[Concentrate] A delicious homecoming: Takashi Yagihashi returns to Michigan with Slurping Turtle

Takashi Yagihashi at Slurping Turtle. Photo by Doug Coombe.

Metro Detroit has been slow to take up the noodle trend that has been dominating the trendy food scene of major cities all over the world for nearly a decade now. While casual Asian take-out eateries in strip malls are never in short supply, especially in cities with larger ethnic Asian populations like Novi and Canton and, a little further east and a little less glamorous, Madison Heights, the metro area's core – Detroit – was noticeably absent the kind of upscale and/or late-night noodle shop found in abundance in places like Chicago and Toronto (and still is, if you consider that the places now just recently serving this kind of food – Rock City Eatery, Katoi, and Johnny Noodle King – are all helmed by non-Asians).

Read more.

[EID Features] Young Guns I at the Root recap

I'm not actually doing a "recap" in which I describe every single thing I ate course by course in excruciating detail and how it made me feel about myself. My official recap is that I went to this dinner in White Lake where there was so much talent in one room, it was unfair to all other rooms. There were the six chefs - James Rigato, Nick Janutol, Andy Hollyday Michael Barrera, Brennan Calnin, and Nikita Santches - but there were also some serious wine and cocktail gurus: Joe Robinson of Bailout Productions, Antoine Przekop of Great Lakes Wine and Spirits, and Sommelier Evan Barrett from the Plum Market wine team led by Master Sommelier and HBIC Madeline Triffon. Plus many more area chefs, booze hounds, food and wine writers, and restaurant owners who either came to help out the six stars of the evening or just came to eat. And a wonderful time was had by all.

There were a lot of intentions with this dinner, which you can read about in more detail in my interview with Chef James Rigato here, but one of the major highlights was the emphasis on collaboration. After the dinner, as the boys all kicked back with some beers and shot the shit with each other basking in a job well done, Jessi Patuano, Rigato's right-hand woman in the kitchen at the Root, came out and chatted with me for a bit. What really struck her was that strong sense of collaboration in the kitchen: here there were six hotshot young chefs and every last one of them checked his ego at the door. As soon as each one was done with their own course, they were right there on the line asking the next guy how they could help him - no ego, no showmanship, no solitary lone wolves, just total solidarity. And that was the whole point.

Here is the full menu from this event, including wine and cocktail pairings. To keep the element of surprise throughout the meal, the menus weren't presented until the end of the dinner, given to guests as a parting gift.

Tickets to the next event on February 23 go on sale at noon today. Get on it. This is an experience unlike any other in Michigan. [UPDATE: This event sold out in 21 minutes.]

And once again, below is the complete series of interviews I conducted with each participating chef leading up to this event. Give them a good read. These guys really put their hearts and souls into these answers and put so much more thought and effort into them than I ever could have asked for or expected. Afterwards, talking with chefs individually or with their girlfriends privately, I found out just how much of themselves they put into this and, you know, at the risk of sounding insincerely sentimental, it was touching. Many of these guys stayed up until 3a.m. after working 12+ hours, taking hours to make sure their answers were just right. This is all them, 100%. Metro Detroit's Young Guns. Nikki's Boys.

James Rigato, The Root
Nick Janutol, Forest Grill
Andy Hollyday, Selden Standard and Roast
Brennan Calnin, Imperial
Nikita Santches, Rock City Eatery
Michael Barrera, Streetside Seafood

[EID Feature] Young Guns: James Rigato, The Root Restaurant + Bar

Oh yes, I went and saved the best for last, just like in that Vanessa Williams song from 1992.

James Rigato is the Executive Chef of The Root, and the brains behind these Young Guns dinners. He's also one of my favorite people in the world, and that's equally as important. Because it is. Read more about James's background and how The Root came to be in this feature from Metromode (fellow Guns Andy Hollyday and Nikita Santches are also featured in it); you can also read more about James and how it was total LAFS at our first meeting here.

For this Young Guns interview series, I have loved all of the answers the Guns have given me and all of them are my favorite, though some are more my favorite than others. James came through with my favoritest, as I suspected he probably would. Please enjoy. It has been a pleasure bringing these to you. You can read all of the other Young Guns interviews via the links here.

EID: What is your culinary ethos? As in, as a chef, what do you BELIEVE in? What is important to you as a chef in your cooking and, in a bigger picture, what do you think the most important values are for a chef to have?

JR: I believe in food as a source for life. Not just literally, but holistically. The act of cooking is a responsibility to the earth, the guest and everyone in between. I think it's important to cook every day thinking like that. Am I giving as much as I'm taking? Can nature handle my impact? Am I connecting with my guest? Do they understand me? It's important to me to ask those questions. Sustainability. Seasonality. These should be a given, any good chef will tell you that. But are we thinking about the future of food. Where things come from? Where will they come from?

I find that being a chef can be an isolating experience from normality. I've severed nearly every nerve to holiday enjoyment. I can't sleep. I can't handle going to the mall. But spending so much time in food servitude makes me savor the little time I do have with my loved ones. So we break bread. I think the most important thing a chef can do is dine out. Drink Barolo. Drink aperitifs and digestifs. Say yes to champagne. Pick up the tab. Get coursed out. Be the customer in someone elses restaurant that you want in yours. And when you get back to your restaurant cook like your fucking life depends on it. Because, guess what? It does.

How/where do you see Detroit's/Michigan's culinary scene fitting in on a national level? Thinking in terms not of where it is (which is still far behind most other major cities/states) but where it COULD be, how can Michigan chefs/restaurants evolve and where do you see them going?

I pretty much agree with every other chef that answered this question. My only addition would be that Michigan is a source. We make food. It grows wild. We forage, hunt, harvest and fish. Not every region can claim that. To me, that's the origin of significant food regions. I believe Michigan is the most beautiful and rewarding state in the US and I think chefs are at the front line of showing the world exactly that. I think we can go as far as we want. But I look to places like the pacific northwest, Chicago and Vermont as regions that should parallel.

What advantages does a chef have in Michigan over other states? 

Seasonality. Farm land. Space. Water. Tenacity. Fearlessness. DIY attitudes. Midwestern grit. Callouses.

Michigan makes me proud because of it's unflinching forward-moving determination. We opened The Root in White Lake in 2011. Everyone told us it was a bad idea. But I stuck with my gut and bet on Michigan wanting real food and it paid off.

I've mentioned many times that the 8 Mile soundtrack album was the soundtrack to opening The Root. And at the risk of sounding cliche, I feel like that's what makes Eminem so enigmatic here in Detroit/Michigan. He's the mascot of any underdog putting passion first. So yeah, we got Eminem.

What is your favorite cuisine and/or what are your favorite or signature dishes to make? What do you geek out over?

