When I began my Kickstarter campaign for the Dining Traveler Guide to Puerto Rico, I received a tweet from a very special person asking me how he could help. That person was Chef José Andrés. I met him in 2014 when I started volunteering at Dine-N-Dash events for his organization, World Central Kitchen. This organization began after the devastating earthquake in Haiti in 2011 when José Andrés and his team began assisting with hospitality training, providing clean cookstoves, and school kitchens. Since then, World Central Kitchen has expanded its mission. From Hawaii to Indonesia, the organization has been feeding millions affected by natural disasters.

Chef José Andrés was one of the first celebrities to arrive in Puerto Rico after the hurricane. He reached out to many chefs across the island and beyond to create Chefs for Puerto Rico, which as of late 2018 has provided over 3,000,000 meals to people in need across the island. Seeing what he has done for my homeland has given a powerful meaning to my volunteer work for World Central Kitchen.

I wanted José to share a bit about how his experience in Puerto Rico after Hurricane Maria changed his life. Here’s our interview:

Jessica: A few days after Hurricane Maria hit Puerto Rico, you decided to go to Puerto Rico and cook for the thousands of displaced people throughout the island. What inspired you to do that?

José Andrés: after the hurricane, I had this sense of urgency to be there and to try to make a small difference, help out in some way. I remembered back to the experience I had after the earthquake in Haiti in 2010, and what World Central Kitchen did after the flooding in Peru, the hurricane in Houston, the fires in California—and I knew that it was urgent for us to be in Puerto Rico, even if just to be there and help for a few days. Chefs, we are people of action, so I just decided to go with my team and see what we could do to help.

Jessica: You arrived in Puerto Rico for what was supposed to be a short relief trip, you ended up staying for a while. Can you tell us more about your experience? What made you stay longer?

José Andrés: You’re right—when we arrived in Puerto Rico, we were planning on staying for a few days and feeding 1,000, maybe 2,000 people. But what we found was that the island was hungry and the people didn’t have money for food. None of the ATMs were working. There was no electricity, there was no fuel, there was no power—the entire island was shut down. Restaurants were closed. Hospitals didn’t have food. There was no clean water. The need was real.

We saw that there was no grand plan for feeding the island … the officials there were talking about how to feed people in 3 weeks or a month. But we realized people were hungry today, right now. The urgency of NOW was what motivated us. When people are hungry—and remember that these are American citizens—let’s not worry about what’s going to happen in 3 weeks, but what we are doing today to feed people. We realized that we didn’t need to plan, we needed to cook.

So as chefs, we began doing what we do best: we began finding sources of food, and we found kitchens, and the most amazing people. Jose Enrique, an amazing person and an amazing chef, volunteered his kitchen, and we just started to cook. And that’s what we did—we began feeding the people of Puerto Rico. We cooked sancocho, this stew of pork, corn, and yuca, and made 1,000 meals on day one, and within a week we were making 25,000. And now our team has been working there for almost eight months, and we have served over 3.5 million meals, and are working with local businesses and farmers and food trucks to get them back online and building resiliency for the next emergency.

Jessica: I followed your journey on Twitter. You went to towns I have never even visited before! What do you have to say about the spirit of the Puerto Rican people?

 This was really the story of the amazing people of Puerto Rico who came together to feed themselves. I am in awe of the people of the island, who truly became one and started solving the issues they faced one problem at a time. There are so many people—the 80-year old woman who is sharing her only bottle of water with those around her, the two little girls who make sure everyone in line is fed before they have their lunch—who inspired me to keep going, keep pushing. We met so many incredible volunteers who showed up to help: hundreds of people, thousands of people who were creating a movement with us. This was a movement with a very simple idea that everyone could get behind: let’s feed the hungry. And that’s what we did, together.

Jessica: Puerto Rico needs more visitors than ever. What would you say to a potential visitor who may be hesitant of visiting the island after everything that has happened?

José Andrés: People, why are you hesitating? Puerto Rico is one of the most beautiful places on earth, and it is the perfect destination right now because by simply showing up you are helping with the island’s recovery! The airport is back to full capacity and there are lots of options for getting to San Juan. Businesses in San Juan are getting back on their feet, there are food trucks, there are restaurants making some of the best food in the country. La Placita in Santurce is packed every weekend with dancing and incredible places to eat. Beachside hotels in Condado are starting to fill up with visitors, and Old San Juan is ideal for an evening stroll around the old fortress. This is the time to go, spend time with your fellow Americans and learn more about the island, its culture, its cuisine.

