Backstory

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A number of years ago, a reporter asked a series of questions for a piece she was writing about my Moroccan Lamb Stew. What began as a culinary inquiry turned into something deeper - a conversation about craft, memory, and the long arc of a life in food.

Here are those questions, with my answers.

Name: Eric Feltman 

Title: General Manager, Executive Chef, Consultant 

Where you grew up: Northern suburbs of Illinois and the Kahala district of Oahu, Hawaii 

Where you live now: Northern suburbs of Illinois 

Family: I have two fantastic daughters. Both are successful with varied interests, not professional cooking, for which I am grateful. Pets include a wonderful old husky and a pure white cat who is very affectionate, to the point of being annoying at times. I say this with love and a smile.

Please share an early culinary memory. How did it shape the chef you are today?

Although my mother cooked well, one of our jibes between my brothers and me was, “What? Steak again?” That was our refrain during the week.

My father owned a liquor store that specialized in quality wines, decades before others focused on that niche. Our crawl space held cases of Margaux, Bordeaux, St. Emilion, Champagne, and Napoleonic brandy and cognac stacked to the rafters.

While my family never drank to excess, fine spirits and great wine flowed freely, as you can imagine. When I was five, I remember my father saying two things that stuck with me: “Never drink on an empty stomach,” and “If you’re going to drink, drink only the best.”

I grew up in the era of family dinners. Our home hosted cousins and friends every weekend with what I remember as lavish sit-down meals, complete with formal china, crystal, and silver.

With those influences, you might think I was destined for the kitchen. Let me assure you, it was the furthest thing from my mind. I had other passions, which I pursued throughout my young adult life. Theater was my truest muse, the one I followed until I realized I wanted to marry and raise a family. Theater wasn’t going to afford that.

When I look back and assess blame or give thanks for my years in the foodservice industry, I can point to one entity. Being a child of the 60s, what else but television?

So who sparked my passion for great food? Who else but Julia Child. She embodied cuisine for me. Graham Kerr was there too, but he lacked the culinary magnetism Julia carried so effortlessly.

I remember recreating a tableside Steak Diane from one of her episodes and thinking, “This is the flavor and elegance I want when I dine.” I was thirteen or fourteen at the time.

Julia taught me to care about results, and how your completed dish presents to your guest.

What is your culinary philosophy? How does it play out on The Restaurant menu?

My philosophy and The Restaurant? Sit back. This will take some explaining.

Fresh, natural, and imaginative is the credo. We source only the finest ingredients to create our offerings. I recently ran a rabbit imported from Germany because the hare there has a distinctive flavor I was looking for. American hare is milder, and you lose something in the final product.

For St. Patrick’s Day, I imported hams, bacons, puddings (sausages), and bangers from Ireland. A small co-op I know produces the most natural and fresh meat products with authentic flavors. It was not the typical boiled corned beef and cabbage fare.

Our meats are all-natural, prime Angus from Nebraska. The ranch uses no antibiotics or hormones, and the cattle are grass-fed. Poultry comes from small farms in Arkansas, cage-free and additive-free. Our seafood is wild-caught and sustainable.

Vegetation is organic when we can get it. Consistency varies, so some items may be hydroponic or small farm crops. During the summer, we grow our own fresh herbs in pots on our patio. We’re looking to add tomatoes this year.

The term “green” applies not only to our disposable products, which are fully biodegradable, but also to our cooking apparatus. We use induction and convection only, no open flame. Our hot water comes from an electric, point-of-use heater that is energy efficient.

So that’s the profile. Now to the preparation.

Years ago, I developed my style of flavors, which we’ve been crafting at The Restaurant. “Full range” is the term I use to describe my culinary palate. Visuals, textures, aromas, and flavors blend into a seamless whole.

Visually, the plate must be presented as a work of art. Placement of the food must be deliberate, with attention to focal point arrangement. Not only the feature, but also the accompaniments and the logical order in which they should be eaten.

Textures are the bridge between visual and taste. The soft, deep green leaves of arugula or heirloom lettuces offer counterpoint to the crusty tans and browns of artisan bread and the deep hues of grilled or roasted meats. Reds, yellows, and oranges spark the canvas of greens, as in a salad.

