Interview with Chef Todd Stein of A Voce - Chicago

Antoinette Bruno: Why did you start cooking?
Todd Stein: I went to college in Texas and studied business. I wasn’t much of a student and dropped out. I went to Chicago to work on the Mercantile Exchange. I’d finish work at 3 pm and wanted to fill in the time, so I went to work for a gourmet foods store after work. I started preparing food there and decided that I loved it.

AB: Did you attend culinary school?
TS: I went to Kendall College. I would recommend it to aspiring chefs today. School as well as working at a really great establishment that has a great chef and a great business. You need both.

AB: Who are your mentors?
TS: Michael Kornick. I’ve learned how to run a business and make guests happy. Keith Korn – he’s the first chef I worked for, and he opened my eyes to food. He introduced me to Michael.

AB: What is your philosophy on food and dining?
TS: Use great ingredients and treat them well. Respect is key. Dining isn’t just eating. It starts from the moment you walk in. It includes the service, the flatware, everything.

AB: Are there any secret ingredients that you especially like?
TS: Grains – wheat berries, faro, etc. People tend to forget about them, but I think they’re interesting and healthy, definitely more interesting than potatoes.

AB: What is your most indispensable kitchen tool?
TS: My cooks – I wouldn’t be anywhere without them. Also my knives – I have a Glestain 11-inch Japanese knife. It holds an edge better than anything.

AB: Is there a culinary technique that you have either created or adapted in an unusual way?
TS: I prepare vegetable purees in the Vitamix and use them in place of sauces for healthier eating.

AB: What tips would you offer young chefs just getting started?
TS: You shouldn’t have to guess what you’re eating. Everything that you cook should be cooked properly!

AB: What are your favorite cookbooks?
TS: The French Laundry Cookbook – it should be a culinary school requirement. Also David Bouley’s East of Paris for techniques. White Heat from Marco Pierre White is very entertaining, my all-time favorite cookbook.

AB: What places do you like for culinary travel?
TS: Spain – what’s going on in Spain right now is really amazing, even beyond Ferran. Also the Middle East – it’s something interesting and completely different to see.

AB: What are your favorite restaurants – off the beaten path – in Chicago?
TS: The Korean Grocery on Kimble St. – Chicago Food Corp – in the middle of it is a tiny restaurant that has fresh, really good and cheap food. Hot Doug’s has the best Polish sausage. It’s freshly cooked in duck fat.

AB: What trends do you see emerging in the restaurant industry right now?
TS: Molecular cuisine will become even more prevalent. You will see the simple things return again.

AB: Where do you see yourself in 5-10 years?
TS: Still in this company, overseeing a few more restaurants, and building more restaurants with Michael.