Jessica: Despite the struggles that the island is going through, the renaissance of Puerto Rican cuisine continues with many young talented chefs.  Any notable chefs or restaurants that you have experienced during your most recent travels?

José Andrés: One of my good friends, Jose Enrique—he’s one of the chefs supporting the #ChefsForPuertoRico team—has one of the best restaurants in Puerto Rico (and in America). You need to go to his place in Santurce. You must also check out Mario Pagan’s restaurant in San Juan, and get a rum sour at José Santaella’s place. And the food truck scene at the Miramar Food Truck Park is something you need to experience. Peko Peko, Yummy Dumplings, The Meatball Company. And if you are ever traveling through Morovis, you must go to Maelo’s. I am not joking, it is the best chicken in the world.

The post José Andrés: How Puerto Rico Changed My Life appeared first on The Dining Traveler.

Note: the interview has been edited for brevity.

Q&A with Executive Chef Rolando Manesco:

Maria: What makes your restaurant successful?

Chef Manesco: In Asia, you need to follow what most of your guests like to eat and find the ingredients from the region that pair with those recipes. We need to adjust the dishes to the local culture, which inspires me to design a menu based on our client’s expectations.

Maria: Why did you choose Bangkok?

Chef Manesco: The job chose me. You need to find the right opportunity and time to be there, and sometimes it’s up to destiny with chefs. In Asia, chefs are moving all the time, so we try to change often to get more experience, learn about other ingredients and cultures. So far, I am with InterContinental Bangkok for two years. Prior to this appointment, I already experienced different Asian cuisines and worked in several countries in Europe, starting at a very young age in my native Italy followed by other countries.

Maria: Can you tell us about your favorite creation on the menu?

Chef Manesco: In our Italian restaurant “Theo Mio” we introduced truffles originating from Europe and the reception has been great. We have different restaurants with different cuisines, from curry with noodles to pasta. The most popular Italian dish is called “parppadelle al tartufo”, which is served a Theo Mio.

Maria: What would you like for your guests to remember from the dining experience?

Chef Manesco: We want guests to remember the full journey-from the moment they enter the hotel, the culture of Thailand, our restaurants at InterContinental Bangkok, the style of the restaurant, the freshness of our ingredients, and the simplicity of cooking.

Maria: Tell me about the process of pairing wine and food?

Chef Manesco: We want guests to remember the full journey-from the moment they enter the hotel, the culture of Thailand, our restaurants at InterContinental Bangkok, the style of the restaurant, the freshness of our ingredients, and the simplicity of cooking.

Maria: How do you see your chances to be awarded a Michelin Star?

Chef Manesco: We are doing very good in some of our restaurants such as Summer Palace, Fireplace Grill and Bar, and Theo Mio. We are already in the Michelin guide. We are working hard to reach that goal, especially with Fireplace Grill and Bar, where the focus on ingredients, service, and quality is very high. Our goal is to surprise our guests. We hope to get a star!

Maria: Our readers enjoy local tips from chefs. What three places do you recommend for visitors to see?

Chef Manesco: Discover Thai cuisine and taste original food and flavors. Here are some other tips:

• Enjoy the food at Chinatown Bangkok.
• Visit many of the parks and large green areas throughout the city.
• Visit the many of the beautiful monuments, recommend visiting Erawan Shrine, featuring a gilded statue of the god Brahma located just in front the hotel where many people come to pray. It’s often the site of rituals and traditional dances.

About Our Dining Experience:

We had the pleasure to enjoy and eat at three of the different restaurants at the property: Espresso, Summer Palace and Theo Mio and below you can find some of our favorites dishes and wines at Theo Mio, Italian Kitchen by renowned chef Theo Randall:

• Pulpo alla griglia.
• Gnocchi con crema al tartufo.
• Barramundi alla griglia.
• White Wine: Dipinti la Vis, Chardonnay, Trentino-Ato-Adige, Italy.
• White Wine: Bottega, Pinot Grigio, Veneto, Italy.

