Home Cooking, Chefs At Home

home
Cooking
What do some of our city’s
top chefs make when they’re at home?
You might be surprised.
by geraldine campbell photographs by brad jones
*
Sure, our local chefs wow us with their
culinary prowess in their restaurants, but what
happens when the aprons come off? What do
these renowned chefs like to cook at home, away
from the prying palates of their loyal customers?
We decided to find out.
First, a visit to each chef ’s restaurant was in
order. At Bari, I found authentic Italian fare — the
kind you’d find at a trattoria tucked away on some
cobblestone street in Southern Italy: imported
proscuitto, grilled radicchio and endive with
gorgonzola cheese, and baked whole bronzino
stuffed with fennel and orange. At Encore, I found
a French menu infused with touches of Italian,
Spanish, and Southern influences. My favorites?
Lentil soup with homemade sausage and herbcrusted pork tenderloin with mascarpone polenta
cakes. I feasted on haute Southern cuisine at
Felicia Suzanne: fried oysters, shrimp and
grits, and redfish. And at Erling Jensen’s I had
eclectic fare such as Maine lobster pancakes and
Snake River Kobe beef flank with mascarpone
bordelaise. I didn’t get a chance to eat at Judd
Grisanti’s Spindini — it hadn’t opened yet — but
I did get a sneak peek at the South Main space,
which has an impressive wood-burning fireplace
as its centerpiece.
Next, it was time to pay a visit to the chefs’
homes, where I found kitchens ranging from a 1950s
style to a state-of-the-art. And I ate everything
from eggs and grilled cheese to pan-seared duck and
tuna tartare. I discovered that three of the five chefs
have electric stoves, much to their chagrin, and that
it’s essential to have a good set of pots, pans, and
knives. I also found that every chef has a few staple
ingredients he or she can’t do without.
My final undertaking was to test out the recipes
— any good chef can make even the most complicated
dishes look easy. But can an average Joe replicate
them? The answer, it turns out, is yes.
>>>
january 2007 •
41 • Memphis
*side dish
Breakfast drink of choice: Sunny D
Vehicle of choice when he was a
teenager: Harley-Davidson
Kitchen must-haves: olive oil, kosher
salt and pepper
In his refrigerator:
staples (milk,
butter), marinades, pickled jalapenos,
stuffed olives
Favorite apple:
Honey Crisp from
Washington state
Judd Grisanti’s Roast
Duck and Spring Rolls
Judd makes his roast duck, duck
sauce, and dipping sauce from
scratch. If you’re short for time, you
can buy duck sauce (also known
as plum sauce), dipping sauce, and
even roast duck from the grocery
store. Your best bet is Fresh Market
or an Asian market.
For the duck:
1 whole duck
Chinese five-spice
Salt and pepper
For the spring rolls:
1/2 package vermicelli noodles
1 cup shredded carrots
1 cup shredded cabbage
1/2 cup green onions, sliced
1/2 cup sesame oil
1/2 cup soy sauce
1 tablespoon sesame seeds
Kosher salt
1 package of square rice papers
1 egg, well beaten
Canola oil
Season the duck with Chinese five-spice
powder, salt, and pepper. Cooking time
depends on the temperature: Judd
Judd Grisanti
spindini
judd g r i s a n t i wa s hard to get a hold of.
The chef-cum-restaurateur is in the process
of opening four new Italian eateries, including
his signature restaurant, Spindini, on South
Main. He’s also renovating his own kitchen, so
finding a place to cook was a bit of a pickle.
The night before Judd and I met up, we agreed
on a time, with the location to be determined.
The next day, I got a call with directions to a
house on McVay — no address, just directions.
But I need not have worried: Judd not only
convinced his friends Frank and Teresa Stone
42 • Memphis • january 2007
to lend him their kitchen (a beautiful country
kitchen with stainless-steel appliances, a sixburner stove, and marble countertops), but
also arranged an impromptu dinner party that
lasted into the night.
