Behind the Line: Dan Smith
Topic: On the Job
Ingredients
Q: Do you grow any of your own ingredients for the restaurant?
We have a roof top kitchen garden in season.
Q: What ingredient do you use most often in the kitchen?
Kosher salt
Q: What is the hardest spice to cook with?
I think cardamom is a hard one - very distinctive and can be overpowering.
Q: What's one spice/seasoning that's an absolute MUST at all times (besides salt and pepper)?
Chili powder
Q: Barbecue sauce. Peach cobbler. S'mores. Hungry for summer food yet? What are your essential ingredients for a summer menu?
A hot grill and lots of fresh summer produce
Q: What is the one summer ingredient you wait for each year?
Heirloom tomatoes
Q: In your mind, what are some ingredients you think chefs today overuse?
Truffle oil has been used to death.
Q: 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?
I use a bottled sweet chili sauce in a lot of sauces in the catering biz.
Q: 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?
Indian Pudding - very popular in New England but a hard sell in the Midwest.