Chefs can be both informative and entertaining, as Karen Fernau of The Republic recently found out when she went one-on-one with Ron Dimas, Chef de Cuisine of Orange Sky at Talking Stick Resort in Scottsdale, Ariz.
Best tip for the home cook? Don’t overthink your food and don’t be afraid of salt. It seems as if we’re too caught up in cooking something the right way or impressing others. Today’s home cook is better educated about food, but cooking doesn’t have to be such serious business when nourishing friends and family.
Why did you become a chef? It was largely by accident. I was earning money for school by opening a hotel as a pantry cook and just fell into it. There was a lot of appeal from the beginning. It’s physical, there are cultural and historical aspects that I like, and there is always a technique or skill to be learned or improved on. Also, food is constantly evolving, so you can never learn it all.
What’s your favorite cooking tool? A good 10-inch chef knife with some weight. It has a long cutting edge that can handle small and large tasks. It’s good for crushing and flattening. Your hand gets less tired because of the weight. It can work like a bench scraper in some cases.
What’s your favorite comfort food? A large bowl of beef pho and a beer remedies anything.
Is there anything you would never eat? Shark fin or whale meat.
What is your favorite quote about food? “Simplicity does not exclude precision.”
What’s the most overused food ingredient or food term? Bacon and Sriracha are neck and neck. Then there’s “farm to table.”
Which flavor profile do you prefer: salty, spicy or sweet? I think they’re all best eaten together. Well-rounded, complex seasoning is about the balance of these basic tastes, sometimes including sour, bitter and umami (savory). For most chefs, it’s about layering flavors.
What’s your favorite cookbook? This changes regularly. Currently, I’m back to “The Zuni CafĂ© Cookbook” by Judy Rodgers.
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