Judd comes from a long line of Italian
restaurateurs, starting with his grandfather
Elfo, who came to the United States from
the Tuscan town of Lucca in 1903. But, while
Italian runs in his blood, Judd’s obsession
is with all things Asian. He loves his Asian
knives, from the Japanese Shun knife made
from Damascus steel to the Chinese cleaver;
his gadgets, including a rice cooker, deep fryer,
and mandoline; and the bold flavors that typify
Asian food. Judd’s kids — Isabella, 9, and Will,
13 – have been eating sushi since they were
only 2 (or so Judd claims), as well as what Judd
likes to call Asian-flair food: Five-spice roasted
duck and tuna tartare, duck spring rolls and
edamame, ginger salad, and teriyaki steak.
Judd made all these dishes in just under
three hours (with a little help from his souschef, Patrick). It was an impressive meal and
one that Judd was clearly enthusiastic about. He
eagerly talked me through the various flavors
— sesame oil, soy sauce, rice vinegar, ginger, and
red chili peppers for heat. He put me to work in
the kitchen, showing me how to cook vermicelli
noodles in a wok until al dente, how to pick the
meat off the bones of the duck, how to use the
mandoline to shred carrots and cabbage (with
only a small casualty to my thumb). He taught
me the difference between an egg roll and a
spring roll (egg rolls have egg in the dough, while
spring rolls are made from rice) and that a rice
cooker can keep rice warm for hours while you
prepare the rest of the meal.
Although I didn’t get to see Judd’s kitchen,
I’m told that his is a colossal commercialstyle affair, kitted out with state-of-the-art
appliances — no surprise if you spend any
amount of time with this Grisanti. When he
makes dinner at home, everyone congregates
in the kitchen — and sometimes lends a hand.
Even with his hectic schedule, Judd is rarely
too busy to cook for his family and friends.
suggests 350° for two and a half hours.
The duck breasts should be served as a
main dish, over rice with some hot duck
sauce and chopped green onions. The rest
of the duck — legs, thighs, and everything
else — should be picked off the bones and
coarsely chopped for the spring rolls.
Cook the vermicelli (thin, rice noodles)
until al dente, drain and rinse, and cut into
3- to 4-inch pieces. Add the noodles to the
chopped duck.
The carrots and cabbage should be
julienned — Judd uses a device called a
mandoline to get everything paper thin — or
bought pre-shredded. The green onions
should be cut on the bias (or on an angle).
Add the carrots, cabbage, and green onions
to the duck and vermicelli mixture. Add
sesame oil, soy sauce, sesame seeds, and a
pinch of kosher salt. Mix well.
To make the rolls, arrange the rice paper
squares like a diamond. Brush a bit of egg
along the four edges. Place some filling in
the center, fold the bottom corner up, the
sides in tightly, and then roll. In order to fry
the spring rolls, you can use some kind of
frying device or just fill a deep frying pan with
canola oil (a couple inches deep) and place
over high heat. Drop the rolls in and cook until
golden brown. Remove with tongs and serve
with a dipping sauce of your choice.
january 2007 • Memphis • 43
*side dish
Jason Severs
bari ristorante
althou g h ja s on s e v e r s was born and
raised in Tennessee (Johnson City, Knoxville,
Memphis), he grew up around four Italian
women — his mother, her two sisters, and
his grandmother — for whom meals were as
important as breathing and sleeping. It was
only natural that Jason learned how to cook,
and how to eat, the Italian way. The Italian
way, as it turns out, is very different from
the Southern way: The emphasis is on fresh
produce and simple preparation, seasonal
ingredients as few steps as possible from the
ground or ocean or pasture to plate.
Rebecca, Jason’s wife and a native
Memphian, has been converted to Jason’s
philosophy of food. They like to tell the story
about one of their first dates, when Rebecca
took Jason to an Italian restaurant for
barbecue pizza. At the end of the meal, Jason
turned to Becky and said, “I love you, but this
is not authentic Italian food.”
A few years ago, the Severses set out to
open an authentic Italian restaurant featuring
a combination of local produce and imported
Italian staples such as proscuitto and bronzino,
a type of sea bass found in the Mediterranean.
