Chef Survey

What are the top three tools or small appliances every home cook should get rid of?

Tue, 06 Nov 2012 18:58:00 GMT

Those goggles for cutting onions.
—Mindy Ware, Pastry Chef, Jean-Robert’s Table

Waffle iron, electric coffee maker
—Jean-Francois Flechet, Owner, Taste of Belgium

Microwave, coffee maker, electronic wine bottle opener
—Duy Nguyen, David Le & Bao Nguyen, Eaters / Co-Owners, Pho Lang Thang

Mango peeler, really? It’s not that hard.
—Megan Ketover, Pastry Chef, Orchids at Palm Court

Anything from an infomercial, Teflon pans, anything that comes in a shaker, like iodized salt
—Todd Hudson, Owner/Executive Chef, The Wildflower Café

Electric egg separator, 12-bladed parsely chopper, bread machine
—Shawn McCoy, Chef/Wife’s Favorite Employee, Brown Dog Cafe

Crappy knife sets on the counter—one good knife will do; electric stoves; crappy, thin pot-and-pan set that burns everything on low heat—two really great pans will work.
—Mark Bodenstein, Executive Chef, Nicholson’s

It’s your kitchen do what you want. If you need a bunch of cooks to guide you…stay out of the kitchen.
—Matthew Buschle, Chef Owner, Virgils Café

Thin sautée pan that the Teflon is peeling off of; worn out cutting boards
—David Cook, Chef Proprietor, Daveed’s-Dine On In!

Microwave
—Stephen Williams, Chef/Owner, Bouquet Restaurant and Wine Bar

Tomato corer, any plastic utensil, bread baker
—Todd Kelly, Executive Chef, Orchids at Palm Court

Garlic press, infomercial knives, anything “As seen on TV”
—Jeremy Luers, Chef, Enoteca Emilia

Egg seperators, plastic spatulas (get high-heat rubber, please), anything from QVC!
—Dave Taylor, Chef/Partner, La Poste

Beat up cutting boards, unsanitary; dull knives, they are dangerous; egg seperator, I just don’t get it
—Jose Salazar, Executive Chef, The Palace

Bread maker
—Russ Wheeler, Pastry Chef, The Palace

Small table ovens; gadgets that are easily replaced by traditional cooking utensils; cheap knives
—Cristian Pietoso, Managing Partner/Chef, Via Vite

Slap chop; cheap nonstick pans; small egg spatula with a cartoon egg on the handle
—Daniel Wright, Chef/Owner, Senate & Abigail Street

Electric chopping tools, George Foreman grills, espresso machines that cost more than my car
—Joanne Drilling, Culinary Editor, Edible Ohio Valley Magazine

Bread maker, egg cookers, rice cookers
—Jackson Rouse, Executive Chef, SmoQ

Garlic press; dull/overabundant knives that never get used
—Renee Schuler, Chef/Owner, Eat Well Celebrations and Feasts

Rubber spatulas that melt below 500 degrees; horrible knives less than $100 dollars—throw it away; and TVs—why are you watching TV cooking anyway?
—Owen Maass, Executive Chef, Cumin

What is your most indispensable kitchen tool?

Mon, 08 Oct 2012 14:53:00 GMT

My knife
—Mindy Ware, Pastry Chef, Jean-Robert’s Table

Cuisinart
—Julie Francis, Chef/Owner, Nectar

My hands
—John Wales, Head Chef, Melt Eclectic Deli

Waffle iron (at work), wine key (at home)
—Jean-Francois Flechet, Owner, Taste of Belgium

Sharp knife
—David Falk, Chef/Owner, Boca

Knife
—Jean-Robert de Cavel, Chef/Owner, Jean-Robert’s Table

Food Processor: Before we got a food processor we did everything by hand which took us forever.
—Duy Nguyen, David Le & Bao Nguyen, Eaters / Co-Owners, Pho Lang Thang

