Kitchen Conjurers

Fifteen chefs worth watching as they help shape foodservice's future

By Allison Perlik, Senior Editor -- Restaurants & Institutions, 12/1/2003

Julia Child once said, “Noncooks think it’s silly to invest two hours’ work in two minutes’ enjoyment, but if cooking is evanescent, well, so is the ballet.”

Restaurants and Institutions introduces 15 chefs who are enthralled and fulfilled by the challenges of developing dishes that give joy to customers, even if only for two minutes. They may cook for hundreds each day, but their focus always is on pleasing each individual who savors their offerings. These are men and women from all segments of foodservice—quick-service and casual-dining chains, independents, schools, corporate dining and healthcare—who pursue mastery of the alchemy that is food preparation.

Foodservice’s future is shaped by the ideas and dedication of thousands of kitchen professionals. The chefs profiled here were selected as worthy representatives whose creativity and commitment to fresh thinking bear watching now and in years ahead.

Martin Saylor
Executive Chef,
Federal Reserve Board of Governors, Washington, D.C.

With a staff of 34, Martin Saylor produced exquisite dishes at Washington, D.C.’s trendy Butterfield 9, garnering a reputation for robust flavors applied to upscale American cuisine.

In October, Saylor switched gears, leaving the long evening hours of restaurant foodservice to join the Federal Reserve Board of Governors as executive chef. With a staff of 24, he serves 1,800 employees and oversees à la carte catering for nine private dining rooms. “Cooking at the Federal Reserve reminds me of corporate dining with very high-end food,’’ he says.

Saylor brings organization skills learned cooking in the U.S. Navy, as well as a penchant for bold flavors and simple presentations. Recent menu items demonstrate both: filet mignon on blue-cheese ravioli with Cabernet sauce, and seared diver scallops on root-vegetable purée.

Immediate goals include upgrading food products and using more fresh ingredients in the cafeteria. Menu ideas include bold dishes such as seafood paella and use of rotisseries for duck, chicken and pork loin. “My goal is to present simple, fresh food with finesse and serve the same high-caliber food of Butterfield 9 in catering,’’ he adds.

Examples include Cobb salad that uses spinach with ingredients layered in a mold, and jumbo-lump crab cakes made with polenta, Parmesan cheese and anise-flavored liqueur. A fondness for Mediterranean flavors shows in saffron couscous with grilled red snapper in black-olive sauce. —M.S.

Anne Albertine
Manager of Idea Discovery,
Taco Bell, Irvine, Calif.

Taco Bell’s menu has come a long way since the 49-cent taco, and Anne Albertine has been driving for much of the ride. A nine-year veteran in product development at the chain, Albertine embraces the company’s philosophy/advertising slogan: “Think outside the bun.”

Under her direction, new products have flowed regularly down the pipeline at Taco Bell. Recent additions such as Fiesta Salsa—a mix of tomatoes, onion and cilantro that can substitute for sauce and cheese on any item—speak to customers’ increasing demand for fresh-tasting, healthful options. Items such as the Zesty Chicken Bowl address the call for new, bold flavors.

The Grilled Stuft Burrito line marked an important step forward for Taco Bell, Albertine says. The product required restaurants to add grills to their cook line, an upgrade that paved the way for later introductions such as quesadillas.

In developing new items, Albertine views her role as creating options for consumers. She starts by asking three questions: “How can I make this extremely wonderful? How can we involve more of the senses than appearance, taste and texture? How can I make this more of an experience?”

Brainstorming for fresh ideas is a common tactic, involving culinary personnel as well as operations staff, suppliers and industry outsiders.

As menu steward for the 40-plus-year-old chain, Albertine recognizes her responsibility in positioning the brand for continued success.

“Competition has changed. There’s a proliferation of different kinds of QSRs and options consumers have,” she says. “We are a maturing brand. We need to be very cognizant of how we grow and what kind of new products we do.” —A.P.

