Behind the Line
Topic: On the Job
Ingredients
What ingredient do you use most often in the kitchen?
- Leigh Omilinsky
- Pastry Chef
- Sofitel Chicago Water Tower/ Cafe des Architectes
- Chicago/IL
The Sofitel kitchen as a whole goes through so many berries! In the pastry kitchen, I love to use vanilla pods whenever possible. I also go through a lot of feuillatine.
Do you grow any of your own ingredients for the restaurant?
- Charlie Berg
- Sommelier
- Michael Mina Bourbon Steak DC
- Washington, DC
Right here in DC, in the middle of Georgetown, we have the Bourbon Steak DC herb garden. It's located behind the Four Seasons courtyard, overlooking the C & O Canal, full of various mints, cilantro...
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Do you work directly with farmers to grow food to spec?
- Ben Lambert
- Executive Chef
- Bread & Tulips
- New York City
Yes. I usually go to their winter meetings and talk to them about the upcoming year and what I need more of and talk to them about new products. I have also bought them seeds of things that are har...
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What's one spice/seasoning that's an absolute MUST at all times (besides salt and pepper)?
- Leigh Omilinsky
- Pastry Chef
- Sofitel Chicago Water Tower/ Cafe des Architectes
- Chicago/IL
Vanilla and any type of acid. I like ascorbic acid and citric acid.
What is the hardest spice to cook with?
- Leigh Omilinsky
- Pastry Chef
- Sofitel Chicago Water Tower/ Cafe des Architectes
- Chicago/IL
I think anything can be challenging if it isn't in moderation.
Barbecue sauce. Peach cobbler. S'mores. Hungry for summer food yet? What are your essential ingredients for a summer menu?
- Nate Hamilton
- Chef de Cuisine
- Harvest
- Madison, WI
Summer menus are so easy to write! I love re-imagined picnic food. That's what I see on my menu all summer. We use whatever is perfect that week, whatever cool stuff we found at the farmer's market...
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In your mind, what are some ingredients you think chefs today overuse?
- Nate Hamilton
- Chef de Cuisine
- Harvest
- Madison, WI
I love pork, I love bacon, but it's become such a crutch. Sometimes I even have to pull myself away from it.
Let's say there's an ingredient you love, but customers shun. What's one dish or ingredient that you wish customers would warm up to?
- Leigh Omilinsky
- Pastry Chef
- Sofitel Chicago Water Tower/ Cafe des Architectes
- Chicago/IL
I think the fear of butter and fat gets in the way a lot. I wish customers would realize that moderation is awesome. I'm not asking you to eat tripple creme cheeses everyday, or by the pound!
A...
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What is the one winter ingredient you wait for each year?
- Jonathon Sawyer
- Executive Chef/Owner
- The Greenhouse Tavern and Noodlecat
- Cleveland, OH
Kabocha squash. It's super versatile, we like to use it in kinishes, fill
it like a savory devon pie, and make creamy decadent pasta sauces.
What is the one fall ingredient you wait for each year?
- Nate Hamilton
- Chef de Cuisine
- Harvest
- Madison, WI
Wild foraged mushrooms. No question.
There's no shame in bottled sauces or canned ingredients now and again. Have you got any go-to "secret ingredients"? Like a certain brand of hot sauce, spice blend or jarred mustard?
- Ben Lambert
- Executive Chef
- Bread & Tulips
- New York City
I really Like Kecap Manis. It is a sweet soy sauce.
I like to make lemon candy by reducing down lemon juice by half and adding sugar it is a nice tart and sweet condiment.
I also make a map...
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What is the one summer ingredient you wait for each year?
- Nate Hamilton
- Chef de Cuisine
- Harvest
- Madison, WI
Sweet corn and tomatoes!
It ain't easy foraging at farms when it's zero degrees out. When harsh weather strikes and seasons change, how does this effect your ingredient-sourcing?
- Gerard Craft
- Executive Chef/Owner
- Niche Restaurant and BRASSERIE by niche
- St. Louis, MO
We have to be a lot more creative. We use preserved ingredients, dishes are definitely a little more "meat heavy", we use more dry grains and legumes, herbs that can be grown in greenhouses, and ro...
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What is the one spring ingredient you wait for each year?
