chefs |
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EHREN RYAN Common Lot 27 Main St ., Millburn ( 973 ) 467-0494 , commonlot . com
“ IGET SO INSPIRED BY THE LOCAL FOOD . WEHAVEACCESSTOSOMUCH LOCAL PRODUCEAND FARMSHERE . WE PRESERVEWHAT ’ SINSEASON , TOO , AND USE THEM FOR THE WINTER .”
Where are you from ? Originally , Sydney , Australia . NowIliveinChatham .
How did you know you wanted to become achef ? Ifell intoit . Iwas going to school for hotel management , and I did a four-week course in culinary arts . That was enough to changemymind . As a chef , every day is different , and there ’ s always something new to learn . You ’ re forever evolving , and it ’ s exciting .
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What has been your best experience serving the public ? The best is when you see the new customers with a smile on their faces . They come to the kitchen and thank us . Also , having the repeat customers . Some of them come in weekly . It ’ s an indication we are doing things right .
What makes you most excited about being achef ? Iget so inspired by the local food . We have access to so much local produce and farms here . We preserve what ’ s in season , too , and use them for the winter . Like , we are looking at adding venison with preserved blueberries and chanterelle mushrooms to the menu .
If you could cook for anyone dead or alive , who would you cook for , and why ? Iwould love to cook forDominique Crenn . She is a two-Michelin star chef in the San Francisco area . Her food , passion and love for the industry is admirable . The way she cooks is super impressive , but also the way she mentors her staff and her business sense are impressive . It would be good to pick her brain .
What do you want customers to know about your food and establishment ? We want people to feel
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DUCK WITH KALE
comfortable . We ’ ve createdanenvironment that is sophisticated , but casual and relaxed . There ’ s no dress code .
We also likethe family table sharing option whereyou throw everything in the middle and useyour hands when necessary .
What kind of feedback have you gotten over the years ? I was taught very quickly thatitwasn ’ t going to be easy — there ’ s so much attention to detail , and [ being achef is ] so labor intensive . Youneed to give care to every single ingredient .
What is your most popular dish ? The braised lamb shoulder . It ’ s 12-hour braised lamb with soy caramel , brown rice , chili-infused pickles and lettuceleaves . It ’ s a share-for-two option , a very hands-on dish . I came up with thatwith my wifeathome .
Do you have any tips for preparing food for the holidays ? The biggest thing is just to be organized . Try to do as much as you can beforehand so on the dayof , you ’ re not cooking and slaving away , and you can enjoy your family .
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RYAN AND FOOD : ANNE-MARIE CARUSO |
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32 HOLIDAY 2017 MILLBURN & SHORT HILLS MAGAZINE |