This is my most asked and least favorite question. But I will say I love Italian food. Real Italian food. When I need to eat, like really eat, as in my spirit hurts, my hands are cracked and bleeding and I am forgetting why I sold my soul 15 years ago, I go to Bacco. I take a friend, a coworker, my wife or a sous chef. We sit and eat Italian food and drink Italian wine. Even though I've never been to the motherland I feel at home. And I am restored. Literally.

As for cooking. I love charcuterie. I love vegetables. I love whole animal cookery. I love Jacques Pepin. Anything he does. I geek out over his style of cooking. My favorite chef in America right now is Paul Virant. I think he is wildly underrated and the new north to which I calibrate my compass.

I love olive oil. A lot.

Who have you worked with who has most influenced you, and who most inspires you as a chef?

Paul Virant. We've done a few dinners together at collaborations and charities. He is a great chef and a kind, generous man. A real poet. He is the one who inspired me to get my Michigan chef friends together for Young Guns. Chef Dan Hugelier moved me as a student. I used to tear up in class listening to lecture. I've never heard anyone speak about the industry so passionately as him. Luciano Del Signore is my industry adopted father. Chef Brian Polcyn is my industry adopted crazy uncle. Matt Prentice was a rolling stone.

Hard at work, doing his thang.

How - and maybe more accurately why - did you first come up with the idea for the Young Guns dinner? What greater goal do you hope to accomplish with this dinner aside from it just being a totally awesome event?

The Young Guns came to mind shortly after a dinner at Vie in Chicago with Bill Kim, Paul Virant, Paul Kahan, Johnny Anderes and Elissa Narrow. It was one of the best nights of my career and I thought, why don't we do this back home? So when I got home I thought about what a dinner like that would look like here. Metro Detroit has some great veteran chefs that are easy picks. But when I thought about who I was seeing at events and whose food I was eating and who was taking chances or swashbuckling I put together this group of guys. I want to keep the Young Guns evolving and doing more dinners and rotating chef's based on who's available. I think it has potential to be an entity of Michigan cuisine. A canvas.

I also wanted to showcase the talent behind a lot of these local restaurants. Few chefs can be owners, therefore, many chefs are victims of circumstance or agenda or budget. This event is to free them/us of that. This night is for us. We certainly see a value and encourage being a customer of such an event but this is our night. That's why there's no menu available. No options or modifications. It's like music. This is our debut album.

I should also mention I've heard the saying Young Gun's referred to young "hot shot" chefs 1000 times. I also hear the reference of Detroit being the wild west, especially with food. So I found it appropriate. We take food seriously. Not ourselves. Does that make me Emilio?

What made you approach the particular group that you did? Can we expect to see more of these dinners, maybe with some other local talent?

Andy is great. I met him as a customer and fan of his at Roast. We share distributors so we hear about each other but we finally met and just really got along. I love his food. Michael Barrera is a great customer of mine and a really great guy. I love stopping in Streetside and noshing when in Birmingham. It's the most approachable, comfortable spot in Birmingham. Brennan is electric. Not only are his taco and salsas and bar food ridiculously high class at Imperial but he's holding back immense talent. I think he's a star about to burst. His flavors are so loud and tight I'm inspired by a goddamn taco. Nikita to me is the definitive Young Gun. Blue collar. Tireless. He literally built his reputation one plate at a time and built his own restaurant one brick at a time. I'm excited about his future. Nick Janutol and I worked together at Rugby under Dave Gilbert. Nick was as intern from CIA and a relatively quiet young guy who I'd challenge to late night dance off's in the kitchen, to which he'd lose. But since then his career has flourished as did his resume. I think his attention to detail and French focused style rounds the group out. Then me. I think The Root is a great place to start the event because of it's size and freedom to create. We have a large kitchen and no culinary rules. We're free.

But really, these guys are the real deal. These are my brethren. These are the people you will hear about years from now. Michigan food will evolve at their hands.

Future events are in the works as we speak. [UPDATE: Since conducting this interview, the second Young Guns events has been announced.]

As a chef, what do you hope to achieve in your career? Where do you see yourself in 5, 10, 20 years? And how do you hope to help strengthen and bolster Michigan's culinary scene?

I want to continue supporting the local butchers and farmers that work so hard for me. My goal has always been to showcase resources. I am very blessed to be able to work this hard and see gratification. I will not let up. I feel like my generation of chefs approach martyrdom. For me, I have nothing else. I can't support myself in any other field. I'm a cook. I'm a dishwasher. A janitor. A servant. A chef.

I want to keep my focus on putting Michigan on a national stage. Cook every plate like it's my only chance. I think building the reputation of our region is extremely important but not as important as delivering on that reputation when actually called upon.

[NEWS BITES] Second Young Guns dinner announced; tickets go on sale December 10

The first-ever Young Guns dinner, featuring six of metro Detroit's hottest (and I mean that in both the literal and figurative sense….YOWWWWW!) up-and-coming chefs, sold out in less than 48 hours. Most people hadn't even heard about it before tickets were already sold out. Now people are offering babies and bribes to get tickets to Sunday's dinner (I'm definitely not kidding about the latter and only sort of kidding about the former).

Now the second Young Guns dinner has officially been announced for Sunday, February 23, and tickets will go on sale December 10. The host location will be Terry B's in Dexter and Young Gun Andy Hollyday, who is unavailable on that date, will be replaced with a new Young Gun, Terry B's Executive Chef Doug Hewitt. You can read more about Doug in his "Insider" profile on Dexter here.

Eat It Detroit has been running profiles of each of the Young Guns leading up to the first event this Sunday. The profile of host chef (and the brains behind the guns) James Rigato of the Root Restaurant and Bar will follow later today.

Read them all here:
Nick Janutol, Forest Grill
Andy Hollyday, Selden Standard and Roast
Brennan Calnin, Imperial
Nikita Santches, Rock City Eatery
Michael Barrera, Streetside Seafood

Here is the press release for the next Young Guns dinner:

On Sunday, Feb. 23, 2014, the Young Guns will present their second Young Guns Dinner with a culinary takeover of Terry B’s Restaurant and Bar located at 7954 Ann Arbor St. in Dexter, Mich. The six-course dinner will begin at 7 p.m. and showcase the talents of six of Michigan’s premier chefs. Tickets are prepay only and will be available for purchase beginning at noon on Tuesday, Dec. 10. The cost of the dinner is $125 per person, inclusive of alcohol, tax and gratuity. Reservations are required and can be made by calling Terry B’s at 734-426-3727.

The Young Guns Dinner chef lineup is as follows:

Hosted by Doug Hewitt – Terry B’s Restaurant and Bar

Michael Barrera – Streetside Seafood

Brennan Calnin – Imperial

Nick Janutol – Forest Grill

James Rigato – The Root Restaurant and Bar

Nikita Santches – Rock City Eatery

The Young Guns were formed by chef Rigato earlier this year in an effort to feature the region’s up-and-coming chefs and bring attention to the growing food scene in metro Detroit. The first Young Guns Dinner, which sold out in less than 48 hours, will take place on Sunday, Dec. 8 at The Root Restaurant and Bar.