Johnny Iuzzini
Executive Pastry Chef,
Jean Georges, New York City

For Johnny Iuzzini, calm is never a preferred state. The wunderkind who headed pastry departments for Daniel Boulud and François Payard awaits havoc.

“I am not happy unless I have a challenge,” says Iuzzini in his lightening-quick cadence. “I push myself as hard as I can. It’s easy to be mediocre.”

Though Iuzzini was mentored by Boulud at Daniel and Payard at his namesake pâtisserie, he is decidedly American. He grew up in upstate New York, taking to heart the strong work ethic held by his father.

Seasonal ingredients and updated classics make up his repertoire, but he is blazing a trail that sets him apart. Iuzzini wields the art of pastry with sound technique, an understanding of harmonious flavors and a playful imagination. Desserts are a work in progress, he says, because they can always be better.

His menu offers items under the categories of chocolate, orchard, exotic and the current season. Examples include chocolate-espresso parfait with phyllo and caramelized banana; and mango soufflé with piña colada anglaise and passion-fruit seeds.

With his two pastry sous-chefs and eight cooks, desserts at Jean Georges are a collaborative effort. Iuzzini spends his time devising new flavor combinations and talking to colleagues about pastry.

“JG [Jean-Georges Vongerichten] pushes me to experiment with ethnic influences,” he says. “I never want to be satisfied; I always want to be better.”—L.Y.

Peter Gibbons
Senior Director of Research and Development,
Burger King, Miami

An air of excitement has permeated Burger King’s test kitchens ever since the company determined that brand revitalization starts at the top. The new era that began when CEO Brad Blum and President Robert Nilsen—veterans of Darden Restaurants and Yum! Brands, respectively—took over the chain’s leadership nearly one year ago brought with it a flurry of activity in menu and new product development, says Peter Gibbons.

Gibbons sees opportunity in the company’s goal of refocusing the menu on the brand’s core equities and reshaping products to today’s tastes. In creating all introductions, including such 2003 launches as the Fire Grilled Chicken Baguette, the goal is to achieve alignment with the brand strategy: reinforcing the value of the fire-grilled cooking method and delivering contemporary, high-impact flavors.

Recent products reflect lessons learned from previous menu additions that did not catch on as hoped, such as the BK Back Porch and Homestyle Grillers, Gibbons says.

“Every time we do a national promotion we do a post-mortem—what we did right, things we could have done better,” he says. “What we learned from last year made the baguette introduction more potent and cohesive.” —A.P.

Gary Arthur
Executive Chef and Operations Manager,
LINX at James H. Clark Center,
Stanford University, Stanford, Calif.

Gary Arthur’s exposure to international cuisines at restaurants and hotels in North America and Asia sets him apart from many chefs in the noncommercial sector. The native of Trinidad joined LINX at Stanford’s James H. Clark Center in August after a stint in Hong Kong as chef de cuisine at The Excelsior Hotel.

Arthur says the appeal of working at LINX is serving well-traveled and food-savvy customers, including many scientists from around the world. His goals at LINX are to stabilize food quality and create more value-conscious meals and vegetarian items.

The facility features three retail outlets, including Main Street (American cuisine), Mosaic (Mediterranean and Indian) and Asian-inspired Pao. Menu items range from crab cakes and corn fitters to steamed pork buns and duck spring rolls.

Campus life is far removed from the luxuries Arthur enjoyed cooking at five-star hotels. His resume includes positions at The Fairmont in San Francisco as well as working as a cook apprentice at 16 at the United Nations in New York City.

“Stanford offers excitement and an international audience,’’ he says. “Customers make that decision to eat at LINX every day. Getting them to return is my challenge.’’ —M.S.

Koren Grieveson
Chef de Cuisine,
Avec, Chicago

Koren Grieveson is redefining the art of simple cooking at Avec, a communal-dining wine bar featuring Mediterranean cuisine.

