James Henahan: Key ingredients unlock unexpected flavors
cr_NRN_3-20-06_p32_cp
3/8/06
5:50 PM
Page 1
C ULINARY C URRENTS
®
32 March 20, 2006
NATION’S RESTAURANT NEWS
UNDER THE TOQUE
James Henahan: Key ingredients unlock unexpected flavors BY CHRISTI RAVNEBERG Though he’s gained wider prominence with a television appearance on the Food Network, chef James Henahan for the most part has made a name for himself at restaurants tucked away in small, picturesque communities. His early training was at Ballymaloe House, an inn in a rural area of Ireland’s County Cork. That led to a 12-year stint as head chef at the Simon Pearce Restaurant at the Simon Pearce glassblowing and pottery-making facility overlooking the Ottauquechee River in Quechee, Vt. Now Henahan, who goes by the nickname “Shadow,” is working to continue that tradition by developing a new dining destination in another out-of-the-way spot. As executive chef for the new Tranquility Bay Beach House Resort in Marathon, Fla. — in the heart of the Florida Keys — he creates the menu for the property’s fine-dining Butterfly Café. The restaurant, which had its grand opening Feb. 20, seats 36 and can accommodate up to 70 on its veranda with views of the beach. Henahan also oversees menus for Tranquility Bay’s beachfront tiki bar and 24-hour room service. With his own brand of “tropical world cuisine” and a focus on regional ingredients, Henahan says he hopes to attract both Marathon locals and visitors alike.
You’re running a fine-dining restaurant in an area that has a rather casual dining scene. How does that affect your menu? I don’t let that worry me too much. There’s a lot of interest built into good food in Marathon, and there’s no outlet other than us. Most everything I’ve developed are things I know would go over well anywhere people have an interest in good food. But I’ve kept the price line competitive for the area. I want to attract the locals as a rule. To that end, we have a middle-of-the-road menu for the tiki bar. If there’s a nice sunset, and they just come by for drinks and snacks, that’s great. If they come in for lunch and dinner, we can accommodate that, too.
You had the opportunity to design your kitchen as the resort was being built. Tell me about that. I have a fairly small footprint for a full resort kitchen, so I wanted to include as much firepower as possible. I needed to accommodate a fulltime baking and pastry schedule, fulltime roasting, and à la carte cooking. James “Shadow” Henahan, executive chef for Tranquility Bay Beach House Resort in the Florida Keys, says There’s a soup kettle to free up space for his “tropical world cuisine,” he uses regional and home-grown ingredients to adapt classic dishes, on ranges. I put in double friers so we giving new, unexpected flavors to cuisines from around the world. cook fish in one and cook no fish in the other, which I think is very imporBIOGRAPHY tant. Now we’re also building a small late mousse. It sounds odd, but the tartness annex prep kitchen for ice cream and How did you end up in the Florida Keys? Title: executive chef, sorbet production, which will have some I had an idea to open a coastal-cuisine concept while I was of the lime is smoothed out by the mousse. Tranquility Bay Beach House Resort, Marathon, Fla. extra storage space. working in Vermont, but I just felt that I wanted to be in a Everything we do has a spice or a flavor that’s Birth date: July 29, 1957 unexpected. You have to ask yourself, “What Because storage and fridge capacity are warmer area. I couldn’t take another ice storm. Then I talked Hometown: San Diego limited here, I’ve created a network of purto Pritham [Singh, president of The Singh Company, which is that?” Education: University of veyors who deliver daily, and each delivdeveloped Tranquility Bay] in regards to plans for this resort. California Santa Cruz; ery is custom tailored to that day. What I He said, “You can make it whatever you want and guide it Tell me about your house bread. apprenticeship at Ballymaloe prepare today, I serve today. And the next from the ground up.” Ballymaloe brown bread. It’s one of the House in Shanagarry, County day we start all over. It’s a scary concept, things that I’ve been carrying around in my Cork, Ireland but there’s not going to be a lot of waste. You’ve called your menu “tropical world cuisine.” How bag of tricks since I learned it during trainCareer highlights: being invited do you define that style? ing [at Ballymaloe House]. Down here it was to cook at the James Beard It incorporates cuisines and flavors from coastal areas of a challenge to see whether I could do someResort guests can bring you the fish House; appearing on the Food Network; winning the places all over the world. I use local ingredients to adapt clas- thing like that. I’m importing the flour directthey catch on their fishing trips, and Best Award of Excellence sic dishes. For example, we crust local grouper with horserad- ly from Ireland. There’s no similar flour proyou’ll cook it and serve it to them. from Wine Spectator for ish. But then I serve it with a tropical fruit coulis with mango duced in this country. It’s a coarse, Why do you offer that? 12 years running while and passion fruit flavors, whereas in the European style that whole-grain flour that’s very low in gluten. It I think it makes them feel