Jason and Miho Travi, Chefs, Fraiche and Riva
For dineLA.com
We asked 10 of our favorite restaurant owners, chefs and managers to look into their crystal balls—their magic stock pots?—and tell us what’s going to be hot in 2009.
BACK TO BASICS
Lee Hefter – Chef, Spago
“People are going to stray away from the whole molecular run with the economic climate,” says Hefter. “Diners are going to want to go some place more satisfying. Reliability can trump a crazy experience. Chefs are returning to basics. We’ll see a lot more restraint.” This doesn’t mean boring, Hefter insists. “Not meatloaf and mashed potatoes,” he says, “but a little bit more reassured cooking rather than going out on a trendy edge.”
BROTHSFred Eric – Chef Owner, Tiara Café
“If one eats a bowl of healthy vegetable-enriched broth with some fresh vegetables, grains, a small morsel of animal product (or not), fresh chilies, herbs and a squeeze of citrus, you are satiated as well as satisfied,” says Eric. “Next year will be filled with broths,” he adds. “Heck, I think they will put broths on the menu at the Cheesecake Factory in three years.”
ARGENTINE WINESCaroline Style – Owner and Wine Director, Lucques and A.O.C.
French, Italian and California wines aren’t going anywhere. But keep your eye on South America. “Particularly Argentine wines will see their day in the coming year,” says Styne. “They started to gain popularity a few years back but kind of lost momentum here. I think that with the economy going the way it is, people will be looking for more value. These wines seem to be one of the places to find this kind of value. Malbec in particular for those who like a full-bodied red but don't want to pay for Napa Cabernet.” Two labels Styne likes: Paris Goulart and Mas.
ADVENTUROUS EATSDavid Rosoff - General Manager, Pizzeria Mozza and Osteria Mozza
You might think dishes such as pig’s trotters and testa (head cheese from a pig) would have very limited appeal. But according to Rosoff, quite a few diners are ordering these items. And their ranks are growing. “LA is evolving on that level where diners realize that there are very talented and educated individuals working the floors and kitchens of our restaurants and the best path to a great dining experience is to let those people do their thing,” he says. In sum, chefs are offering more adventurous choices and diners are saying yes. Expect more of both.
CVAP® OVENSJason Travi – Chef, Fraiche and Riva
Travi loves his CVap® ovens (he has two at Riva and one at Fraiche, each one costing around $3,000). “It is relatively inexpensive for a restaurant and can be used for so many things,” he says. Travi expects a lot more chefs will be using them in 2009. Among the dishes Travi does in these moist cooking ovens is a sous vide pork chop and lamb rack. His wife, pastry chef Miho Travi, uses them to cook fruit and pastry cream. One other selling point: “It has replaced the need for the messy water bath and immersion circulator in my restaurants,” he says.
GREEN SEAFOODDavid LeFevre – Chef, Water Grill
While much of the discussion on green eating the past few years has revolved around produce, 2009 will be the year chefs and diners get hip to green or at least greener seafood choices. “There will be much more of a focus on the environmental effects of seafood harvesting as well as a push for educating the public on aquicultured seafood,” says LeFevre. “We are currently seeing a rise in companies pushing their product by advertising that they are reducing their by-catch by 20-30%, especially in the shellfish industry.”
MEATLESS ENTRÉESTerri Wahl – Chef Owner, Auntie Em’s Kitchen
“Produce featured as entrées will take the spotlight in 2009,” says Wahl. “And I don’t mean tofu vegetarian dishes, rather stews made with heirloom rutabagas, Thumbelina carrots and baby parsnips, soups full of delicate spring veggies like shell beans and pea shoots and fresh cut chives, and macaroni and cheese that has fresh-shelled English peas and baby spinach tucked into it. Chefs, and West Coast chefs in particular, have so much fabulous produce at their fingertips these days that the steak is going to have to move over for a little while.”
CHOCOLATE PUDDING ETC.
Zoe Nathan – Pastry Chef, Rustic Canyon
Because everyone is watching the bottom line, Nathan says “people are not going to be as willing to try a weird kiwi flavored éclair.” Look for lots of familiar desserts that deliver big comfort, she says. “You don’t want to spend $10 on something that could be really gross.” From Nathan: Valrhona chocolate pudding, carrot cake, and classic layered cakes made with quality ingredients like the very best vanilla beans she can get her hands on.
BREAKFASTHans Rockenwagner – Chef Owner, 3 Square Café + Bakery
“Breakfast is not just a trend,” says Rockenwagner. “Now it is here to stay. Breakfast has been underappreciated. There was a lack of diversity but a lot of chefs have started to embrace breakfast as a new frontier. It’s a great price-value ratio.” Rockenwagner has seen an uptick in business breakfast meetings. He expects that to continue in 2009.
HEALTHIER COCKTAILSLoren “Lola” Dunsworth – Owner, Lola’s
Look for more healthy fruit, like blueberries and acai berries, in your cocktail, as well as lots of fresh juices. Pomegranate juice, high in antioxidants, will be especially hot. “Using fresh juices and less ‘premixed’ also cuts down on sugar content and preservatives, which cuts down on any potential headache the next morning,” says Dunsworth.
