To work in the business you have to work hard, want to go the extra mile. Be a good co-worker. Be a good team member. Stand up for yourself knowing that all of our voices and perspectives are really unique and powerful and we all deserve a seat at the table when it comes to coming up with dishes or coming up with ideas or just trying to foster the confidence to show up as your full self.
What we covered in this episode
- Bad Hunter is a vegetable forward restaurant in Chicago. Plated desserts, ice cream, laminated pastries.
- She started as a line cook before becoming a pastry chef.
- She loves using vegetables in her desserts.
- Chocolate Cremeux with Porcini mushroom ice cream. Rich and Savory. Pastry Chef Sam Mason from Odd Fellows Ice Cream in Brooklyn talked in episode #12 about using mushroom in ice cream. Click here to get to the show notes.
- They are celebrating local seasonal produce from the Midwest.
- The team is preserving these produce for through the winter: jams, pickles and fermented veggies and fruit.
- They do a lot of pickles to be used with rich and fatty dessert.
- Vinegars based on fruit and veggie scraps.
- Kombucha for “crème fraîche” culture and sorbets.
- Emily is pushing he limits to create new desserts. Consumers are open to trying it.
- Pairing the weird ingredients with products that are the most recognizable.
- Pastry and desserts require patience and to be careful at each steps.
- She studied culinary in Paris.
- Mentors: Dana Cree, Amanda Rockman, Nancy Silverton and Dorie Greenspan.
- Important to learn and understand basic science and techniques in pastry.
- But need to allow yourself to move outside of that box (techniques) for creativity.
- Chef Emily talks about her creative process.
- She describes the creative process behind the dish: Avocado Lime Mousse with Mango and Cilantro Granita.
- Finding inspiration from collaboration with the team members at Bad Hunter.
- Her cook background make her more comfortable to collaborate with Chefs in the kitchen.
- Chef Emily talks about expectations regarding women in the kitchen.
- She describes herself as an empathetic leader. She has the soft skills for it but at the same time she has set boundaries as she is not anyone’s therapist.
- 5 rapid-fire questions!
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Chef Emily Spurlin’s Approach to Innovation
My starting point is usually a singular flavor or ingredient that I want to showcase which often ends up being a fruit or a vegetable, something nature based usually, or a flavor combination that I’m interested in trying out.
From there I kind of go into a number of directions.
I either think in terms of color. So I think of foods that have complementary colors or foods that are in the same color scheme that I think flavor wise would be a good match for the initial ingredients.
I also like the “if it grows together it goes together” method. And then I like to think about families. So for example quince is in the rose family and I really like using rose in desserts. In moderation I think it’s really lovely and it kind of tied together in my brain that both comes from Persian cuisine, so then that kind of leads me into a new direction of other flavors I can play with within Persian cuisine for example. Or like buckwheat and rhubarb are related. I am just trying to find find ways to connect ingredients in my brain that makes sense and have context. And then obviously trying it all together and making sure it tastes good.
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Chef Emily Spurlin
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Bad Hunter
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Links mentioned in this episode
Bad Hunter
The Publican
Pastry Chef Anna Posey
Dana Cree Ice Cream Shop
Dorie Greenspan
Nancy Silverton
Lula Café
Chez Panisse Cookbook
Elements of Dessert Cookbook
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