Chef Duane and Duffy are Chatting and Dining…
at The Taggart Table.
Executive Chef Duane Keller, is a native of Saskatchewan, Canada.
He is the recipient in 2001 of the James Beard Foundation Certificate, New York where he was invited to be a guest chef. Keller has won numerous awards over the years that reflect his ever-expanding inventiveness and inspirational accomplishments: the DiRona Award, Sarasota, Florida; the Gold Spoon Award at the Four Star Delta Bow Valley Inn, Calgary; the Red Seal Award at Emerald Park, Vancouver; the Wine Spectator Award; the C.C.A. Chef of the Year Award; and the Florida Top 100 Award, to name just a few.
In 2002 Keller helped Julia Child celebrate her 90th birthday with dazzling gastronomic creations; he has been named frequently in Washingtonian Magazine as one of the areas top chefs hailing in their “Top 100,” “Top 50,” and “Best Brunches,” and he was featured in Gourmet Magazine when head chef at the 17th century Ashby Inn in Paris,Virginia.
Duane has created heart-healthy menus for the American Heart Association, fed the homeless and disadvantaged in Sarasota as well as Hurricane Katrina relief, and cooked for the Pentagon during rescue operations of 9/11.
When Duane is at home, he is in Alexandria, Virginia.
Learn more about Duane, and his many impressive accomplishments.
http://www.chefduanekeller.com
The Taggart Table: So, what was breakfast today?
Chef Duane Keller: The UBS - My Ultimate Breakfast Sandwich that I submitted for Thomas' Hometown Breakfast Battle. A grilled filet mignon on Heirloom Tomato with Chesapeake Crab, Poached Egg and Hollandaise.
http://www.thomasbreakfastbattle.com/recipes/“ubs”-ultimate-breakfast-sandwich
Taggart: Family roots, ancestors?
Duane: Keller's came from Germany, Russia on my Fathers side and my Mom's side from Poland. Early Farmers and Hockey Players in Saskatchewan and still continue to this day playing Pro Hockey and farming.
Taggart: Let’s do lunch in your area, where do we go?
Duane: Walkers Grille
http://walkersgrille.com
for an eclectic menu or Wegmans (many locations) for lots of variety.
Taggart: College was in Vancouver.
Was that your culinary training?
Duane: I took classes at VVI while I worked at Emerald Park during The World Expo.
Taggart: What brought you to the States?
Duane: My Dad played in the NHL when there were only the Original 6 teams. He later became the first player in the AHL to have a contract and played with the Hershey Bears for 14 years, was the Captain of the Team and they won 3 Calder Cups.
Taggart: When did you know you wanted to be a chef?
Duane: When I worked for The C.C.F. Chef of the Year Gerald Ehrler at The Delta Bow Valley Inn, Calgary, AB 1984
Taggart: Any favorite cheese?
Favorite spices?
Duane: Great Hill Blue and Tarragon
Taggart: Why is everyone taking
pictures of their food?
(A chef’s perspective)
Duane: A picture's worth a 1,000 words
Taggart:
Do you spend leisure time in NY?
Restaurants? Theatre?
Museums, Galleries?
Duane: I flipped a restaurant for Interstate Hotels in NYC last time I was there. It was a dingy, unpopular spot and they did a renovation while I rolled out a new menu and after 10 days we opened and it was Fabulous.
Taggart: If you were not a chef, what would you be doing?
Duane: Farming. I love what can be produced in the soil.
Taggart: Whats your favorite area of New York?
Duane: Lake Placid
Taggart: What is your favorite vacation spot?
Duane: Atlantis - R&R, good restaurants, gambling, golf and fishing.
Taggart: Name a few creative and inspirational heros:
Duane: Jeremiah Towers, is an American chef, who generally credited with developing the culinary style known as California cuisine. Julia Child, Graham Kerr, and Paul Bocuse. Paul is a French chef based in Lyon, France. He is famous for the high quality of his restaurants and his innovative approaches to cuisine.
Taggart: What ticks you off in the kitchen?
Duane: Lack of integrity with products. Whether it's my lamb being holistically raised, my farm relationships or my seafood. I know exactly where it's from. Some just don't get it and call things local when they are not.
Taggart: What do you do for fun away from cooking?
Duane: Ride bikes, work in my Arboretum and enjoy time with my Wife Jen of 13 years with our 2 four legged children, Olive and Heidi
Taggart: Who in the food world do you most admire?
Duane: I admire many but must say what The Food Network has done to educate the public is really amazing.
Taggart: Favorite foods to cook with?
Duane: Local Seafood, Lamb, VA and MD Farm Produce, NJ has some great produce as well.
Taggart: What do you like to eat when you’re at home?
Duane: My wife is an amazing cook. I was featured in a magazine "Celebrity Chefs at Home" and the editor asked me what my favorite dish was I told her my wife's chicken corn soup she said are you going to give her credit in this magazine? I said yes...I can eat it seven days a week. We have had friends that are very ill and they eat this chicken corn soup and they're healthy again. But Jen makes pasta we sous Vide together, we have a smoker, etc... We have more than Williams-Sonoma here.
Taggart: I hope your dogs eat as well as we all do. I love my pooch.
Duane: Oh yea they eat great. They're enjoying Sous Vide. (A method of treating food by partial cooking followed by vacuum-sealing and chilling.)
Taggart: Are there any foods you just don’t like?
Duane: I have never cared for frogs legs or see sea urchin.
Taggart: Backyard tomatoes are enjoyable. I hope the term “Farm to Table” and “Organic” is accurately used.
Duane: Unfortunately that's what I touched on. On integrity with products there is a little fish and chips place in old town and I know the fish they're serving is not the fish they advertise. That, you want to let others know, but I can't.
Taggart: Favorite cookbooks?
Duane: When my wife and I met in 2000 and it was interesting because we both had a large cookbook collection. At that time I probably had 400+ and Jen had 300+ and we did not have the same book. We continued to pick up books. Jen is the only person I know that will read it from front to back. I like looking at the pictures.
Taggart: Any books that you may write?
Duane: I have an idea for a book called "Inn cuisine" and on my Chef Duane Keller Facebook page I wrote short stories about the industry and the kitchens over 40 years that I've been in. I knocked out 30+ very interesting stories and I'll pick up again shortly.
Taggart: What do you most love about your job/career?
Duane: There is nothing like being a chef. I love meeting all the people. I love being the leader and inspiring others to do their best work. I mentor young staff to look at this as a career not a job. The culinary arts is an art and a science. From HAACP to just being creative everything is covered and there is no other occupation as exciting as being a chef.
Taggart: What’s your proudest accomplishment?
Duane: I was invited to the James Beard House. I say it was like winning the Stanley Cup of culinary. The director of the James Beard House said it was the first standing ovation in five years.
Taggart: Any fun food moments with a celebrity?
Duane: Many. I've cook for four US presidents I did Julia Childs 90th birthday. Jackie Onassis gave me a sapphire as a tip at the Ashby Inn. On the Chef Duane Keller Facebook page there's a folder of celebrities that I've cooked for. Probably four dozen. Just recently I got a call to cook for the recipient of the gold medal of honor. I did nine courses for him and his guests. He has eaten all over the world and had tears in his eyes when he described that the meal was the best he ever had.
Taggart: Any TV chef(s) that you admire?
Duane: Not yet
Taggart: Gordon Ramsey…entertainment, or helpful knowledge?
Duane: Entertainment
Taggart: Do you give cooking demos or cooking events?
Duane: Yes, for many years
Taggart: I spent time, years ago with Harry Chapin at his house.
One of his quotes… "So, in a world that has enough food to feed everybody twice over, and yet half a billion people are starving, and a country where there is enough food to feed everybody six times over and yet 20 million Americans are malnourished, there is something really basically wrong in the structure; otherwise we wouldn't have these symptoms."
Please make more people aware of the serious hunger issue in this country.
Duane: Well said. Let's do it. 2 of my 3 charities do just that - Wholesome Wave and Share Our Strength.
Taggart: What else is there that readers might be interested in. What do people not know about you that you wish they did?
Duane: I won A gold medal in hockey and always reference being a chef is just like being a hockey player coach when you're on the ice and you're in the kitchen. Got to keep your head up because it's a contact sport.
Taggart: What’s next on your creative agenda?
Duane: Opening another concept in the Alexandria Virginia area stay tuned
Taggart: Let’s wrap up with a good dinner. We can go out to your favorite spot... Or, perhaps you are cooking tonight?
