Bakersfield Life

larger view larger view larger view larger view larger view larger view larger view

Bakersfield’s Top Chefs Relish Their Spot ‘On The Line’

By Lisa Kimble

            They are the crème de la crème and the envy of the culinary world.  Behind wrought iron gates and meticulously manicured hedges and lawns, they sit atop the food chain, running some of the finest, and in some cases, most exclusive kitchens in town – catering to privileged palates accustomed to haute cuisine and the very best seafood, sauces and steaks in the world.  For these men in white chef’s coats, there truly is no sincerer love than the love of food, as playwright George Bernard Shaw once suggested.  It seems as though all of Bakersfield’s executive chefs share a common ingredient – a passion for all things gastronomical.
          From the White House to the State House and everywhere in between, the Executive Chef runs the show – and the entire kitchen. From hiring and firing staff, to ordering food and reinventing and reinvigorating the menu, the Executive Chef is in command.  Bakersfield’s epicurean masters are no different. They take a lot of heat, not just from the grill, but from their customers. Think NBC’s “ER” meets Bravo’s “Top Chef.” 
        

Petroleum Club of Bakersfield
                       
              High above Bakersfield, 12 stories up, Robert Alimirzaie is “king of his world.”   With what is arguably the best kitchen-window view in town, Petroleum Club executive chef, Robert and his army of eight helpers, including two sous chefs, look out over Bakersfield and beyond.  “Let’s go, let’s go, let’s go!” Chef Robert calls out in a firm voice as bus boys and waiters dance out of each other’s way with trays filled with chicken wraps and grilled salmon salads with spinach, pine nuts and goat cheese on their way to hungry patrons.  With a towel draped over his shoulder, and a baseball cap riding above his sweaty brows, he is slicing while commanding.  Timing is everything and every second counts.  
                The 37 year old has served as the club’s executive chef for one year.   He began his love affair with food at the tender age of eight as a dishwasher in his native country, Germany.  An apprenticeship at the Four Seasons in Hamburg followed.  Chef Robert moved to the United States nine years ago and worked for such resorts as the St. Regis and Five Crowns in Orange County before coming to Kern County.
           “Good food makes people happy.  People usually feel good when they are eating,” he says with a twinkle in his eyes. “In a way, I think I bring happiness to people.”  He credits his mentor, a man by the name of Giusepe, for teaching him the difference between being a chef and acting as a “lone agent.”  “I love food,” he enthuses as he pats the belly of his 260-pound frame.  He prefers working with local produce, fruits and nuts. A favorite of his is the Lobster Mille Feuille, a salad that is really more a work of art – a gastronomical gumdrop with layers, infused with rich flavors.
             A fan of American football, Chef Robert likens his role “on the line” to that of a football coach.   “The coach doesn’t get to throw a touchdown, but he gets the credit for it,” he says. “We get one chance to impress people.  Every bite you take should evoke memories.”

From the Kitchen of Chef Robert, Executive Chef, Petroleum Club of Bakersfield

SEA BASS A LA CRÈME DE CAROTTES

Ingredients:  

Carrots
Prosciutto, julienne
Bottom Mushrooms
Shallots
Cream
Chicken Stock
Chervil
1 Bell Pepper, diced
Sea Bass

Directions:   Poach small-diced carrots and set aside.   Saute’ dice shallots, prosciutto, and sliced mushrooms.   Add cream, chicken stock and the poached carrots.  Reduce and adjust seasoning.

Saute’ fish.   On a plate, place some carrots, add the fish on top and garnish with chervil and diced bell pepper.

Seven Oaks Country Club

      Thirty-five-year-old, Aaron Johnson was running the show in the kitchen of the Marriot Hotel in San Mateo two years ago when Seven Oaks came calling.  The handsome Cordon Bleu grad’s culinary credentials, including stints at a Wolfgang Puck Asian-style restaurant in Seattle and time at a Sheraton and a Starwood property in the Bay Area were irresistible.  “I enjoy that it is fast-paced and action-packed,” says Chef Johnson, who admits his experience working as a dishwasher and in fish markets has served him equally well as classical training.
     There are times when it seems he is in constant competition with himself, multi-tasking with a crew of 20.  Yet he is clearly at home here, with views of lush greens, at the apex of food creation.  Like his peers, he too places Kern County produce prominently on his menus.  People had advised him of Bakersfield’s meat-and-potatoes reputation.  “We actually sell more seafood than steaks here,” he says surprised.  “I try to incorporate all cuisine into the menu, but I love Asian cuisine – it is light and healthy.”
   Watch Chef Johnson at work and you’ll see a master painter engaged in subject and canvas, only his artistry involves curry oils, garnishes and some 18 different dinner sauces.   He marries the quality of his food with exquisite plating and design. “Part of what we do is make sure the presentation is as good as the food,” he says while infusing basil oil on an Ahi Tuna Salad and delicately handling crab cakes as if they were Limoges figurines.

