CleverRoot

How has The Red Door's garden helped you stay connected to local farmers in San Diego? What we grow in our garden is what we put on our menu, but it also tells me what our local farmers are growing. I'm able to connect with them on a higher level because I understand what they're doing. I'm able to respect their process and the ingredients more. How do you and your team at The Red Door de- cide what to grow and harvest in your garden? Trish [Watlington, The Red Door owner] and I sit down, pick up a seed book and we look through it while thinking about what we want to grow/cook. But, we've also been doing this for a long time and learned from trial and error, which has made us think smarter every year. We think about the seasons and what's going to grow better every year by how the seasons project. Has the community around The Red Door been welcoming to the new experiences of dishes and ingredients? How have they evolved with you? Yes and no. People don't like change and they like to stick to what they know. Yet, I want to give them something different and I want them to experience what the garden is giving—change. If it's a good dish I'll bring it out every season and change it up a little. Our guests have learned to love us more and appreciate us more because of this evolving menu. Tim Kolanko, Executive Chef at Blue Bridge Hospitality in Coronado, CA If you are a culinary professional interested in being featured here or want more information on Chef's Roll, please email featured@chefsroll.com. Joe Magnanelli, Executive Chef at Urban Kitchen Group in San Diego, CA Miguel Valdez, Executive Chef at The Red Door in San Diego, CA What are some underrated vegetables we should be using during the fall season? Turnips—there are so many differentvarieties, shapes and colors. I particularly like the long, skinny Hinona Kabu.The greens are also great to cook or eat raw when they're young and tender.Chino Farm was the place that introduced me to so many different varieties;in addition to the Hinona Kabu, they grow one that is pure white, abeautiful yellow-skinned variety and another that looks like a black radish. As ingredients have evolved, have your customers done so as well throughout the seasons/years? If so, how? Every year there are more people who are interested in lesser-known or highly seasonal ingredients,but we'll always have those people who are upset thatwe don't have corn soup in January. We have more guests who recognize and openly express their appreciation for our seasonal approach. How has your thought process toward food evolved throughout your career? The socialresponsibilityfactor has become a greater influ- ence every year that goes by. From a cooking standpoint, my process is less cerebral and more intuitive.Sometimes it's hard to explain to a cook why I want to use X instead of Y.I definitely feel my way through the process more now. PHOTO COURTESY OF URBAN KITCHEN GROUP ■cr What are some underrated vegetables we should be using during the fall season? I have to go with leeks. They are very versatile—their subtle sweetness allows them to pair with most other vegetables dur- ing the fall season. Why is it important for you to work so closely with local farms to source your ingredients? On one hand, local farms are without a doubt the ultimate resource for the freshest, most delicious produce money can buy. On the other hand, it's all about building alliances with these farmers and fostering a working relationship to custom- ize produce to your needs. The farmers we work with plant crops specifically for our restaurants; this really takes our menus to the next level. How has your thought process toward food evolved through- out your career? When you're first starting out in the kitchen, it's common to overdo it with ingredients on your plate and really go crazy with flavor combinations. As you come into your own in your culinary career, you learn to put less and less on the plate. Now I strictly focus on simple combina- tions and using ingredients only when they are at the peak of their season. We've partnered with Chef's Roll, the global culinary professional network, to learn more about chefs from around the country. PHOTO COURTESY OF BLUE RIDGE HOSPITALITY PHOTO COURTESY OF THE RED DOOR f a l l 2 0 1 7 | 3 5

• Cover