News From The Cheese Caves

The following interview is with Executive Chef Vincent Menager of Hotel Sofitel

When did you decide you would work in a kitchen?

I started working at 13 in a bakery. When I started my Hotel school, I went to the work in a kitchen and that was then that I decided I would never leave it.

What is the most interesting part of your work?

Teaching my staff about new dishes that will please my customers.

There is this kitschy expression: if you can’t stand the heat, get out of the kitchen. Have you ever felt that way?

I deal very well with pressure. I work even better with it! I think it’s never hot enough!

What is your greatest rewarding moment as Executive Chef at Hotel Sofitel?

There are few great rewarding moments; however two of the greatest are when I have customers that thank me for the experience, or some come to ask me for the recipe of the dish. This does not happen all the time but it did in the past…

Do you have cheese or dessert when you go out?

Sometimes cheese, sometimes dessert, sometimes cheese and dessert!

Has the diversity and quality of cheese evolved in the restaurant industry?

Very much so. People enjoy more matured and more complex cheeses nowadays.

Do you remember one of the first cheese plates you tasted when you arrived in the US?

My feeling was H..y S..t! We have a lot of work to do! There was a Brie out of the can, a blue cheese out of a bag, a goat cheese log and one that I prefer trying to forget about it, it was that bad…

Could you describe what you’re looking for when creating your cheese plate?

I am looking for a palette of flavors, acidity, saltiness, texture and presentation. All the flavors also need to come together as complexity is important.

What is your favorite cheese in winter?

Munster.

Do you feel your cheese plate is competing with your desserts?

No. They compliment each other.

What amazes you in cheese in general?

The most interesting is that they all start from one common matter, milk but then the diversity is unbelievable!

If you had to make a cheese what would it taste like?

I would make one out of goat’s milk. I would work on the saltiness, creaminess. I would use the milk in September add a little bit of spice. I would do something smooth but you will remember about it.

Is there a cheese you would have loved to make, create?

Roquefort!

Do you think customers are daring enough?

More and more people are willing to try new things. We however still run a business so we have to be careful about the way we present to them.

About Gaby restaurant, what changes have you made?

I arrived 5 years ago as a line cook and it was perfect for me so I had time to learn the culture from the inside. As an Executive Chef I tried to bring more French Culture, the feeling of what the French technique can bring to a kitchen.

What do you have to say to our readers?

Enjoy cheese! Artisanal Cheese!

Below is an interview with Gray Kunz, Chef / Owner of Cafe Gray:

When did you decide you would work in a kitchen?

I have three brothers and they are all Chefs. At 14 years old I started cooking in a restaurant during summer to earn money!

What is your greatest rewarding moment as a Chef/Owner?

My biggest reward is to see people that have worked in my kitchens who have become their own entities. It is also rewarding to see my business growing. We’ve recently opened Grayz and I am very happy with it.

Do you have cheese or dessert when you go out to restaurants?

I must admit that I have a sweet tooth BUT if you have a great piece of cheese, I can have that as an entire dinner! Forget about meat, fish, etc… give me a GOOD piece of cheese fully matured on a piece of bread with some wine and I am very happy!

If you had to make a cheese, what would it taste like? What type of milk will it be made of?

Simple mozzarella style!! No, just kidding…It would probably be a cow’s milk, a washed rind cheese, a Reblochon style…Simple & complex! Toni tells me what is the best available right now and I kind of follow his lead. He tells me what is great, not necessarily what I like.

What amazes you in cheese in general?

The process is what amazes me the most. It has a lot to do with art. For me it is an Art form.

What do you have to say to our readers?

Keep on eating Artisanal cheese and be daring about them! If you love food then you should never exclude cheese as it is such an integral part of good eating.

Is executive chef a larger role than what it used to be?

There is a distinction between a Chef-Owner and an executive Chef. Larry Finn, my Executive Chef is the person in the trenches. He has a big responsibility on the food side of the business but also now on the financial side of it. At Café Gray it has become a steep learning curve when it comes to Human Resources, Finance, it has become a much more complex task to manage. Larry is a very good guy, a good person on top of being an excellent Chef.

What is your favorite cheese in winter?

d’Or. Tome vaudoise.

What amazes you in cheese in general?

What amazes me is the process. It is a natural chemical process, it’s about intuition, timing, it’s an art form. Diversity is also something that amazes me.

Is there a cheese you would have loved to make?

In my apprenticeship, we studied a lot about cheese making. I would love to be with the person that makes a Gruyere from the beginning g to the end.

Do you think customers are daring enough?

The American public has become very daring. The more daring they are, the more challenges they pose for the Chefs. It elevates the standard, the knowledge and also gives the Chef a great ordeal of space to maneuver in. There are a lot of possibilities but daring means that must have good solid foundation, solid techniques.

Has the diversity and quality of cheese evolved in the restaurant industry?

YES! It has evolved tremendously. 18 years ago nobody was thinking about cheese then. The choice and variety is amazing. Coming from Switzerland I had to have cheese so I feel better now! Terrance has done a lot to that!