Culinary Curious: Chefs Doing What They Do Best

NEW YEAR, NEW THING

As we bid good riddance to 2020, let’s not forget the gift it gave us: reasons to innovate. Reminders that yes, we can adapt to conditions inconceivable a year ago. The ability to pivot. To embrace quieter moments—and use them to create something new and beautiful. That’s why this year, instead of a resolution, make it a New Year’s Revolution. Embrace curiosity, lean into innovation. Our chefs say that is the best part of their jobs.

“I like the journey of trying something new,” explains Chef Logan McCoy. “I will cook [a dish] four or five different ways just to see a different outcome.”

AN UNEXPECTED SPARK

“I like the journey of trying something new.” —Chef Logan McCoy

Inspiration is a funny thing. It has a way of popping up when we least expect it. “Social media, YouTube, a local restaurant or farmer, the seasons and weather, food documentaries.  I draw culinary inspiration from everywhere,” laughs Chef Logan. This curiosity led him to a food concept he had never encountered.

“I was so intrigued by flattened or beaten rice,” he explains. “I never knew of its existence and now I can’t stop cooking with it.” Coupling that with what Chef Logan calls his “weird obsession” with one-pot cooking—and he perfected Poha—or flattened rice—with Butter Chicken. It has the bright, vibrant colors and deep flavors we love from Indian cuisine, with multiple textures at play from the flattened rice. The outcome: a dish that made Chef Logan proud. “I absolutely LOVE this. For me, something that is inspirational is something I haven’t done before. You have to be innovative,” he explains.

A desire to get his family out of a food rut inspired another one of our MINOR’S chefs to try his hand at shakshuka, the North African braised tomato dish.

“It just spoke to me,” explains Chef Vid Lutz. “I wanted to get my family out of their comfort zone, and the Tunisian roots and influencing spices—plus its simplistic nature-- resonated with me. ” Those warm spices and deep tomato flavors-- perfectly offset by grilled bread and a runny egg baked onto the top as a perfect foil to that acid—resonated with his fellow chefs too.

“You don’t see many baked and braised dishes like this for breakfast,” says Chef Tom Moran, licking his lips. “I dig it. It’s good.”

COOK WITH US

We all need a wingman—off of whom we can bounce ideas. To help us brainstorm our next signature dish. To give honest feedback and support. That’s where our chefs come in—they helped develop MINOR’S® products, so they know everything about them. They also understand the challenges you face in your kitchen—especially over the past year. That’s because they have spent their career in kitchens in countless cities, doing what you do nightly. They love to talk shop. To menu plan. To troubleshoot. Nothing delights them more than finding a new way to use a base. A wild idea for a sauce that leads to an appetizer that steals the show. A new recipe that cuts out hours of prep time for a restaurant chef.

“It’s always gratifying when an idea lands on a menu,” says Chef Logan. “It just tells us that we’re on the right track.” So join us, if you will, in our New Year’s Revolution. Dive into your culinary to-do list. Start with the thing that most piques your curiosity. We can’t wait to see what lands on your menu next.

“Our customers’ successes are owned and shared by all of us on the MINOR’S® team.  I tap into the breadth of our Nestle Professional global culinary teams and influences, leveraging our reach, and utilizing those resources to help our clients.” -Chef Vid Lutz