Texture also refers to mouthfeel. This describes how the whole of the item is interpreted by the guest. Bread must crackle and crunch, then give way to a soft interior crumb, flavorful and succulent. Cooked vegetables must remain al dente to offer the same textural experience.

Aromas, wafting above the plate, entice the diner. They gently excite the taste buds and prepare them for what’s to follow.

Now for flavors. Begin bright and descend into rich darkness. This progression encourages the next bite. You may try to identify the spices, herbs, and nuances. Or you may simply linger and enjoy.

I’ve spoken at length on food, as it’s what most people are familiar with, having eaten most every day of their lives. I say this with tongue firmly planted in cheek. The challenge for many is wine. How does one describe wine? The same way one describes food.

Visually, depth of color and opacity tell you much. A pale, straw-colored white will be light and refreshing with little bitterness. A deep ruby or oxblood red will impart bold flavors with a drier finish.

Aromas run the gamut from citrus-bright to deep, musty earthiness. A Sauvignon Blanc grape varietal imparts citrus notes, depending on the growing region. These can be boldly pronounced or delicately subtle.

Tempranillo varietals offer bold aromas of dark fruits. Plums, prunes, currants, raisins. Alongside mild to severe earthiness, like something stored in a place where air does not circulate.

Textures in wine range from thin and gentle to heavy, chewy, and syrupy. A Bordeaux Blanc may feel like slightly heavier water with a note of fine dust or sand. A young Sauterne will coat the mouth with an even veneer of sugars, like Grade A maple syrup.

Flavors are more difficult to describe. What I taste may differ from your experience. I may get pineapple or tropical fruit from a particular wine. You may taste citrus or grassy bitterness. There are no rights or wrongs.

Wine is wholly subjective.

Where spirits and beers are for the individual, wines are meant to be shared. The voice of the bottle is heard and discussed in a social gathering. I am a devotee of the fruit of the vine and recall many evenings spent in the presence of cherished company. Loved ones and the bottle before us. We discussed the important and not-so-important questions of the day, while describing the nuances and emotions the liquid brought forth.

And now, the interplay of food and wine. There has never been a more dynamic duo. Each complements the other in perfect unison.

At The Restaurant, I focus on foods crafted to be paired with wines. Our staff is trained to assist guests in choosing the most complementary pairing based on their own tastes.

The point is to take a sip of wine, then a bite of food, and discover the explosion of flavors produced. Sip again to cleanse the palate and pronounce another series of tastes. A little water, then begin again. Maybe this time, start with the food and follow with the wine. The experience will differ, offering a pleasurable feast of sensory indulgence.

One final point. It doesn’t matter what others say about wines. Ratings, books, magazines, websites, sommeliers. They may help steer you, but do not let them sway you. Only you know your own tastes. Drink what you like with what you like. Some pairings may be better than others, but if you enjoy both the food and the wine, you will have an enjoyable meal.

You’ve worked at some iconic Chicago restaurants. Could you share a memorable dinner you prepared or a memory of a chef you worked with?

I was fortunate to have studied with Chef Louis Szathmary of The Bakery and Patrick Collins of The Racquet Club. Chef Louis honed in me the fine art of craftsmanship, which I demonstrate to this day in how we plate items at The Restaurant.

Classic continental cuisine was the style in which I was raised. Mother sauces, traditional preparations, balanced couplings. Season to your palate and in the style of the dish being presented. German for German, French for French, and so on. Fusion was not a frequently traveled path in my apprenticeship with Chef Louis.

Patrick, on the other hand, had long been involved with continental fare and was blending them more regularly. Asian, French, and Indian might find their way onto the same plate, and I found this interesting.

One memorable meal I produced was for a Bastille Day party of over 500 guests. Twenty-five servers, twenty bartenders, five cooks, and four enormous tents on the host’s grounds in the northern suburbs.

We began with a cadre of passed hors d'oeuvres, followed by a traditional meal of Veal Marengo on saffron rice with haricot vert and petite, mandarin-stuffed croissant.

All of this led up to the presentation of the “Le Grand Belle” gâteaux I had prepared.

