THE CHOPPING BLOCK – CHEF PROFILES
Hugh Amano
Favorite class to teach:
The ones with engaged and enthusiastic students who aren't afraid to ask questions!
Training/education:
Culinary Arts Degree from New England Culinary Institute, Montpelier, VT; Bachelor of Arts in English from University of Colorado, Boulder, CO
Cooking since:
Birth! Haven't we all?
Favorite childhood food experience:
Staying up all night watching bread rise and fantasizing about being locked in a grocery store overnight. Making macaroni and cheese with mom. Sukiyaki at my grandmother's house in Kyoto. Watching Pink Panther movies with my brother eating copious amounts of pizza. My first taste of homemade ice cream. Enormous peaches picked from the tree at an orchard in Japan right before my sister took me to Sukiyaki. My mom's black forest cake on every birthday. The way root beer overflowed when poured on top of ice cream. Huge amounts of ice cream at my friend's house watching movies we probably shouldn't have been watching. Sandwiches in pita my mom made when we went to the lake. A huge ice cream sundae at some ice cream shop in San Francisco. The first time someone asked me if I wanted foie gras.
What made you want to become a chef?
I love food--and found a way to do what I love every day.
What is your signature dish?
Come on. This is like asking a parent who their favorite child is. But, if you must know, I suppose people might think of fresh pasta when they think of me.
What are the 5 ingredients you can't live without?
Dairy. Meat. Vegetables. Fish. Grains. Just kidding. Acid (Lemon/Vinegar), Butter, Bacon, Sriracha, Salt.
What do you love about cooking?
The passion, the history, the soul, the tradition, the people, the culture, the camaraderie, the sensuality, the alchemy, the necessity of it, the eating, the smells, the tastes, the joy, the learning, the teaching, the sharing and oh so much more...
When you're creating a new recipe, what influences and inspires you?
Everything and anything. Something I see. Something I smell. Something I tasted. Something I read about. Some dish I saw in a painting. Some dish I saw in a movie. The way nature moves. The way the day feels. The season I'm in. Music I'm listening to. Where my heart's at. If I'm in love. If I'm angry. If I'm broke. If I've been drinking. If the neighbor with the beautiful voice is singing.
What advice would you give a new cook?
Ask ask ask. Listen listen listen. Then ask some more. Trust, but always ask why. Be annoying about it. Ask ask ask!
What are you doing when you're not cooking?
Writing, walking, thinking, reading, eating, drinking, listening to music, exploring, finding new food. Or I'm stuck on the El.
Describe your perfect evening.
Summer solstice. Longest day of the year. Fireplace outdoors. Several friends around. You know, the good friends. A couple of dogs running around. Beer and wine. A lovely companion. Really great food--not 3 star 15-course food, but real food. Maybe we all made it together. Music. The sun sets and the fires start to really glow. More and more wood on the fire. Visible stars. People start dancing/drinking more/whatever. Great conversation. On and on and on...Julia Child shows up.
If you had friends in from out of town, where would you take them to eat?
In Chicago? The Hop Leaf. Lula Cafe. Anteprima. Burt's. My house.
Where are you from?
Gunnison, Colorado, via Denver, Boulder, Boston, Providence, Montpelier, Atlanta, and Chicago.
What was your favorite vacation?
Visiting Japan as kid. Which meant visiting California as a kid. As an adult, I'm been fortunate to have amazing trips to Spain, Croatia, Italy, Hungary, and England. No way I can pick a favorite out of those. Trips to New England after moving away have always, always been very special to me. Nowhere draws out nostalgia like New England in the autumn.
What are your hobbies?
Cooking, reading, music, walking through neighborhoods, closing bars, learning more and more about food and cooking.
What is your favorite band?
The Smiths, Joy Division, The Clash, Interpol, And You Will Know Us By The Trail of Dead, Songs: Ohia, New Order.
If you could have dinner with one person, who would it be?
Right now, I'm thinking Jim Harrison. I mean, the guy put away a case and a half of wine with Batali in one night...what a hoot!
What 5 tools should every new cook have in the kitchen?
A good, sharp knife. A good, solid cutting board. A source of heat. A piece of good cast iron. Running water to keep it all clean. I'm not joking.
What resources would you suggest for Chopping Block clients?
The Food Lover's Companion. The Food and Science of Cooking by Harold McGee. The wisdom inside the head of any family member that cooks. (I'm not joking here, either. This is really important, and going fast.)
List/describe three of your favorite tips or techniques you use in the kitchen.
Use a stainless steel sink of knife the rub your fingers on under running water after cutting garlic--it pulls the smell right off.
When rolling pasta, make a loop out of it rather than one piece. This saves a lot of time and frustration and arm power.
Stay cool and calm and realize that you CAN indeed cook, you just need to think it through.
Please supply any blogs, links, posts, or other social media that you wish to share.
My writing on food can be viewed at: http://foodonthedole.blogspot.com/