Soren Pedersen

restaurant sorrel urban bistro | cuisine new american 2202 west alabama., Houston, TX 77098 | 713.677.0391 | www.sorrelhouston.com

Favorite late night spot for a bite?
Black Labrador on Montrose.

Best Breakfast?
Café Calais in the Heights.

Best Brunch?
My own, at Sorrel!

What ingredient can you not live without in the kitchen and why?
Sea salt – it’s the best flavor enhancer.

What utensil can you not live without?
Spoon.

What’s your pet peeve?
Cleanliness.

Favorite affordable wine?
Victor Hugo “Hunchback” Paso Robles, CA.

Favorite place for dessert?
The Crepe Place in Midtown.

On what magazine cover, other than 002’s,
would you like to be featured?
Food & Wine.

Who are your favorite chef, restaurant and dish?
Several chefs in town do a great job.

What is your comfort food?
Homemade liver pate from the Motherland (Denmark).

Do you use a recipe or wing it?
Both, depending on the occasion.

Is there a food you won’t eat?
Monkey brain does not appeal to me.

What do you see as the next food trend?
Daily menus, gluten free, vegan.

At home, what do you keep on hand to serve drop-in guests?
Variety of cheeses and breads.

Do you anticipate publishing a cookbook?
Yes, at some point when time and opportunity allow.

Last but not least, tell us your worst client experience?
Taking the heat from diner’s crabby day.

Favorite SANDWICH Reuben
Favorite ICE CREAM MIX-IN/TOPPING Sweet Cherry Sauce
Favorite TRUCK FOOD Taco truck at Ice House on Alabama
Favorite PICNIC SPOT Hermann Park Favorite
Favorite SPOT TO EXERCISE/RUN Hermann Park

Photography by Kennon Evett

pat greer
restaurant YAYA’S RAW & PAT GREER’S KITCHEN
cuisine RAW, VEGAN
412 W. CLAY ST., Houston, TX 77019
713.807.0101 | www.patgreersrawvegankitchen.com

Favorite late night spot for a bite?
Van Loc’s dry Veggie Bunnnnns.

Best Breakfast?
Green Smoothie: 1-2 bananas, 4-6 leaves of kale, good size slice of fresh ginger, whatever citrus is available, 1 quart of water and blend, blend, blend. It gives an amazing amount of energy. When eating out and seeking respite: Pondicheri – The atmosphere is delightful and makes me smile. The Shakti Tisane AND the Chai are the best! I like the paratha with some fruit and a bit of the saffron yogurt. I feel nourished when I am there.

Best Brunch?
Who has time for brunch in the food business?

What ingredient can you not live without in the
kitchen and why?
Love…it speaks volumes about what can be in food we consume as nourishment…for our bodies and souls. It is the first ingredient in all of our food and what I hope and pray people know.

What utensil can you not live without?
Knife sharpener.

What’s your pet peeve?
When I am ungrateful and cat piss.

Favorite affordable wine?
Ones with GREAT names.

Favorite place for dessert?
My granddaughter makes exquisite pies…she wins my vote every time! She has a Pies for Peace campaign every year and donates the money to her favorite charity. Cherry and apple are my favorite AND I will consume ANYTHING she prepares.

On what magazine cover, other than 002’s,
would you like to be featured?
Parabola.

Who are your favorite chef, restaurant and dish?
Anyone who takes the time, energy and love to prepare me a tasty morsel or dish. H.C. makes a great pot of black bean soup. Baby Barnaby’s – walk in and you are family. Yaya’s salad at Ruggles Green on W. Alabama.

What is your comfort food?
Small red potatoes and brussels sprouts with olive oil, black pepper
and sea salt.