Terry B’s Restaurant and Bar serves upscale, contemporary cuisine in downtown Dexter in a former farmhouse, which was built in the 1850s.  The restaurant is located at 7954 Ann Arbor St. and is open Tuesday through Saturday, 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. For more information, visit www.terrybs.com or call 734-426-3727.

The Root Restaurant and Bar is located at 340 Town Center Blvd. and is open for lunch and dinner Monday through Thursday, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. and Friday and Saturday, 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. The restaurant features hand-made, from scratch, chef-driven cuisine with a commitment to seasonality and sustainable sourcing. For reservations or for more information, call 248-698-2400, visit www.therootrestaurant.com or follow on Facebook.

[EID Feature] Young Guns: Nick Janutol, Forest Grill

In anticipation of the first-ever Young Guns dinner at the Root - which sold out in less than 48 hours - Eat It Detroit will run a new profile every week leading up to the event featuring each of the six participating chefs. This week, it's Nick Janutol, Chef de Cuisine of Forest Grill.

Chef Nick's background: After graduating from the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, Chef Nick Janutol moved to New York City where he worked under Daniel Humm and was part of the team that elevated Eleven Madison Park to three Michelin stars. Looking to move closer to home, Chef Janutol moved to Chicago. In Chicago he worked under his friend and mentor Chef Matthew Kirkley. Under Chef Kirkley’s leadership, Chef Nick opened the two Michelin star RIA in the Elysian hotel. The pair then left and moved to L2O, where they took the restaurant to a two Michelin star rating. Chef Janutol finally made the move back to Michigan where he has been able to take his experience in fine dining to create an exceptional spin on the causal and comfortable atmosphere he has always enjoyed in restaurants.

EID: What is your culinary ethos? As in, as a chef, what do you BELIEVE in? What is important to you as a chef in your cooking and, in a bigger picture, what do you think the most important values are for a chef to have?

NJ: This feels a little like a loaded question. I could talk for days about the values and beliefs behind why I do what I do. The words that best describe my philosophy are quality, consistency, integrity, and hospitality. If one starts by truly believing that every guest is equally important and works as hard as they can to make them happy, then you have done your job.

How/where do you see Detroit's/Michigan's culinary scene fitting in on a national level? Thinking in terms not of where it is (which is still far behind most other major cities/states) but where it COULD be, how can Michigan chefs/restaurants evolve and where do you see them going?

I think you are right in saying Detroit is behind major cities like New York, Chicago and the San Francisco area, and it is unreasonable to say we are not. That being said I don’t think we are as far behind as far as you think. Having lived in both New York City and Chicago for a number of years, I have had the chance to see once empty neighborhoods explode with incredible restaurants. When I look at Corktown or Ferndale it feels like the West Loop or Brooklyn five years ago, you can feel this energy. It really feels like we are one or two great restaurant away from creating the competitive playground needed to propel this city.

What advantages does a chef have in Michigan over other states? 

Michigan chefs have a blank canvas and a public that wants to see it colored in; we have a clientele who wants to see more. All in all Detroit is an entrepreneurs dream.

You recently moved back to Michigan after working at some high-profile restaurants in Chicago. What really prompted you to make that decision, to leave such a high-profile market for one that is markedly less so?

Michigan especially the Detroit area is home, and there is a great future for her food scene here. Maybe I am niave in thinking that Detroit will rebound, but I will see it through. I am committed to this area and want to be a part of this great upswing that I feel is inevitable. With that said, the goal of entrepreneurship is one of the biggest reasons I moved back.

What is your favorite cuisine and/or what are your favorite or signature dishes to make? What do you geek out over?

I guess the pc answer is “seasonal products from the farmers market,” but that should be a standard in any restaurant you go to. With that said, I love French fare, not the typical American French bistro, but true French food that is produced by great chefs like Charles Barrier, Alain Ducasse, Joel Robuchon, Olivier Roellinger, and Yannick Alleno to name a few. For me it is truly inspiring to see what is possible with food. I strive to create dishes that are not spur of the moment, but well thought out and executed consistently.

Who have you worked with who has most influenced you, and who most inspires you as a chef?

I have learned from so many people in this industry. There are so many great chefs out there, each with their own philosophy and ideology. However, Matt Kirkley, the chef of L2O, has been one of the most influential chefs for myself as well as a great friend that I have worked for. He inspired me to have a hunger for knowledge, a drive for quality as well as reinforcing the need for integrity.

When James approached you about being a part of this Young Guns dinner, what was your reaction? Did you consider yourself one of "Michigan's most dangerous chefs" prior to this? What do you think of your fellow Young Guns?

The whole young guns name is a bit contrived, but I love the idea that we as chefs are getting the opportunity to cook together. This will be a great event, where we can share ideas and techniques with each other. That is something that is huge in Chicago and New York, the idea of meeting up after work and swapping stories and ideas. This event will only help Detroit grow as a restaurant scene.

As a chef, what do you hope to achieve in your career? Where do you see yourself in 5, 10, 20 years? And how do you hope to help strengthen and bolster Michigan's culinary scene?

Over the next 20 years, I hope that I continue to grow as a chef and businessman in the Detroit area.

[NEWS BITES] Local Detroit Area Chef Represents The United States In Inaugural World Hospitality Championship and Returns Home With a Gold Medal

And here is the press release:

The American Culinary Federation’s (ACF) Michigan Chefs De Cuisine Association (MCCA) is pleased to announce its President, Brian Beland, CMC®, and executive chef/director of food and beverage at the Country Club of Detroit was part of the ACF Team U.S.A. that was awarded a gold medal and came in second place at the inaugural Dubai World Hospitality Championship, Nov. 16–18, 2013 in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.

Beland was one of seven chefs selected to be part of the ACF team in this prestigious competition that featured culinary masters from around the world who are well recognized on the international circuit and regularly compete in some of the world’s best known culinary competitions. The ACF team, representing the United States, competed against 11 other countries including Australia, Brazil, Canada, Germany, Hong Kong, Russia, Singapore, Slovenia, South Africa, United Arab Emirates and Wales. Singapore placed first, the United States came in second and Australia placed third.

The ACF team spent the last two months planning and preparing for this competition. Each team was required to present a cold food buffet including six tapas items, three plated appetizers, four salads, four protein platters, four centerpieces a hot-main course and a dessert buffet in six hours for 50 people and four judges. Teams were judged on mise en place, workstation and uniform cleanliness, culinary techniques, food safety, presentation of dishes, taste and food texture.

            
 “This was such an incredible experience representing the United States and the flavors of American cuisine on a international stage,” said Brian Beland, CMC®, executive chef/director of food & beverage, Country Club of Detroit, Gross Pointe Farms, Mich.; President, ACF Michigan Chefs de Cuisine. “It’s truly an honor to be part of the ACF team and I’m so proud of our tremendous accomplishment of placing among the top three teams in this world-renowned competition.”