From the Kitchen of Chef Aaron, Seven Oaks Country Club

SCALLOPS THREE WAYS

 
Poached in Coconut juice  with Fennel, Seared with Parmesan, Potato and Pancetta, Ceviche style with radish and lime oil
Ingredients:
Scallops, Preferably live or Dayboats
Coconut jus
2 cups chicken stock
3 cups coconut milk
1 cup coconut juice
1 teaspoon red curry paste (found in most supermarkets)
1 tablespoon brown sugar
2 Lemongrass-thinly sliced
2 inches ginger thinly sliced
6 lime leaves, can be bought at any Asian- food market
lime juice to taste
sea salt
1 baby fennel-thinly sliced
1. In a medium sized pot, combine stock, coconut milk, coconut juice, red curry paste and brown sugar. Bring to boil over medium heat and return to simmer for 30 minutes.
2. Add lemongrass, ginger, and lime juice and infuse for 10 minutes. Add salt to taste.
3. Strain and return to a pan. Add 4 scallops and poach for about 4 minutes until just cooked through. Season with lime juice to taste.
4. Plate each scallop in a shallow dish. Add ¼ of the shaved fennel to each dish. Pour ¼ of the broth over each dish.

Seared with Parmesan, Potato and Pancetta

Ingredients:
Caramelized Potato Broth
4 Yukon Gold Potatoes, peeled and cut in large dice
4 Tablespoons Olive oil
1 Tablespoon Butter
2 cloves garlic, either roasted or poached in olive oil
½ bay leaf
1 sprig thyme
8 Cups Chicken Stock
White pepper to taste
Salt to taste
4 Scallops, Preferably live or Dayboats
4 teaspoons shaved parmesan
4 thin slices of pancetta (about one ounce), drizzled with olive oil and crisped in an oven with olive oil at 350 (about 10 minutes)
3 whole celery leaves
4 scallops thinly sliced
3 small radish-shaved thinly
3 teaspoons olive oil
½ bunch chives tablespoon thinly sliced chives
1 tablespoon lemon juice to season
Olive oil to taste
Sea salt to taste

Directions:
1. Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat in a medium sized sauté pan. Add potatoes and caramelized.
2. Add butter and toss to coat.
3. Add garlic, bay leaf, thyme and toss to coat again.
4. Add chicken stock. Bring to boil and return to simmer until potatoes are very tender. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
5. Crust scallops on one side with shaved parmesan.
6. Heat remaining olive oil on medium heat in a sauté pan. Sear scallops, parmesan side first, for 2 minutes on each side.
7. Place ¼ of the potatoes on each plate. Add seared scallop and garnish with pancetta crisps, celery leaves, olive oil and sea salt Ceviche style with radish and lime oil
Lay one scallop on a chilled plate, top with radish, olive oil, chives, lemon juice and sea salt.  Serves Four

Bakersfield Country Club

          Fidencio Serrano, or Serrano as he is affectionately known at the Bakersfield Country Club, has been a fixture here for almost twenty years.  A year ago he ascended to Top Chef of the venerable institution. The native of Zacatecas, Mexico, received his training in Los Angeles at the renown Norms Restaurant in Los Angeles before coming to work at BCC – before its ambitious remodel.  He left to work at Fike’s downtown, eventually returning to the galley-like kitchen of the club’s grand villa overlooking the city.
        Chef Serrano is unassuming and soft-spoken, yet has a commanding presence among his crew.  One of his favorite dishes is his Gumbo Soup, a sort of Seafood Creole he says, “We make everything by scratch.”

From the Kitchen of Chef Serrano, Executive Chef, Bakersfield Country Club


CREOLE GUMBO SOUP

1 lb. diced chicken – Saute’

Add:
3 sticks of celery
1 medium onion
2 large carrots
1 medium green pepper

Add:
½ lb. Kielbasa or Cajun sausage
½ lb. ham

Add, then bring to a boil and simmer: 

1 gal. chicken stock
2 ½ c diced tomatoes
2 ½ c crushed tomatoes

Add:

¼ lb. okra
1 teaspoon gumbo file
½ teaspoon hot sauce – season to taste
1 teaspoon white pepper

Thicken with 1/3 cup of corn starch

Add:
1 cup of cooked rice

Directions:   Saute’ chicken.  Add stock and vegetables and simmer for 30 minutes.  Add sausage, okra, rice and seasoning.   Continue to simmer for 2 hours.    Makes 1 – 1 ½ gallons of soup.