Do you use a recipe or wing it?
I read LOTS of recipes, seeing what people put together continues to intrigue me. I did decide to use one for a kracker one time. I was in a small kitchen and had to turn completely around from my book to my ingredients. During one turn, the page turned and the last ingredient I used was in the recipe on the new page in what I thought was the same place. So, unknowingly, I continued on thinking, “wow, this is weird…guess I will stay with it cause a chef created it and published it.” It is now one of our best-selling krackers, Spinach Flat Bread.

Is there a food you won’t eat?
Organ meats, ewwwww! Once upon a time, the wife of an employee sent breakfast tacos to us (we were working 20-hour days). I was so happy that someone sent real food, I grabbed one, threw on some hot sauce, took a huge bite, continued working, chewed away and slowly discovered it was liver. Everyone I worked with got a huge kick out of it…I was not happy.

What do you see as the next food trend?
Simple vegetables.

What would people be surprised to find in your home
refrigerator? Lard – it’s a long story.

At home, what do you keep on hand to serve drop-in guests? Kale, apples, pecan butter.

Do you anticipate publishing a cookbook?
In the works. One of my inamorato’s daughters is encouraging me to take the years of class-teaching recipes off of my computer and get them in a book. I am slowly working towards it; I have a name and looking for illustrations.

Last but not least, tell us your worst client experience?
A customer brought their petulant adolescent with them to the farmers market to make their food purchases. The angel proceeded to loudly proclaim how gross, disgusting, horrible, bad, weird everything her mother offered her was. My jaw hurt from clenching my teeth.

Favorite sandwich Slow Dough Bread; perfect avocado; juicy, red, tomato; very thin slivers of red onion; my Dijon Daze sauce; sea salt OR peanut butter and banana with cacao nibs.
FavoritE ICE CREAM MIX-IN/TOPPING Peanut butter and chocolate over frozen bananas and pineapple. Favorite truck food Don’t have one. Favorite PICNIC SPOT On a flat rock in Colorado, in the summer, with the sun shining and a breeze gently rustling the trees.

Photography by Kennon Evett

CARLA SUSI
restaurant ARAYA ARTISAN CHOCOLATE
cuisine HANDCRAFTED CHOCOLATES
2013 W. GRAY ST., Houston, TX 77019
832.967.7935 | www.ARAYACHOCOLATE.com

Favorite late night spot for a bite?
Nothing better than Escargot Gratin at Brasserie 19.

Best Breakfast? “Arepa.” Just like Mexico has their tortillas, Venezuela has the Arepa; it is made of corn and they are the perfect container for gourmet or comfort food. People fill it with all type of ingredients. For me, the best breakfast is a homemade arepa with queso fresco, an espresso and orange juice.

Best Brunch? I had the best brunch at Hugo’s. Loved the Ceviche de Atun with avocado and mango.

What ingredient can you not live without in the kitchen and why? Chocolate!! Viva el chocolate!! It’s not only the base ingredient at the laboratory, but at home, I use chocolate not only to bake or to spread on top of pancakes or croissants, but also with salty food. My favorite is a chocolate barbecue sauce similar to Mole that my husband prepares.

What utensil can you not live without?
The whisk. It even works to keep the family straight!

What’s your pet peeve? Negative people.

Favorite affordable wine? Montes Alpha, Cabernet Sauvignon from Chile. It’s not the most affordable, but its a great value for the quality.

Favorite place for dessert? That is an obvious one: Araya, of course! However, my favorite cakes are from Epicure Bakery, our neighbor. The Pistachio Cake is too much!

On what magazine cover, other than 002’s, would you like to be featured? Gourmet.

Who are your favorite chef, restaurant and dish?
Chef Danny Trace at Brennan’s. His Jumbo Lump Blue Crabcakes are simply amazing. Last year we did a special project and invited some of Houston’s chefs to make chocolate with us and we had great fun working along with Chef Danny.

What is your comfort food? Linguini al pesto, freshly made pesto.

Do you use a recipe or wing it? If I am creating a new dish or chocolate
flavor I just follow my instincts, which actually used to be a challenge when we
needed to document it. But once this is done we always follow the recipes for
consistency.