Italian? Seafood? Steaks?
Duane: We have a favorite spot on the Severn River in Annapolis it's very hard to find. The food network found it one time and so I can tell you it's name. Cantler's Riverside http://www.cantlers.com
is a really good spot for local seafood Maryland blue crab etc. Maybe will see you there sometime.
Tuesday, September 22, 2015
Thursday, September 17, 2015
Chef Lia talks about, Long Island, her Favorite Pastas, and Green Eggs and Ham…at The Taggart Table
Chef Lia Stanco Fallon... is a New York/Long Island based chef, food stylist and a compelling restaurateur. Her passion for food is evident not only through a photographer’s lens, but in the most minute detail of every culinary creation. She evokes food to perform and achieve beyond ordinary expectations. With her culinary arts degree, Lia began her journey in Manhattan at The Food Network as a food stylist within the television production business. Learning from seasoned masters such as Emeril Lagasse and Bobby Flay, she discovered a new level of appreciation for other areas outside of food pizzazz. Over the years, her repertoire expanded to include recipe development, cooking instruction and catering. Her talent and creativity are evident whether on the page of a best-selling cookbook, at a plated event for two hundred or within her impressive portfolio. Her client contacts and professional connections are endless and top notch impressive.Lia Fallon’s skills, talents and abilities are captivating.
Read more about
Chef Lia Stanco Fallon:
http://www.liafallon.com
Chef Lia Stanco Fallon has had the friendly courtesy to share some creative thoughts with Frank Duffy from the Taggart Table.....
The Taggart Table: So, what was breakfast today?
Lia Stanco Fallon: Sometimes I just want a plain up sandwich for breakfast. Today I had a ham, turkey and American cheese on whole wheat bread, with some OJ.
Taggart: Family roots, ancestors?
Lia: My family roots are pretty strong; both of my parent’s families are Italian. My relatives, farmed, made wine, worked in the food service business, and all loved to cook, eat, and party.
Taggart: If I pick you up in 10 minutes, for lunch, where do we go?
Lia: I am totally in the mood for fresh oysters. How about a nice seafood restaurant on the north shore?
Taggart: High School was in Huntington ?
Any creative memories there?
Lia: I loved growing up in Huntington. There was always something to do, a lot of places to go.
Taggart: Where was your professional training?
Lia: I went to culinary school on Long Island…LI Culinary Academy in Syosset
Taggart: When did you know you wanted to be a chef?
Lia: I always loved cooking and being in the kitchen, It just came natural to me. As my hobby grew into a passion, later on in life I went to School to be a chef. It was my second career. I owned a day spa for 18 years. I became a “real” chef at the age of 33. YIKES. I think I was crazy.
Taggart: Any favorite cheese? Favorite spices?
Lia: Cheese happens to be the one thing in my life I can't live without. I love all different kinds…Goat! Sheep! Cow! Hmm. My favorite is hard. Actually yes, a hard cheese like an aged Beemster, nutty and creamy and delicious. Plain on a cracker with a pear, or sandwiched in between a seeded rye. Love making pub cheese out of it too. But nothing beats a bottle of Sancerre (French wine) with a semi soft goat cheese. Hey I can go on for hours about cheese. LOVE THE SUBJECT.
Now spices!!! Moroccan/ Cajun/ Love espresso steak rubs. I am kind of known for that style. As far as the normal everyday household ones. Garlic powders, dried herbs, paprika, ect… I love the real deal. (shhhh don’t tell McCormick. I really like their spices. I worked for them, and they are a great company and have a quality product)
Taggart: What’s you favorite pasta? Linguine? Farfalle? Penne?
Lia: Cheese and pasta are my thing. You can take the Italian bloodline out of Italy, but can’t take the Italian blood out of the GAL. My favorite thing to do, when normal people like watching TV and relaxing, is making pasta. It tranquilizes me. Makes me forget there are things like laundry and bills, and mowing the lawn or cleaning the bathroom.
Favorite you ask? Or, the one I am most familiar making and enjoy eating. Less is more. I learned that from the Mary’s, both of my grandmothers. So…Pappardelle (large, very broad, flat pasta noodles) and Cavetelli (small pasta shells).
Taggart: Why is everyone taking pictures of their food?
(A chef’s perspective)
Lia: I think the food porn industry is on at an all time high. People are getting prouder and prouder of their work and it is an easy way to get recognition for a very hard job. It is also rewarding to a chef to see his/her work when they are not killing themselves at work. Makes us appreciate the industry and keeps the insane…SANE
Taggart: Do you spend leisure time in NY? Restaurants? Theatre?
Museums, Galleries?
Lia: I spend whatever free time I can in NYC. Love the theater. I Always have about 10 new restaurants I want to go to. Yes, because chefs are insane, we enjoy paying for overpriced drinks until the sun comes up in the most resent trendy watering holes. Shopping??? Who has time for it? Art galleries = Love
Taggart: If you were not a chef, what would you be doing?
Lia: If I wasn’t a chef today! I think I would be looking to move out of New York and maybe open up some kind of crazy fun business on the beach or next to the beach. Caribbean for sure. I am an entrepreneur at heart. I don’t know anything different. A workaholic.
Taggart: Whats your favorite area of New York or Long Island?
Lia: My favorite NYC neighborhood is the Meatpacking District or SOHO I have spent a lot of time there working for the food network, and have great/ fun memories.
Long Island? Hands down Montauk. Been vacationing there for over 30 years. Love everything about it. Laid back fun, quaint town, local fishing, and now all the trendy spots.
Taggart: What is your favorite vacation spot?
Lia: I would say my favorite vacation spot is anywhere close to the beach. Thanks to my mom, and her love of the beach, she washed it into my sole. Montauk, Caribbean, Fla., NC,, ect… I am not picky as long as water, sand, surf, and fresh fish are involved.
Taggart: Name a few creative and inspirational heros:
Lia: Creative and inspirational hero’s are definitely Bobby Flay. Loved working for him, loved his personality and how he has grown his brand. Then I would have to say Gerry Hayden who recently died of ALS. A Long Island local chef who cared about people, food, and his land. God Bless him, he was an inspiration to all of us chefs.
Taggart: What ticks you off in the kitchen?
Lia: The thing that ticks me off in the kitchen is excuses. I would have at least 10 excuses why not to get out of bed in the morning. BUT I DON’T. I do it because I want to and need too, and love what I do. Go home if you want me to feel sorry for you. I would willingly do my job and yours.
Taggart: The Long Island restaurant atmosphere has come a long way. Serious variety, serious choices, and serious competition. Sad to see some come and go.
Lia: Yes the food industry is a long grueling career. Some people love it, some hate it, and some just do it, and don’t know another way. I think It’s very self explanatory. Sad, Happy, Up and Down. Its just the restaurant business. We feed people, and care, its not surgery. Sometimes I think being a surgeon might be easier then dealing with our clientele. We can't administer anesthesia.
Taggart: What do you do for fun away from cooking?
Lia: Fun to me is just cooking and feeding people I love.
Taggart: Who in the food world do you most admire?
Lia: I worked with Jacques Pepin once, watching his hands make a Galette was like watching a dancer move their feet. A very priceless point in my career.
Taggart: Favorite foods to cook with?
Lia: Mediterranean ingredients are my favorite, especially olive oil. Greek, Italian, Spanish. They all have an import flavor to bring to the table.
Taggart: What do you like to eat when you’re at home?
Lia: When I am home, I like to eat simply. It goes back to the theory less is more (That came from my upbringing) Tuscan salads with grilled meets and fish. One pot wonders. Ciambotta, A vegetable stew from Italy similar to Jambalaya. Ciambotta means Garbage in Italian. All the left over veggies in the fridge, my grandmother would say.
Taggart: Are there any foods you just don’t like?
Lia: I love all foods. I eat everything. If I haven’t tried it I will. The things that stick in my head that I don’t particularly care for are sea urchin. (Can take or leave it.) Blood sausage (The same)
Taggart: Backyard tomatoes are enjoyable. I hope the term “Farm to Table” and “Organic” is accurately used.
Lia: I think the term farm to table is totally misused. Some restaurants or neighbors, believe if they are serving any vegetable in the summer means from the farm/table. Asparagus/Brussel Sprouts/Cauliflower/Broccoli are the ones commonly confused. I have a hard time eating Asparagus anytime other then in the Spring or Brussel Sprouts or Cauliflower anytime other then in the Fall. I think you get it or you don’t. Why and why not comes from the love of farming. ‘Nough said.
