2013: The Up In Smoke Tour

Rising Star Chef Yun Fuentes has smoked out The Waldorf without setting off any alarms, sounding calls for an evacuation, or even leaving his Philadelphia restaurant, JG Domestic. Fuentes isn’t moonlighting as an arsonist. He’s cunningly slipping twice-smoked trout into the classic salad recipe named for the famed New York City hotel. Fuentes employs hickory wood chips (and a dose of whiskey) to transform the time-honored appetizer.

From smoked fruit drinks to smoked romesco sauce and smoked grape garnishes, chefs like Fuentes, and even adventurous mixos, are finding interesting and unusual ways to incorporate smoke into their dishes and drinks. Chef Evan Hennessey was visiting the farm of one of his purveyors when the farmer mentioned he had a few roosters for which he no longer had a use. Hennessey scooped up the roosters, along with some hay from their coop, and brought them back to his Dover, New Hampshire, restaurant Stages at One Washington, where his pastoral inspiration was realized in the dish Hay-smoked Rooster, Celery Root, Potato-Onion Soubise, and Cattail. 

Hay-smoked Rooster, Celery Root, Potato-Onion Soubise, and Cattail

JG Waldorf Salad: House-smoked Trout, Walnut Butter, Gala Apple, and Celery Vinaigrette

White Gazpacho of Almonds and Fresh Grape Juice with Garlic Croutons, Smoked Grapes, and Pedro Ximenez Sherry Reduction

Dirty Rice-Stuffed Quail, Crawfish, Zipper Peas, and Romesco

Smoked Salmon Belly, Golden Egg, and Parmesan Vinaigrette

StarChefs.com has compiled a short list of some intriguing applications of smoke we’ve tasted as of late, from chefs whose originality emerged from the plumes to grab our attention. Here we provide the pertinent information from each chef’s smoke technique to stoke the tinders of your imagination.

Who: Chef Evan Hennessey
Where: Stages at One Washington – Dover, NH
What: Hay-smoked Rooster, Celery Root, Potato-Onion Soubise, and Cattail
Substrate: Hay from the chicken coop
Temperature: 160°F to 170°F
Time: 20 minutes
Equipment: Char-Griller

Who: Chef Yun Fuetnes
Where: JG Domestic – Philadelphia
What: Waldorf Salad: Smoked Trout, Walnut Butter, Gala Apple, and Celery Vinaigrette
Substrate: Hickory Woodchips, soaked in cold water 1 hour, drained
Temperature:  Cold Smoke 70ºF to 90ºF over ice (2) Hot Smoke 150ºF
Time:  1 hour 35 to 45 minutes
Equipment: Alto-Shaam

Who: Chef Jason Donoho
Where: Alamo Drafthouse (formerly of Fino) – Austin, TX
What: White Gazpacho and Smoked Grapes
Substrate: Mesquite Woodchips, soaked in cold water 1 hour, drained
Temperature: Cold Smoke 70ºF to 90ºF
Time: 10 to 15 minutes
Equipment: Traditional Smoker

Who: Chef Dennis Bernard
Where: Formerly of Cask & Larder – Winter Park, FL
What: Dirty Rice-Stuffed Quail, Zipper Peas, Crawfish, and Smoked Romesco
Temperature: Hot Smoke 120ºF to 180ºF
Time: Smoke until vegetables are tender
Equipment: Traditional Smoker

Who: Chef Greg Vernick
Where: Vernick Food & Drink - Philadelphia, PA
What: Smoked Salmon Belly, Golden Egg, and Parmesan Vinaigrette
Temperature: Cold Smoke 70ºF to 90ºF
Time: 2 hours
Equipment: Traditional Smoker