Is there a food you won’t eat? Morcillas. Tried them once and… no way,
I will leave that for my husband.

What do you see as the next food trend? It is interesting to see the whole food truck movement, and I like to see people embracing the notion of good food cooked fast (very different from fast food). On the dessert side, I hope people will agree with me that there is a new trend in gourmet chocolate, focus on healthy dark chocolate, where unusual and unexpected combinations are created. Also on desserts, the introduction of French macarons as a serious alternative to the cupcakes. No question why I am so passionate about Araya.

At home, what do you keep on hand to serve drop-in guests?
Wine, prosciutto and cheese, while I create something special.

What would people be surprised to find in your home refrigerator? Southwest Dip from Robert’s Reserve. I put it on almost everything.

Favorite sandwich Roasted peppers and goat cheese on a baguette. Just make it simple! Favorite ice cream mix-in/topping The guys from Petit Sweets make wonderful custard and when topped with their chocolate fudge….it is worth every calorie. Favorite truck food: Roadie is the new truck from Central Market. They just launched a few weeks ago and I had the privilege to be there the first day. You will not be disappointed. Favorite spot to exercise/run The Terry Hershey Park. The name is a mere coincidence. It is a beautiful park to run and bike. My kids love to ride their bikes while my husband and I run.

Photography by Kennon Evett

fritz rahr
rahr & sons brewing
www.rahrbrewing.com

Favorite late night spot for a bite when in Houston?
La Griglia has a great atmosphere that I really enjoy!
Best Breakfast?La Peep in Rice Village.
Best Brunch?Cullen’s Upscale American Grille.
What ingredient can you not live without in the kitchen and why?Red Pepper – I like my food on fire!
What utensil can you not live without?BBQ tongs. We are always burnin’ something on the grill.
What’s your pet peeve?The proper use of the words “good” and “well.”
Favorite beer?The one in my hand.
Favorite dessert?Ice cream, chocolate and beer – preferably all together!
Favorite dish to cook with beer? A nice chili or marinade for a steak.
Is there a style of beer you won’t drink?No way – all beer is GREAT beer.
What is your comfort food?See Favorite Dessert above.
What do you see as the next beer trend?Various flavor profiles of sour beers, not just sour
in general, but now breaking off into different
components of sour.

Favorite sandwich: Chop Beef
Favorite ice cream: mix-in/topping
Beer and Chocolate: Favorite truck food
Beef Jerky: Favorite picnic spot
Beer Garden: Favorite spot to exercise/run
Run….. what’s that?
At home, what do you keep on hand to serve drop-in guests? BEER!!!
What would people be surprised to find in your home refrigerator?
Ms. Anna’s Hot Sauce from St.
Croix USVI.
What inspires the names of your beers?
Friends, family and a good cold beer!
What are your flavor inspirations?
Foods such as coffee, desserts, distilled spirits.
What magazine cover, other than 002’s, would you like to be featured on?
Fortune.

Photography by Kennon Evett

pedro perez
restaurant Snap Kitchen | cuisine Healthy food for the taking
3600 Kirby Drive, Suite A, Houston, TX 77098 | 713.526.5700 | www.snapkitchen.com

Favorite late night spot for a bite?
I don’t eat late night.

Best breakfast?
Simple – IHOP breakfast, eggs and sausage.

Best brunch? Taco Milagro.

What ingredient can you not live without in the kitchen and why? Serrano peppers. I really like things spicy and they are healthy.

What utensil can you not live without? A knife.

What’s your pet peeve?
A dirty kitchen.

Favorite affordable wine?
I’m more of a beer guy, but I like Chianti.

Favorite place for dessert?
Dessert Gallery.

Who are your favorite chef, restaurant and dish?
Hugo Ortega, Morton’s Steak House, prime rib or lamb chops.