It’s been an uphill battle for the Severses,
trying to get Memphians to accept their
version of Italian food. But working together
— Jason runs the back of the house, in charge
of everything from making the espresso to
baking the bread, while Rebecca helps out in
the front and manages the restaurant’s wine
list ­— they’ve gotten traction: After four years,
they’re still in business — and growing. In
September 2005, the couple launched the
Enoteca, or wine bar, which has one of the best
wine lists in town and a devoted following.
When I arrived at the couple’s Midtown
house — which they describe as “distressed,”
the upshot of having two young boys, Lucian
(4) and Julian (10 weeks), a mastiff named
Nina, and a burgeoning restaurant to manage
— I was ushered into the kitchen, the only
place they said they’d had time to clean. It
was straight out of the 1950s, complete with
diner-style table, aqua chairs, and an electric
stove made by General Motors. There was a
baby walker in the corner, abstract artwork a la
Lucian on the refrigerator, and a KitchenAid
mixer featured prominently on the counter.
With two kids, the Severses are usually
up early — and with the restaurant, they’re
usually out late — so their primary meal of the
day as a family is breakfast. Their breakfast
staple is espresso, imported from Italy, and
sometimes they’ll just drink their coffee with
a few biscotti or amaretti, Italian cookies that
Jason makes from scratch. But the morning
I visited, Jason made another core breakfast
44 • Memphis • january 2007
Wish List: Gas stove
Cannot live without: KitchenAid mixer
Kitchen must-haves: Olive oil, lemons,
espresso, and wine
First thing he does when he gets to the
restaurant: Puts some music on and
starts the bread
Jason Severs’ Fresh
Herb Frittata
Before the kids and the restaurant,
Jason used to cook all the time. Now,
his focus is on quick dishes that are
healthy and tasty.
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 clove garlic
8 eggs
Fresh herbs (parsley, basil, chives, mint),
chopped
1 tomato, diced
Salt and pepper to taste
Shaved Parmesan cheese
Preheat oven to 400º. Heat a large frying pan
over medium-high. Add olive oil and garlic and
dish, frittata, an open-faced Italian omelet
made from leftover herbs, vegetables, and
meats. The beauty of the frittata is that almost
anything can be thrown into the dish — and it
tastes good hot or cold.
On nights when Jason does get a chance to
cook at home, he makes food that is very similar
to the food he prepares at the restaurant. In the
summer, this means loads of salads — sometimes
just fresh lettuce with a bit of olive oil, perhaps
some nuts and cheese — or a plate of dried
meats and grilled vegetables. Jason likes to make
Mexican food as well, but if he’s craving the real
deal, he’ll usually go to Taqueria La Guadalupaña.
let heat for a minute or two, then remove
garlic from the pan and add eggs and herbs.
Let cook for a few minutes and then add the
tomato, salt, and pepper. Let cook until firm
around the edges. Place pan in the oven and
cook until slightly browned. Top with shaved
Parmesan cheese and drizzle with olive oil,
salt, and pepper.
january 2007 • Memphis • 45
Felicia Willett
felicia suzanne
when f e l ic i a w i l l e t t moved to Memphis from New Orleans (where she cut her teeth
as Emeril Lagasse’s protégé), she was a bit lonely
in her new loft apartment. Naturally, she decided
that the best way to get to know people was to
invite them over for dinner — and who could
refuse a free meal from Felicia? Several years later,
Sundays at Felicia’s are almost an institution: She
sets the table for any number of people ranging
from four to 12 and plans her meal depending
on special requests from her guests, what food
is left over at the restaurant, and the weather
(her prime dinner season runs from October to
May; in the hot and sticky summer months, she
doesn’t do much cooking).
Dinners range from the haute down-home
cooking she’s become famous for — gumbo,
mashed potatoes, grits, fried chicken, mac and
cheese — to Mexican fare, such as flank steak
fajitas with corn tortillas, roasted peppers,
caramelized onions, sour cream, fresh cilantro,
and homemade guacamole and pico. Her real
passion at home, however, is Italian food.
Although Felicia doesn’t have an Italian bone
in her body, she loves all things italiano, especially
potato gnocchi with Bolognese. And, she claims
to make the best tiramisu in Memphis.