The Dubai World Hospitality Championship, under the directive of His Highness Sheikh Hamdan Bin Mohammed Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, was organized by Zabeel Palace Hospitality in cooperation with World Association of Chefs Societies and The Emirates Culinary Guild. To learn more about the Dubai Hospitality Championship, visit www.dwhc.ae.

About The Michigan Chefs de Cuisine:

The Michigan Chefs de Cuisine (MCCA) is the Southeast Michigan Chapter of the American Culinary Federation. It was founded in 1970 by Certified Master Chef Milos Cihelka, whose vision it was to create one of the most prestigious chef’s associations in the nation. Today, the Chapter consists of over 480 members. Chef Milos, now semi-retired but still teaching, was the chef/co-owner and proprietor of the renowned Golden Mushroom Restaurant in Southfield, Michigan. MCCA helps to provide opportunities for culinary education, professional growth, certification, competition and networking while supporting charitable organizations in the community. For more information, or to become a member, please visit www.mccachef.org or call Executive Director, Brian Lorge at 734.320.8738 or bflorge@comcast.net.

About the American Culinary Federation:

The American Culinary Federation, Inc. (ACF), established in 1929, is the premier professional organization for culinarians in North America. With more than 20,000 members spanning 200 chapters nationwide, ACF is the culinary leader in offering educational resources, training, apprenticeship and programmatic accreditation. In addition, ACF operates the most comprehensive certification program for chefs in the United States, with the Certified Executive Chef®, Certified Sous Chef® and Certified Executive Pastry Chef® designations the only culinary credentials accredited by the National Commission for Certifying Agencies. ACF is home to ACF Culinary Team USA, the official representative for the United States in major international culinary competitions, and to the Chef & Child Foundation, founded in 1989 to promote proper nutrition in children and to combat childhood obesity. For more information, visit www.acfchefs.org. Find ACF on Facebook at www.facebook.com/ACFChefs and on Twitter @ACFChefs.

[EID Feature] Young Guns: Andy Hollyday, Selden Standard

In anticipation of the first-ever Young Guns dinner at the Root - which sold out in less than 48 hours - Eat It Detroit will run a new profile every week leading up to the event featuring each of the six participating chefs. This week, it's Chef Andy Hollyday formerly of roast and partner in the soon-to-open Selden Standard in Midtown. 

Chef Andy's background: Andy Hollyday started cooking in a small family run restaurant in his hometown of Toledo. He pursued training at the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, N.Y., and has since cooked from coast to coast in the United States and also spent a summer cooking in France. He recently left his position as executive chef at Michael Symon’s Roast and will be chef/owner of Selden Standard, a new American restaurant opening in Midtown Detroit in mid-2014.

EID: What is your culinary ethos? As in, as a chef, what do you BELIEVE in? What is important to you as a chef in your cooking and, in a bigger picture, what do you think the most important values are for a chef to have?

AH: I believe in keeping things simple. I believe if you have some beautiful vegetables you don't need to do much to them to make them delicious. Sometimes as a chef you need to get out of the way and not complicate matters. All of us want to chef it up and get super creative, but the older – and hopefully wiser – I get the more I understand the adage, “less is more.” Food can and should speak for itself. That said, it's not always an easy thing to do. That’s why one of the most important values for me is to support farmers who are doing things right. Supporting their integrity on a local level will hopefully change farming and culinary practices in this country. If we don't, it will all be hormone pumped, pesticide poisoned, taste-like-nothing bullshit. And of course, if I’m trying to respect my farmer pals, I also have to be a chef who gives respect to my crew. They bust their asses for me and for our customers, and I want to teach them and mold them into not only good chefs but help them be the best people and the best colleagues they can be.

How/where do you see Detroit's/Michigan's culinary scene fitting in on a national level? Thinking in terms not of where it is (which is still far behind most other major cities/states) but where it COULD be, how can Michigan chefs/restaurants evolve and where do you see them going?

Clearly, the Detroit food scene is currently lagging a bit behind other cities. We do have a lot of gems, but everything is so spread out so it feels like we have less than we actually do. But we are in a unique position to highlight what Michigan has to offer. We’re a state that’s rich with a big network of farms, orchards, forests, and waters surrounding us. It’s the inherent quality of those things combined with Detroit’s history and personality that will make us distinct. We’ve always had a wealth of great ethnic food, but what's exciting, especially as a chef, is all the energy that's coming from these new restaurants, pop-ups, distilleries, breweries, and urban farmers. We’re contributing to a culture that's putting a demand on local resources, and utilizing them to define our local cuisine. There’s a lot of momentum building.

What advantages does a chef have in Michigan over other states? 

First and foremost, the people here make the city and that is why I'm here – to feed them! I came to Michigan 10 years ago, and have been working in the city of Detroit for over 5 years. And I definitely don’t have any plans to leave. I’m inspired by all the hardworking, ballsy risk takers that I've met and become friends with. Opening a restaurant anywhere is risky, but it seems as though the rewards – and I mean that in terms of relationships and a sense of contributing to something more than financial – in the city are much bigger. What really excites me is being able to be a part of a neighborhood. Take our block, for example: Alley Wine is going to open nearby, apartments are getting cleaned up, the El Moore project that the Green Garage guys are doing. It’s fun to be part of what is almost a collaborative vision, even though we’re all doing our own, different projects. I also think that people often come to the city with low expectations. And to be honest, it feels good to exceed those with a stellar dining experience that will help change their overall outlook of Detroit.

What is your favorite cuisine and/or what are your favorite or signature dishes to make? What do you geek out over?

I hate this question, but I love pasta. And in terms of cuisine, I really like anything simple, rustic, and Mediterranean. Something as simple as grilled bread or grilled onions can be outstanding.

I truly "geek out" when vegetables are at the peak of their season. When you eat that perfect peach off the tree or carrot straight from the dirt. When food is alive is when it tastes the best. I love a fresh caught fish fried after a day of fishing in the lake. Ramps and morels are always exciting but taste better when you pull them from the woods yourself. Since I left Roast, I’ve had the chance to visit a few farms in Michigan and across the Midwest, and it’s been so interesting, so much fun. When Selden Standard opens, I’m just excited to be able to work more closely with some of them.

Tell me a little about your new restaurant - what is the concept? How will it fit within the existing Detroit restaurant scene, and how will it be different than what's already out there? What is your "in a perfect world" timeline for opening?

We wanted to open a place that was the kind of restaurant that we like to eat at. So that’s what Selden Standard will be: very sociable, seasonally driven, shared plates. There are a lot of great meals to be had in fine dining. A lot of them can be found here in Michigan, and believe me, I’ve ate at all of those places. But I don’t want white linens and an eighteen page wine list every single time I go out to eat. More than anything, I love great food and hanging out with my girlfriend and our friends. So we’ll be a much more casual, neighborhood place with outstanding food and drink. A place where you can feel comfortable eating with your hands and still hopefully leave saying, “Wow, that was a special meal.”

