INGOOD TASTE
Christian Frangiadis , Executive Chef and Partner , Spork
Candid conversations with the dining scene ’ s most engaging chefs
Spork 5430 Penn Avenue , Bloomfield-Garfield ; 412.441.1700 , sporkpittsburgh . com
On the Menu : An evolving selection of scratch-prepared dinner items , from small plates to entrees encompassing fresh produce and herbs from the vegetable farm planted alongside the restaurant . The menu coalesces experiences from the culinary team ’ s global experiences . The scope of fare is local to Western Pennsylvania and is sourced from regional farms and purveyors . Dishes include delicacies such as Crispy Octopus and Spork Garden Swiss Chard Onion Tartelette to Dream Mountain Ranch Elk Bolognese and Forest Mushroom Ravioli . Spirits abound with wine , beer and cocktails , including a Charity Cocktail where $ 5 from every one sold will be donated to Animal Friends .
What is the inspiration behind the name Spork ? It was meant as tongue-in-cheek . It ’ s also easy to remember and easy to say . We ’ ve elevated the idea of flatware .
What makes Spork unique ? We love our corner location because it has that great feeling of a neighborhood spot , but it ’ s our vegetable farm that sets us apart . The farm is actually larger than Spork . It ’ s a quarteracre adjacent to the restaurant . We grow a wide selection of produce including peppers , eggplant , tomatoes , cucumber , carrots , zucchini , beets , root vegetables , lettuces , varieties of basil and chilies , herbs and flowers . We ferment hot sauces from chilies in the winter and dehydrate vegetables into powder to make seasoning .
Why did you become a chef ? I was drawn to cooking when I was little . I was an only child , and my mom was a working mom , so I fiddled around the kitchen a lot . In my teens I started working in restaurants . I enjoyed the pace and unpredictability . As I got older , the idea of doing something else became less appealing . I ’ m a native of Reading , Pennsylvania , and I stayed in Pittsburgh for some time , then moved to Florida and Seattle . While living in Seattle , I was an executive chef at a French bistro . My experience living in different regions impacts our menu . Our team has representation on the menu influenced by where they ’ ve lived or traveled .
( Left ) Yellowtail Crudo with tomato water compressed cucumber , aji amarillo , shallot , red pepper , tamarind , pomegranate in a citrus vinaigrette . ( Right ) Roasted Cactus Salad with nopal cactus , roasted red pepper , Spork garden greens , kalamata olives , pine nut , beet hummus and crostini .
Christian Frangiadis , Executive Chef and Partner , Spork .
Who has influenced your cooking the most ? My grandmothers got me interested in cooking . One grandmother was from Greece and made phyllo dough , shoo-fly pies and butterscotch brownies .
What tool can ’ t you live without ? A Japanese chef knife — it stays sharp and is designed really well . I also have a bunch of handcrafted knives from local knifesmith Artifact Metalworks in Homestead .
What is your go-to meal when you cook from home ? If we ’ re talking downscale , I ’ ll make burgers . If we ’ re talking upscale , then it ’ s sweetbreads . But my wife , Marilu , is Dominican , and there ’ s a whole different culture of cooking in our house , so we always have a staple of rice and beans .
What ’ s your best advice for a novice ? If you ’ re going to be a chef , understand that you will get out of it what you put into it . Be passionate or don ’ t do it . It can be a rewarding career if you care enough to be better at it every day .
Other than Spork , where ’ s your favorite place to eat in Pittsburgh ? Vivo Kitchen in Sewickley . We order a lot of their small plates and they are consistently delicious .
What ’ s your favorite go-to ingredient ? We make a lot of miso and have different kinds . For a sweet treat , we make chocolate truffles to serve at the end of a meal . We dehydrate our miso into a powder and add it to our truffles .
What ’ s the next big food or dining trend ? I think we might experience special occasion dining reimagined — more intimate and less pretentious — that will offer customers a real experience combining creative food , ambiance , hospitality and comfort . n
— Reese Randall
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