special. Any at Simon Pearce Restaurant sauce might be tomato-basil or an American version might use doesn’t stretch; it rises in a much more subtime you get the special treatment at a in Quechee, Vt. balsamic vinaigrette. tle way. I’ve made that bread as kind of a restaurant, it’s a good ego boost.To me it’s daily meditation. a challenge to see what they bring in and What are some of your other signature dishes? if they have a particular desire.And if not, I can get as creative We do a shrimp ceviche, which is very much a Peruvian and Do you have a cooking philosophy? as I want. Ecuadorian dish, but we use homegrown Key limes and Key Three rules:The food should look good, taste good and be able When I was up north, I did a lot of mushroom hunting shrimp. One of most popular lunch items is the coconut- and to be reproduced consistently every time. It sounds basic, but and foraging, and sometimes I would take my guests out almond-crusted yellowtail snapper. It’s served with a pineap- you’d be surprised how many people forget one or all of them. with me and we would pick and then we’d cook what we’d ple tartar sauce, a mayonnaise-based sauce that has a lot of It’s just as easy to make something good as it is to make some- pick. I always like to have the people involved. I find it to groovy Caribbean spice.The fish is indigenous and difficult to thing bad. A fried grouper sandwich can be the most sublime be a very sensual experience. I like to grow things, pick find elsewhere, so it’s perfect for this dish. I also recommend thing or it can be cardboard, boring. things, consume them in their finest stage and finest form. our Key lime pie, with a nutty chocolate crust and white chocoThat’s what we can accomplish by catching and cooking What challenges do you find working in the Keys? our own fish. You’re very aware that you’re living on an island. It’s about CHEF’S TIPS finding the right sources for quality items, then figuring out What do you enjoy most about living and working in how to make transportation cost-effective. I’ve had great dif- the Florida Keys? ficulty getting fresh duck and quail down here. And, surpris- The Keys are ideal if you like to fish and dive and boat and Focus not on filling up the plate, but on balancing ingly, finding produce has not been that easy, in the kind of water ski. It’s right out your back door every day, and I find it in terms of color, quantity and dimension. All the quality and variety I’d been expecting. time to do that. Hanging around the coral reef also gives you elements of a dish should share the spotlight. It’s definitely a unique place. It’s such a laidback place that a lot of culinary inspiration, seeing the colors and shapes.And Allow foods to rest before serving — meats and qualifications and motivations [in the labor pool] are often at you always spot different fish and think, “I wonder what that fish will retain their juices. Fruits and vegetables may a minimum. It’s a tourist-driven economy, but there’s also a would taste like.” ■ housing shortage. Our biggest challenge has been finding absorb and be tenderized by spices and sauces. qualified employees and finding housing to keep them here. [email protected]
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w w w. n r n . c o m
3/8/06
5:50 PM
Page 1
C ULINARY C URRENTS
®
32 March 20, 2006
NATION’S RESTAURANT NEWS
UNDER THE TOQUE
James Henahan: Key ingredients unlock unexpected flavors BY CHRISTI RAVNEBERG Though he’s gained wider prominence with a television appearance on the Food Network, chef James Henahan for the most part has made a name for himself at restaurants tucked away in small, picturesque communities. His early training was at Ballymaloe House, an inn in a rural area of Ireland’s County Cork. That led to a 12-year stint as head chef at the Simon Pearce Restaurant at the Simon Pearce glassblowing and pottery-making facility overlooking the Ottauquechee River in Quechee, Vt. Now Henahan, who goes by the nickname “Shadow,” is working to continue that tradition by developing a new dining destination in another out-of-the-way spot. As executive chef for the new Tranquility Bay Beach House Resort in Marathon, Fla. — in the heart of the Florida Keys — he creates the menu for the property’s fine-dining Butterfly Café. The restaurant, which had its grand opening Feb. 20, seats 36 and can accommodate up to 70 on its veranda with views of the beach. Henahan also oversees menus for Tranquility Bay’s beachfront tiki bar and 24-hour room service. With his own brand of “tropical world cuisine” and a focus on regional ingredients, Henahan says he hopes to attract both Marathon locals and visitors alike.
You’re running a fine-dining restaurant in an area that has a rather casual dining scene. How does that affect your menu? I don’t let that worry me too much. There’s a lot of interest built into good food in Marathon, and there’s no outlet other than us. Most everything I’ve developed are things I know would go over well anywhere people have an interest in good food. But I’ve kept the price line competitive for the area. I want to attract the locals as a rule. To that end, we have a middle-of-the-road menu for the tiki bar. If there’s a nice sunset, and they just come by for drinks and snacks, that’s great. If they come in for lunch and dinner, we can accommodate that, too.