Taggart: Favorite cookbooks?
Lia: I have a ton of cookbooks, that I don’t read, but can't seem to part with. If I had to choose, Green Eggs and Ham.
Taggart: Any books that you may write?
Lia: I have worked on a bunch of cookbooks for other chefs, maybe one day I will have a new concept or fun idea, that will inspire me to do it for myself.
Taggart: The Hargrave winery was the first on Long Island in 1973, and some thought it would not work, risks and opticals were plenty. They were not even farmers. According to the Long Island Wine Council, there are now over 50 wineries located on Long Island. Trailblazers and visionaries… yes?
Lia: Farmers with passion, drive and belief. I am proud to be a part of such a dedicated region. The neighbors that I partner with on a regular basis, and bring the talents of food and wine together. That’s priceless. We have all grown into a family that is proud of what we do and where we live.
Taggart: What do you most love about your job/career?
Lia: I love everything about what I do. It doesn’t feel like work when you do what you love to do.
Taggart: What’s your proudest accomplishment?
Lia: My proudest accomplishment I would have to say was opening up Amarelle, in Wading River. That was my first restaurant after a full career of food styling, recipe developing, catering and teaching. Everyone said the restaurant biz is completely different. It's hard. We don’t think you can do it, you love so many different things in this field, and love to bounce around. We can’t imagine you staying put on the line everyday. Well I did. I loved it, and I made it perfect. We had a great reputation that I worked hard at everyday. It was a challenge and I am proud to list it on the bucket list.
Taggart: Any fun food moments with a celebrity?
Lia: OMG there are a lot of fun memories working in production. I am lucky to have been apart of such an awesome team of professionals. Did screwy things happen? SURE. Never on the magic of TV. And somethings should just stay as that way.
Taggart: Any TV chef(s) that you admire?
Lia: I really admire Bobby Flay, I would have to say his style, way back when, was what I loved and inspired me on being a chef. His cookbook “Bold American Food”, was the first one I purchased as a married girl. (Age 22) I was happy to tell him so, too. There have been so many since then, that I have admired in one-way or another. I am proud to be a part of such a fast growing industry.
Taggart: Gordon Ramsey…entertainment, or helpful knowledge?
Lia: Gorden Ramsey! Everyone brings him up. I have watched his show a couple of times. I have never really been one of those people who watch the every week grueling kitchen reality shows. There is enough drama in a real life restaurant kitchen.
Taggart: Do you give cooking demos or cooking events?
Lia: I love passing on my knowledge of cooking and demonstrating with local neighbors the art of my passion. So you can stay tuned because I am sure to be seen doing cooking demos or wine and food pairings, at one of your favorite wineries, and definitely at the local farms. Andrew Family Farm, Sound Ave., in Wading River and Roanoke Vineyards, also Sound Ave., in Riverhead, are my two favorites. These people have become my family after working with them for so many years.
Taggart: I spent time, years ago with Harry Chapin at his house. Would you do a cooking demo for Long Island Cares? Location is not important.
Lia: I love giving back to the community. It is very important to me to be a part of local fundraising projects. Please keep me in mind for your next event.
Taggart: What else is there that readers might be interested in. What do people not know about you that you wish they did?
Lia: I am an Italian chef that was taught family is everything. I came from a family of farmers and both sides of my family have worked in the food industry. My love for food and entertaining is way more then skin deep. I am a true local girl that thrives on local crops and wine. I am a workaholic, which is bad and good all in one breath.
Taggart: What’s next on your creative agenda?
Lia: My next creative project is turning and turning in my head. So many thoughts and ideas. I will let it be known when my plans become final.
Taggart: Let’s wrap up with a good dinner. Where do we go? Italian...? Seafood...? Steakhouse...(Long Island/Metro area)
Lia: I rarely ever eat out at Italian restaurants. I can cook a good Italian meal with my eyes closed. I usually like to go to a new, noteworthy, trendy spot and go for the whole experience. I don’t get out often because of work, so I need to make it count. Seafood, Spanish, Thai, would be where I would head. This summer I had the pleasure of working as a private chef in the Hamptons and Montauk. I worked with high profile clients, usually for only three to four days a week. So I am happy to share. I am a chef with a tan working on the weekends, and sitting poolside during the week. I also worked on some recipe development for a new cookbook I was asked to be a part of. With all that said, I took part in the local happy hour scene at my local Japanese restaurant. My husband and I sat at the bar and I pretended to be a normal person. It felt good.
Chef Lia Stanco Fallon... is a New York/Long Island based chef, food stylist and a compelling restaurateur. Her passion for food is evident not only through a photographer’s lens, but in the most minute detail of every culinary creation. She evokes food to perform and achieve beyond ordinary expectations. With her culinary arts degree, Lia began her journey in Manhattan at The Food Network as a food stylist within the television production business. Learning from seasoned masters such as Emeril Lagasse and Bobby Flay, she discovered a new level of appreciation for other areas outside of food pizzazz. Over the years, her repertoire expanded to include recipe development, cooking instruction and catering. Her talent and creativity are evident whether on the page of a best-selling cookbook, at a plated event for two hundred or within her impressive portfolio. Her client contacts and professional connections are endless and top notch impressive.Lia Fallon’s skills, talents and abilities are captivating.
Read more about
Chef Lia Stanco Fallon:
http://www.liafallon.com
Chef Lia Stanco Fallon has had the friendly courtesy to share some creative thoughts with Frank Duffy from the Taggart Table.....
The Taggart Table: So, what was breakfast today?
Lia Stanco Fallon: Sometimes I just want a plain up sandwich for breakfast. Today I had a ham, turkey and American cheese on whole wheat bread, with some OJ.
Taggart: Family roots, ancestors?
Lia: My family roots are pretty strong; both of my parent’s families are Italian. My relatives, farmed, made wine, worked in the food service business, and all loved to cook, eat, and party.
Taggart: If I pick you up in 10 minutes, for lunch, where do we go?
Lia: I am totally in the mood for fresh oysters. How about a nice seafood restaurant on the north shore?
Taggart: High School was in Huntington ?
Any creative memories there?
Lia: I loved growing up in Huntington. There was always something to do, a lot of places to go.
Taggart: Where was your professional training?
Lia: I went to culinary school on Long Island…LI Culinary Academy in Syosset
Taggart: When did you know you wanted to be a chef?
Lia: I always loved cooking and being in the kitchen, It just came natural to me. As my hobby grew into a passion, later on in life I went to School to be a chef. It was my second career. I owned a day spa for 18 years. I became a “real” chef at the age of 33. YIKES. I think I was crazy.
Taggart: Any favorite cheese? Favorite spices?
Lia: Cheese happens to be the one thing in my life I can't live without. I love all different kinds…Goat! Sheep! Cow! Hmm. My favorite is hard. Actually yes, a hard cheese like an aged Beemster, nutty and creamy and delicious. Plain on a cracker with a pear, or sandwiched in between a seeded rye. Love making pub cheese out of it too. But nothing beats a bottle of Sancerre (French wine) with a semi soft goat cheese. Hey I can go on for hours about cheese. LOVE THE SUBJECT.
Now spices!!! Moroccan/ Cajun/ Love espresso steak rubs. I am kind of known for that style. As far as the normal everyday household ones. Garlic powders, dried herbs, paprika, ect… I love the real deal. (shhhh don’t tell McCormick. I really like their spices. I worked for them, and they are a great company and have a quality product)
Taggart: What’s you favorite pasta? Linguine? Farfalle? Penne?
Lia: Cheese and pasta are my thing. You can take the Italian bloodline out of Italy, but can’t take the Italian blood out of the GAL. My favorite thing to do, when normal people like watching TV and relaxing, is making pasta. It tranquilizes me. Makes me forget there are things like laundry and bills, and mowing the lawn or cleaning the bathroom.
Favorite you ask? Or, the one I am most familiar making and enjoy eating. Less is more. I learned that from the Mary’s, both of my grandmothers. So…Pappardelle (large, very broad, flat pasta noodles) and Cavetelli (small pasta shells).
Taggart: Why is everyone taking pictures of their food?
(A chef’s perspective)
Lia: I think the food porn industry is on at an all time high. People are getting prouder and prouder of their work and it is an easy way to get recognition for a very hard job. It is also rewarding to a chef to see his/her work when they are not killing themselves at work. Makes us appreciate the industry and keeps the insane…SANE
Taggart: Do you spend leisure time in NY? Restaurants? Theatre?
