Chef Matt Orlando: “There are no chefs without suppliers”
I decided to open a restaurant in Copenhagen long before I returned to Denmark from the States. I wanted to move to the North Sea, to local farmers with their unique products. When Renée Rexhepi (the owner of the Noma restaurant in Copenhagen. – Forbes) offered me to be the chef in his kitchen, I immediately agreed – there was a great opportunity to return to Denmark. I did not know when and how I would manage to open my restaurant. But grateful to Rene for his support and wisdom. “If you have a real chance to open a restaurant, do it,” he told me. “Do not think that you have obligations, because of which you will not be able to leave.”
My standard working day starts at 09:30 and lasts until 01:30. However, when you have your own restaurant, working hours are conditional. I like to come in the morning when the whole kitchen is at my disposal. We change the menu very often – it takes time to work out. That’s what I spend my morning on: testing new techniques, textures, tastes. Then together with the guys we make blanks. Of course, I periodically answer mail, communicate with suppliers and administer. Still, I spend the lion’s share of the time in the kitchen, which I really enjoy.
The dish that inspires me is grilled mackerel. She is gorgeous in her simplicity. All my summer months were filled with mackerel. I am happy that I have the opportunity to return to her in the kitchen Amass again and present this wonderful fish in a new capacity.
You no longer have to wear a suit to get into a good restaurant.
Suppliers and farmers dictate how often to change the menu. I always ask them to report the start date of delivery of the product, and not the date of the end of its season. Then a new dish can appear in our menu literally in a day.
The question of culinary taboos is quite funny. I can definitely say that I will not use dill in the kitchen of the restaurant. This plant is difficult to get along with other ingredients.
There will always be a place in the world for high-end restaurants, no matter how the democratic segment develops. Although, on the whole, the gastronomic landscape is gradually changing – you no longer have to wear a suit to get to a good restaurant.
I never thought about classifying my Amass. Perhaps I would like people to say: this is a restaurant I have never been in a similar place before. Food, high level service and a relaxed atmosphere – for me this is the perfect combination. I heard the term casual fine dining. Most likely, it suits us exactly.
Giving advice on the conduct of the restaurant business is not easy. I will highlight three important elements of a successful project: internal communication, trust between colleagues and quality.
In a good restaurant, the word “guest” should be the concept number one. A great restaurant should adapt to guests, and not vice versa. Many are now guided by the principle: if you don’t like something, you can leave. I think this is one of the most glaring mistakes in the restaurant business. You are in the hospitality industry – be kind enough to find a solution for the person who came to you.
The future of gastronomy in my understanding is a closer connection between the manufacturer and the restaurateur. The heyday of the private producer and the rejection of industrial monsters. Cook – just a tool to transfer the best products from the hands of farmers to consumers. Techniques and techniques in the kitchen – the easiest part of the restaurant process. Without suppliers, there would be no chefs. Together we can give more than each of us individually.
Corn burrito is a dish that I could live with until the end of my life if the question arose. I grew up in Mexican cuisine in San Diego. She is great.