Felicia also loves a good sandwich — her
lunch staple, whether it’s chicken, eggplant, or
tuna salad. On a recent trip to Paris, Felicia
frequented bistro after bistro in search of the
best croque-monsieur, the French equivalent of a
grilled-cheese sandwich. Her version is made
with truffle oil, cheddar cheese, and béchamel
(a white sauce made by whisking milk into a
flour-butter roux) and is now a lunch entrée
at her restaurant, served with a side of sweet
potato chips.
The truffled grilled-cheese sandwich was
on the menu the Sunday I went to Felicia’s
for dinner — as was a hearty chicken andouille
gumbo that took all day to cook. When I
walked in the door, the football game was on
(willett continued on page 52)
This sandwich can be spruced up
with additions such as proscuitto,
salami, roast beef, ham, avocado,
roasted tomatoes, and eggplant.
Felicia’s favorite adaptation is salami
and avocado.
Bread (white country loaf or fococcia from
La Baguette)
Farm House Vermont white cheddar, sliced
really thick
Truffle oil, preferably olive oil infused with
truffle
Béchamel sauce (or mayonnaise)
• 1/2 cup butter
• 1/2 cup of flour
• 2 cups of milk
Grated white cheddar cheese
Cannot live without:
Grandmother’s
cast-iron skillets (uses them for all of her
chicken)
Good for stews:
Le Creusset (because
they don’t stick and they hold heat well)
porcelain blade
Felicia Willett’s
Grilled-Cheese
Sandwich
• Salt and white pepper
* side dish
Favorite knife:
On a recent trip to Paris, Felicia frequented
bistro after bistro in search of the best
croque-monsieur, the French equivalent of
a grilled-cheese sandwich. Her version is
made with truffle oil, cheddar cheese, and
béchamel (a white sauce made by whisking
milk into a flour-butter roux) and is now a
lunch entrée at her restaurant.
pink Kyocera with a
Favorite rice substitute: Grits
What she uses her microwave for:
Keeping the bones away from her dog, Bella
Favorite yoga move to do with her staff:
Downward facing dog
46 • Memphis • january 2007
Preheat oven to 425º. Layer a slice of
bread with white cheddar, truffle oil, and
béchamel sauce. Top with another slice
of bread and some grated white cheddar
cheese and cook on the top shelf until the
cheese is browned.
For 2 cups of béchamel:
• Melt 1/2 cup of butter over medium heat
• Stir in 1/2 cup of flour with a wooden
• Slowly whisk in 2 cups of milk
• Season with salt and white pepper
spoon for approximately 4-6 minutes
january 2007 • Memphis • 47
José Gutierrez
encore
josé g u t i e r r e z h a s n ’ t had much time
to cook for himself since his new restaurant,
Encore, opened up a little over a year ago in
Peabody Place. In fact, Jose and his fiancé,
Colleen, moved to Midtown to be closer to the
restaurant, which is open six days a week for
lunch and dinner. The lunch business, Jose says,
is slower than he’d like: Most Memphians don’t
want to sit down to lunch — and definitely
not a leisurely two-hour repast with a bottle
of rose. But that is exactly what I was treated
to at his home: An artfully arranged tower of
potato pancakes, made with fresh thyme and
a touch of cream, pan-seared duck in a cherry
and port wine reduction, and haricots verts (green
beans); a glass (or two) of Robert Sinskey’s
2005 Vin Gris of Pinot Noir; and, for dessert, a
wonderfully light apple pie.
When I arrived, José was neatly arranging
apple slices atop a layer of puff pastry. The chef’s
kitchen was simple, but immaculate, with white
cabinets, gray countertops, hanging copper pots,
and various knickknacks — such as a chef’s
clock, and a cookie jar that declares, in a French
accent, “Keep your hands away from my cookie
jar.” José’s one complaint was the electric stove
— he much prefers gas — but he shrugged, and
said, “An electric stove is like a husband.” He
grinned as he delivered the punch line, “You
have to tolerate it once in a while.”
Once the pie was in the oven, José turned
his attention to the main course. I noticed that
he used an organizational technique known
as mise en place, which literally translates as
“setting in place.” It’s a term used to describe
the preparation done before starting the actual
cooking. To put it in context, when he started
cooking, José had already soaked the haricots
verts in cold water and then cooked them in
salty, slightly warm water so that they were
ready to sauté with a touch of olive oil just
before serving; he had already chopped up the
onion for the potato pancakes; and he had laid
out most of the other ingredients he would use
— flour, port wine, cherries, cream, olive oil.