Museums, Galleries?
Lia: I spend whatever free time I can in NYC. Love the theater. I Always have about 10 new restaurants I want to go to. Yes, because chefs are insane, we enjoy paying for overpriced drinks until the sun comes up in the most resent trendy watering holes. Shopping??? Who has time for it? Art galleries = Love
Taggart: If you were not a chef, what would you be doing?
Lia: If I wasn’t a chef today! I think I would be looking to move out of New York and maybe open up some kind of crazy fun business on the beach or next to the beach. Caribbean for sure. I am an entrepreneur at heart. I don’t know anything different. A workaholic.
Taggart: Whats your favorite area of New York or Long Island?
Lia: My favorite NYC neighborhood is the Meatpacking District or SOHO I have spent a lot of time there working for the food network, and have great/ fun memories.
Long Island? Hands down Montauk. Been vacationing there for over 30 years. Love everything about it. Laid back fun, quaint town, local fishing, and now all the trendy spots.
Taggart: What is your favorite vacation spot?
Lia: I would say my favorite vacation spot is anywhere close to the beach. Thanks to my mom, and her love of the beach, she washed it into my sole. Montauk, Caribbean, Fla., NC,, ect… I am not picky as long as water, sand, surf, and fresh fish are involved.
Taggart: Name a few creative and inspirational heros:
Lia: Creative and inspirational hero’s are definitely Bobby Flay. Loved working for him, loved his personality and how he has grown his brand. Then I would have to say Gerry Hayden who recently died of ALS. A Long Island local chef who cared about people, food, and his land. God Bless him, he was an inspiration to all of us chefs.
Taggart: What ticks you off in the kitchen?
Lia: The thing that ticks me off in the kitchen is excuses. I would have at least 10 excuses why not to get out of bed in the morning. BUT I DON’T. I do it because I want to and need too, and love what I do. Go home if you want me to feel sorry for you. I would willingly do my job and yours.
Taggart: The Long Island restaurant atmosphere has come a long way. Serious variety, serious choices, and serious competition. Sad to see some come and go.
Lia: Yes the food industry is a long grueling career. Some people love it, some hate it, and some just do it, and don’t know another way. I think It’s very self explanatory. Sad, Happy, Up and Down. Its just the restaurant business. We feed people, and care, its not surgery. Sometimes I think being a surgeon might be easier then dealing with our clientele. We can't administer anesthesia.
Taggart: What do you do for fun away from cooking?
Lia: Fun to me is just cooking and feeding people I love.
Taggart: Who in the food world do you most admire?
Lia: I worked with Jacques Pepin once, watching his hands make a Galette was like watching a dancer move their feet. A very priceless point in my career.
Taggart: Favorite foods to cook with?
Lia: Mediterranean ingredients are my favorite, especially olive oil. Greek, Italian, Spanish. They all have an import flavor to bring to the table.
Taggart: What do you like to eat when you’re at home?
Lia: When I am home, I like to eat simply. It goes back to the theory less is more (That came from my upbringing) Tuscan salads with grilled meets and fish. One pot wonders. Ciambotta, A vegetable stew from Italy similar to Jambalaya. Ciambotta means Garbage in Italian. All the left over veggies in the fridge, my grandmother would say.
Taggart: Are there any foods you just don’t like?
Lia: I love all foods. I eat everything. If I haven’t tried it I will. The things that stick in my head that I don’t particularly care for are sea urchin. (Can take or leave it.) Blood sausage (The same)
Taggart: Backyard tomatoes are enjoyable. I hope the term “Farm to Table” and “Organic” is accurately used.
Lia: I think the term farm to table is totally misused. Some restaurants or neighbors, believe if they are serving any vegetable in the summer means from the farm/table. Asparagus/Brussel Sprouts/Cauliflower/Broccoli are the ones commonly confused. I have a hard time eating Asparagus anytime other then in the Spring or Brussel Sprouts or Cauliflower anytime other then in the Fall. I think you get it or you don’t. Why and why not comes from the love of farming. ‘Nough said.
Taggart: Favorite cookbooks?
Lia: I have a ton of cookbooks, that I don’t read, but can't seem to part with. If I had to choose, Green Eggs and Ham.
Taggart: Any books that you may write?
Lia: I have worked on a bunch of cookbooks for other chefs, maybe one day I will have a new concept or fun idea, that will inspire me to do it for myself.
Taggart: The Hargrave winery was the first on Long Island in 1973, and some thought it would not work, risks and opticals were plenty. They were not even farmers. According to the Long Island Wine Council, there are now over 50 wineries located on Long Island. Trailblazers and visionaries… yes?
Lia: Farmers with passion, drive and belief. I am proud to be a part of such a dedicated region. The neighbors that I partner with on a regular basis, and bring the talents of food and wine together. That’s priceless. We have all grown into a family that is proud of what we do and where we live.
Taggart: What do you most love about your job/career?
Lia: I love everything about what I do. It doesn’t feel like work when you do what you love to do.
Taggart: What’s your proudest accomplishment?
Lia: My proudest accomplishment I would have to say was opening up Amarelle, in Wading River. That was my first restaurant after a full career of food styling, recipe developing, catering and teaching. Everyone said the restaurant biz is completely different. It's hard. We don’t think you can do it, you love so many different things in this field, and love to bounce around. We can’t imagine you staying put on the line everyday. Well I did. I loved it, and I made it perfect. We had a great reputation that I worked hard at everyday. It was a challenge and I am proud to list it on the bucket list.
Taggart: Any fun food moments with a celebrity?
Lia: OMG there are a lot of fun memories working in production. I am lucky to have been apart of such an awesome team of professionals. Did screwy things happen? SURE. Never on the magic of TV. And somethings should just stay as that way.
Taggart: Any TV chef(s) that you admire?
Lia: I really admire Bobby Flay, I would have to say his style, way back when, was what I loved and inspired me on being a chef. His cookbook “Bold American Food”, was the first one I purchased as a married girl. (Age 22) I was happy to tell him so, too. There have been so many since then, that I have admired in one-way or another. I am proud to be a part of such a fast growing industry.
Taggart: Gordon Ramsey…entertainment, or helpful knowledge?
Lia: Gorden Ramsey! Everyone brings him up. I have watched his show a couple of times. I have never really been one of those people who watch the every week grueling kitchen reality shows. There is enough drama in a real life restaurant kitchen.
Taggart: Do you give cooking demos or cooking events?
Lia: I love passing on my knowledge of cooking and demonstrating with local neighbors the art of my passion. So you can stay tuned because I am sure to be seen doing cooking demos or wine and food pairings, at one of your favorite wineries, and definitely at the local farms. Andrew Family Farm, Sound Ave., in Wading River and Roanoke Vineyards, also Sound Ave., in Riverhead, are my two favorites. These people have become my family after working with them for so many years.
Taggart: I spent time, years ago with Harry Chapin at his house. Would you do a cooking demo for Long Island Cares? Location is not important.
Lia: I love giving back to the community. It is very important to me to be a part of local fundraising projects. Please keep me in mind for your next event.
Taggart: What else is there that readers might be interested in. What do people not know about you that you wish they did?
Lia: I am an Italian chef that was taught family is everything. I came from a family of farmers and both sides of my family have worked in the food industry. My love for food and entertaining is way more then skin deep. I am a true local girl that thrives on local crops and wine. I am a workaholic, which is bad and good all in one breath.
Taggart: What’s next on your creative agenda?
Lia: My next creative project is turning and turning in my head. So many thoughts and ideas. I will let it be known when my plans become final.
Taggart: Let’s wrap up with a good dinner. Where do we go? Italian...? Seafood...? Steakhouse...(Long Island/Metro area)
Lia: I rarely ever eat out at Italian restaurants. I can cook a good Italian meal with my eyes closed. I usually like to go to a new, noteworthy, trendy spot and go for the whole experience. I don’t get out often because of work, so I need to make it count. Seafood, Spanish, Thai, would be where I would head. This summer I had the pleasure of working as a private chef in the Hamptons and Montauk. I worked with high profile clients, usually for only three to four days a week. So I am happy to share. I am a chef with a tan working on the weekends, and sitting poolside during the week. I also worked on some recipe development for a new cookbook I was asked to be a part of. With all that said, I took part in the local happy hour scene at my local Japanese restaurant. My husband and I sat at the bar and I pretended to be a normal person. It felt good.