- Leigh Omilinsky
- Pastry Chef
- Sofitel Chicago Water Tower/ Cafe des Architectes
- Chicago/IL
Strawberries. It's always a good day when I see them at the farmers market. Especially after a long hard winter.
What source/s do you turn to for new ingredient inspirations?
- Leigh Omilinsky
- Pastry Chef
- Sofitel Chicago Water Tower/ Cafe des Architectes
- Chicago/IL
Francisco Migoya has an awesome blog. thequenelle.com
also just taking a night out to eat usually inspires me. In the summer time I like going to the market for inspiration. There's also nothing l...
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What's the most recent new ingredient you've been experimenting with?
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- Melissa Trimmer
- Pastry Chef
- Le Cordon Bleu Chicago, Pastry Chef Instructor
- Chicago, Illinois
I'm just biding my time until I see rhubarb and sorrel...
Do you collaborate with or raid the kitchen for interesting bar ingredients?
- Adam Seger
- Mixologist
- Hum Spirits Co.
- Chicago, IL
Yes, yes and yes. Every restaurant I do a cocktail list for, the first thing I do is to go thru the coolers, the pantry, the pasty chef mise-en-place, the spice rack and the prep lists.
What spring crops get you most excited?
- Ben Lambert
- Executive Chef
- Bread & Tulips
- New York City
I know that ramps are really popular but this is one item that I know where and how to find them and love the smell in the kitchen when I pickle my first batch of them and make butter for the year ...
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What summer crops get you most excited?
- Gerard Craft
- Executive Chef/Owner
- Niche Restaurant and BRASSERIE by niche
- St. Louis, MO
Tomatoes because it is amazing how many varieties people have started to grow. It is such a simple yet versatile ingredient. Everything from raw to cooked. This year we are going to try and can eno...
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What fall crops get you most excited?
- Gerard Craft
- Executive Chef/Owner
- Niche Restaurant and BRASSERIE by niche
- St. Louis, MO
Squash, again, because there are so many different varieties and each one is completely different from the other. You can serve spaghetti squash in a completely different way than you serve acorn s...
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What are some garden ingredients/dishes you’re working with right now, and what are you doing with them?
- Kevin Nashan
- Executive Chef/Owner
- Sidney Street Cafe
- Saint Louis, Missouri
Our vegetarian dish right now is crispy tomato packages that are filled with tomato jam, blue corn meal, and goat cheese. We make a sweet and sour mix for the cucumbers, charred squash, mozzerella ...
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What positive changes would you like to see happen with CSAs?
- Patrick Sheerin
- Chef/Partner
- Trenchermen
- Chicago, IL
Availability year round.
What are some ingredients you’d like to see included in a CSA program?
- Carrie Nahabedian
- Executive Chef/Owner
- NAHA and Brindille
- Chicago, IL
Pies, tarts, desserts, jams and preserves would all be fun!
Do you make regular visits to local farms? Why or why not?
- Leigh Omilinsky
- Pastry Chef
- Sofitel Chicago Water Tower/ Cafe des Architectes
- Chicago/IL
I do. I love them! It's a great way to see what's going on. It's hard to not be inspired after making that connection with the farmer and seeing the beautiful produce.
In your mind, what are some ingredients you think chefs today underuse?
- Gerard Craft
- Executive Chef/Owner
- Niche Restaurant and BRASSERIE by niche
- St. Louis, MO
Carrots. The carrot is a really versatile ingredient and I think because it is looked at as more of a 'stock' type item, it does not get the full respect it deserves. We have a dish right now that ...
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When spring finally arrives, what winter ingredients are you most sick of, and what spring ingredients can't arrive fast enough?
- Nate Hamilton
- Chef de Cuisine
- Harvest
- Madison, WI
I just get tired of root vegetables. Rutabaga, celeriac, turnips....bleh. I'm thrilled to see the first rhubarb, and the first asparagus. Amazing times.
Baking chocolate, bread flour, dry yeast. Sound familiar? What are your must-have pantry staples for baking at work?
- Leigh Omilinsky
- Pastry Chef
- Sofitel Chicago Water Tower/ Cafe des Architectes
- Chicago/IL
Besides flour, sugar, eggs, butter?
I like having yeast around. And in cake batters I like using creme fraiche.