Unfortunately, like most chefs, José doesn’t
have recipes per se — as he cooked, I watched
him add a little of this, a little of that, calling
to Colleen, “I think I need a touch of balsamic
vinegar” or adding some of the juices from the
duck into the potato pancakes. For the great
chefs, cooking is an art form — but one which
we can certainly hope to imitate.
At home, as at the restaurant, José cooks
with olive oil, European butter, and sometimes
a bit of goose fat. Besides apple pie, José makes
traditional French dishes like crêpes and quiche
— and sometimes Italian food to mix things
up. José and Colleen always start their day with
*side dish
Favorite food: Apple pie
Faux pas: Mint jelly with lamb
Favorite dish on a cold day: Lentil soup
First thing he does when he gets to the
restaurant: Drinks Espresso with the staff
Must haves: Good knives, pots and pans
What he uses: Viking, All-clad, Le Creusset
espresso, made from beans imported from
New York. They’re also picky about their
croissants: Good croissants are hard to find
in Memphis, they say, so the couple orders the
flakey, buttery pastries from France and keeps
the freezer well stocked.
José cheated a little bit: The dish he
prepared for me is a new addition to his menu,
not something that he’d ordinarily make at
home. Apple pie, on the other hand, is a home
staple for the chef — and proof that a great dish
doesn’t need to be complicated. In fact, the
entire meal took about 30 minutes, inspiration
for those of us who might think home cooking
means hours hovering over the stove.
José Gutierrez’
Apple Pie
José Gutierrez has a sweet tooth.
His favorite dessert? Apple pie. In
fact, he loves apple pie so much he
doesn’t serve it at his restaurant
(else he’d be tempted to eat it all).
Here is his recipe, so easy it might be
your new favorite.
2 sheets puff pastry (Pepperidge Farm)
2 1/2 Granny Smith apples sliced paper thin
2 tablespoons butter in small pieces
1 tablespoon sugar
Preheat oven to 375º. Place puff pastry on
a baking sheet. Line puff pastry with apple
slices, layered one by one. Top with butter
and sugar. Bake for 25-35 minutes, until it is
golden brown, and serve with your favorite
vanilla ice cream.
48 • Memphis • january 2007
january 2007 • Memphis • 49
* side dish
One
Water Place
at Kelly Plantation in Destin, Florida
Secret weakness: Dark chocolate
Inventive pizza topping: Béchamel
and crab meat
Wedding anniversary:
Thanksgiving
Day, because the restaurant is closed
He worked long hours, always staying until
the restaurant closed for the night, and for
dinner, he would take home scraps of bacon,
hot dogs, and cheese. Patti took it upon
herself to bring Erling dinner — fried fish
from Captain D’s or Kentucky Fried Chicken,
admittedly not the healthiest of choices, but
better than the leftovers he was eating.
Then, she started making him real
dinners. In the beginning, Patti was nervous.
She claims that she’s not much of a chef,
and anyone would be nervous to cook for
someone with Erling’s pedigree in the
kitchen, so she looked up Martha Stewart
recipes and prepared elaborate meals.
But she soon realized that Erling is a man
Gracious Living . . .
2500-3400 square foot residences in nonrental community, hardwood & travertine
floors, Viking appliances, fireplaces.
Grand Views . . .
Choctawhatchee Bay and golf course
Great Golf . . .
Kelly Plantation Golf Club membership included.
Ready for occupancy spring/summer 2007.
Prices from $899,000 to $4.5 million.
When he’s not in the
kitchen, he’s a meatand-potatoes kind of
guy. Forget roasted
buffalo tenderloin
with morels or
crispy sweetbread
with cranberry
sauce: What Erling
really enjoys is
a grilled steak,
brussels sprouts,
and these days,
if he’s splurging,
some potatoes.
Please contact Donna Jonsson . . .