Wednesday, September 2, 2015
Chef Chat. Stories with Steve… at the Taggart Table
Chef Stephen Rosenbluth has nearly 20 years of experience in the hospitality industry and has helmed the kitchen in several notable Manhattan restaurants for the Patina Restaurant Group such as; Brasserie, Naples 45 and Nick + Stef’s Steakhouse, as well as Legal Seafoods in Garden City on Long Island.
Prior to his stints in the kitchen Stephen spent several summers working as a fisherman in Montauk. His passion for cooking and love for fishing has come together in Anchor Down, offering creative American seafood fare sourced locally whenever possible.
Read more about
Chef Steve at
Anchor Down
opened in the summer of 2014
Chef/owner Steve Rosenbluth has had the friendly courtesy to share some creative thoughts with Frank Duffy from the Taggart Table.....
The Taggart Table: So, what was breakfast today?
Steve Rosenbluth: I usually just grab an extra large iced coffee at 711 before I get on the Southern State.
Taggart: High school was in Queens?
Any creative memories there?
Steve: I went to high school in Bayside Queens. At this point I did not have any idea that I was going to be a chef. I did watch my European grandmother constantly cook interesting dishes from her native country which was Yugoslavia at the time.
Taggart: Name your favorite cheese?
Favorite spice(s)?
Steve: My favorite cheeses are triple cream Brie and manchego.
Taggart: When did you know you wanted to be a chef?
Steve:: I was working as a server at a restaurant called Naples 25 in the Americana shopping center and I became friends with the chef Andreas who asked me to start some shifts in the kitchen and learn a skill, so I took a fifty percent pay cut and started working the pantry station at the restaurant. Money was tough at some points especially when I moved out of my parents house and got my own apartment.
Taggart: Why is everyone taking pictures of their food?
(A chef’s perspective)
Steve: I don’t mind it very much, I sometimes do it myself, I do tend to pay more attention to these tables since I feel like they are more likely to post these pictures on the internet. Food and the way a chef plates food, it is considered art, so why not take a picture of it?
Taggart: Do you spend leisure time in NY?
Restaurants?
Steve: I usually go out with my family to restaurants similar to Anchor Down. I love being on the water. If we venture into Manhattan, my wife and I usually go visit an ex chef of mine or a very nice restaurant. We have not had much time since we opened the restaurant so we haven’t got out much.
Taggart: If you were not a chef, what would you be doing?
Steve: I am very interested in flying and always wanted to be a pilot but obviously that didn’t happen and at this point in my life, I don’t think anyone would trust me to fly an airplane.
Taggart: What's your favorite area of Long Island?
Steve: I love the North Fork and Montauk although I feel both are changing. I also love the area where I live because it is quaint and still very close to the city and other boroughs.
Taggart: What is your favorite vacation spot?
Steve: I have been going to Aruba since the early 80’s although it has commercialized drastically. The restaurants are still good and the people friendly. I try to go every year.
Taggart: Name a few creative and inspirational heros:
Steve: I love the food of Danielle Boulud and Eric Ripert. I have never tried Thomas Keller’s food but I am sure it is wonderful. There are also many chefs that I worked under who I look at as Mentors, way too many to name.
Taggart: What ticks you off in the kitchen?
Steve: People who act like they know more than they do, people that talk back and people that work dirty.
Taggart: The Long Island restaurant atmosphere has come along way. Serious variety, serious choices, and serious competition. Sad to see some come and go.
Steve: I feel that we entered the scene at the right time. The Long Island restaurants seem to be getting better and better with more variety. I am happy we have the community behind us, the people of Long Island appreciate good food.
Taggart: What do you do for fun away from cooking?
Fishing? Golf?
Steve: I used to fish quite frequently, I actually have a boat which I keep behind the restaurant but I have not have any time for fishing trips since we opened Anchor Down.
Taggart: Do you paint or draw?
Steve: I leave that up to my children. I am a pretty bad Drawer/Painter.
Taggart: Who in the food world do you most admire?
Steve: Some of my old bosses which I’d rather not mention names. I enjoy watching Anthony Bourdains shows and I admire the food of Danielle Boulud, Eric Ripert and many other chefs around the world.
Taggart: Favorite foods to cook with?
Steve: I truly enjoy cooking seasonally, I mostly enjoy using produce which show up around Spring such as ramps and fiddleheads in the Fall I love the different squashes and mushrooms.
Taggart: What do you like to eat when you’re at home?
Steve: I leave that up to my wife, she usually cooks a meal before I get home.
Taggart: Are there any foods you just don’t like?
Steve: I dislike shad roe very much.
Taggart: Backyard tomatoes are tremendous. I hope the term “Farm to Table” is accurately used.
Steve: I feel the term is overused very much.
Taggart: Favorite cookbooks?
Steve: I read many, but food lover’s companion is my favorite.
Taggart: Any books that you may write?
Steve: Not planning on that yet.
Taggart: The Hargrave winery was the first on Long Island in 1973, and some thought it would not work, risks and opticals were plenty. The were not even farmers.
According to the Long Island Wine Council, there are now 50 wineries located on Long Island. Trailblazers, visionaries… yes?
Steve: I believe Long Island wines have come a long way and the varietals have increased tremendously. There are some great winemakers out there but it is a short growing season and tough to produce a great wine.
Taggart: What do you most love about your job?
Steve: The creativity, guest satisfaction and positive feedback.
Taggart: What’s your proudest accomplishment?
Steve: Becoming an executive chef without any formal schooling, and of course, opening Anchor Down.
Taggart: Any fun food moments with a celebrity?
Steve: Taking pictures with Daniel in his kitchen.
Taggart: Do you give cooking demos or cooking events?
Steve: I have done many in the past which are available for viewing on You Tube but not since I’ve been out on the Island. I plan on doing some at the restaurant this winter.
Taggart: A Harry Chapin Quote… "So, in a world that has enough food to feed everybody twice over, and yet half a billion people are starving, and a country where there is enough food to feed everybody six times over and yet 20 million Americans are malnourished, there is something really basically wrong in the structure; otherwise we wouldn't have these symptoms."
Taggart: I spent time, years ago with Harry Chapin at his house. Would you do a cooking demo for Long Island Cares?
Steve: Absolutely.
Taggart: What else is there that readers might be interested in. What do people not know about you that you wish they did?
Steve: I truly care about each and every guests experience at the restaurant and I aim to please them all.
Taggart: What’s next on your creative agenda?
Steve: Stay Tuned but I do plan on making another move in the near future.
Taggart: Let’s wrap up with a good dinner. (besides Anchor Down) Where do we go?
Steve: Theres so many choices. I guess it depends on what myself and my family are in the mood to enjoy, there’s a sit down Chinese place that’s our go-to called ‘So Far So Good’, (17 Broadway, Lynbrook) if it’s me and my wife having a grown up night out we love Frankie’s Spuntino in Brooklyn. (457 Court Street)
Monday, August 10, 2015
Kevin is in the Kitchen…at The Taggart Table
From rising star, to Star Chef, Kevin Penner has quickly become an icon of the Hamptons restaurant scene, introducing a new standard of fine dining
Kevin Penner has opened and managed the kitchens at cittanuova, The 1770 House, Della Femina and the Star Room in East Hampton.
Prior to coming to East Hampton in 1992 to open Della Femina, Kevin worked in Seattle, Chicago and NYC at a number of impressive restaurants. Kevin’s ancestors go back to Germany and Russia.
Read more about
chef Kevin Penner:
Chef Kevin Penner has had the friendly courtesy to share some creative thoughts with
Frank Duffy from the Taggart Table.....
The Taggart Table: So, what was breakfast today?
Kevin Penner: Coffee
Taggart: If I pick you up in 10 minutes, for lunch, where do we go?
Kevin: Spicy & Tasty, an awesome Chinese/Sichuan restaurant on Prince St., in Flushing
Taggart: High school was in Hampton, Iowa?
Any creative memories there?
Kevin: There was a very enabling environment. There was an openness that I valued. The openness is what promotes creativity.
Taggart: Where was college?
Kevin: The University of Iowa where I studied history and philosophy. My culinary experiences were working in bakeries and then getting hotel and restaurant experience at the Iowa Memorial Union, which was overseen by a French chef who worked with Jean-Louis Palladin. (who died at an early age) He was one of the early big name French chefs to work in the United States. Jean-Louis Palladin was a mentor to many, and he played an important role in my early days.
