TOP LEFT : ERIN KUNKELL ; TOP RIGHT AND OPPOSITE PAGE : OUTSHINE PR

“ Personally , I love spice . I think , … almost , … food is not worth eating if it does not come with a kick ,” says Helene Henderson , founder of Malibu Farm and Skal Pizza , adding that the spice level in restaurant dishes often needs to be tweaked based on feedback to get it just right .

“ Customers often think things are too spicy when they are not — to me ,” she says . “ As a general rule , if , every day , several guests say it is too spicy , then it is probably too spicy . But if nobody ever says it is too spicy , then it is too mild . The sweet spot of spicy level — or rather the hot spot — is the occasional guests saying it is too hot .”

IGNITE YOUR APPETITE There are many ways to add spiciness to a dish by incorporating certain ingredients and employing different cooking techniques . Sauces , pastes , powders and oils , as well as balancing the heat with sweetness or cream or fermenting fresh ingredients , can all add kick to a dish .

“ I prefer to make spicy sauces : There are more techniques that can be used to enhance the flavor profile during the creation of a sauce — among them being fermentation and pickling ,” says Riley Huddleston , chef-partner of Lido House hotel , which includes The Mayor ’ s Table restaurant and Topside rooftop bar . “ I love using fermented chiles . Fermentation elevates the flavor profile of the chiles while bringing out their heat . It adds a slightly unexpected layer of flavor .”

The Mayor ’ s Table features masa-fried chicken with a spicy umami rub ; served on the bar menu

in a bucket atop signature fresh-cut french fries . Huddleston says the umami rub is a secret blend of four chiles that present different levels of spice to the palate ; dried kombu ( seaweed ) adds umami while pulling flavors from the chiles .

Henderson is also passionate about peppers — all of them . “ I am an equal lover of peppers — Fresno , shishito , habanero — any color , any spice level . Char them , eat them raw or blend them with a sweetener , salt and something acidic ,” Henderson says . “ Making pickled Fresno chiles is always easy and fast , and an excellent way to preserve them to last longer than fresh chiles .”

Malibu Farm ’ s menu features Korean short ribs with house-made chile adobo sauce . Henderson describes this as a mix of carrots , ginger , cumin and soy sauce , following the “ classic play book ” by combining something sweet ( the carrots ), something acidic ( the soy sauce ) and something spicy to create a not-too-hot , yet not-too-mild spice level .

And for patrons seeking spice , Skal ’ s menu offers an avocado pizza with jalapeno ricotta , sliced avocado and serrano chiles . The pizza dough is baked and , once it is golden and puffy with some charred areas , the ricotta cream , sliced avocado , serrano

Clockwise from left : avocado pizza with jalapeno ricotta and serrano chiles at Skal Pizza ; the Devil to Pay cocktail at Topside ; Korean short ribs with housemade chile adobo sauce at Malibu Farm ; opposite page : hummus with pistachio nduja ( spicy sausage ) crunch and avocado spread with Calabrian chile oil at The Mayor ’ s Table

NEWPORT BEACH MAGAZINE 63