It was a real pleasure to meet Executive Chef Rolando Manesco, Executive Chinese Chef Han Long Hua, and rest of the diverse team at InterContinental Bangkok. The experience truly made us feel at home. Everyone we met represented the kindness that Thai culture is known for.

InterContinental Bangkok, 973 Phloen Chit Road, Lumpini, Pathum Wan, Bangkok 10330, Thailand Website

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Note: the interview has been translated from French and edited for brevity.

Q&A with Michelin Starred Chef Julien Lucas

Maria: What makes your restaurant successful?

Chef Lucas: for me, it is important to give value to the region, give our clients the opportunity to taste the flavors of Picardie while coming to both restaurants at the hotel, La Table du Connetable, and Le Jardin d’Hiver. I want them to taste something different.

Maria: How’s did it feel to have awarded a Michelin star?

Chef Lucas: It’s a great satisfaction, as we work to please our clients. Their responses are positive, and we got rewarded with the Michelin star. We are very proud, and it is excellent recognition for the team and me.

Maria: What is the creative process behind your dishes?

Chef Lucas: It is vital for us to show what is essential. When we offer the menu to our clients, it should not be extensively long; we don’t like to give 3 minutes of speeches. The dish should focus on three ingredients. It is essential to rediscover a flavor that the clients know and discover new ones.

Maria: Why did you choose Chantilly?

Chef Lucas: I knew about this location (Chantilly) because of its reputation. Here is where I have the responsibility of the Chef for the first time. When I knew the chef was leaving, I jumped immediately on this opportunity because the establishment is fantastic and the city as well.
There is an enormous potential as there due to the wealth in Chantilly. There is a universe of choices that I enjoy: the castle, the golf, the luxury world, and our hotel is a good representation for all of these elements with a balance of elegance and modesty. We see many classic cars that I love arriving at the property. It is “Elegance a la Francaise.” Most of our clients come here mainly to take a break.

Maria: Can you tell us about your favorite creation on the menu?

Chef Lucas: Yes, there is one: “zander and Portobello mushrooms from Orry-La-Ville and hazelnut.” The mushrooms are collected from a local farmer 3 kilometers away, and every morning he picks 3 or 4 fresh mushrooms especially for us. We make our sauce from fish stock with a touch of whiskey. This plate is very famous and frequently requested by our clients.

Maria: What would you like for your guests to remember from their dining experience?

Chef Lucas: It is nice when our clients say that it was nice, but the best compliment for me is when they tell me that they rediscover a vegetable unknown to them or one they did not like. I work a lot with vegetables, and in this region, we have a variety that is not liked during childhood such as bitter endives or earthy red beets. Therefore, we need to work well with these products to increase their value and ensure our clients will appreciate them. If I can achieve that, then I can go home with a great feeling. Typically, in a gastronomic restaurant, the clients like to discover and try new tastes trusting the chef.

Maria: Tell me about the process of pairing wine and food?

Chef Lucas: I love wine but I’m a wine amateur, and I have full trust in my team, so we work together on the selection. Basically, when I propose a new dish, I let maître de hotel and sommelier try it, and we taste it together. I like to create contrasts between the food and the wine; if we are serving a sweet fish, we need to pair it with wine that will increase the palate.
The menu is changed several times during the year. Although we have 4 seasons, we’ve changed more than 4 times. In fact, every 2 months. After the summer holidays, we change the menu. In December we will offer the winter menu, and then we will replace it again in the new year.
I am always thinking about the creation of a new dish and provide new choices to our clients to give pleasure. We share emotions with our creations.

Maria: Our readers enjoy local tips from chefs. What three places do you recommend for visitors to see?

Chef Lucas: 

• The Castel Of Chantilly

• The Great Stables

• Le Potager Des Princes

• The forest for those who like to do sports, like jogging, biking or a stroll along the lakes

About Our Dining Experience:

We had the pleasure to choose out of 6 different bottles of Champagne including a rosé Champagne.