Taggart: When did you know you wanted to be a chef?
Kevin: It was never an intention. My real intention was to go to graduate school and get my Ph D in Intellectual History, 19th and 20th century Europe, while I started cooking. When college was done I stuck with cooking.
Taggart: Any favorite cheese?
Favorite spices?
Kevin: All of them
Taggart: Why is everyone taking pictures of their food?
(A chef’s perspective)
Kevin: Captures a particular place in time. It serves as a visual checkpoint for where you have been. It helps you navigate your way down the path of cooking.
Taggart:
Do you spend leisure time in NY? Restaurants? Theatre?
Museums, Galleries?
Kevin: All of the above. I love going in there. I love museums all over the world.
Taggart: If you were not a chef, what would you be doing?
Kevin: I would be doing some travel writing. It’s hard to imagine at this point without some connection to food. And I do like growing it as well.
I grew up working on farms in Iowa.
Taggart: What’s your favorite area of Long Island?
Kevin: I am pretty fond of being on the farms, in the vineyards and tasting rooms on either of the two forks.
Taggart: What is your favorite vacation spot?
Kevin: Emilia-Romagna in Parma or Bologna. It’s the real agricultural heart of Italy. Great for vineyards, growing livestock, making vinegar, making cheeses, and olive oils. Another place would be Barcelona. These are great places for celebrating food.
Taggart: Name a few creative and inspirational heros:
Kevin: My parents who encouraged me to do whatever I wanted to do, Chef Charlie Trotter (who died at the age of 54 from a stroke). People who encourage craftsmanship and passion are important.
Taggart: What ticks you off in the kitchen?
Kevin: Lack of organization, sloppiness, not keeping the work area clean, and lack of communication.
Taggart: The Long Island restaurant atmosphere has come a long way. There is serious variety, serious choices, and serious competition. Sad to see some come and go.
Kevin: There should be less fast food. Sadly, there is a large chunk of Long Island that relies on fast food. It would be nice to see more people peddling locally grown foods. One of the saddest things for me is someone having a meal in a car. It’s horrible and sad, and it’s dangerous.
Taggart: What do you do for fun away from cooking?
Kevin: Fishing and travel, trying different cuisines, visiting farms and wineries. I do a lot of reading.
Taggart: Who in the food world do you most admire?
Kevin: I cooked for Craig Claiborne and many east end people and I spent some time with Warner LeRoy, Pierre Franey and Jacques Pépin. James Beard is important, even though he was before my time. I think I have made four or five appearances at the James Beard House over the years. I also worked for Charlie Trotter. That’s a good bunch of pretty big names.
Taggart: Favorite foods to cook with?
Kevin: Olive oil for sure, from different areas, from Italy or Sicily or Greece. I use lot of anchovies. Fish sauce from southeast Asia. Herbs and spices give food a lot of identity. Cumin and coriander are the cornerstones of cooking in my opinion. I like to cook with yogurt and cheese, and of course shallots, garlic and onions.
Taggart: What do you like to eat when you’re at home?
Kevin: I almost never eat at home.
Taggart: Are there any foods you just don’t like?
Kevin: Fast Food. Anything that is posing as food that comes from a grocery store. I am of the opinion that grocery stores aren’t really in the business of selling food, they are in the business of selling stuff designed to last forever....not to taste good or be nutritious. Most of the ideas of convenience sold by corporate culture in the US have ruined everything. The health of people, the health of the earth, the health of cooking and it’s sad.
Taggart: Backyard tomatoes are tremendous. I hope the term “Farm to Table” is accurately used.
Kevin: For the most part, it is, but you have to question your sources. On the east end, most of it is pretty solid.
Taggart: Favorite cookbooks?
Kevin: Jean-Louis Palladin’s book “Cooking with the Seasons” Books with metric measurements are more accurate. I like cookbooks with great stories and great pictures. History and culture is important as well as recipes.
Taggart: Any books that you may write?
Kevin: I would be open to it…there is more to cookbooks than recipes, great culture, knowledge and stories about cuisines are important.
Taggart: The Hargrave winery was the first on Long Island in 1973, and some thought it would not work, risks and opticals were plenty.
According to the Long Island Wine Council, there are now over 50 wineries located on Long Island. They were not even farmers. Trailblazers and visionaries… yes?
Kevin: A lot of people learned about the soil, the climate and the culture and jumped on the bandwagon and turned it around. Farming is hard work. I thought about being a farmer, I am glad I chose being a chef.
Taggart: What do you most love about your job?
Kevin: The creative factor. I have had exposure to a lot of different cuisines and different ingredients. I love the fact that I am engaged in the act of making something real.
Taggart: What’s your proudest accomplishment?
Kevin: Three, three star reviews from Newsday from three different restaurants. “The Culinary Hat Trick” as Peter Gianotti called it. Same with the Times. Having taught other cooks is a great thing.
Taggart: Any fun food moments with a celebrity?
Kevin: Many. When I was at Della Femina, Billy Joel came in a lot. One day he came in for lunch and ordered a 40 oz Porterhouse for two. We were not serving lunch at the time, and we accommodated him easily.
Taggart: Any TV chef(s) that you like.
Kevin: There are people that teach and the others who entertain. Ina Garten, “The Barefoot Contessa”, who I have known for over 20 years is awesome. There are elements of teaching and instruction with her. Anthony Bourdain has done a lot, and he is good for the same reasons.
Taggart: Gordon Ramsey…entertainment, or helpful knowledge?
Kevin: He can be both I guess. I have honestly never watched him on TV but some of his YouTube videos are very nice. He is a polarizing figure for sure.
Taggart: Do you give cooking demos or cooking events?
Kevin: Yes I have done a lot of them over the years.
Taggart: I spent time, years ago with Harry Chapin at his house. Would you do a cooking demo for Long Island Cares? Location is not important.
Kevin: Of course, perhaps at a winery.
Taggart: What else is there that readers might be interested in. What do people not know about you that you wish they did?
Kevin: They can keep up with me on my website which can be found at chefkevinpenner.com I am currently interested in exploring food, cooking and travel outside of the world of restaurants. I want to expand the lens through which we view food and entertaining.
Taggart: What’s next on your creative agenda?
Kevin: I want to promote cooking and food education for non-chefs. People need to know more about cooking and their food choices.
Taggart: Let’s wrap up with a good dinner. Where do we go?
Kevin: Stone Creek Inn, Montauk Highway, East Quogue. I hear many great things about it and I have never been there. Christian Mir, the chef/owner is a great guy. And Pizzetteria Brunetti, Main Street in Westhampton. The pizza is spectacular
Friday, July 24, 2015
Cheese, Crackers and Chef Chris… at the Taggart Table
Chris Singlemann’s interest in cooking goes back to his youth coming from large family and spending the summer’s with his Grandfather who was a Chef developing recipes for Bickfords in New England.
Chris started his career at the four star French restaurant, La Mascotte in Commack and worked for some of the finest French & Italian Chefs in the industry. Chris obtained his AOS in Culinary Arts at Johnson & Wales University, had the opportunity to train a short stint in France and he became the Executive Chef at Watermill Caterers in 1995.
Currently, Chris is the Vice President of the Eastern Long Island Chapter of the American Culinary Federation. In 2014 he received the Presidential award and more recently was named Chef of the Year by the Eastern Long Island Chapter.
Read more about
Chef Chris Singlemann
http://www.watermillcaterers.com
Chef Chris Singlemann has had the friendly courtesy to share some creative thoughts with Frank Duffy from the Taggart Table.....
The Taggart Table: So, what was breakfast today?
Chris Singlemann: My wife was kind enough to make me pancakes with fresh blueberries from our backyard, turkey bacon and cranberry juice.
Taggart: High school was in Hauppauge?
Any creative memories there?
And a Johnson & Wales University graduate?
Chris: High school culinary memories go back to Boces Culinary program, I was fortunate enough to have Mr. Arcery as one of my instructors. He was a man who inspired all his students to be the best they could be. It did not matter weather you wanted to do fine dinning, casual, a la carte, catering or just good home cooking, just do it with passion and do it to the best of your ability.
Johnson & Wales was a great opportunity and I am grateful for the foundation it has given me.
Taggart: You come from a family, of nine. Lots of food, lots of cooking …and no leftovers?
Chris: Never leftovers & you learned to eat quickly. If you did not eat quickly you did not get seconds, everyone else did. This suited me fine, as any Chef knows, you eat quickly & on the run.