Detroit already has a lot to offer: I eat at Supino and La Feria and New Center Eatery and Roast and all those places all the time. But there are so many variations in what a good restaurant can be, and right now, there aren’t a lot of places where the menu is changing every 3, 4, 5 weeks; there aren’t a lot of places that have the capacity and culinary scope of a bigger, formal restaurant that are aiming to do more casual; and so on. So hopefully we will give people something new. I know other chefs and restaurateurs in town are looking to do more seasonal cuisine, more sociable dining room experiences, and I’m excited for that too. Greater downtown is growing, and speaking as someone who loves to eat, we need as many perspectives on interesting food as we can get. I’m just glad that we’ll be a part of that.

In terms of opening, our perfect world scenario is sometime in May, but we’re saying “mid 2014” because there are still so many variables. Ask me again in a couple months.

When James approached your about being a part of this Young Guns dinner, what was your reaction? Did you consider yourself one of "Michigan's most dangerous chefs" prior to this? What do you think of your fellow Young Guns?

I was stoked that James asked me. I don't really consider myself DANGEROUS and definitely not that YOUNG anymore either. I mean, I got into the industry 20 or so years ago, and I graduated from the CIA more than ten years ago now. So it’s hard to think of myself as young. But when James gets all amped up and starts talking about a community of chefs, how can you say no? His energy is contagious, and we do need to all support each other. Some sense of competition (for lack of a better word) should be there, but it should always respectful and friendly. All the chefs are very talented and great guys. I love all their restaurants. So something like this is fun to do.

As a chef, what do you hope to achieve in your career? Where do you see yourself in 5, 10, 20 years? And how do you hope to help strengthen and bolster Michigan's culinary scene?

Well, first, I want people to come into our restaurant and have a great time with great food. That’s why you get into this business and stay in it, you know? But in terms of the bigger picture, I hope to positively impact Detroit's dining scene and along the way, help build a better connection with the farmer not only at restaurants but for the general public. I want to cook good food and help change the way people look at the city of Detroit. I love working with new cooks and hope to have mentored the future Young Guns of this town. In 5 years, I hope to have kids and be married. In 10 years I would love to own a farm that would be solely dedicated to sourcing my restaurant(s). At some point, in a dream scenario, I would love to open another business, but first thing's first. Finally within 20 years, I hope I’ve had some role in inspiring and teaching younger chefs to stay here and continue the craft so I can go eat at their places with my family and friends.

Read last week's interview with Chef Brennan Calnin of Imperial in Ferndale here.

[EID TV] Catch the full episode of Cooking Channel's "America's Best Bites" featuring the Root

Did you miss the full episode of America's Best Bites on the Cooking Channel earlier this year when they featured Chef James Rigato of the Root Restaurant + Bar in White Lake? Fret not; the whole thing is now available to watch in four segments on YouTube and here they are:

[EID Feature] Young Guns: Brennan Calnin, Imperial

In anticipation of the first-ever Young Guns dinner at the Root - which sold out in less than 48 hours - Eat It Detroit will run a new profile every week leading up to the event featuring each of the six participating chefs. This week, it's Chef Brennan Calnin of Imperial in Hamtramck. 

Chef Brennan's background: Chef Brennan Calnin hails from Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Brennan developed an early love of food and began cooking at home as soon as he was tall enough to see over the range. Both sides of his family had an early influence on him; from the large holiday dinners on his mother’s side, to the rather simplistic lunches prepared with his German grandmother on his father’s side. After a stint in college as a vocal performance major and a few odd jobs, Brennan attended and graduated from Kendall College with a degree in Culinary Arts.

Brennan gained his first restaurant experience as a dishwasher at Lloyd’s Lunch. In the years leading up to culinary school he worked as a busser, server, pizza maker, and bartender. While in culinary school, Brennan worked under two of Chicago’s well-known chefs. He spent a year cooking with Chef Jackie Shen at Redlight, followed by a year and a half under Chef Takashi Yagihashi at Takashi, where he was the restaurant’s first intern. Upon finishing culinary school, Brennan was off to his hometown to work under Chef Dan Van Rite at Hinterland. Following a stint as a personal chef in Colorado at Marvine Ranch, he was picked as the Executive Chef to launch Imperial in Ferndale. When not in the kitchen, Brennan enjoys all things music, he is an avid runner, and recently started practicing yoga.

EID: What is your culinary ethos? As in, as a chef, what do you BELIEVE in? What is important to you as a chef in your cooking and, in a bigger picture, what do you think the most important values are for a chef to have?

BC: Butter. Give me butter. Always butter. No, in all seriousness though I think it’s important to have fun. In being a chef it can be monotonous, stressful, and exhausting so I think it’s really important to not lose sight of why I started cooking. It’s fun. It’s an outlet for my creativity; my ADHD (I’m forced to be attentive while being hyperactive). It’s like being a captain on a pirate ship. It rules. A chef needs to be punctual, attentive, creative, realistic, compassionate, and human. What chefs don’t need to be are assholes, which is how we get portrayed on TV.

How/where do you see Detroit's/Michigan's culinary scene fitting in on a national level? Thinking in terms not of where it is (which is still far behind most other major cities/states) but where it COULD be, how can Michigan chefs/restaurants evolve and where do you see them going?

I think the sky is the limit for Detroit and Michigan. I’ve not native to Michigan but I’m from just the other side of the pond (Milwaukee) which happens to be as blue collar as Detroit. Which made me feel at home right from the get-go. The first thing I noticed from living here is the hustle and soul that people have. I feel like Detroit can compete because it’s a city of fighters; I mean, you gotta be to live here, right? There is an incredible amount of ethnic diversity, which makes us way more than just a meat and potatoes kinda town. Lastly, there’s the incredible bounty of produce, wine and beer that is produced here.

I think what we’re showing with this dinner is how Michigan can evolve as far as restaurants go, and by that I mean working together and supporting each other. I think at times people get too wrapped up in “my place does this better than yours.” That’s stupid and counterproductive. We need to support each other and appreciate the fact that every place has its own soul and personality.

What advantages does a chef have in Michigan over other states? 

Living in the Midwest we have a change of seasons ranging from face-contortingly cold winters to holy-shit-is-it-really-this-hot summers. This gives us a bit of advantage when it comes to writing menus and being creative because you are forced to not only use what is in season but prepare dishes that reflect the change of seasons…I mean in L.A., yeah they got all that produce and wine and shit, but it’s like 80 degrees everyday with a side of smog, where’s the inspiration in that?

What is your favorite cuisine and/or what are your favorite or signature dishes to make? What do you geek out over?

This is going to sound funny seeing as I’m slinging tacos, but I LOVE old timey. Give me pates, mousselines, mousses, liver and onions, steak tartar, rillettes, terrines and lastly champagne. I geek out over champagne, that shit is delicious.

Who have you worked with who has most influenced you, and who most inspires you as a chef?