Is there a food you won’t eat?
Nope!

Do you have a cookbook
published? No.

What is your comfort food? Jalapeno hummus and pita chips from Snap Kitchen, just nice and easy after a long day.

Do you use a recipe or wing it? At work, recipe. At home, wing it.

What do you see as the next food trend?
This. Healthy food restaurants.

What would people be surprised to find in your home refrigerator? Fish sauce.
At home, what do you keep on hand to serve drop-in guests?
I always have pasta on hand to whip something up for guests.

What magazine cover, other than 002’s, would you like to be featured on? GQ.

Last but not least, tell us your worst client experience?
A lady thought that her veal picatta was made with chicken; she insisted on coming back into the kitchen to see the veal, then me cook it for her while she watched…

Favorite sandwich: Reuben. Favorite ice: cream Bluebell Cookies and Cream Ice Cream. Favorite truck food: Any Mexican taco truck, the original food trucks. Favorite picnic spot: Memorial Park. Favorite spot to exercise/run: Back in the kitchen at Snap Kitchen!

Photography by Jill Hunter

ja’nel a. witt

restaurant TINTOS SPANISH RESTAURANT + WINE BAR
CUISINE Spanish, Tapas, Paellas
2015 W. Gray, Ste. J. Houston, TX 77019713.522.1330
www.tintosrestaurant.com

Favorite late night spot for a bite? Mai’s. I’m soooo glad it’s back.
Best Breakfast? I’m not really a breakfast person, but I like Le Peep…I can get turkey sausage.

Best Brunch? Black Walnut Cafe in the Village….try the banana pancakes with caramel, YUM.What ingredient can you not live without in the kitchen and why? Saffron. I use it every day!! It really adds a unique flavor, and beautiful color!!What utensil can you not live without? A really sharp knife!!! Even at home, without all the fancy kitchen equipment, it’s a necessity. Try using a dull knife, it will double your work!!What’s your pet peeve? When people claim not to like a food/cuisine/etc. before even trying it once!! Open your mind!!Favorite affordable wine? Murrieta’s Well “The Whip.” It’s been a while since I have fallen head over heels for a white wine…perfect for this summer’s heat!!!Favorite place for dessert? Hank’s Ice Cream, 9291 S. Main (near Reliant Arena)! Every time I go Mr. Hank has a new creation to try…Rum Raisin is my favorite!!Who are your favorite chef, restaurant, and dish? Chef – Eric Ripert; he has such an effortless finesse that you can’t help but admire. Restaurant – Blue Nile; delicious Ethiopian cuisine that I can’t get enough of. Anything with curry (Thai/Indian/Moroccan/etc.). I love the bold flavors and spices.Is there a food you won’t eat? Pork. I know it’s not very “cheffy” of me, but it’s probably the only thing I won’t eat.Do you have a cookbook published? No book published YET!! But I’d love to do a book on soups…my specialty ;o) What is your comfort food? Grilled cheese…with lots of bells and whistles or nice and simple like mom made!!
Do you use a recipe or wing it? At Tintos we use recipes to ensure consistency; at home I wing it – it’s so much more fun!!!What do you see as the next food trend? I’d say Gastro Pubs, “jazzing” up pub fare. Maybe because it’s economical and people are familiar with most dishes.At home, what do you keep on hand to serve drop-in guests? I always have wine they can sip on, until I come up with something else.What would people be surprised to find in your home refrigerator? 3 bottles of siracha…yes 3; I put it on EVERYTHING!!!What magazine cover, other than 002’s, would you like to be featured on? Definitely, Forbes!! That would mean all my hard work actually made it to the bank!!! Last but not least, tell us your worst client experience? This year, Valentine’s Day, Tintos was buzzing and couples were enjoying our specialty menu, when out of nowhere a huge argument ensues and one guest left his companion at the table sobbing. She sat there for at least an hour, before asking us to call a cab for her because he left. Awkward…
Favorite sandwichGrilled Cheese on Potato Bread with Roma Tomatoes and fresh Oregano and Thyme.Favorite ice cream toppingI like Rum Raisin, no toppings. Favorite spot to exercise/run- I prefer the 3-mile run at Memorial.
Photography by Sofia van der Dys

PIZZAIOLO

ismael romualdo alva HEAD COOKmiguel barrerarestaurant piola | cuisine italian  3201 louisiana st. #103 | 713.524.8222 | www.piola.it

Favorite late night spot for a bite?

