What’s the most scientific piece of equipment in your kitchen?
Champion Juicer. We use it everyday. Carrots get cooked in carrot juice, peas get cooked in pea juice. Cooking the vegetables in their own juices enhances and really brings out the natural flavors of the vegetables. (0.5)
Are you passionate about liquid nitrogen?
It has itsplace. We really exercise modernist techniques in moderation, we do not want to over manipulate or lose the integrity of the ingredients. The garden and farm dictate what we cook and how we cook. The product dictates the technique and we don’t depend on technique to enhance the flavors of theingredients.It is important the ingredients speak or themselves. (0.5 for acknowledgement that it has its place)
Could you describe your cooking style for us?
I have a very naturalistic approach to cooking, whichis very vegetable-centric ingredients driven. I could personally never work in a place without itsown garden – it really makes all the difference. There is no ego behind vegetable cooking. With a vegetable, there is nothing you can hide behind, they speak for themselves. (0.5 because vegetables make our inner avant-gardist swoon)
What’s your favourite meal to make at home?
I love to make homemade pasta. My favorite is ricotta gnocchi with herbs from my own garden. Currently I am really excited about the melons growing in my backyard. I have yellow and sugar baby watermelons just waiting to be juiced. I look forward to fresh watermelon juice every morning. (0)
What’s the most scientific piece of equipment in your kitchen?
At Marea, we use the circulator a lot. (1.5)
Are you passionate about liquid nitrogen?
Not particularly but I really enjoy seeing what other chefs do with it. We use it for some things in the kitchen but not often. My cooking style is much simpler. (1)
Could you describe your cooking style for us?
At Marea, the cuisine is coastal Italian and really focuses on the freshness and pristine flavors of ingredients. If shellfish is incredibly fresh, it shouldn’t be too doctored before hitting the plate. We just like to highlight freshness but complimenting elements with simplistic flavors and techniques that bring out the freshness even more so. (0)
What’s your favourite meal to make at home?
When I’m home, I don’t like to cook anything complicated unless it is a holiday or special occasion. But, after a long day of work in the kitchen, nothing is better than a turkey sandwich on whole wheat bread with mayo and tomato. (0)
Zachary Ladwig – 1.5|Anthony White– 2.5
A very farm-centric battle, highlighting Anthony as the modernist winner, and Zachary the naturalist survivor.
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