Interview with Chef Paul Virant of Vie - Chicago

Colleen Richardson: Why did you start cooking? What or who inspired you to become a chef?
Paul Virant: My family was a big inspiration. Food was very important to them. My mom and my grandmother are cooks.

CR: You attended Wesleyan College, West Virginia for a degree in Nutrition and then the CIA for a culinary degree. How do you think this preliminary education helped develop your skills as a chef? Would you recommend culinary school to aspiring chefs today?
PV: I started with science and then applied it to food. With a food science background, you have a fundamental understanding of basic cooking techniques. It prepared me to learn more. I recommend culinary education to aspiring chefs, but they must get a good experience first.

CR: What is your philosophy on food and dining?
PV: I’m not a big fan of fusion. I believe in educating customers about seasonality, and I make everything in-house – from pancetta to bread. My food reflects the seasons, local harvests and the world becoming a smaller place. I support local family farms but at the same time, I take advantage of the increased availability of specialty foods from across the globe.

CR: Are there any secret ingredients that you especially like?
PV: Fresh bay leaves make a huge difference. Also Hawaiian hearts of palm for preserving and pickling. I used to work in Hawaii

CR: What is your most indispensable kitchen tool?
PV: My indoor woodfire grill. It’s custom made.

CR: Is there a culinary technique that you have either created or use in an unusual way?
PV: I like to braise things a lower temperatures for longer periods of time, where the oven temperature is 170°-200° F.

CR: What is your favorite question to ask during an interview for a potential new line cook?
PV: What is your favorite book?

CR: What tips would you offer young chefs just getting started?
PV: Read a lot. Don’t move ahead too fast. Know what you’re getting into, and be willing to do grunt work.

CR: What are your favorite cookbooks?
PV: The Lutece Cookbook by Andre Soltner; Jacques Pepin’s Complete Technique; Joy of Cooking (for pickles and duck confit); Anne Willan’s French Regional Cooking (out of print).

CR: Where do you see yourself in 5 years? In 10 years?
PV: Still at Vie, but also involved in another project, most likely a bakery.