Taggart: Watermill Caterers
since 1995....
That’s a labor of love…
Chris: So often I am told I am an enigma, nobody in this industry stays in the same job for that long. For me; my career and life has to be about relationships and balance. I have come across many individuals who think the grass is always greener on the other side and not appreciating what they have in front of them. I have been very fortunate to have a family, an employer, colleagues and friends who have supported ALL my efforts, excursions, growth, and education through out my culinary journey. This keeps my passion alive, I believe the greatest aspect of our industry is the sharing of ideas and experiences.
Taggart: When did you know you wanted to be a chef?
Chris: At a very young age, I always loved hanging out with my Grandfather in the kitchen or making different dishes for my family to try. We would pick items from the garden, Pepe (that was my grandfather) was big on making stocks, soups and we did a lot of canning, preserving!
Why is everyone taking pictures of their food?
(A chef’s perspective): So our society has become an extremely visual community, technologically and media based. If you do not keep up with this you are dead in the water. We take pictures of our food to show what we can do, how we may be experimenting and to once again not only share ideas but hopefully inspire each other to reach out of our comfort zones.
Taggart: If you were not a chef, what would you be doing?
Chris: I cannot imagine not being able to do something without food! It is a crazy and demanding industry; not only on us who live it everyday, but maybe more so one the ones who love and surround us. This is what makes me happy, to this day my wife does not understand when I say how just cooking at home relaxes me!
Taggart: Whats your favorite area of Long Island?
Chris: East End, wineries and farms, beaches!
Taggart: What is your favorite vacation spot?
Chris: My Backyard!
Taggart: Name a few creative and inspirational heros:
Chris: Steve Jobs and Bill Gates! Two men who not only changed any industry but changed how the world thinks!
Taggart: What ticks you off in the kitchen?
Chris: Complacency!
Taggart: What do you do for fun away from cooking?
Fishing? Golf?
Chris: Yoga, bike ride, golf!
Taggart: Who in the food world do you most admire?
Chris: I admire Thomas Keller, a man who stuck to what he believed in, when others did not understand what he was doing. I also believe Chef Keller combined new techniques and technology, while staying true to many traditional methods and never sacrificed flavor for flare!
Taggart: Favorite foods to cook with?
Chris: Venison, a variety of game meats, fresh tomatoes and vegetables
Taggart: What do you like to eat when you’re at home?
Chris: Very simple, healthy, basic natural flavors!
Taggart: Are there any foods you just don’t like?
Chris: Brains, just cannot relate to the texture of them.
Taggart: Backyard veggies are exciting. I hope the term “Farm to Table” is accurately used.
Chris: I think it is a term extremely abused. I love to eat from my own garden in my backyard & I am trying to develop stronger relationships with different Long Island Farmers, but we are not even close to farm to table. I believe I could count one one hand, how many restaurants on Long Island TRULY represent this term.
Taggart: Any books that you may write?
Chris: Hmmmm!
Taggart: What do you most love about your job?
Chris: I love the aspect that you can never know everything. It never gets boring, aside from such a variety of cuisines (individual regions), ever changing techniques, personal interpretations and styles, we also have an expanding global market (making more intriguing product available).
Taggart: What’s your proudest accomplishment?
Chris: I feel my greatest success has come from using my talents and those around me to benefit others. I am proud of being part of the teams that put together Sweet Dreams (fundraiser for Autistic Children, ran 5 years) and more recently SEED (Sustainable East End Development). I believe one of the greatest assets of our industry is giving back to the community.
Taggart: Do you give cooking demos or cooking events?
Chris: I have done numerous cooking demos and events in the past and I am always eager to share in any in the future for a good cause.
Taggart: A Harry Chapin Quote… "So, in a world that has enough food to feed everybody twice over, and yet half a billion people are starving, and a country where there is enough food to feed everybody six times over and yet 20 million Americans are malnourished, there is something really basically wrong in the structure; otherwise we wouldn't have these symptoms."
Taggart: I spent time, years ago with Harry Chapin at his house. Would you do a cooking demo for Long Island Cares?
Chris: It would be my pleasure and honor to be a part of it!
Taggart: Let’s wrap up with a good dinner. (besides Watermill) Where do we go?
Chris: There is so much talent on Long Island, I like Orto in Mt Sinai, East-West Bistro in Hicksville, Lola in Great Neck, has a great new young chef de cusine.
Christopher Singlemann…
Certified Executive Chef
and Vice President ACF Eastern Long Island
Friday, July 10, 2015
Thyme with Tom at the Taggart Table…
Tom Schaudel is considered by many as Long Island’s top chef. Tom is one of Long Island's most prolific, prominent and dominant chefs, and has been the driving force behind many top Long Island restaurants, since 1983. Over the years Tom has owned more than a dozen restaurants and has received numerous awards over the years from The James Beard House, The Magro Foundation, The Child Life Rainbow Program, The Wine Spectator, The Wine Enthusiast, The Long Island Food Critic, Island Harvest, Long Island Press Best of the Best, and Dan’s Papers and in 2010 was the inaugural inductee to the Long Island Restaurant Hall of Fame. Tom has left an indelible mark on the Long Island culinary industry. Currently, Tom owns four Long Island restaurants and a catering business including Jewel. His impact is undeniable, say industry leaders.
Tom Schaudel is Long Island’s homegrown restaurant king.
Read more about Tom
at his website:
http://tomschaudel.com
Tom has had the friendly courtesy to share some creative thoughts with Frank Duffy from the Taggart Table.....
The Taggart Table: So, what was breakfast today?
Tom Schaudel: Hazelnut de-caf and a diet peach snapple
Taggart: High school was in Carle Place?
Any creative memories there?
Tom: I wasn't much into high school and was working full time by sixteen years old. I did do some interesting woodworking in Mr. Peterson's shop class
Taggart: And a Culinary graduate in 1973?
Tom: Yeah, it seems so long ago. I made some life-long friends there...and drank a lot of beer.
Taggart: When did you know you wanted to be a chef?
Tom: By sixteen I'd pretty much figured it out. I'd been working in a steak house and I fell in love with the restaurant culture and the pirate's life in the kitchen. I had a guidance counselor named Art Smulyan who I liked very much. WE wound up spending a lot of time together because of my aversion to school work. I told him, somewhat reluctantly, that I liked cooking and he suggested that I try to go to a cooking school. I had no idea that they even existed.
Taggart: If you were not a chef, what would you be doing?
Tom: I think probably a musician. It's a parallel existence, really. You have an art form, a way to express yourself, an audience, a performance, and if you're lucky, some groupies who follow you.
Taggart: What's your favorite area of Long Island?
Tom: There's always going to be a soft spot for Carle Place for obvious reasons, having grown up there, but my heart lies on the East End. I've lived in East Hampton, Montauk, and now Jamesport. I considered East Hampton my "Hometown" for a long time now but have since moved to the other Fork. There's a lot about the South Fork that I miss, but as I mellow out some I think the North Fork is now a better fit.
Taggart: What is your favorite vacation spot?
Tom: Any place that has great restaurants, great wines, and if possible, a beach. I've been doing Europe of late but I think it's time to get back the the Caribbean.
Taggart: Name a few creative and inspirational heros:
Tom: George Strunz, my grandfather. The kindest man I ever knew. Tom Waits, just the best songwriter. Steve Vai, the greatest guitar player I've ever seen. Muhammad Ali, he NEVER, EVER quit.
Taggart: What ticks you off in the kitchen?
Tom: Passionless effort. Why bother?
Taggart: What do you do for fun away from cooking?
Tom: Golf and guitar and still trying to get better at both.
Taggart: Do you paint or draw?
Tom: I can't even draw my signature and if I painted, it would be houses not portraits.
Taggart: Say a few words about your band….
How often do you play?
Tom: We play a lot in the summer. I'm lucky to be surrounded by phenomenal musicians. I'm really not sure why they let me in the band, frankly. Hurricane is Brian Le Clerc (Monster guitar player), Mike Le Clerc (Bass), James Benard (Drums) and Klyph Black (Guitar and slide). I also play an acoustic duo with guitar wizard, Mike Dorio on a year round basis. I've been fortunate to have played with some incredible talent over the years: Steve Vai, Andy Aledort, Bosco Michne, Frank Fornay, John Spanierman, and Johnny Ray, to name a few. It's been quite a ride.
Taggart: Who in the food world do you most admire?