Immersion blender. I love it. If I can’t find it or someone borrowed it, I feel lost. I use it on ice cream, fruit jams, custards, sauces, for tempering chocolate. It is just the best tool.
—Megan Ketover, Pastry Chef, Orchids at Palm Court

A good farm
—Todd Hudson, Owner/Executive Chef, The Wildflower Cafe

Ice cream maker. The price of designer ice cream is unreal. We’ve always made our own.
—Shawn McCoy, Chef/Wife’s Favorite Employee, Brown Dog Cafe

Hands. In a society where a lot of kitchens are high tech and filled with gadgets, chefs forget about using the most basic tool.
—Mark Bodenstein, Executive Chef, Nicholson’s

A porter
—Matthew Buschle, Chef Owner, Virgils Cafe

Microplane
—David Cook, Chef Proprietor, Daveed’s-Dine On In!

Fire
—Stephen Williams, Chef/Owner, Bouquet Restaurant and Wine Bar

Sauce spoons
—Todd Kelly, Executive Chef, Orchids at Palm Court

Chef’s knife
—Jeremy Luers, Chef, Enoteca Emilia

Whisk...I love whisks of all shapes and sizes.
—Dave Taylor, Chef/Partner, La Poste

Knife
—Jose Salazar, Executive Chef, The Palace

A small offset spatula. I always have one in my pocket.
—Russ Wheeler, Pastry Chef, The Palace

KitchenAid mixer
—Cristian Pietoso, Managing Partner/Chef, Via Vite

A tablespoon, everyone in our kitchen has to have one at all times.
—Daniel Wright, Chef/Owner, Senate & Abigail Street

My salt bowl
—Jared Wayne, Chef/Owner, A Tavola

A small zester or rasp for removing citrus zest and finely grating cheese or nutmeg.
—Joanne Drilling, Culinary Editor, Edible Ohio Valley Magazine

My Glestain 10.5-inch indented-blade Gyutou or my Blendtec blender
—Jackson Rouse, Executive Chef, SmoQ

Microplane, and a Kuhn Rikon y-shaped peeler.
—Renee Schuler, Chef/Owner, Eat Well Celebrations and Feasts

My 2-inch spatula
—Owen Maass, Executive Chef, Cumin

Chef’s knife
—Robert L. Collins, former Chef de Cuisine, Jean-Robert’s Table

What is your signature dish, or a dish that will follow you around forever, like it or not?

Fri, 21 Sep 2012 18:06:00 GMT

Pho Bo (Beef Pho): Duy has been making this dish for all our friends for years now and it’s the dish we built the restaurant around. I am sure at times he regrets it now, since he periodically has to stay to the middle of the night cooking it.
—Duy Nguyen, David Le & Bao Nguyen, Eaters / Co-Owners, Pho Lang Thang

Chocolate Bavarian Mousse. I have been perfecting the recipe for years. I have made it a ton of different ways for all kinds of different events. Every time I think I am sick of it, I look at it and eat it, and it really is perfectly delicious.
—Megan Ketover, Pastry Chef, Orchids at Palm Court

My lasagna bolognese is my favorite, although I’ve only made it at the cafe once...for a private dinner. It’s obscenely time-consuming.
—Todd Hudson, Owner/Executive Chef, The Wildflower Café

Our sate soup. It’s my mom’s and aunt’s recipe.
—Darren Phan, Owner, Cilantro

When we bought the Brown Dog my wife kept asking for food that was over the top. As a joke I came up with the full monty—a combination of tortilla chips, crab in butter sauce, blackened shrimp, bean cake, and salsa that was so tall that we lost as many going to the table as B-17’s over Germany. (Cincinnati Magazine wrote about it, saying you needed a degree in physics to eat it, prompting me to have a stamp made that when applied to a paid receipt gave the diner an honorary degree in physics.) It had the desired wow factor for the wife and although it has been off the menu for five years we still get questions about when is it coming back.
—Shawn McCoy, Chef/Wife’s Favorite Employee, Brown Dog Café