Wow, this is a tough one. I would have to go with a couple of people here. I learned a ton of technique under Derik Watson (formerly Iridescence, now opening Bistro 82 in Royal Oak) and Chef Takashi Yagihashi while at Takashi in Chicago. Dan Van Rite of Hinterland in Milwaukee gave me my wings and let me be incredibly creative, and hooked me up with amazing seasonal gig as a personal chef in Colorado. While there I met Chef Jennifer Blakeslee from The Cook‘s House who has been an incredible friend and mentor and really rounded me out as a chef and person. Lastly, I would say my parents for always believing in me and letting me use the stove as soon as I could reach knobs on our little four-burner electric stove. Oh, they also let me live in the basement after I dropped out of college. That was huge.

When James approached you about being a part of this Young Guns dinner, what was your reaction? Did you consider yourself one of "Michigan's most dangerous chefs" prior to this? What do you think of your fellow Young Guns?

It’s funny because we were having a couple of drinks after an event at the Townsend and he mentioned wanting to do this dinner and I was like, “That’s awesome, hell yeah,” and then he asked me to be a part of it, and I was like “holy shit.” These guys are all so established and to be invited to cook with them at The Root is an honor. I am extremely dangerous after a Packers' loss and one too many soda pops… I just can’t wait to get into the kitchen with these guys and tear it up. It’s like going into a dojo with five dudes who practice different kung fu and just throwing down. It’s gonna be badass.

As a chef, what do you hope to achieve in your career? Where do you see yourself in 5, 10, 20 years? And how do you hope to help strengthen and bolster Michigan's culinary scene?

What’s my five year plan huh? Well in my career I hope to stay happy, healthy and creative, really. I just love cooking and I don’t ever want to lose that. I try not to over think my “career.” I mean, I’m still that six-year-old cooking hotdogs in a frying pan, ya know? I think the great thing about Imperial is that it’s so approachable and at the same time I thinks it’s great that people are learning that you can eat tacos without sour cream and cheddar cheese. So in the future I would like to continue doing food that is approachable and served in a relaxed setting. That’s what I love about Imperial: you got hipsters and suits breaking bread at the same table. That’s kick ass; I want bring more of that to Michigan.

Read last week's interview with Chef Nikita Santches of Rock City Eatery in Hamtramck here. 

The Week We Ate (The EID Week in Review)

This sums it all up nicely. 

ICYMI:
~You know, I thought it was going to be Bourdain who blew up the Internet this week. But no: it was me. [EID]
~Another week, another Young Gun. This week it's Nikita Santches of Rock City Eatery. Check out what he has to say about Michigan's culinary scene, the people who have most inspired him, and how he wants people to step outside of their culinary comfort zones. [EID]
~It's a long walk for a short drink of water, but this is what all the Pappy Van Winkle's Family Reserve fuss is about, and here's where you can get some in metro Detroit. [EID]
~Over on Detroit's East Side, these are the go-to neighborhood grocery stores. And not that I'm trying to be partial or anything, but Mike's Fresh Market is particularly impressive. [Model D]
~La Feria is now open for both lunch AND dinner, and celebrated a grand opening with Melt last week. [Model D]
~New beginnings are on the horizon for Rodin and previous Exec Chef Kate Williams. [EID]
~Treat Dreams launched Wicked Donuts on November 16, and have already started giving away free donuts to their Facebook fans. [EID / TD FB]
~EVENTS! [EID]

...man, I kind of killed it this week didn't I? *pats own back*

Eastern Market Corporation is in the news with yet another massive grant that will bring even more improvements and amenities to the ongoing Shed 5 renovation. [Freep]

And take a listen to Eastern Market Corporation President Dan Carmody on The Craig Fahle Show talking about the latest announcements of renovations taking place in and around Shed 5. [WDET]

Like or not (notnotnotnotnot), it's time to start thinking about the holidays. And presents! Mitten Crate is kind of like a CSA of artisan food producers from all over the state, and the monthly subscription box service brings together items from different companies every single month. Might be a good gift for the jaded "foodie" who has eaten (and Instagramed) everything. [Crain's]

Bagger Dave's Burger Tavern in Greektown delayed opening, originally slated for last Sunday. [MLive]

Revolver co-owner Tunde Wey muses on things. He is very good at musing on things. [Model D]

You may have seen some vague posts over the last day or so exclaiming "Save Hamtown Farms!" In Detroit it seems like we're always trying to save something and it does get to be a whole lot of white noise after awhile because really, who can keep up. So here's what's really going on with the property that Hamtown Farms inhabits and why people are trying to save it. [Eclecta]

Awhile back some blog somewhere listed the top sandwiches for each state after another blog about a year or so before had put together a list of the United States of Sandwich, naming the signature sandwich of each state (and on which a full year of sandwich specials at Mudgie's was based). So now Business Insider is taking a stab at it with their own version. For Michigan they picked Zingerman's Delicatessen's corned beef, the only super-specific "this exact sandwich from this exact place" selection on the list. Probably just corned beef would have sufficed, but also probably this is a better pick than the pasty previously named by the previous copycat blog. [Business Insider]

Red Crown launched a new bar menu last week. Cocktails and bar snacks? Sounds good to me. [Red Crown FB]

Another new place in Birmingham called Market North End opened and it sounds pretty interesting. [Detroit News]

After the news got out that legendary Chicago chef Charlie Trotter died last week after being found unconscious in his home, the culinary world expressed their sorrow...and speculation began. Verbiage was vague - vague enough to imply drugs, maybe suicide. Morbid and callous yes, but we're all guilty of it. Jeff Ruby of Chicago magazine wrote this editorial that manages to be both a heartfelt eulogy without being saccharine or sensational, while also addressing the unavoidably ugly parts of humanity - both Trotter's and our own. [Chicago Mag]

Beerie
~If someone were to ask you what Michigan does better than any other state, the answer is beer. And someone made a movie about it. And the Freep premiered it last Thursday. This is a story about all of those things. [Freep]

~Who put food in my beer? Turns out, a BUNCH of Michigan breweries (like Right Brain Brewery, Dark Horse Brewing Co., and Short's Brewing Company). Fun story about food in beer from DRAFT Magazine. [DRAFT]

~Pray for us sinners. Or just drink beer. [NPR]

~According to Travel + Leisure, Arcadia Ales is one of America's coolest breweries. [T+L]

~WIGGS! (From Dark Horse, yo.) [Freep]

[EID Rants] He had you until "Chernobyl:" Bourdain came into town and people lost their shit

At Duly's in Detroit. Photo from Bourdain's blog.

Oh, Detroit. Remember how excited you were on Friday about Bourdain's most recent visit to Detroit airing on CNN's "Parts Unknown" on Sunday? Remember how you lost your shit every time anyone posted anything about Bourdain and almost sprained your fingers "liking" it so hard?