866- 392-8371; 850-269-8246
[email protected]
or visit www.onewaterplace.com
Erling Jensen
erling jensen:
the restaurant
erling jensen greeted me with a
smile as I arrived at his Cordova home. I soon
found the reason for the smile: In spite of his
culinary prowess, Erling is very much someone
who needs taking care of — and his wife Patti
50 • Memphis • january 2007
is more than obliging. In fact, Erling doesn’t
lift a finger in the kitchen at home. Patti does
all the cooking.
The two met in the restaurant business:
Erling was at La Tourelle and Patti worked at
Paulette’s. Then, when Erling started his own
restaurant, he snagged Patti for his front of
house. It wasn’t too long before Patti noticed
that Erling wasn’t taking good care of himself:
with simple needs: When he’s not in the
kitchen, he’s a meat-and-potatoes kind of
guy. Forget roasted buffalo tenderloin with
morels or crispy sweetbread with cranberry
sauce: What Erling really enjoys is a grilled
steak, brussels sprouts, and these days, if he’s
splurging, some potatoes.
When I arrived at the Jensens’ house,
Patti was preparing grilled flat-iron steak
with maitre d’ butter, steamed brussels
sprouts, and diced potatoes. From his seat at
the breakfast bar, Erling did some directing,
but not much. Patti’s knowledge of spices,
she says, is limited to salt and pepper, so
Erling helps out with the seasoning — and
with some of the basics. Justin Young, the
january 2007 • Memphis • 51
executive chef at Erling’s restaurant, and the
rest of the kitchen staff also help Patti plan
her meals. And she does her shopping at the
restaurant, often bringing home fresh herbs
— parsley, dill, chives.
As the kitchen is Patti’s, it doesn’t have
much in the way of fancy equipment, although
she did replace the electric stove in the island
with a gas stove and a grill. Her must-haves are
a knife (any old knife will do), a cutting board,
and a coffee pot.
In addition to steak, Patti is known for
her chili, which she serves with hot dogs,
clam chowder, and some Danish dishes, such
as frikkedeller (ground pork meatballs) and red
cabbage. On their days off, they go out for
the occasional meal at favorites La Tourelle
and Café 1912. Otherwise, it’s a breakfast of
espresso, a lunch of Red Bull, and dinner a la
Patti for Erling Jensen.
(willett continued from page 46)
the television and Felicia’s friends Sarah
and Seta were lazing on the couch. Her
kitchen was small, but well-stocked with the
essentials — good knives, her grandmother’s
cast-iron skillet, and a collection of cephalon
and stainless-steel pots and pans. The dining
room table, made from dark, restored wood,
was set in full, with Reidel stemware, brown
plates, green, leaf-shaped bowls, placemats
made from twigs in honor of the season, and
an ornate candelabra with red candles as the
centerpiece. Felicia assured me that the fancy
table setting was not in my honor: In fact,
setting the table with her finest is a Sunday
tradition.
When the chef is at home alone, she’s
much less fussy about food. Her typical
breakfast is a cup of coffee (her favorite is
Community Coffee, a New Orleans brand),
Patti Jensen’s
Flat-Iron Steak with
Maître d’ Butter
This meal is a staple for Erling
and Patti when they get home
from the restaurant at night.
They usually sit down to dinner
around midnight.
12 oz. steak, any cut
2 tbsp. unsalted butter, whipped
1/2 tbsp. fresh chopped parsley
1/2 tbsp. fresh chopped dill
Salt and pepper to taste
Soften butter and blend with parsley, dill,
salt and pepper, either by hand or in a food
processor. Grill steak on high heat until cooked
to preference. Top steak with maître d’ butter
and serve with steamed brussels sprouts and
diced potatoes (to spice the potatoes up, add
some diced chives or bacon crumbles).
52 • Memphis • january 2007
and a bowl of Honey Bunches of Oats or
oatmeal with fruit. For dinner, she loves angel
hair pasta with Paul Newman’s spaghetti
sauce, crushed red pepper, and mozzarella
cheese. At the end of the day, Felicia is a
simple Southern girl from Arkansas and
can appreciate all kinds of food. In fact, she
confesses to having a weakness for Taco Bell
— one reason she keeps a treadmill at the
foot of her bed.