I try not to ever have a signature dish but, I do get asked about my calamari dish from NuVo.
—Mark Bodenstein, Executive Chef, Nicholson’s

Pastrami reuben, just keeps getting better as we have more time to work on it.
—Matthew Buschle, Chef Owner, Virgils Café

Pan Seared Duck Breast w/garganelli, Vermont white cheddar, and truffle—I tried to take it off the menu five years ago and guests called and stated they would not come back until I put it back on.
—David Cook, Chef Proprietor, Daveed’s-Dine On In!

Not sure if I really have one. Though I think anything pork belly will kinda follow me, since I always find a way to integrate it into my menu.
—Jeremy Luers, Chef, Enoteca Emilia

A dish that will always stay with me: Roasted Crimson Pear. It’s an homage to my culinary mentor. It is a simple yet flavorful dish with a lot of texture. This dish has followed me for the last eight years. I’ll be happy to prepare it for many years to come!
—Dave Taylor, Chef/Partner, La Poste

Sorry, I don’t have one.
—Jose Salazar, Executive Chef, The Palace

The fig jam, prosciutto, arugula pizza. It was the first pizza I ever made on my porch in Los Angeles, and consistently our customers’ favorite.
—Jared Wayne, Chef/Owner, A Tavola

Our two bite cheeseburgers are requested time and again for parties, and even weddings. Freshly baked sesame silver dollar buns, choice chuck ground specially for us at Eckerlin’s, a cornichon on top with a pick.... It’s with good reason they are so popular.
—Renee Schuler, Chef/Owner, Eat Well Celebrations and Feasts

The photograph of the pastrami reuben from Virgils Café originally appeared in the September 2009 issue, photo by Ryan Kurtz.

What is your idea of a great dining experience or a perfect restaurant?

Tue, 21 Aug 2012 15:56:00 GMT

When the food is the focus, and everything else supports the expression of the food.
—Julie Francis, Chef/Owner, Nectar

Good company, good food, good wine, not stuffy service.
—Jean-Francois Flechet, Owner, Taste of Belgium

Anymore I’m less concerned about food and wine. I mean, I want it to be great, but I’m far more into casual dinning with a great group of friends just grubbing, laughing, and sharing life together!
—David Falk, Chef/Owner, Boca

Combination of many factors at the moment. Always with attentive service and quality food for the price you pay.
—Jean-Robert de Cavel, Chef/Owner, Jean-Robert’s Table

A great dinning experience would include not only enjoying great food, but learning or experiencing a new culture or way of eating.
—Duy Nguyen, David Le & Bao Nguyen, Eaters / Co-Owners, Pho Lang Thang

Anytime people can come together and enjoy each other’s company, in a deep way, and be immersed in well thought out food and wine always makes for a memorable experience.
—Todd Hudson, Owner/Executive Chef, The Wildflower Café

Comfortable seating, relaxed atmosphere, quiet, unpretentious attention from my server, technically perfect preparation, an appreciation for my visit.
—Shawn McCoy, Chef/Wife’s Favorite Employee, Brown Dog Cafe

A place where the complete pressure is not on food and drink, but rather each other. In a world of social disconnect it’s time again to gather around the table and create memorable experiences with one another (put the food and drink second).
—Mark Bodenstein, Executive Chef, Nicholson’s

Simply prepared food with excellent service, loud and full of energy, dishes clanking, glasses cheering, not quiet like a library.
—David Cook, Chef Proprietor, Daveed’s-Dine On In!