Remember when CNN first posted teaser clips from the episode, and you lost your shit? Remember when CNN posted a trailer for the episode and Bourdain called Detroit "awesome," and you lost your shit? Remember when the Free Press posted effectively a scene-by-scene recap of the whole episode in advance, and you lost your shit? And then, as if you could have possibly had any more shit to lose, Bourdain himself posted his own thoughts on Detroit on his tumblr blog and you lost so much shit it's amazing you didn't die of dehydration like victims of dysentery?

Those were such simpler times, weren't they? When all one had to do was write "Bourdain" and "Detroit" in a headline and get a thousand million "likes"?

Oh but you are a fickle bunch, aren't you Detroit? Any celebrity who comes into town is only as praise-worthy as the last bit of praise they doled out to you.

Everyone was all hashtag-happy watching the "Parts Unknown" season finale shot in Detroit...and then Tony dropped a bomb. The "Chernobyl" bomb. And you lost your shit again. Because, I mean, UNFAIR, right? And he also showed abandoned buildings (including the Packard Plant, the most abandonedest building of all), and it was all, "WAAHHHHHH, WE HAVE ENOUGH RUIN PORN, WHY DON'T YOU SHOW EASTERN MARKET AND THE DIA."

Now. I am not Anthony Bourdain's biggest fan. This should come as a surprise to no one. But I also understand a bit about travel media. And the thing is, whether or not you've noticed, Detroit is a hot commodity in the national narrative right now, and everyone has been writing about it - writing glowingly positive things about Dan Gilbert's investments downtown and the growing startup scene and young people and creatives and popups (which, it should be noted, Bourdain also included). And every lifestyle section and travel outlet has run their own version of The Detroit Travel Story - Fodor's, Frommer's, HuffPo, Conde Naste, Travel + Leisure, the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, the Guardian, Yahoo News, Time, Fox News, Food + Wine, Bon Appetit, and on and on and on it goes. And most of those outlets name the DIA and Eastern Market (and Slows, let's not forget Slows) as Things You Must Do in Detroit.

So CNN (stands for: Cable News Network) has this show hosted by the country's most outspoken culinary bad boy and you expect him to cover the same shit everyone else does, huh? Here's the thing: "Parts Unknown" isn't a travel show. This is CNN, not the Travel Channel. Anthony Bourdain is not personally hand-crafting a travel itinerary to the destinations he visits. The point of this "Parts Unknown" is to show these cities in a way that hasn't been done for an international cable television audience before - the good, the bad, the ugly, the unknown. I mean, it's right there in the title. RIGHT there. So sorry those of you who thought that with all the cheerleading lead-up that this episode was going to be all puppies and fucking rainbows. But guess what (and brace yourselves for this one): Detroit is not all puppies and fucking rainbows. Sure, parts of Midtown, Corktown, downtown and a handful of neighborhoods smattered throughout Detroit's 141 square miles are varying degrees of okay (some even nice!), but the bulk of this city's mass is a shithole. Spend some time driving around that huge swath of land east of 75 and north of 94 if you need some convincing. Or Northwest. Or west. Much of Southwest. East. North of New Center. Meh, most of New Center. Mostly everything not on or near the Woodward Corridor. Dan Gilbert might own most of downtown but the bulk of the rest of the city still looks like a bombed-out third-world post-apocalyptic nightmare.

Or, as Bourdain said, "The only place I've ever been that looks anything like Detroit does now is Chernobyl."

And you lost your shit. (Here and here and don't miss the BATTLE RAGING here.)

No one does self-righteous outrage quite like Detroit, and every time any kind of FOREIGNER (meaning anyone not actually from Detroit, often also including those who dare live north of 8 Mile or south of Ecorse or west of Telegraph, though no one ever uses the latter two as examples because apparently the real crime is living in Ferndale, not in Melvindale or Dearborn Heights) comes to Detroit and dares to tell the tale of it, we are all apparently Detroit-obligated to pitch an indignant fit because they either (a) spent too much time covering all the obvious places ("What about all the things that aren't Eastern Market and the DIA and Slows???? UNFAIR."), or (b) spent too much time not covering all the obvious places ("What about Eastern Market and the DIA and Slows? UNFAIR.").

Detroit has got to be the most exhaustingly exasperating city in the country. If we just really need to feel like we are the best at something, it is that. So congrats there.

To be fair, much of this exhausting indignation is spurred on by the three dozen Detroit-based media outlets (60% of which didn't exist three years ago) all trying to beat each other to the same story, which is why we now have liveblogs and Twitter recaps and sensational BATTLE RAGES headlines aplenty. And perhaps this is why we also now confuse shiny happy hashtag journalism with actual real (and often harsh) journalism. Bourdain didn't set out to validate Detroit. He set out to tell the truth about it. And the truth is that a whole hell of a lot of it looks like a nuclear reactor melted and the city was abandoned overnight and left for the cockroaches. But that there are also people still living, still surviving despite that. And the vast overwhelming majority of them aren't white yuppie Brooklyn transplants funded by Detroit Venture Partners. There are black people barbecuing (yes, Anthony Bourdain came to Detroit and HUNG OUT WITH BLACK PEOPLE...which might actually be a national television first). There are firefighters risking their lives on a daily basis for $10 an hour but still manage to have their camaraderie because really, what else is left? There are Salvadoran immigrants making pupusas and serving them out of their homes. There are the obligatory coney dogs, but from Duly's and not the oft-filmed Lafayette and American. And yes, there are white people doing pop-up dinners in artsy spaces because that's part of the Detroit fabric now too.

In other words, this was broadcast journalism, not PR.

He didn't mince words. He didn't try to spare your feelings. He didn't try to cater to fragile Detroit egos. He did call Detroiters "bold, proud, ferociously enterprising survivors," and so I ask you, is this really how bold, proud, ferociously enterprising survivors act? Detroit, you are capable of being tougher than this. Admitting reality is not the same as admitting defeat. Be proud of your fucked-up city, but know (and admit) that it is fucked up. For fuck's sake, you just made me defend Anthony Fucking Bourdain. Not everything has to be one extreme of tinkling yourself with excitement or the other of spearheading a Twitter hashtag lynching. Learn how to be stoic. People will respect you more.

[NEWS BITES] Chef Kate Williams leaving Rodin for new pursuits

Dance party at Rodin.

Chef Kate Williams is leaving Rodin to pursue some new ventures, which are still on the DL but one of them is going to be SO AWESOME YOU GUYS I CAN'T WAIT TO TELL YOU.

Kate and Rodin owner Torya Schoeniger wanted to go in different directions with the restaurant/bar. As a French-trained chef, Kate understandably wanted to focus more on the dining end of the business, but with a tiny kitchen she was limited and both she and Torya said she couldn't do what she really wanted to do there, which was basically to have a full restaurant. The parting of ways is wholly amicable and you can expect to see some changes at Rodin soon - different food and more music being the biggies.

