Chef Q and A
Executive Chef Amar Santana
Charlie Palmer
3333 Bristol St, Costa Mesa, CA 92626
Phone: 714-352-2525
Hours: Lunch: 11:45am – 2:30pm / Dinner 5:30pm – 10pm / Lounge 11:45am - Close
Date: April 21, 2009
Website: www.CharliePalmer.com

Question: Who or what inspired you to become a chef?
Answer: My high school cooking teacher. I was accidentally enrolled in a cooking class that I didn’t want to take. I decided that it might be fun because I could eat in class, but I started to enjoy and even do well in class and my teacher always encouraged me to do more.

Question: Where did you learn your craft?
Answer: CIA in Hyde Park and working with Charlie for the past 7 years.

Question: Did you cook growing up?
Answer: Yes, spaghetti with ketchup

Question: When did you realize you wanted to be a chef?
Answer: In my sophomore year in high school. I enrolled in a cooking competition and I won a trip to go to London to the Cordon Bleu and from there I was hooked.

Question: What was your first restaurant job?
Answer: I did vegetable and fish preparation at Chanterelle, a French restaurant in New York City.

Question: Do food trends affect your cooking style?
Answer: Yes because you have to keep up with the trends, keep things interesting and always come up with new dishes.

Question: What is your most popular dish?
Answer: Pork belly is one of the most popular dishes as well as the Kobe beef sliders which have been on the menu since day one .

Question: What is your secret ingredient? Why?
Answer: Pork, because it’s good in everything.

Question: Do you have a favorite kitchen gadget?
Answer: I would say the blast freezer .

Question: What annoys you most in the kitchen?
Answer: When cooks fold a piece of parchment paper in half to use on a half sheet tray instead of cutting it and saving the other half.

Question: What do you enjoy most about your profession?
Answer: Making people happy through food

Question: Is there a food you can’t bring yourself to like?
Answer: Never. The weirder the better.

Question: What are some of your favorite restaurants?
Answer: Marche Moderne and Hamamori

Question: What is one great cooking tip you can share with home cooks and foodies?
Answer: Cook with passion and taste everything.

Question: When you’re not in the kitchen what are you doing?
Answer: Well I’m in the kitchen most of the time, but whenever I have free time I like to go the beach and play basketball.

Question: Last meal on Earth would be??
Answer: El bulli in spain .

What Recipe will you share with us?
Answer: Farro Rissoto with Chanterelle Mushrooms
by Chef Amar Santana
Serves 6-8 people as a side dish

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 small white onion, finely chopped
1 1/2 cups farro (10 ounces)
½ cup dry white wine
3 cups chicken stock
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmessan cheese
2Tbs crème fraiche
8 oz fresh clean chanterelle mushrooms
2 Tbs minced shallots

Salt and freshly ground pepper

Directions
1.In a large saucepan, heat the olive oil. Add the onion and cook over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 6 minutes. Add the farro and cook for 4 minutes, stirring to coat it with the oil. Add the wine and cook, stirring until it is absorbed, about 2 minutes.
2. Add the chicken stock, 1 cup at a time, and cook, stirring, until absorbed between additions. The farro is done when it is al dente and suspended in the thick, creamy liquid, about 25-30 minutes total.
3.In the meantime sauté the chanterelle mushrooms in olive oil and shallots for about 2 minutes and set aside.
4.Stir in the heavy cream, the cheese and butter and simmer until the risotto has thickened, about 5 minutes longer, add the mushrooms. Season with salt and pepper and serve.