Coursed out menu covering many different styles of cooking and great wine.
—Stephen Williams, Chef/Owner, Bouquet Restaurant and Wine Bar

Great food, great friends.
—Todd Kelly, Executive Chef, Orchids at Palm Court

Great service and ambiance without being pretentious. Food being cooked where you can tell they are really enjoying what they do and they are cooking straightforward good food, not trying to get too fancy with it.
—Jeremy Luers, Chef, Enoteca Emilia

Seamless, unpretentious, invisible, yet attentive service. Low light, warm atmosphere, great aromas. Technically correct and flavorful food. A sense of value. I don’t like having a great dining experience then walking out with sticker shock from the bill. If it’s expensive, the experience should be worth the price tag.
—Dave Taylor, Chef/Partner, La Poste

There is no perfect restaurant. Dining shouldn’t be perfect or robotic—that’s what gives a restaurant an idenity. However the food, beveage, service, and decor should all compliment each other not matter how casual or upscale it is.
—Jose Salazar, Executive Chef, The Palace

A great dining experience leaves me saying “yum” after each course and wondering about the preparation and technique. The perfect restaurant? I haven’t found that yet.
—Cristian Pietoso, Managing Partner/Chef, Via Vite

Sharing a bunch of little amazing small plates with family and friends, there is nothing better in my book.
—Jared Wayne, Chef/Owner, A Tavola

Great Friends, great conversation, tasty beers, good service, duh—tasty food, good coffee!
—Jackson Rouse, Executive Chef, SmoQ

I’m looking for service that is warm and attentive, not snooty, comfortable tables and chairs, again they don’t have to be the smartest or most fabulous design wise (although it doesn’t hurt), and really good food, food I want to eat, done well.
—Renee Schuler, Chef/Owner, Eat Well Celebrations and Feasts

Great food with great wine and amazing company.
—Owen Maass, Executive Chef, Cumin

Relaxed atmophere with quality of food for the price I pay. I hate leaving a restaurant of quality and thinking I could have made it cheaper and better at home.
—Robert L. Collins, former Chef de Cuisine, Jean-Robert’s Table

What is the last restaurant you ate at?

Wed, 18 Jul 2012 18:39:00 GMT

Where do the chefs go for dinner when they're not cooking? Here's a snapshot:

AmerAsia—Chu’s kung food!
—Mindy Ware, Pastry Chef, Jean-Robert’s Table

Dewey’s Pizza
—Julie Francis, Chef/Owner, Nectar

A Tavola
—Jean-Francois Flechet, Owner, Taste of Belgium

The Precinct. It was great! Classic!
—David Falk, Chef/Owner, Boca

Cumin for Sunday brunch
—Jean-Robert de Cavel, Chef/Owner, Jean-Robert’s Table

Taqueria Mercado
—Duy Nguyen, David Le & Bao Nguyen, Eaters / Co-Owners, Pho Lang Thang

I ate lunch Sunday at a Pakistani restaurant called Chaska Grill in West Chester. I didnt know what I was eating, but it was good.
—Todd Hudson, Owner/Executive Chef, The Wildflower Café

Chai Thai Kitchen, Eighth Avenue, New York City
—Shawn McCoy, Chef/Wife’s Favorite Employee, Brown Dog Café

Keystone Bar and Grill, powerhouse mac and cheese
—Mark Bodenstein, Executive Chef, Nicholson’s

Mayberry
—Matthew Buschle, Chef Owner, Virgils Café

Piada Italian Street Food—Easton, Columbus
—David Cook, Chef Proprietor, Daveed’s-Dine On In!

Cock & Bull
—Stephen Williams, Chef/Owner, Bouquet Restaurant and Wine Bar

610 Magnolia (Louisville)
—Todd Kelly, Executive Chef, Orchids at Palm Court

Ruby’s Downtown
—Jeremy Luers, Chef, Enoteca Emilia

Izzys (Cincy). Reminds me of NY.
—José Salazar, Executive Chef, The Palace

La Mexicana in Newport. The goat tacos are amazing.
—Russ Wheeler, Pastry Chef, The Palace