Tom: There are many to be admired and I do but I'll name two. The first is Jean Georges Vongerichten. He's the man that, through his use of vegetable juices and such changed the way the world thought about food. That's huge. Anyone can make a great dish but to change the habits of an entire art form? Wow. Thomas Keller would be my second because he never sold out his art, struggled his ass off, and finally found his audience. He NEVER, EVER quit. and we should all be glad he didn't.
Taggart: Favorite foods to cook with?
Tom: I'm a fish guy at heart. There are so many varieties and so many ways that you could cook a particular piece of fish every day for years and not duplicate the dish. Add sauces, vegetable, vinaigrettes, ect and the possibilities are endless.
Taggart: What do you like to eat when you’re at home?
Tom: I really don't eat at home. I do have cheeses on hand in case of an emergency but nothing in the way of food.
Taggart: Are there any foods you just don’t like?
Tom: I'm not wild about okra and I can' get chicken or beef liver down, but I can eat my weight in foie gras. Odd, no?
Taggart: Favorite cookbooks?
Tom: Alfred Portale's Gotham cookbook comes to mind, The French Laundry cookbook. And the writings of Gensel, the only chef author of his time to write about the horrible condition of the kitchens and the trials of working in them. I have several hundred more and cherish them all.
Taggart: Where can we find your book: “Playing with Fire: Whining & Dining on the Gold Coast.”
(besides Amazon)
Tom: It's available at my restaurants and wineries and bookstores on the East End.
Taggart: Where can we find your wines, besides your restaurants?
Tom: In my cellar. :-) I make them exclusively for the restaurants and my own amusement.
Taggart: What do you most love about your job?
Tom: I get to create at my own pace and fancy. It's the greatest art form out there...and then you eat it...and start all over again.
Taggart: Is Jewel your proudest accomplishment?
Tom: That's like asking who's your favorite child. I only have one so the answer is easy, and she's my greatest accomplishment.
Taggart: Do you give cooking demos or cooking events?
Tom:I do occasionally do cooking demo although I have nothing scheduled at the moment. We do events all the time: charities and such.
Taggart: I spent time, years ago with Harry Chapin at his house. Would you do a cooking demo for Long Island Cares?
Tom: Sure, no problem.
Taggart: What else is there that readers might be interested in. What do people not know about you that you wish they did?
Tom: I'm afraid of spiders
Tom Schaudel is considered by many as Long Island’s top chef. Tom is one of Long Island's most prolific, prominent and dominant chefs, and has been the driving force behind many top Long Island restaurants, since 1983. Over the years Tom has owned more than a dozen restaurants and has received numerous awards over the years from The James Beard House, The Magro Foundation, The Child Life Rainbow Program, The Wine Spectator, The Wine Enthusiast, The Long Island Food Critic, Island Harvest, Long Island Press Best of the Best, and Dan’s Papers and in 2010 was the inaugural inductee to the Long Island Restaurant Hall of Fame. Tom has left an indelible mark on the Long Island culinary industry. Currently, Tom owns four Long Island restaurants and a catering business including Jewel. His impact is undeniable, say industry leaders.
Tom Schaudel is Long Island’s homegrown restaurant king.
Read more about Tom
at his website:
http://tomschaudel.com
Tom has had the friendly courtesy to share some creative thoughts with Frank Duffy from the Taggart Table.....
The Taggart Table: So, what was breakfast today?
Tom Schaudel: Hazelnut de-caf and a diet peach snapple
Taggart: High school was in Carle Place?
Any creative memories there?
Tom: I wasn't much into high school and was working full time by sixteen years old. I did do some interesting woodworking in Mr. Peterson's shop class
Taggart: And a Culinary graduate in 1973?
Tom: Yeah, it seems so long ago. I made some life-long friends there...and drank a lot of beer.
Taggart: When did you know you wanted to be a chef?
Tom: By sixteen I'd pretty much figured it out. I'd been working in a steak house and I fell in love with the restaurant culture and the pirate's life in the kitchen. I had a guidance counselor named Art Smulyan who I liked very much. WE wound up spending a lot of time together because of my aversion to school work. I told him, somewhat reluctantly, that I liked cooking and he suggested that I try to go to a cooking school. I had no idea that they even existed.
Taggart: If you were not a chef, what would you be doing?
Tom: I think probably a musician. It's a parallel existence, really. You have an art form, a way to express yourself, an audience, a performance, and if you're lucky, some groupies who follow you.
Taggart: What's your favorite area of Long Island?
Tom: There's always going to be a soft spot for Carle Place for obvious reasons, having grown up there, but my heart lies on the East End. I've lived in East Hampton, Montauk, and now Jamesport. I considered East Hampton my "Hometown" for a long time now but have since moved to the other Fork. There's a lot about the South Fork that I miss, but as I mellow out some I think the North Fork is now a better fit.
Taggart: What is your favorite vacation spot?
Tom: Any place that has great restaurants, great wines, and if possible, a beach. I've been doing Europe of late but I think it's time to get back the the Caribbean.
Taggart: Name a few creative and inspirational heros:
Tom: George Strunz, my grandfather. The kindest man I ever knew. Tom Waits, just the best songwriter. Steve Vai, the greatest guitar player I've ever seen. Muhammad Ali, he NEVER, EVER quit.
Taggart: What ticks you off in the kitchen?
Tom: Passionless effort. Why bother?
Taggart: What do you do for fun away from cooking?
Tom: Golf and guitar and still trying to get better at both.
Taggart: Do you paint or draw?
Tom: I can't even draw my signature and if I painted, it would be houses not portraits.
Taggart: Say a few words about your band….
How often do you play?
Tom: We play a lot in the summer. I'm lucky to be surrounded by phenomenal musicians. I'm really not sure why they let me in the band, frankly. Hurricane is Brian Le Clerc (Monster guitar player), Mike Le Clerc (Bass), James Benard (Drums) and Klyph Black (Guitar and slide). I also play an acoustic duo with guitar wizard, Mike Dorio on a year round basis. I've been fortunate to have played with some incredible talent over the years: Steve Vai, Andy Aledort, Bosco Michne, Frank Fornay, John Spanierman, and Johnny Ray, to name a few. It's been quite a ride.
Taggart: Who in the food world do you most admire?
Tom: There are many to be admired and I do but I'll name two. The first is Jean Georges Vongerichten. He's the man that, through his use of vegetable juices and such changed the way the world thought about food. That's huge. Anyone can make a great dish but to change the habits of an entire art form? Wow. Thomas Keller would be my second because he never sold out his art, struggled his ass off, and finally found his audience. He NEVER, EVER quit. and we should all be glad he didn't.
Taggart: Favorite foods to cook with?
Tom: I'm a fish guy at heart. There are so many varieties and so many ways that you could cook a particular piece of fish every day for years and not duplicate the dish. Add sauces, vegetable, vinaigrettes, ect and the possibilities are endless.
Taggart: What do you like to eat when you’re at home?
Tom: I really don't eat at home. I do have cheeses on hand in case of an emergency but nothing in the way of food.
Taggart: Are there any foods you just don’t like?
Tom: I'm not wild about okra and I can' get chicken or beef liver down, but I can eat my weight in foie gras. Odd, no?
Taggart: Favorite cookbooks?
Tom: Alfred Portale's Gotham cookbook comes to mind, The French Laundry cookbook. And the writings of Gensel, the only chef author of his time to write about the horrible condition of the kitchens and the trials of working in them. I have several hundred more and cherish them all.
Taggart: Where can we find your book: “Playing with Fire: Whining & Dining on the Gold Coast.”
(besides Amazon)
Tom: It's available at my restaurants and wineries and bookstores on the East End.
Taggart: Where can we find your wines, besides your restaurants?
Tom: In my cellar. :-) I make them exclusively for the restaurants and my own amusement.
Taggart: What do you most love about your job?
Tom: I get to create at my own pace and fancy. It's the greatest art form out there...and then you eat it...and start all over again.
Taggart: Is Jewel your proudest accomplishment?
Tom: That's like asking who's your favorite child. I only have one so the answer is easy, and she's my greatest accomplishment.
Taggart: Do you give cooking demos or cooking events?
Tom:I do occasionally do cooking demo although I have nothing scheduled at the moment. We do events all the time: charities and such.
Taggart: I spent time, years ago with Harry Chapin at his house. Would you do a cooking demo for Long Island Cares?
Tom: Sure, no problem.
Taggart: What else is there that readers might be interested in. What do people not know about you that you wish they did?
Tom: I'm afraid of spiders
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