PERSONALITY ON A PLATE! An Interview with The Château's Head Chef, Christian Ives
We have been anticipating the opening of a local farm-to-table restaurant, The Château, for over a year. The opening of the Château is a case study of how determination and assembling a standout team can create local magic. And, the establishment's recipe for what we think will be incredible success combines equal parts craftsmanship and community. Château co-owner, Doreen Garrett, says, "The most rewarding aspect of opening the Chateau has been the journey." She and her team acknowledge the amazing people in the community who have supported their vision. They plan to offer a unique farm to table culinary experience, world class wines, and handcrafted cocktails using their very own Saint Lawrence Spirits brand (which uses Saint Lawrence River water). Below, we share our interview with The Château's Head Chef, Christian Ives. Chef Ives shares what inspires him as a chef, why he likes to create food that makes people "laugh and smile," and his plans for offering a somewhat Live Yum inspired vegetarian/vegan menu (we're so excited). If all the stars align, the Château will be open by May 2017. We'll see you there! P.S. Did you accidentally miss our delicious Live Yum Apple Shrub recipe (made optionally boozy with St. Lawrence Spirits Downbound Gin)? Get the recipe here!
Chef Christian Ives is a northern New York native with 25 years of vast experience in the culinary field. He received his most notable training while working under Chef Emeril Legasse in Orlando, Florida. Chef Ives is also an Adjunct Professor in the Culinary Arts Department at Jefferson Community College, where he teaches the Farm-to-Table course. Chef Ives recently assumed the role as Head Chef at The Château at Saint Lawrence Spirits. He is sourcing his ingredients locally from farms such as Dani Baker's Cross Island Farms (pictured above). Read more to learn about Christian and his plans at The Château!
What's your food philosophy?
I would have to say my Food Philosophy falls in line with my personality. I like to make people laugh and smile. I like to surprise people and can come across as intense. It's no different with the dishes I create. I want the diner to be surprised that flavors, which one would never think of combining, would go so well together. I want them to be shocked and smile when the plate is set down for them.
What inspires you as a chef?
It depends on the situation. When it comes to creating a menu, my wife inspires me. I want to amaze her. I want to create something she will be excited about. She's my biggest critic and will tell me when I can do better. She has in the past and to be honest, the few times she has been negative, she was right. So I started over and created something better. When it comes to cooking in the restaurant, my guests inspire me. When I create a sauce or new dish and try it for the first time, I imagine how much it will be enjoyed.
What is your cooking style?
My cooking style can vary. I trained and worked under some great chefs that all specialized in distinct cultural cuisines. I tend to marry numerous flavors from all over the world. A critique on Trip Advisor a couple years ago called my style “Artful Delicacy meets Gonzo Brawn. A meeting of the minds between Eric Ripert and Hunter S. Thompson.” I thought that was wonderfully hysterical and humbling. Years ago a friend labeled my style as Empire Fusion and it just seemed to stick after that.
Tell us a bit about the Chateau and what we can expect.
I think people are going to expect another restaurant. But, I know they will be surprised with the experience. From our mixology program—which specializes in utilizing what we feel to be the best craft beers, spirits and small production wines sourced locally and internationally—to the Distillery, which offers tours. We’re also utilizing a lot of locally raised and grown products on our menu. Our pork, chicken and eggs come from Lucky 7 Farms in Rodman. Specialty organic produce, goat, and beef come from Cross Island Farms on Wellesley Island. We source our specialty organic greens from AgBotics in Sacketts Harbor. We are truly working with local farmers. We buy direct. I've been to their farms and walked through them. I feel that building these relationships and giving our guests a chance to experience the amazing products that these local farmers work so hard for and take so much pride in will bring them back time and again.
You're creating a special vegan/vegetarian menu. Tell us about this and your thoughts on the plant-based food movement.
We will have a small, but wonderful selection of vegetarian/vegan dishes offered. Kristen and Liz brought some wonderful ideas to the table and I'll add my own personal twists to each that I know they'll enjoy! As a Chef I feel that all of us in the hospitality industry should be accommodating to our guests dietary needs or preferences. Personally I find it more challenging when a guest comes in and requests a vegan/vegetarian seven course degustation. It forces me to think out of the box more than I do normally and it's fun. It's also more rewarding when guests eating steak are jealous of those dishes!
Do you have a favorite vegan/vegetarian recipe that you'd like to share with our readers?
My favorite vegetarian dish would have to be my Confit Portabella Mushroom Burger. I love burgers and have recently developed Alpha Gal Syndrome so I can't eat red meat anymore, which is really tough for me, so this sandwich is great. The Burger is layered with fried zucchini skins, roasted red pepper, grilled squash, and goat cheese. It is served on a crusty roll. You can't beat it. (Note: Chef Ives has shared his recipe for this awesome sounding mushroom burger. We'll be preparing it and sharing the recipe and yummy photos soon!)
What's one of your chef tricks-of-the-trade that would benefit the at-home cook?
It's not really a trick of the trade and it sounds ridiculously simple. But, season your food. Taste it as you're cooking. Notice the changing of flavor as the sauce reduces and the seasoning becomes more robust. I taste every sauce, risotto, pasta, etc. at least four to five times before it goes on a plate and is served to a guest. That's not an exaggeration. I really do. I learned years ago from a phenomenal chef when I was 21 that the two most important ingredients in cooking are salt and pepper. I still believe that and instill it into my students and team every day.
And, last but not least, what is your go-to St. Lawrence Spirits cocktail? Are you able to share the recipe?
You can't beat a good Sazerac until you've had one made with our La Fee Rouge Absinthe and Rye Not Moonshine. I am biased but I'm also honest. It is the best Sazerac I have ever had. As far as the ingredients, I gave you two, the rest you have to figure out yourself!