Cumin in Hyde Park
—Cristian Pietoso, Managing Partner/Chef, Via Vite

J. Alexander’s
—Daniel Wright, Chef/Owner, Senate & Abigail Street

Amma’s Kitchen. You picking up on my enthusiasm towards the place?
—Jared Wayne, Chef/Owner, A Tavola

The Echo in Hyde Park. One of the few places that I feel really comfortable eating with a baby!
—Joanne Drilling, Culinary Editor, Edible Ohio Valley Magazine

La Poste
—Jackson Rouse, Executive Chef, SmoQ

Prune in New York City (lucky me, I just got back from being out of town)
—Renee Schuler, Chef/Owner, Eat Well Celebrations and Feasts

Longman & Eagle in Chicago
—Owen Maass, Executive Chef, Cumin

Bouquet
—Robert L. Collins, former Chef de Cuisine, Jean-Robert’s Table

What is your favorite five-minute recipe?

Tue, 22 May 2012 15:25:00 GMT

Pasta dishes are the runaway favorites for quick meals among local chefs. Read the full list for some great weeknight dinner ideas.

Pesto in the summertime with fresh-picked basil.
—Mindy Ware, Pastry Chef, Jean-Robert’s Table

Fried egg sandwich with avocado and hot sauce.
—Julie Francis, Chef/Owner, Nectar

Pesto. Especially in summer.
—Jean-Francois Flechet, Owner, Taste of Belgium

Scrambled eggs with truffles!
—David Falk, Chef/Owner, Boca

Penne pasta, garlic, can of white beans, tuna in a can, and a good olive oil
—Jean-Robert de Cavel, Chef/Owner, Jean-Robert’s Table

Mi Goi (Instant Noodles) Deluxe: We aren’t in undergrad anymore but we still love our instant noodles. Our brand of choice is either “Mi Mama” or “Kung-Fu.” What makes it deluxe is that we season the broth to taste, poach an egg, and serve it in a bowl with shredded lettuce and bean sprouts. Then we garnish it with diced green onions and cilantro with a squeeze of lime. You can class it up by putting in a few shrimp, but usually just some sliced hot dog will suffice.
—Duy Nguyen, David Le & Bao Nguyen, Eaters / Co-Owners, Pho Lang Thang

Five minutes? Cream cheese frosting on pretzel rods.
—Megan Ketover, Pastry Chef, Orchids at Palm Court

Good salami on warm Blue Oven baguette with pasture butter smeared all over it.
—Todd Hudson, Owner/Executive Chef, The Wildflower Cafe

Fresh avocado salad with sliced zucchini.
—Shawn McCoy, Chef/Wife’s Favorite Employee, Brown Dog Cafe

A quick carbonara, carpaccio
—Matthew Buschle, Chef Owner, Virgils Café

Leftovers with poached egg on ANYTHING!
—David Cook, Chef Proprietor, Daveed’s-Dine On In!

Popcorn
—Stephen Williams, Chef/Owner, Bouquet Restaurant and Wine Bar

Microwave a corn tortilla filled with cheese and whatever else in is the refrigerator or a bowl of cereal.
—Todd Kelly, Executive Chef, Orchids at Palm Court

Spaghetti aglio e olio—“with garlic & olive oil”
—Jeremy Luers, Chef, Enoteca Emilia

Grilled cheese..any way I can get it.
—Dave Taylor, Chef/Partner, La Poste

Fresh pasta (bought) with olive oil, garlic, and fresh herbs.
—Jose Salazar, Executive Chef, The Palace

I have a great flourless chocolate cake that has just three ingredients. That’s one of my go-to items when I’m in a jam.
—Russ Wheeler, Pastry Chef, The Palace

Spaghetti aglio, olio, e peperoncino. In English, spaghetti, garlic, oil and red pepper flakes.
—Cristian Pietoso, Managing Partner/Chef, Via Vite

Grilled cheese with tomatoes.
—Daniel Wright, Chef/Owner, Senate & Abigail Street