Alva When I happen to be out late with my wife we always head to La Tapatia on Westheimer and Hillcroft for Mexican “antojitos” (cravings).

Barrera Truth be told, I never eat out late at night.

Best brunch?

Alva Any place that has good pancakes for me and crispy waffles for my kids, but we don’t have a favorite place.

Barrera When I crave a sweet brunch I can’t resist pancakes at IHOP.

What ingredient can you not live without in the kitchen and why?

Alva Like every good Mexican I freak out if I don’t have several onions and plenty of garlic.

Barrera EVOO. It’s my go-to oil of choice for flavor and of course, health reasons.

What utensil can you not live without?

Alva I love a good pair of tongs. Tongs for turning big pieces of meats, tossing salads or pasta, and grilling.

Barrera I cannot do without a GOOD knife. I don’t care what brand as long as it is sharp!

What’s your pet peeve?

Alva Speaking of tongs, I’m super strict about never using the same tongs for different dishes.

Barrera When kitchen appliances breakdown and I’m really busy trying to get things done.

Favorite affordable wine?

Alva I’m a simple man so I drink Miller Lite.

Barrera I’m not a wine drinker, but my favorite beer is Peroni.

Favorite place for dessert?

Alva The tres leches at Artista is out of this world.

Barrera Any place that makes a great tiramisu. I love one made with strong espresso.

What is your comfort food?

Alva I love seafood. A good shrimp cocktail always sets me right!

Barrera A side of frijoles volteados (refried black beans Guatemalan style) with anything.

Do you use a recipe or wing it?

Alva No recipe because it adds more variety.

Barrera No recipe, but sometimes I like a dish so much I write down the recipe so I won’t forget!

Who are your favorite chef, restaurant and dish?

Alva I’m a huge fan of Chef Arturo Boada’s osso buco.

Tell us your worst client experience?

Alva When a customer complains about the wellness of their meat. If they order rare, it’s too rare. If they order well done, it’s overcooked. Meat can be hard like that and one person’s medium is another’s well.

Barrera There was a specific pasta I had to remake twice and the client still wasn’t happy. To this day I never discovered why he didn’t like it and it still bothers me.

Is there a food you won’t eat?

Alva I refuse to eat anchovies.

Barrera I dislike the saltiness of capers and string-like quality of green beans.

What do you see as the next food trend?

Barrera Hopefully Houston will have chicken wing trucks soon.

At home, what do you keep on hand to serve drop-in guests?

Alva For guests I love to make a simple, but delicious arroz con pollo.

Barrera We are a typical Latino household so we always greet our guests with cold Coca-Cola. As for food, I always have chicken, tomatoes and onions on hand and with that I can conjure something!

What magazine cover, other than 002’s, would you like  to be featured on?

Alva Any foodie magazine.

Barrera People en Espanol- Los 50 mas Bellos.

 Favorites:

Favorite sandwich- Alva Meatball sandwich on good, crusty bread. | Barrera I really don’t like sandwiches. Favorite ice cream mix-in/topping- Alva Natural strawberry (like Haagen Dazs).|Barrera Vanilla with farofa (Brazilian cashew topping) and drizzled chocolate. Favorite truck food- Alva Taquitos of course. | Barrera I miss the ATL chicken wing trucks! Favorite picnic spot- Alva Lakeside. | Barrera Anyplace on the water. Favorite spot to exercise/run- Alva Arthur Storey Park near my house. | Barrera I’m a Bally’s kind of man.
 

