Jenn Louis loves to travel: she’s globetrotted her way through Europe, North America, South America, and even spent a few months on a dairy kibbutz in Israel. The food she cooks is just as adventurous and wide-ranging—which is why hummus and labneh sneak onto the menu with bucatini, cavatelli, and seasonal Pacific Northwest fruits and vegetables at her Portland establishment, Lincoln Restaurant. Of course, that menu changes almost every day, based on what’s fresh and looking good at the market. Diners might move from a starter of grilled octopus to a main dish of delicata squash with tahini and hazelnuts before finishing with popcorn panna cotta: a trip from the Pacific Northwest to Italy by way of Israel, but with a distinctive American accent.Named one of Food & Wine's "Best New Chefs" in 2012, Louis has competed on Bravo's Top Chef Masters and has earned two nominations for the James Beard award (“Best Chef: Northwest”). Louis’s debut cookbook, Pasta by Hand, shows off her mastery of delicious pastas and sauces to match. Recently, she’s decided to explore her love of Middle Eastern food in depth by focusing on Jewish fare like challah, brisket, and latkes, all with her signature style of straightforward sophistication.Louis prizes restraint and control in cooking: “I don’t like too many ingredients or ideas jammed together,” she said to Food & Wine. “You lose the individual ingredients; they can’t be appreciated.” Accordingly, her Panna recipes are faithful, simple renditions of classics, but delicious enough to wow restaurant-goers and dinner party guests alike.Jenn's Restaurant:Lincoln Restaurant (Portland, OR) Jenn's Book:Pasta by Hand (2015)
Chef Elise Kornack is a veteran of some of New York’s most acclaimed kitchens, including April Bloomfield’s Spotted Pig and Marcus Samuelsson’s Aquavit (now helmed by Emma Bengtsson. But after working with some very big names, Kornack decided to go small. In 2013, she and Anna Hieronimus (wife and sole supporting staff) opened Take Root, a 750-square foot, 12-seat tasting menu destination in Brooklyn. Their fare reflected their philosophy: mindful dining using local ingredients, careful preparation, but without pretension (the tasting menu cost $125, a steal compared to New York standards). Out of her galley-sized kitchen, Kornack plated far-reaching flavors, from sweetbreads with shaved squash to chocolate mousse with sour honey powder. In return, critics showered her with praise: Kornack landed on Forbes Magazine’s and Zagat’s “30 Under 30” lists; was a “James Beard Rising Star Chef” semifinalist for the last three years running; and saw Take Root earn a Michelin star.But even the brightest stars can burn out (and singe a chef’s sanity)—which is why Kornack decided to close the restaurant before that happened, ending on a high note: “When you feel like you’re doing your best, when your space looks the best, and your food tastes the best, that’s when you should stop.” She and her wife are now taking root in richer soil: the Catskills, where she hinted to us, she’s partnering with a nearby farm to open a farm-to-table restaurant. The recipes Kornack made for Panna are fresh yet familiar. They include some childhood favorites like Beef Braciole, her grandmother’s specialty, stuffed with breadcrumbs and braised with tomato-wine sauce. You’ll melt for her Cinnamon Semifreddo, an Italian frozen custard, made sans ice cream machine and topped with bourbon-macerated figs; the silkiest sunchoke soup, drizzled with aromatic ginger oil; a giant, crispy rice pancake served with greens and a fried egg; charred cabbage wedges with almond vinaigrette; and parsnip cake (similar to carrot cake) brightened with apple compote. Luckily, you don’t have to churn it out all at once for a multi-course tasting menu like Kornack can—but you should take her skills to your kitchen, and enjoy each stunning dish, bite by bite.
Today's semi homemade recipes are stress free and sure to impress. It's a Zesty Yellow Pepper Soup, followed by Butternut Squash Ravioli, Sandra's Crown Roast, and a Spiced Pumpkin Bundt Cake.
It's all about the flavors of fall, starting with Jeff Mauro's United States of Meatloaf, and continuing with two winter squash recipes: Marcela Valladolid's Spaghetti Tossed with Butternut Squash and Katie Lee's Roasted Spaghetti Squash with Curried Shallot Butter. Geoffrey Zakarian shows how to make the popular French dish, Moules Frites, and the hosts have style and organization tips for a next-level tailgate party. The afternoon comes to a close with Geoffrey's Blood and Sand cocktail and a lesson in whiskey 101.