Cacio e Pepe. Cheese, pepper, salt, pasta and some of the pasta water. Simple but absolutely divine.
—Jared Wayne, Chef/Owner, A Tavola

Grilled vegetables (zucchini, delicata squash, eggplant, peppers, and roma tomatoes) with burrata cheese, balsamic vinegar, and herb oil. Lots of crusty bread on the side.
—Joanne Drilling, Culinary Editor, Edible Ohio Valley Magazine

New Orleans–Style BBQ shrimp
—Jackson Rouse, Executive Chef, SmoQ

Pantry pasta: saute garlic, onions, anchovy paste (just a bit), chili flakes. Add drained tuna, capers, one can tomatoes. Toss with cooked pasta, drizzle with olive oil. Serve. Everything for this recipe can always be found in my pantry!
—Renee Schuler, Chef/Owner, Eat Well Celebrations and Feasts

Grilled cheese
—Owen Maass, Executive Chef, Cumin

Omlette of any kind
—Robert L. Collins, former Chef de Cuisine, Jean-Robert’s Table

What is the worst meal you’ve ever made?

Wed, 18 Apr 2012 17:58:00 GMT

Hey, everybody has to start somewhere. Here are some of the mistakes our culinary locals have made on the way to becoming Cincinnati's top chefs.

Fried bologna sandwiches for friends after school.
—Julie Francis, Chef/Owner, Nectar

When I fed my buddy Ron a pea ravioli with onions in it and he’s allergic to onions! Which lead to a broken hand from me punching a brick wall! That sucked!
—David Falk, Chef/Owner, Boca

After enjoying a few hours of libations, Bao made some of sort of stir fry with mustard greens and eggs. We aren’t sure if he didn’t wash the mustard greens well enough or put the egg shells in the stir fry but it felt like we were eating stir fry with sand in it.
—Duy Nguyen, David Le & Bao Nguyen, Eaters / Co-Owners, Pho Lang Thang

I do not claim to be a good savory chef, but I do pretty all right at home. I made a roasted lemon chicken one time for my husband. It was horrible. It is amazing he still trusts me to cook dinner.
—Megan Ketover, Pastry Chef, Orchids at Palm Court

I tried to bake cookies for my mom once, apparently they get hard after they come out....
—Todd Hudson, Owner/Executive Chef, The Wildflower Café

Porcupine meatballs, for my friend Emily. I made a family recipe and tried to put it into my expression by using fresh ingredients. She said it was the worst thing she ever tasted.
—Mark Bodenstein, Executive Chef, Nicholson’s

Made Spam sandwiches on moldy wonder bread cooked with a clothes iron when I was a freshman in college... Very tasty
—Matthew Buschle, Chef Owner, Virgils Cafe

London Broil I cooked for my parents at age 14; I overcooked it; they said it was good, but the dogs ended up eating it.
—David Cook, Chef Proprietor, Daveed’s-Dine On In!

My first Thanksgiving for my family. Turkey was under-cooked and I caught one of my mother’s kitchen towels on fire and had to throw it in the turkey juices to put it out. Damn frilly ends!
—Jeremy Luers, Chef, Enoteca Emilia

Some sort of marinated grilled chicken for my girlfriend, now wife, on one of our first dates. It must not have been that bad, she stuck with me!
—Dave Taylor, Chef/Partner, La Poste

Probably my first saffron risotto, when I was 15 and I was in culinary school in Firenze, I forgot to add the hot stock to it so it was so crunchy it was inedible.
—Cristian Pietoso, Managing Partner/Chef, Via Vite

Tough question. I’m certain whoever ate it they never told me exactly how bad it really was.
—Daniel Wright, Chef/Owner, Senate & Abigail Street

Probably the first pizza I ever made. It was too smoky and way undercooked. It took a while to get it just right.
—Jared Wayne, Chef/Owner, A Tavola

A tuna casserole for my little sisters when I was probably 8 or 9.
—Joanne Drilling, Culinary Editor, Edible Ohio Valley Magazine

I made a bad vegetarian meal for Summer Gennetti. The field at Murphin Ridge caught on fire and we had to put it out....got me a bit flustered. The pizza wasn’t crispy, the egg on it was overcooked, the Asian inspired entrée was weird and well dessert, well, duh—I can’t win with her.
—Jackson Rouse, Executive Chef, SmoQ

What 5 items are always in your refrigerator?

