I have been in the culinary field for about 15 years now. I spent much of my time in the Colorado Rocky Mountains, creating many dishes that brought the cultures of that area to life. I have always had a passion for regional cuisine, utilizing local ingredients and using new and classic techniques to create my dishes. Being a chef on Maui is exciting because of all the beautiful ingredients that cover this beautiful Island.
I apprenticed at Keystone Ski Resort, learning many classical French cooking techniques and traditional dishes. As I have grown as a chef, I found myself blending those fundamentals with some of the newer techniques and using what the local land has to offer. I am now bringing everything that I have learned over the years to the Makena Beach and Golf Resort. I am excited to be a part of such a wonderful property. I am working hard with my culinary team to bring our resort into the culinary spotlight showcasing our talent and creativity pairing with the freshest Maui ingredients available.
1. Favorite foods growing up? I always loved a nice grilled New York Strip. Really anything grilled. It was more about the atmoshphere and the smoke bringing everyone together that I loved.
2. When did you decide you wanted to be a chef? In my late teens, I realized that I really enjoyed cooking, and the “controlled chaos” of the kitchen. I found myself being inspired by the culinary world and wanted to be a part of it.
3. When & where did your career in food begin? Needing some money and being encouraged to get a job, I found myelf rolling fresh jumbo pretzels the the mall in Omaha, NE. At 15, it was a great job, and I still find myself mixing up some pretzel dough for the family from time to time.
4.If you didn't become a chef what would you be? I have to say writing would be my second passion when it comes to a career. My father was in jouralism, and you really got a sense of who he was through his writing. I always respected that.
5. Who/what has shaped your cooking the most over the years ? Location. I love to absorb cooking ideas and traditions from people, but find that locations offer such a wide variety of knowledge. Hawaii is a great example. We have all the fresh fruit and fish that you could ever need here. You just don’t find that in the Midwest.
6. What influences your cooking style & the menu at your restaurant ? Again, location and local product. There is just something about using products that you can pin-point where they are from. Most of the world doesn’t have the climates we see here in the Islands, so we really have an advantage when it comes to produce. Hawaii is great too, when you look at the wide range of ethnic backgrounds.
7.What are your favorite culinary weapons in the kitchen? I like the simple tools in a kitchen. Lately, the microplane has been my favorite though.
8.What qualities do you look for when hiring cooks? I love to hire people who want to learn. Hiring that way is great for a couple reasons. First, it is great to be able to spread knowledge that you have picked up over the years. Second, often times people who may be a little more experienced have picked up habits that are harder to break and can be very stuck in their ways. I have found that when you teach people your style of cooking, and the reasoning for why you do things the way that you do, you earn their respect as a chef.
5 PEPPERCORN CRUSTED AHI
10.Your beverage of choice? Black and Tan, hands down. I am a beer guy, and the black and tan (when properly poured) is just a great beer. I actually did a blog post a way back on the black and tan, and how I relate it to life in the culinary world.
11.Must haves in your fridge? Local ingredients. Of course you need the staples (eggs, milk, etc.), but I like to keep the local stuff too. I currently have some pickled Hawaiian chile peppers, Maui onions, mango from my back yard, local avocados, and so on. I even have some Coconut porter from Maui Brewing company.
12.Favorite places to eat? Makena Beach and Golf Resort, of course. I actually took my mother, my wife and kids in for brunch today. Locally though, I do enjoy some of the local places like Jaws, Pupu Lounge, Sansei and even some of the side of the road food vendors.
13.Which foreign country inspires your style the most? Well, Mexico and Central America have a large influence on my cooking. Like every country, Mexico has their traditional foods, and working in Colorado for a good portion of my career, it made its way into much of the cuisine.
14.Best cooking tip for a home enthusiast? Practice the basics. Cooking techniques themselves can and do alter the food in flavor, texture, and consistency. Overall, that is the most important thing for the home cook to focus on. You can always season it how you like it, but the technique what will make or break your meal.
15.What do you eat when you are at home? Most recently I made Ginger Marinated Mahi Mahi with a mango chutney (all local ingredients). My wife and I like to find fish or meats that look the freshest and create simple meals that can be done on the grill (usually at the beach).
16. Your least fave foods? Beets. I have never liked them. Only on vary rare occasions do I eat them.
17.Best meal you ever had? My dad used to make a couple dishes with whatever fish he would catch. I grew up in Nebraska, so we ate a lot of Bluegill, Large-mouth bass and Walleye. He would always make up this little breading and pan fry the fish that he had caught that morning. Although it wasn’t foie gras and truffles, it was at the top of my list.
18.What is more important for a chef technique or ingredients? That is a tough one. I am going to say ingredients, and here is why. I think that often times, food is over thought. Some to the best dishes are the simplest. That being said, if I only have a few ingredients on a place, I want to taste those ingredients. If you are buying only thegeneric produce that is grown and shipped in bulk from across the world, you will never achieve the dishes full potential.
19.Most challenging meal you had to make and why? I had helped a couple chef friends of mine do a dinner for Bill Gates and Warren Buffet several years back. It was only for 250 or so people, but it was sort of crazy. They had brought in all of their own décor, and even though it was only 250 people, they had ordered at least double the amount of food that they needed. It was a situation in which we were short handed to begin with, and I did not have knowledge of the kitchen. In the end, they were all very happy, and the food was great. But it was quite challenging at the time.
20.What is the one rule or value you try to instill in all of your staff? Camaraderie. With all the issues that can happen in the kitchen, without camaraderie you are likely to fail. The kitchen is a team atmosphere and you are all in it together.
21.Favorite secret ingredient? Hydocolloids. They aren’t necessarily meant for everyday dishes, but they can certainly add a wow factor to a dish. Most recently I made a shiso “caviar” for a “fruit sashimi” dish. By using calcium Chloride and Sodium Alginate I was able to form “caviar” with the shiso leaf, cousin to mint.
22.What are some recent dining and culinary trends you have been observing? I notice a lot of trios and shared dishes. Tasting plates and ingrients prepared in several different ways on the same plate. People like variety. All of these options give a perception of getting more for your money. It is a great tool to familiarize your guests with several dishes while only having to order one.
23.Where were you born and raised? I was born in Colorado Springs, CO and raised in Omaha, NE.
24.Where did you get your training? Colorado Mountain Culinary Institute in Keystone, CO.
TROPICAL FRUIT SASHIMI WITH SHISO CAVIAR AND COCONUT CREAM CHEESE
26. Committed or single? I am very happily married.
27. Kids? How many ? Yes, I have 2 kids (currently). I have a 16 month old son and a 18 DAY old little girl, born Nov. 3.
28.Your Favorite dish on your menu? I like our Black Cod dish. It’s a miso marinated cod, with citrus-dashi emulsion. I beautiful, rich dish.
29. Any menu items for health conscious customers? These days there are more andmore guest with Gluten allergies and special diets. We are taking that into consideration as we prepare to revamp our current menus. Its nice to have a menu that specifies that certain items are gluten free, eliminating any question whether or not its ok for you.
30. What do you do when you have spare time? I like to hit the beach, and explore our beautiful island. Whenever possible, I like to get my family out and about to stay active and enjoy Maui.
31. Please share with us any other info that might be of interest to our readers. Please see my blog: chefbhenion.blogspot.com
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