With solidly mastered techniques, Grieveson combines a handful of ingredients to create bold, rustic food indicative of the coastal wine-rich regions of France, Italy and Spain. “It’s just the food you would eat if you were there,” Grieveson says of duck confit, bourride (a fish soup) and spicy meatballs with chickpeas, chard and orzo.

Deep, bright flavors that contrast, complement and regale is a cooking style to which Grieveson subscribes, a philosophy espoused by Paul Kahan, chef-owner of Blackbird, where she was sous-chef for 41/2 years before he opened Avec next door.

Selecting and pairing ingredients that already have flavor and character instead of creating it all through cooking help achieve her brand of simplicity. For example, she allows seasonal produce, house-made salumi, cheese, citrus and herbs to work the magic and assists by using technique to unleash an explosive taste profile. The menu of small and large plates encourages sampling and sharing but leaves diners wanting more.

Grieveson trains and mentors by example. Technique is paramount, so she is hands-on, showing cooks exactly how a dish should be prepared. “There is nothing I would expect them to do that I wouldn’t do myself,” says Grieveson as she bones and cleans fresh sardines, a job that is as tedious as a cook could do. —L.Y.

Lawrence McFadden
Vice President of Culinary and Corporate Executive Chef,
The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Co., Chevy Chase, Md.

For the first time in his award-winning career, Lawrence McFadden is spending more time behind a desk than in front of a stove, but there the chef will have greater impact on food and menus. In his recently assumed post, McFadden will work with chefs at 54 hotels worldwide, developing and directing culinary programs for The Ritz-Carlton’s restaurants.

McFadden knows he has to outpace the competition and consider the ever-changing needs of the consumers, which vary among the properties. His training and experience have him well prepared to take on the challenge.

Before taking his current position, McFadden was executive chef at the company’s Naples, Fla., property, where he directed foodservice for nine restaurants. His career also included stints as executive chef at The Ritz-Carlton on Amelia Island and as executive sous-chef at The Waldorf-Astoria in New York City.

In the last year, The Ritz-Carlton has embarked on a markedly different approach to foodservice by shedding formal dining rooms for concepts with verve and more-relaxed dining. Part of McFadden’s job includes furthering the approach, but with lessons learned.

“At the end of the day, I am a chef,” he says. “It’s my job to ensure that the food and beverage are quality, cutting edge and current with what the customer wants, and that we are known for that far after I leave.” —L.Y.

Luis Marquez
Corporate Chef,
Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Texas, Richardson, Texas

Luis Marquez and Mike Hoptay, director of food services, faced a challenge in 1999: Outsource foodservice for 2,400 employees or make it more viable despite reduced subsidy. Marquez, then a seven-year employee of Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Texas, tore up the menu and started over, determined to stay self-operated.

Marquez initiated new vendor relationships to buy smarter. He added cross-training for foodservice staff and redesigned menus and presentations. He added more ethnic recipes and established five new cooking stations. To attract new customers, he created indoor street fairs and special menus to recognize employees’ heritages. Recipes in the four-week menu cycle reflect the multicultural diversity of its customers who come from Central and South America, Asia and Europe. These and other strategies increased participation from 50% to 90%, allowing the operation to run at near-zero subsidy.

In addition, Marquez’s goal of serving food that reflects Blue Cross and Blue Shield’s corporate wellness initiatives inspired an ongoing effort to reduce fat and sodium in all recipes without loss of flavor or taste. —M.S.

Peter Serantoni
Senior Vice President and Chief Culinary Officer,
Chevys Fresh Mex, Emeryville, Calif.

Peter Serantoni has a full plate. As culinary guide for the chain that trademarked the “Fresh Mex” moniker, he’s currently presiding over three menu tests in California alone: brunch in Sacramento, dessert in Emeryville and a next-generation menu in Santa Rosa. The 117 Chevys units across the country soon roll out new small-plates offerings as well.

Throughout Serantoni’s menu, Mexico serves as a beginning rather than a border. It’s the starting point but not necessarily the finish line for much of his inventive cuisine.