The host had asked for assorted bombes to be topped with doll torsos, much like a ballerina cake you might see at a young girl's birthday party today.

As I was placing the last of the fifty cakes on their silver salvers and readying the chocolate and raspberry sauce to accompany them, I was completely displeased with the presentation. The impression was trite and far from the grandeur the host had wanted.

Acting quickly, as service was poised to begin, I cut the heads off every last doll and poured the raspberry sauce into the neck and down the cake in a random manner. Then I laid the head at the buttercream hem of the gown. The staff gasped. I remember saying, “This is a Bastille Day celebration. Present them with Marie Antoinette. They’ll have their cake and eat it.”

I asked one of the bartenders, who had come to get more ice, to go to the bandleader and ask him to begin playing “La Marseillaise” when the processional of cakes came out. The band did.

You should have heard the roar of laughter and the tumultuous applause as the parade of decapitated cakes strode through the dining tent. The host came quickly to the kitchen to find me and led me to the tent. He introduced me, and every guest rose to give a standing ovation. It was a huge success, in keeping with the theme of the event, yet with an unexpected edge. No pun intended.

Describe your role as a consultant. What are some of the restaurants you have worked with over the years?

Beginning as the Executive Chef for the Green Room at the Lyric Opera of Chicago, it was my pleasure to delight the guarantors for six seasons. When I arrived in the fall of 1979, there were fewer than twenty guests for each dinner. By the time the venue closed in 1986 due to the sale of the building, we were hosting more than 140 diners per seating.

Summers were spent as the Executive Chef for the clay courts at the River Forest Racquet Club. While this only lasted for two seasons, it was a wonderful opportunity to raise the quality of the fare they had been used to. It breathed some new life into the membership.

Through the years as a consultant, I have been sought out to tweak operations, give new direction, or provide conceptual and menu overhauls. These ranged from independents to corporate icons.

I have been a training manager for corporate restaurants such as Wendy’s International, when Dave Thomas was still alive, providing materials and processes that helped crew members move into management roles more quickly and efficiently.

I spent a short period of time with Cracker Barrel in a similar position. Krispy Kreme, when they opened in Illinois, also brought me in for a short-term focus.

Independents, from a banquet facility in Grayslake to a hotel and restaurant in Morton Grove, have all had my toque hanging there for a time.

In 2004, I was asked to assist in revitalizing an aging concept in the northern suburbs.

Opened in 1996, the restaurant had seen its day. Still a beautiful edifice, I decided to give it a go and focus on making it a destination for a younger audience.

At the time I took over, revenues had sunk to just $1.1 million per year. Within thirteen months, I had brought it up to $3.3 million, positioned for a projected $5 million within nine more months. My partners were very happy. Unknown to me, they had wanted the increase to make the property saleable.

The new owner had his own thoughts, as all new restaurateurs do, and we parted company.

Do you find culinary inspiration in music? Is there a genre you listen to in the kitchen, or does it change depending on what you're cooking?

Music has always played an important role in my kitchen. Not so much for culinary inspiration, more for the flow of movement.

When in rush mode, as with morning prep, I found inspiration in Techno-Pop when I was cooking in the 1980s. Frenetic in style, it allowed me to move from one task to the next effortlessly. Classic Rock, Punk, and Alternative were more for the meal service hours. They were focused and driving in style.

Today, at The Restaurant, we have a wide variety of musical styles that our cooks listen to. Bluegrass, Country, Techno, Classic Rock, Punk, and a mash-up of everything blares from the speakers.

The biggest change is not what we listen to, but how.

I used to burn through a boom box with a telescoping antenna and cassette tape player every year or so. Now, we all use powered speakers with our MP3 players or smartphones. The ease of use and portability of music is infinitely more convenient.

At The Restaurant, do you plan the menu around the wines, or the wine selection around the food? What are the challenges in either approach?

At The Restaurant, I plan the menus around the season. Foods that are at their peak of flavor during a particular time of year are the goal. Because of this, both foods and wines change frequently.