CHEF teresa lin

china’s julia child makes mouth-watering taiwanese food go hollywood

While expertly folding thin slices of tofu into dumplings – a recipe she devised for the Oscar®-nominated film Eat Drink Man Woman – Teresa Lin explains how the isoflavones in soy help the brain produce necessary hormones, regardless of one’s gender. She is speaking to a class of student chefs at the Art Institute of Houston and her captivated audience is hanging on to her every word – a lesson in Taiwanese cuisine peppered with culinary pearls of wisdom.

“Some yams are good as vegetable Viagra,” she says. Goji berries, a topic she seems especially passionate about, are purportedly essential for optical health. “My father has degenerative eye disease because he didn’t eat enough goji berries in his life. So now I make sure he eats them every day so it doesn’t get worse,” she explains. Lin recommends sprinkling them on salad, and buying them from Asian markets, where they are significantly less expensive. “I saw them at some fancy health food place in L.A., and they were like $100 per pound,” she laughs.

Dubbed by film director Ang Lee as “the Julia Child of China,” Lin has achieved celebrity status in the chef world. She is the author of 16 Chinese-language cookbooks, has hosted countless television and radio cooking programs around the world and has shared her expertise at venues like the Cannes Film Festival and the Academy Awards in Los Angeles.

Her defining moment came when she was chosen as Executive Food Designer for the 1994 film Eat Drink Man Woman. While showing a short clip from the widely acclaimed film, Lin divulges a few secrets. “Those are not really the actor’s hands,” she reveals during a shot where the inside of fresh fish is being scored. “We criss-cross the inside of fish so it will blossom when it cooks,” she adds. Another cooking scene is demystified as she matter-of-factly describes what’s in the sizzling pot: “This is the pork tendon; it’s delicious.”

Unlike Julia Child who hails butter as the foundation to delicious food, Lin’s Taiwanese cuisine relies heavily on frying in oil. “You should never over-cook food,” she cautions. “Just like Marilyn Monroe and James Dean, who died in their prime, you must take the food out of the pan when it is just ready,” she emphasizes.

Case in point, Lin is removing shrimp, marinated for 5-10 minutes in cornstarch and salt, after a few seconds of deep-frying. They are immediately added to six beaten and seasoned eggs. The mixture is poured back into the wok with a little oil and some lightly sautéed green onion. The shrimp omelet is then gently coaxed into cooking, creating layered textures – golden brown on the bottom and medium rare on top. “Don’t mix it too much. It should not be very “smashy,” like the McDonald’s ones,” she cautions.

Despite all the frying, Teresa Lin shows no signs of overindulgence. “We balance everything – more vegetables than meat. And we have herbal things to make us thin, to carry out the dirt from inside your intestines, not only the outside surface, not superficial.” Moyu (a.k.a. Konnyaku, made from the Konjac plant) is one such allegedly slimming ingredient. The stringy white vegetable, best purchased already cut in a sealed plastic pouch, is added to a cold salad-type dish she demonstrates. “We serve this for the Chinese New Year. Everybody takes their chopsticks and mixes the salad together, which is supposed to bring you good fortune,” she explains.

As for the chopsticks themselves, she explains they are used in China in lieu of forks and knives which are considered too aggressive and uncivilized. She muses carefully, “some countries have culture but are uncivilized….America may have only a 200-year history, but the people are so civilized.”

Lin, who splits her time between Taiwan and Los Angeles, credits her success to hard work and a can-do spirit. Passion, however, is what transpires most. “I love cooking because it has no politics – only art!” she exclaims.

Teresa Lin’s Top 3 Ingredients

-Tofu

-Kimlan Soy Paste (“because it’s all natural!”)

-Bell Peppers

By Nadia Michel | Photography by Jill Hunter