Issue link: https://www.e-digitaleditions.com/i/760410
5 8 | t h e c l e v e r r o o t Our final stop, It takes many steps and more ingredients than one would imagine to create this juicy masterpiece: "We use our classic Portuguese-style buns to build this burger, and we slather on garlic aioli and a sprinkling of umami dust, fried tortilla strips and salsa Mexicana, made with tomatillos and tomatoes, red onions, lime juice and Tequila CAZADORES Añejo." He pauses. "That's on top of the lettuce." He then adds crushed avocado, a house-made fondue and three ounces of the carnitas. The fried tortilla strips have been seasoned with tequila salt that's also made in-house. A nice touch. Frazer is catering to the Angeleno palate with this burger, but he admits, he incorporates spirits and wine in much of his cooking. "I'm a sucker for Sherry and Port wines. Port and blue cheese with caramel- ized onion on a burger is magical. There aren't many dishes I cook that don't use alcohol somewhere, especially in braises." in Downtown Los Angeles, had just passed its one- year anniversary when we caught up with owner Chef Timothy Hollingsworth. Hollingsworth, with his piercing blue eyes and rockabilly hair, has an impres- sive résumé. He's worked in some of the country's best restaurants, represented the United States in COVER STORY Chefs are increasingly turning to spirits as a flavor additive to their spicebox. Chef Timothy Hollingsworth's seared foie gras, with a persimmon, Marcona almond and BENEDICTINE® liqueur curry and amberjack with ST GERMAIN® gelee. the Bocuse d'Or World Championship in 2008 and shortly after leaving his post as Chef de Cuisine under Thomas Keller, he traveled to Europe to work alongside acclaimed Chefs Alain Ducasse and Gordon Ramsay. Los Angeles, he says, "is now the most excit- ing culinary city in the United States." He defines his cooking as rustic. He talks nostalgi- cally about his upbringing, his Southern roots, and the simple pleasure of Frito pie. Hollingsworth makes liberal use of a wood-fired grill. The menu is arguably more approachable than that of his former employ- ers'; his is not a temple of gastronomy, but the craft and creativity remain. For his first dish, he's prepared a seared foie gras, with a persimmon, Marcona almond and BENEDIC- TINE® liqueur curry. BENEDECTINE, he notes, has layered herbs and spices and lends itself perfectly to savory dishes. Hollingsworth explains: "Chris Amirault, our Bar Director, and I were playing around with a drink that combines kümmel [caraway liqueur] and BENEDECTINE, which, when combined, is very reminiscent of curry. The caraway and cumin from PHOTO: KELLY BALCH