“Given the Fresh Mex [concept] and our broader framework, we’re not locked into regular Sonoran-style Mexican. We define what the parameters are so we can stretch things a little bit,” he says.

Hence some of the most recent items in test, such as Firecracker Spring Rolls with carnitas, habanero pesto and mustard-peach sauce, and Taste of Napa Valley Quesadillas with chicken, sweet tequila onions, mango-habanero salsa and three types of cheese in garlic-herb tortillas.

Generating these products is a joint effort between culinary and operations staff, a collaboration Serantoni says leads to a smoother research and development process and more seamless introductions.

“There is a balance between innovation and the operation’s ability to execute it. Our job is to push those boundaries but not tip the apple cart,” he says. —A.P.

Ben McCarter
Senior Manager of Food Development,
The Bamboo Club, Phoenix

“When I think of what inspires me, what makes me get up and go, it’s the thrill of trying something new in hope of creating the next trend,” says Ben McCarter.

He’s on the right track at The Bamboo Club, an 11-unit upscale-casual concept coming into its own at just the right time in the white-hot Asian segment.

McCarter’s menu draws from Chinese, Vietnamese, Korean and Japanese cuisines as well as Cantonese- and Szechwan-style cooking. Rather than traditional Asian dishes, The Bamboo Club serves updated versions of such favorites as orange chicken as well as its own signatures such as Vietnamese Steak and Spicy Crackling Calamari Salad. With each dish, McCarter strives for the right balance of creativity and authenticity.

“The first thing we do when we talk about keeping things interesting for guests is remember who our guests are,” he says, noting that the chain’s audience includes businesspeople dining with clients, friends relaxing over dinner and more-adventurous diners seeking to challenge their palates.

To keep menus fresh, McCarter presents new product ideas at least twice each month and revamps the menu twice a year. Recent additions include a lunch menu with lower price points and smaller portions, and a happy-hour menu that’s also available from 10 p.m. to close. A noodle bar from which customers build their own bowls or order them from the menu is in on tap for testing. —A.P.

Cornelius Gallagher
Executive Chef, Oceana,
New York City

Cornelius Gallagher is among a new generation of fast-track chefs who tap the best culinary minds and then run with their own boundless creativity. “It’s freestyle,” Gallagher says in describing his cooking. “Your own style evolves over time.”

For a dish to pass muster, it must excite in numerous ways: by striking chords of salty, sweet, bitter, sour, spice and crunch. Equipped with two prerequisites—quality ingredients and solid techniques—Gallagher borrows from the global pantry so deftly that calling his cooking fusion would be inaccurate. Examples include tartare of yellowfin tuna with daikon radish and horseradish sorbet, and Loup de Mer en Croûte with basmati rice and glazed bok choy.

Gallagher mastered French cooking working with Daniel Boulud of New York City’s Daniel and experienced Gray Kunz’s Asian flavors at Lespinasse. His mentors were tough, Gallagher recalls, but pushed him to work even harder.

Improving a menu item often keeps Gallagher up at night pondering an ingredient’s relationship with nature and the seasons or new ways to link flavors in unexpected ways. An example: pan-roasted Carolina striped bass with kabocha squash purée, thinly sliced mushrooms, toasted macadamia nuts and French prunes accented with brown butter and sherry vinegar.

“I want people to leave the restaurant and say, ‘I want to eat my last meal on earth here,’ “ he says. —L.Y.

Menu Committee
Bryn Mawr College, Bryn Mawr, Pa.

When the Menu Committee won three foodservice awards this summer, it confirmed that the tradition of consensus thrives at Bryn Mawr College. A panel of eight makes all decisions, from recipe development and menu-cycle selections to answering student requests and negotiating prices with vendors.