I taste anywhere from twenty to eighty wines each week, seeking the best flavors, textures, and pricing for the coming season. I may have an idea for a menu item when 

I taste a wine, but I do not let that influence my decision. If the wine stands on its own and complements food in general, it will more than likely appear in our selection.

I want our guests to experience how different wines complement the same food item, identifying different flavors within the same dish. To this end, I recommend that our guests indulge in our wines by the flight. These are two-and-a-half ounce pours of any of our more than forty wines by the glass. This way, the diner can encounter the changes as they eat.

What advice do you have for a home cook trying to prepare a wine-focused dinner?

When hosting a wine-focused dinner at home, know what your guests enjoy. Do not offer a standing rib roast to a vegetarian or an Italian beef sandwich to someone with a gluten allergy. This shows respect for your guest and gives you valuable insight.

Tailor the meal to suit the surroundings, the occasion, and the participants. Take care in choosing your raw ingredients. You do not need to buy the most expensive, but do purchase the freshest items available.

Buy your vegetables and proteins the day of the event. Do everything you can in the days prior so you can spend meaningful time with your guests and not be locked in the kitchen.

Choose your wines in a way that guides the evening. Begin with a standalone white, something light and citrusy. Progress to another with more body and fruit notes to hold up to your first course.

Depending on your entrée, choose a wine that complements it best to your palate. Finish with a sparkler or a fortified wine such as Madeira or Port to make your gathering memorable.

What is your favorite ingredient, and how do you like to use it?

Our Kitchen Manager at The Restaurant saw this question and looked me square in the eyes. With a smile, he said, “Bread, butter, and brandy.”

It’s true. I enjoy great breads and use them often in our offerings. The lush velvet of butter enriches the most basic textures. Brandy completes the overall depth and character of a sauce.

My favorite? Wine. We do not have one item on our menu that is not touched by wine in some form.

What was the last meal you cooked at home?

My daughters have developed a rather discerning palate, and they are the ones I cook for. Although I recently prepared beef filet with Bordelaise, potatoes Dauphine, and sautéed baby squash for a Sunday dinner, they continually ask for wine-poached pears with sabayon and raspberry sauce. It is their favorite dessert.

The pears are poached in a liquid that has been boiled to remove all but a trace amount of alcohol. It is there for flavor alone.

What do you do in your spare time?

Time with my children is the most important to me, even if it is simply being within earshot. We enjoy going into the city to tour the architecture or riding out to the country to walk among the trees. We laugh easily and discuss any subject with candor and enthusiasm. I am a fortunate man.

I write political satire songs and accompany myself on guitar. I have not performed recently, but I do on occasion. I enjoy target shooting and find it relieves much of my stress, even though it may leave my shoulder a bit bruised.

I have a passion for art. I draw, paint, and sculpt. My recent forays have been with computer-generated pieces. I like the exactness of the process.

I am an avid reader of nonfiction history and science fiction. Favorite recent history books include Dinner at Mr. Jefferson’s by Charles Cerami, The Billionaire’s Vinegar by Benjamin Wallace, and Thunderstruck by Erik Larson. Fiction includes re-reading the Ender Series by Orson Scott Card, as well as Blackout and All Clear by Connie Willis.

And I write. Oh yes, I write.

Tell us about the recipe you provided for Moroccan lamb stew. Why did you select it? Any tips for preparing it? Any beverage recommendations?

The Moroccan lamb stew recipe I provided was for a guest originally from England. He told me he could not find good lamb here in the States and craved it without having to make it himself. The following week, I created this dish. Now, every time we offer it as a special stew, he comes by for a bowl. It satisfies his craving.

Use the bones. Sauté them with the vegetables, let them simmer with the whole until the meat is tender. Only then should you discard them. They are the source of wonderful flavor and collagen, which is great for thickening the sauce.

To complement this dish, for reds I would choose either a young vine peppery Zinfandel or a blend that includes Tempranillo as the dominant varietal.

For whites, I would lean toward a bold blend with Chardonnay, Chenin Blanc, or Pinot Gris as the predominant varietals. As a single varietal, Albarino from the Rias Baixas region of Spain would be ideal.

Looking back, the stew was just the start. What I’ve served since, on the plate and on the page, is a lifetime of stories, seasoned with truth.