You had the opportunity to design your kitchen as the resort was being built. Tell me about that. I have a fairly small footprint for a full resort kitchen, so I wanted to include as much firepower as possible. I needed to accommodate a fulltime baking and pastry schedule, fulltime roasting, and à la carte cooking. James “Shadow” Henahan, executive chef for Tranquility Bay Beach House Resort in the Florida Keys, says There’s a soup kettle to free up space for his “tropical world cuisine,” he uses regional and home-grown ingredients to adapt classic dishes, on ranges. I put in double friers so we giving new, unexpected flavors to cuisines from around the world. cook fish in one and cook no fish in the other, which I think is very imporBIOGRAPHY tant. Now we’re also building a small late mousse. It sounds odd, but the tartness annex prep kitchen for ice cream and How did you end up in the Florida Keys? Title: executive chef, sorbet production, which will have some I had an idea to open a coastal-cuisine concept while I was of the lime is smoothed out by the mousse. Tranquility Bay Beach House Resort, Marathon, Fla. extra storage space. working in Vermont, but I just felt that I wanted to be in a Everything we do has a spice or a flavor that’s Birth date: July 29, 1957 unexpected. You have to ask yourself, “What Because storage and fridge capacity are warmer area. I couldn’t take another ice storm. Then I talked Hometown: San Diego limited here, I’ve created a network of purto Pritham [Singh, president of The Singh Company, which is that?” Education: University of veyors who deliver daily, and each delivdeveloped Tranquility Bay] in regards to plans for this resort. California Santa Cruz; ery is custom tailored to that day. What I He said, “You can make it whatever you want and guide it Tell me about your house bread. apprenticeship at Ballymaloe prepare today, I serve today. And the next from the ground up.” Ballymaloe brown bread. It’s one of the House in Shanagarry, County day we start all over. It’s a scary concept, things that I’ve been carrying around in my Cork, Ireland but there’s not going to be a lot of waste. You’ve called your menu “tropical world cuisine.” How bag of tricks since I learned it during trainCareer highlights: being invited do you define that style? ing [at Ballymaloe House]. Down here it was to cook at the James Beard It incorporates cuisines and flavors from coastal areas of a challenge to see whether I could do someResort guests can bring you the fish House; appearing on the Food Network; winning the places all over the world. I use local ingredients to adapt clas- thing like that. I’m importing the flour directthey catch on their fishing trips, and Best Award of Excellence sic dishes. For example, we crust local grouper with horserad- ly from Ireland. There’s no similar flour proyou’ll cook it and serve it to them. from Wine Spectator for ish. But then I serve it with a tropical fruit coulis with mango duced in this country. It’s a coarse, Why do you offer that? 12 years running while and passion fruit flavors, whereas in the European style that whole-grain flour that’s very low in gluten. It I think it makes them feel special. Any at Simon Pearce Restaurant sauce might be tomato-basil or an American version might use doesn’t stretch; it rises in a much more subtime you get the special treatment at a in Quechee, Vt. balsamic vinaigrette. tle way. I’ve made that bread as kind of a restaurant, it’s a good ego boost.To me it’s daily meditation. a challenge to see what they bring in and What are some of your other signature dishes? if they have a particular desire.And if not, I can get as creative We do a shrimp ceviche, which is very much a Peruvian and Do you have a cooking philosophy? as I want. Ecuadorian dish, but we use homegrown Key limes and Key Three rules:The food should look good, taste good and be able When I was up north, I did a lot of mushroom hunting shrimp. One of most popular lunch items is the coconut- and to be reproduced consistently every time. It sounds basic, but and foraging, and sometimes I would take my guests out almond-crusted yellowtail snapper. It’s served with a pineap- you’d be surprised how many people forget one or all of them. with me and we would pick and then we’d cook what we’d ple tartar sauce, a mayonnaise-based sauce that has a lot of It’s just as easy to make something good as it is to make some- pick. I always like to have the people involved. I find it to groovy Caribbean spice.The fish is indigenous and difficult to thing bad. A fried grouper sandwich can be the most sublime be a very sensual experience. I like to grow things, pick find elsewhere, so it’s perfect for this dish. I also recommend thing or it can be cardboard, boring. things, consume them in their finest stage and finest form. our Key lime pie, with a nutty chocolate crust and white chocoThat’s what we can accomplish by catching and cooking What challenges do you find working in the Keys? our own fish. You’re very aware that you’re living on an island. It’s about CHEF’S TIPS finding the right sources for quality items, then figuring out What do you enjoy most about living and working in how to make transportation cost-effective. I’ve had great dif- the Florida Keys? ficulty getting fresh duck and quail down here. And, surpris- The Keys are ideal if you like to fish and dive and boat and Focus not on filling up the plate, but on balancing ingly, finding produce has not been that easy, in the kind of water ski. It’s right out your back door every day, and I find it in terms of color, quantity and dimension. All the quality and variety I’d been expecting. time to do that. Hanging around the coral reef also gives you elements of a dish should share the spotlight. It’s definitely a unique place. It’s such a laidback place that a lot of culinary inspiration, seeing the colors and shapes.And Allow foods to rest before serving — meats and qualifications and motivations [in the labor pool] are often at you always spot different fish and think, “I wonder what that fish will retain their juices. Fruits and vegetables may a minimum. It’s a tourist-driven economy, but there’s also a would taste like.” ■ housing shortage. Our biggest challenge has been finding absorb and be tenderized by spices and sauces. qualified employees and finding housing to keep them here. [email protected]
• •
w w w. n r n . c o m