The weekly committee meeting is limited to 60 minutes and everyone participates. “They know the agenda and do their homework,’’ says David Chase, spokesperson for the Menu Committee and associate director of dining services. Members include dining-hall managers Steven Sensenich, Angela Reason and Paul Somerville; Reggie Johnson and Gwen Bennett represent cooking staff; and Dan McCorkle and John Francone come from dining services at Haverford College in Haverford, Pa., a sister school.

All members contribute ideas for recipes. When Francone passed samples of a soy product, it inspired Vegan “Beef” Stir-Fry, today a popular item with the 30% of students who eat vegetarian. The committee takes student requests seriously. When customers asked for more freshly baked cookies, daily production was scheduled. —M.S.

Peter Schonman
Co-founder and Corporate Executive Chef,
Biaggi’s Ristorante Italiano, Bloomington, Ill.

The menu at Biaggi’s holds few secrets, says Peter Schonman, corporate executive chef for the growing 14-unit chain niched between casual-Italian concepts and pricier white-tablecloth spots.

Schonman’s philosophy in crafting the upscale-casual fare, gleaned from time spent in Italy, is not to mask natural flavors but rather to accentuate them through high-quality, fresh ingredients and straightforward preparations. His challenge is to turn out consistently top-level dishes in a high-volume setting.

Twice a year, Schonman and his staff revise about 20% of the menu, drawing on market trends, vendors, product availability and customer requests for ideas. They also study restaurants of all segments, examining everything from ingredients and platings to marketing.

Aimed at an audience that often includes repeat customers, about 75% of Biaggi’s dishes are Americanized items while 25% represent what Schonman calls “traditional, more esoteric” recipes such as arancini, a saffron-flavored risotto mixed with Italian cured ham and mozzarella, lightly breaded and fried and served with fresh marinara.

These more authentic items, along with weekly chef-driven specials, entice customers to sample different tastes. “If you get people to try [an unusual dish] and they love it, they will trust that you can make [more adventurous] things they’d want to try,” Schonman says.—A.P.

Robert Maccarone
Executive Chef,
School Support Services, Houston Independent School District

Childhood memories of school lunches in Pittsburgh inspire Robert Maccarone.

“I never looked forward to eating in the school cafeteria,’’ says the chef, who now oversees kitchens and food production for 300 schools in the nation’s seventh-largest school district.

“His skill set is unusual for a school district,’’ says Brandon Maxwell, director of communications and marketing. “He has certified executive status from the American Culinary Federation. His experience catering and in restaurants helps define the tastes of the students we serve.”

Within a year of his arrival, Maccarone added 12 new items to the menu cycle, purchased 30 new food products and updated 75 of 200 core recipes. He increased lunch participation with 8,000 additional students.

Maccarone also drew on 12 years of teaching experience to increase on-site training for employees. He also is organizing a two-day presentation for secondary-school students considering cooking and culinary careers. —M.S.

Roxanne Klein
Chef-owner,
Roxanne’s, Larkspur, Calif.

Roxanne Klein is changing the perception of raw food, elevating humble fruits, vegetables and grains to new heights.

Two years ago, Klein opened her raw-foods restaurant where nothing is cooked above 118F. Since then, interest in healthy lifestyles has caught fire, evidenced by the popularity of her radically different approach to food.

“We see it as experiencing flavors in a new way,” says Klein, who grew up in California on her grandparents’ organic farm and is fascinated by the science of food.

Klein harnesses flavors from ingredients picked at the height of the season and then uses techniques such as chopping, puréeing, dehydrating and slicing to create appetizers, entrees and desserts.

“When you eat raw food, you taste the individual components more precisely. When you cook it, it comes together differently,” she says, acknowledging the concept is best understood by eating the food.

Her version of pad thai, for example, begins with the meat of young coconut, which is tender and open to taking on flavors. The coconut is julienned to resemble noodles and combined with carrots, red bell peppers, cabbage, basil, cilantro and sweet-chile cashews.

“I’m excited by creating and experimenting,” says Klein, who is classically trained and has worked with several marquee chefs. “Enjoying food in its natural state will change the way you think about eating.” —L.Y.