermuda Fish Chowder…. They all make my mouth water, and are an occasion in and of themselves.

What’s your favorite pig out food?
Chicago Hot Dogs and Pizza to name a few

What restaurant, other than your own do you like to dine at in the Miami Valley?
Real Mexican at Taqueria Mixteca, Un Poco de Todos at Las Piramides, Numerous Slices from Flying Pizza, Massaman Curry and Rangoon Sticks at Bahn Mai Thai, Brie Flatbread Pizza and Gnocchi at Savona’s , Whole Wheat Calzone at Ha Ha Pizza, Anything with Submarine House Pepper Relish on it, Tapas until I am blue in the face at El Meson and Anything that has been touched by Elizabeth Wiley, Jenn Disanto, Anne Kearney or my Mother in Law.

What’s your best advice for home chefs?
No one has a monopoly on good food, so get crackin !

If you could invite any 4 guests to a dinner party who would they be and why?

dressed up deviled eggs


Led Zeppelin – background music whilst I cook.

Who do you look up to in the industry and why?
Anthony Bourdain for telling it like it is; Heston Blumenthal and Ferran Adria for thinking way-ass outside the box; Alton Brown for unearthing so much information and Rachel Ray for irritating me.

What do you do in the Miami Valley on a day off?
Be with my wife!

 

You’ll be able to sample Scratch Catering at the upcoming Fleurs et Vin Festival on Sun, May 20th  at Carillon Park!