Mon, 02 Apr 2012 15:14:00 GMT

We asked 29 local chefs to reveal their top five refrigerator staples. Here's what they said:

Hot sauce, French cheese, bubbly for Sunday mornings, beer, and expired milk.
—Mindy Ware, Pastry Chef, Jean-Robert’s Table

Local vegetables, miso, apple cider vinegar, corn tortillas, hummus.
—Julie Francis, Chef/Owner, Nectar

Pretty normal: milk, butter, eggs, cheese, nuts/seeds, and dried fruit.
—John Wales, Head Chef, Melt Eclectic Deli

Fromager d’affinois, bacon, eggs, beer, Dijon mustard.
—Jean-Francois Flechet, Owner, Taste of Belgium

I literally have nothing in mine. A true bachelor!
—David Falk, Chef/Owner, Boca

Dijon mustard, dried sausage, any blue cheese, orange marmalade, yogurt
—Jean-Robert de Cavel, Chef/Owner, Jean-Robert’s Table

Frozen burritos or pizza rolls, beer, Sriracha, a hundred different condiments that have only been used once, a container of leftover food that one of our moms sent home with us.
—Duy Nguyen, David Le & Bao Nguyen, Eaters / Co-Owners, Pho Lang Thang

Sriracha, vitamin water, brie, greek yogurt, butter.
—Megan Ketover, Pastry Chef, Orchids at Palm Court

Enough cheese to feed a French army, raw milk, Carl’s Mustard (from Traders World), really good pickles, and Burnet Ridge Sauvignon Blanc is a 24 hour well rounded meal.
—Todd Hudson, Owner/Executive Chef, The Wildflower Cafe

Fish sauce, Siracha, garlic, mustard and Coke.
—Darren Phan, Owner, Cilantro

Greek honey yogurt, fresh designer salsa, a selection of great cheese from Jungle Jim's as well as some different charcuterie meats from their deli, and a selection of flavored hummus
—Shawn McCoy, Chef/Wife’s Favorite Employee, Brown Dog Cafe

Red Bull, vodka, beer, mirepoix, garlic
—Mark Bodenstein, Executive Chef, Nicholson’s

Mustards, cheese, some kinda pork, fruit, and beer
—Matthew Buschle, Chef Owner, Virgils Cafe

Onion, garlic, Fatty & Skinny Sauces (chef David is a Chili Head), Aunt Ruth's sweet pickles, multiple mustards!
—David Cook, Chef Proprietor, Daveed's-Dine On In!

Cottage cheese, applesauce, olives, wine, leftovers
—Stephen Williams, Chef/Owner, Bouquet Restaurant and Wine Bar

Sparkling water, Cholula [hot sauce], ranch dressing, yogurt, and soy milk
—Todd Kelly, Executive Chef, Orchids at Palm Court

Mayo, Sriracha, Romaine
—Melissa Mileto, Owner, Take The Cake

Mustard (at least five kinds), garlic, red onion, hot dogs, Siracha
—Jeremy Luers, Chef, Enoteca Emilia

Shark brand Sriracha, Champagne or sparkling wine, Win Schuler’s cheese spread, 1% milk, butter
—Dave Taylor, Chef/Partner, La Poste

Milk (2%), Siracha or some hot sauce, cheeses (usually a good mix), beer, kid snacks (I have a 3 year old)
—Jose Salazar, Executive Chef, The Palace

There's always vegetables in my fridge. After being around nothing but chocolate and sugar all day, when I get home all I want is, say, a green pepper.
—Russ Wheeler, The Palace, The Palace