Rio Bravo Country Club

       Vicente Lopez has served as Rio Bravo’s executive chef for nearly 13 years.  He says he received his training in his native country, Mexico at a university in Puebla.   Here in the rolling foothills, east of Bakersfield, overlooking the city, he presides over two kitchens – a grille downstairs and main galley upstairs.   “I like to cook different kinds of dishes,” he says, trying to integrate American, Hawaiian, and Italian fare among others into his menus.  Like his counterparts across town, it is a love and passion for all things edible that endears him to his job, favoring the challenge of the ‘big events’ at the club like Easter and Mother’s Day brunches.

Rio Bravo Country Club Recipe - Chef  Vicente Lopez Martinez


Blacken Salmon with Tropical Sauce

Ingredients:

1 7 oz. Salmon filet

1/2 cup of chopped assorted fruit (honeydeew, cantaloupe, pineapple, orange) and vegetable (red onion, cucumber, cilantro, tomato)

A pinch of salt

1/2 a lemon

1 teaspoon Blacken Red Fish Magic Seasoning OR salat, spices, garlic salt, paprika and onion flakes.

Unsalted butter - 1/2 cup

Directions:

Melt butter in separate pan.  Dip fillet in butter, coating both sides.  Sprinkle seasoning evenly on both sides.   Cook over a high heat quickly or inn 350 oven for 10 to 12 minutes.  Top with fruit/vegetable mixture. 

T. L. Maxwell’s Restaurant

       Outside the dining rooms of privilege, Bakersfield’s restaurant scene glitters with culinary gems, T. L. Maxwell’s Restaurant downtown among them.  Terry Maxwell, executive chef and owner who is self-taught, is the creative whisk behind the menu and trains his cooks, all of whom started out as dishwashers before coming “on the line.”  The restaurant is nestled in nostalgia in the former home of the old “Office” bar downtown.  It’s rich atmosphere and meaty tales of days gone by are matched by menu favorites like the Ahi Tuna, rack of lamb with rosemary merlot, and a gorgonzola fillet mignon with a balsamic butter sauce.  “We try and put together a menu that is the type of menu with items people respond to and not served in a typical way, Maxwell says.”

From the Kitchen of Chef Terry Maxwell, T. L. Maxwell’s Restaurant

SCAMPI FLAMINGO

Ingredients:

2 lbs. Shallots – chopped
2 tomatoes – diced
1 cup of mushrooms – sliced
1 red pepper- diced
12 Large Prawns (U-15, tail on or off)
¼ cup cream sherry
1 cup heavy cream
cognac for flambe’
3 pats of butter
salt and pepper to taste
cooked linguini
Directions: 

Dry sautee shallots, tomatoes, mushrooms, pepper and prawns for 1 – 2 minutes.  Flambe’ with a splash of cognac.  As the flambe’ recedes  add cream sherry and cream, sautéing until shrimp is done.  Remove shrimp and place on a bed of linguini.  Add salt, pepper and butter to cream and thicken sauce.  Cover prawns and linguini with sauce and serve.  Serves 4.

Café Med

 Café Med enjoys a well-earned reputation as one of the finest restaurants in town. It’s been a labor of love for its owner and executive chef Meir Brown, who in 17 years has created an epicurean treasure. “Every time I think I reach a plateau, something else pushes me further, says the self-taught Brown, a native of Israel.  Today the restaurant is more than just traditional Mediterranean cuisine.  Its eclectic menu includes everything from oriental seared Ahi to Spanish-inspired Paella.  The heart of the menu may be Middle Eastern with favorites like Moussaka, but it has evolved to a Mediterranean-continental.  “I love food and wine and that is where it all starts for me,” he says.  “I found that even at a young age, when I cooked something I liked it better.”
     The restaurant, an expression of the food and wine its executive chef enjoys, has also spawned a gourmet shop, culinary classes for children and adults, wine dinners and 25 locally-produced television episodes.  Brown, who has lived in the United States for three decades, has drawn information and inspiration like a sponge from books, publications and other chefs.  In doing so he has amassed a reference library with several hundred books.  “I try to stay true to the idea that I want this to be the kind of place where I would like to go. I’ve never put something on the menu that I did not like.” 

From the Kitchen of Chef Meir Brown, Café Med Restaurant

ROASTED PEPPER SEAFOOD MEDLY

Ingredients:

2-3 Tbs. olive oil
1 small Spanish onion – diced
4-5 cloves garlic
12 large shrimp, peeled
12 little neck clams
12 mussels
12 large scallops
1 cup dry sherry
1 fish stock
1 Tbs. flour
1 bunch of cilantro – chopped
3 red roasted peppers
3 green roasted peppers
2 roasted jalapenos

Directions:

 In a hot pan with olive oil, sear scallops, then shrimp and set aside.  In the same pan, caramelize the onions, add garlic, a teaspoon of flour, then deglaze with sherry.   Reduce in half, add fish stock and reduce in half, add roasted peppers and set aside.   Prior to serving, back to a simmer, add 2/3 of cilantro and seafood to cover for 2-3 minutes.  Serve as is or over rice or pasta.  Serves 6.