Rodin first opened its doors for Noel Night last year on December 1, with a grand opening on 12/12/12. After nearly a year in business, Torya and her team have had time to settle into the Midtown nightlife market and see what their clientele most demands and best responds to. Torya wants to transition the nighttime hotspot to have a greater emphasis on live music. And with a one-year anniversary coming up, you can bet there's going to be one hell of a party.

Rodin will still serve food, but the food will be less preparation-intensive and more along the lines of heavy snacks - think cured meats, cheese boards, pickled vegetables, and raw seafood, similar to this. They'll still have all the great cocktails, unique wines, and craft beer you love, and the sexy mid-century Parisian cafe-meets-urban industrial chic atmosphere that makes it such a delightfully unique space in Detroit.

Kate is officially done at Rodin this week. I'll have more details on some of her upcoming projects soon but SERIOUSLY YOU GUYS THIS ONE THING IN PARTICULAR THAT I KNOW ABOUT IS GOING TO BE AWESOME. And keep an eye out for Rodin's one-year anniversary party; I'll be sure to remind you!

[EID Feature] Young Guns: Nikita Santches, Rock City Eatery

In anticipation of the first-ever Young Guns dinner at the Root - which sold out in less than 48 hours - Eat It Detroit will run a new profile every week leading up to the event featuring each of the six participating chefs. This week, it's Chef Nikita Santches of Rock City Eatery in Hamtramck. 

Chef Nik's background:
Born in Moscow, Nikita Santches moved to the USA at the age of 12. He has been on all sides of the food service industry since the age of 15. Dish washing and a 10-year stint in corporate food service led him to the owning and operating of his own business "Nikita Santches Catering." From there he cultivated his notorious identity as "The Pie Guy" when he began his "Rock City Pies" business venture. With the help of Ferndale's Rust Belt Market and a finalist spot in Comerica’s Hatch Detroit 2012 competition, Rock City Pies’ popularity started taking on a surprising identity of its own. He has recently expanded his brand into a full scale restaurant in Hamtramck. Rock City Eatery brings high-quality, unique, locally-sourced modern American (with an old world twist) cuisine to the city of Hamtramck. You can find him Monday-Saturday in the kitchen of 11411 Joseph Campau. Head in if you’re looking for food...booze...or a damn good slice of pie.

EID: What is your culinary ethos? As in, as a chef, what do you BELIEVE in? What is important to you as a chef in your cooking and, in a bigger picture, what do you think the most important values are for a chef to have?
NS: I believe that food should be tasty, unique, and affordable. Now that I run a restaurant my goal is to try and expose people to new ingredients, new dishes, and to introduce new and more adventurous ways to approach dinning. I feel like eating at a restaurant should be a fun event. Have a drink or two, have good conversation..and don't spend the entire time taking pictures of your food. Stop overanalyzing and critiquing. Just relax and have a good time. You're not a Top Chef judge whose job it is to over analyze. Enjoy your food. I feel like each chef has their own set of values, but I think that all of us are trying to serve something that tastes delicious.

How/where do you see Detroit's/Michigan's culinary scene fitting in on a national level? Thinking in terms not of where it is (which is still far behind most other major cities/states) but where it COULD be, how can Michigan chefs/restaurants evolve and where do you see them going?
I feel like the culinary scene in Michigan is getting better, but it's not on the level of other major cities. I feel like there are a couple of reasons why we are behind in the culinary world. I think there's a lot of talented, creative chefs in Michigan, but they are locked into making food that the restaurant owners tell them to make..which is dictated by an average Michigan diner. Or, there are chefs that are too hesitant to get out of their comfort zone and try to make something that they are not familiar with. I understand where restaurant owners are coming from with trying to please the majority of diners. Unfortunately, average consumers evaluate the quality of a dish by the size of the portion, cost, and how familiar they are with the ingredients. For instance how much bacon is in it...the Guy Fierri Syndrome. So the problem lies in the fact that we don't have a large enough customer base willing to try new things. People are too afraid to get out of their comfort zone. I have experienced this first hand in the past few weeks, as people go for what they are familiar with and hardly order anything that has 'cool' ingredients like: tongue, duck eggs, ox tail, etc. I've gotten complains that my beef burgers taste too much like beef because I use 30-day dry-aged beef. I think as our generation moves back to Michigan from cities with better dining culture this will change.

What advantages does a chef have in Michigan over other states?
I think some of the biggest advantages we have is our accessibility and variety of vegetables and fruits that are grown here, and the fact that the clientele in Michigan is very loyal to their restaurants and the area. Michigan is home. I grew up here, I love it here, and I will never leave this area.

What is your favorite cuisine and/or what are your favorite or signature dishes to make? What do you geek out over?
I feel like I approach cooking differently compared to some of my fellow chefs. I did not go to culinary school, so I taught myself how to cook by experimenting with different ingredients and styles of cooking. That's how I approach cooking to this day. I like playing around with traditional dishes and putting creative spins on them. If I see an ingredient that I'm not familiar with, that's what gets me going. I love cooking with ingredients that need a lot of TLC to make them taste good. Like taking a tough cut of meat, braising it until it's tender, and seeing it develop better flavor than any steak. I geek out over being able to overcome obstacles. For example, my restaurant kitchen consists of a 10-burner stove and two regular ovens underneath. There is no other cooking equipment. I think my home kitchen is bigger! So, I'm very proud of how much food we put out of that tiny space.

Who have you worked with who has most influenced you, and who most inspires you as a chef? 
The person that I learned most from is a lady named Mary that I worked with for several years. She was a Southern lady from Alabama that taught me how to develop flavors and showed me the ropes. As far as chefs go, I look up to David Chang. I feel like he is the best chef in the U.S. But, the number one chef/food writer that I look up to is Anthony Bourdain. I admire his views and philosophy when it comes to food. He travels all over the world and eats in all of the best restaurants in the world, but he would always prefer simple food that has well-developed flavor. That's how I like to approach my food.

When James approached your about being a part of this Young Guns dinner, what was your reaction? Did you consider yourself one of "Michigan's most dangerous chefs" prior to this? What do you think of your fellow Young Guns?
I was very pleasantly surprised. I feel like I'm a new kid on the block, and I do not have as much of experience as the other guys. So, I felt very honored to be included in this event. I think all of the guys that are a part of this event are very talented and each one brings something unique to the table (pun intended).

As a chef, what do you hope to achieve in your career? Where do you see yourself in 5, 10, 20 years? And how do you hope to help strengthen and bolster Michigan's culinary scene?
At this point in my life I feel like I'm living the dream because I have my own restaurant and I have all of the creative control. I feel like that's every chef's dream. As far as the future goes, I hope that my restaurant does well and I keep making unique and interesting food. I hope I can get Michiganders to think about food a little bit outside of the box, to try new things, and stop thinking about food so seriously. Realize that food is subjective, it's supposed to be fun...and drinks should always be involved.

Read last week's interview with Chef Michael Barrera of Streetside Seafood in Birmingham here.