Prosciutto; crudo; Parmigiano Reggiano; Pellegrino water; spicy peperoncini; Brown, organic or cage free eggs
—Cristian Pietoso, Managing Partner/Chef, Via Vite

Lebna, cheddar cheese, Sriracha, beer, and bacon
—Daniel Wright, Chef/Owner, Senate & Abigail Street

Fridge/Pantry: eggs, parsley, flour, extra virgin olive oil, kosher salt
—Jared Wayne, Chef/Owner, A Tavola

Flat leaf parsley or cilantro, eggs from a farmer I know, kalamata olives, homemade preserved lemons, Trader Joe's organic apple sauce (for my baby son).
—Joanne Drilling, Culinary Editor, Edible Ohio Valley Magazine

Local free-range eggs, Spanish olive oil, Brownberry Natural Wheat Bread, Coffee Emporium Costa Rican La Minita Coffee, Avocado
—Jackson Rouse, Executive Chef, SmoQ

Lemons, sparkling water, eggs, Dijon, and Parmigiano Reggiano. On the counter you can always find avocado, tomatoes, garlic, and onions
—Renee Schuler, Chef/Owner, Eat Well Celebrations and Feasts

Butter, cheese, bacon, eggs, herbs
—Owen Maass, Executive Chef, Cumin

Eggs, lettuce, onions, avocados, and some kind of protein.
—Robert L. Collins, former Chef de Cuisine, Jean-Robert’s Table

Secret Ingredient

Mon, 19 Mar 2012 15:43:00 GMT

Q: What do you consider the most underappreciated or underutilized ingredient in the kitchen?

Top 3 Answers:
• Salt
• Celery
• Vinegars/Acids

“TIME”: If you add a little more “time” to your dishes they will taste much better. Whether it be with marinading meats to making broth, if you are patient and give it the proper “time,” you won’t need to add so much salt and sugar. It could even be as simple as giving your pan or grill “time” to heat up properly to make sure you get a good sear on your meat.
—Duy Nguyen, David Le & Bao Nguyen, Eaters / Co-Owners, Pho Lang Thang

Salt. Sometimes people forget that in pastry. It is very important to balance flavors and keep things from being overly sweet. I have eaten a lot of desserts that would benefit from just a little salt.
—Megan Ketover, Pastry Chef, Orchids at Palm Court

In most commercial kitchens there is a severe lack of good butter usage. We cook in pasture-raised local butter almost strictly, and I finish pretty much everything with a bit of it stirred in.
—Todd Hudson, Owner/Executive Chef, The Wildflower Cafe

Soy sauce (although it’s a very common ingredient). We use it to deglaze meats and finish sauces.
—Todd Kelly, Executive Chef, Orchids at Palm Court

Acid is clearly the most underutilized ingredient in the kitchen. Acid can mean anything from lemon or lime juice, to various different applications of vinegar. Salt and acid should never be primary flavors in a dish, yet they should be utilized as tools to enhance the flavor composition of a dish.
—Dave Taylor, Chef/Partner, La Poste

Kale. I just love it in salads, omelettes, soups, etc. Not only does it have great flavor but its really good for you!
—Joanne Drilling, Culinary Editor, Edible Ohio Valley Magazine

Celery (underappreciated, that is). One of my favorite salads, so simple and rustic, is very thinly sliced celery with the leaves tossed with lemon juice and olive oil and topped with shaved Parmigiano Reggiano. Crunchy and refreshing, try it in the summer under a pailliard of chicken grilled with herbs. We use celery in braises, for soups, for roasting poultry. Our kitchen is not complete without it, but it never gets its day in the sun!
—Renee Schuler, Chef/Owner, Eat Well Celebrations and Feasts

The stems of cilantro. They are amazingly sweet without that “soapy” cilantro flavor. Much more delicate.
—Owen Maass, Executive Chef, Cumin