We selected the gastronomic menu of the season called “De Saison” paired with wine selection made by sommelier Ms. Amelie Allot, a 23-year old sommelier at the property:

• Alsace Grand Cru 2014, Schlossberg, Riesling Blanck
• Olivier Pithon, Cotes Catalanes, Cuvee Lais, 2015
• Cote-Rotie, Clusel-Roch, France, 2015
• Domaine Rougeot Pere & Fils, Meursault, Sous la Velle, 2014

It was a real pleasure to meet Executive Chef Julien Lucas and rest of the diverse team at La table du Connetable. They are all very young and enthusiastic about their roles, and it was great to interact with everybody. We could feel the team spirit and collaboration which made our experience quite unique! I was happily surprised to meet for the first time a woman sommelier, great to see female representation in these critical culinary roles.

Before leaving the dining room, Chef Julien Lucas was kind enough to sign our menus to remember our culinary experience!

Tip: don’t forget to enjoy the beautiful collection of Chantilly porcelain at the entrance of the restaurant, it is quite difficult to find these days….

La Table du Connétable, 4 Rue du Connétable, 60500 Chantilly, France Website

Disclaimer: I was graciously hosted by Auberge du Jeu de Paume. As always, opinions are my own and it was a true pleasure to meet Chef Julien Lucas. 

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I am going to preface this post by admitting I am late to the party. The Himitsu party that is. One of our Dining Travelers, Priya continually raves about how great this restaurant is. Friends and acquaintances follow suit. Thankfully, the opportunity presented itself to visit Himitsu and interview the talented Chef Kevin Tien as he is nominated for the 2018 James Beard Awards’ Rising Star Chef of the Year, sponsored by S.Pellegrino.

The Scene

I walk into the cozy, intimate space in the residential neighborhood of Petworth and I get to witness the magic that happens before dinner service. The magic of the prep work, the wait staff sampling wines with the beverage director, and the bartender prepping his bar. There, I meet the conductor of this orchestra, Chef Kevin Tien. I sit down with him for a brief moment to discuss the creative process behind his menu.

Q&A with Chef Kevin Tien:

Jessica: What is the creative process behind your dishes?
Chef Kevin Tien: We focus on the seasons, change the menu as often as we can. Some items stay on the menu for six months, others just six days. We take the feedback from the guests into consideration when designing the menu. We source a lot of ingredients from Path Valley Farms, a small co-op farm in Pennsylvania. In DC, we purchase from the Petworth Farmers market when open.

Jessica: Why did you and your partner choose Petworth?
Chef Kevin Tien: Co-owner and I have lived in the neighborhood for years and wanted to be part of the community. We know that Petworth is very family friendly and that’s why we’ve seen a wide variety of guests. From 3 month-old babies to 90 years old grandmas, we’ve seen it all! Most importantly, we want to make all of our guests feel at home. Our goal at Himitsu is to be a great neighborhood restaurant.

Jessica: Can you tell us about your favorite dish on the menu?
Chef Kevin Tien: Crudo (raw fish) is the cornerstone of the menu. Growing up in Lafayette, Louisianna, I started my culinary career at a Japanese restaurant. From there, I have worked in many different restaurants. I draw from those experiences and my Vietnamese heritage to create our dishes at Himitsu.
Jessica: What does it mean to you for brands like S.Pellegrino that support rising talent in the culinary industry?
Chef Kevin Tien: It means the world to me. Brands like S.Pellegrino are recognizing today ’s young talent who will be shaping the future of our culinary landscape. Not only in food, but in the way we operate as a business, creating a better workspace free of discrimination and harassment with an improved quality of life.

After our chat, I dined with the Dutchman at Himitsu, and the hype is real. The dining experience was perfection. The servers know their menu inside out, which is quite impressive as it changes so often. We began our evening with deliciously creative cocktails concocted by co-owner Carlie Steiner. The rose mule was a religious experience: rose-infused vodka with ginger and lime, topped with delicate rose petals.

We dove into the menu ordering a few crudos and other dishes the chef recommended. As he previously suggested, the crudos are a must order item. Another item that blew me away was the pate. The pate is served on a buttery brioche topped with basil, cilantro, and other Vietnamese herbs. Another item that I loved was the catfish “wings” tender pieces of fish, deep fried in cornmeal in homage to Chef Kevin Tien’s southern roots sitting on a thin layer of buffalo wing sauce. So decadent!

I will say this: Himitsu is one of my new favorites in Washington, DC. The creativity of this young duo comes to life in this small space packed with a big passion for exquisite food and drinks.

Himitsu, 828 Upshur St. NW, Washington, DC, Website

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