Dallas Food - Upscale Vegetarian: Q&A with John Tesar

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Upscale Vegetarian: Q&A with John Tesar
Posted on Wednesday, September 26 @ 18:32:58 PDT
Topic: Vegetarian

John Tesar, Executive Chef of The Mansion on Turtle Creek, graciously agreed to respond to some e-mailed questions about his approach to vegetarian cooking. For more background on Chef Tesar, check out the biographical info and links to articles on the Rosewood Hotels & Resorts press information page. On to the questions...

Q: I read that after studying at NYU for a while, you headed to Paris for culinary training. Was becoming a chef your plan all along?

Tesar: I've always had an interest in great food and quality ingredients. My mother was an amazing cook and a tremendous inspiration. She was the epitome of fresh and seasonal cooking. It is a lifestyle, and I learned it early on. I studied at NYU, but it became clear to me over time that cooking was my true passion.

Q: Of the chefs you've studied under and worked with, who has been most influential in your development as a chef and why?

Tesar: All of the great French chefs during my European training were a great inspiration and a wonderful beginning. Growing up as a young chef in New York, I was exposed to and inspired by the cuisine prepared by tremendous New York chefs, such as David Bouley, Eric Ripert, Scott Bryan, Jean-Georges Vongerichten, Rick Moonen, David Burke, and Alfred Portale.

Q: How did you go about landing the job at The Mansion?

Tesar: Through a series of very intense interviews, including a tasting for the executives of Rosewood Hotels & Resorts.

Q: For those who may not have had the chance to dine at The Mansion since you overhauled the menu, how would you describe your cuisine?

Tesar: I would describe it as creative, passionate, and driven by sustainable ingredients. It is contemporary American cuisine prepared with European technique.

Q: Have you felt any need to adapt your cooking to the local palate here in Dallas?

Tesar: Most recently in Las Vegas, I worked at RM Seafood and specialized primarily in seafood dishes. Since joining The Mansion, I've adapted my menus to offer more regional ingredients.

Q: Any regional ingredients, in particular, that you've discovered for the first time here or found particularly useful?

Tesar: Many. In fact, recently I've discovered regional ingredients such as peaches, lettuces, herbs, figs, and blackberries.

Q: As I mentioned, I'd like to get some of your thoughts on vegetarian cooking. In my recent visits to The Mansion, there haven't been any vegetarian entrees on the menu. Do you not get enough vegetarian requests to justify having a standing option on the menu?

Tesar: Actually, adding a vegetarian option is part of the plan for our redesigned menus. These will launch with the newly renovated Mansion Restaurant this fall. For example, a dish that offers carrots prepared three different ways is a dish that we are developing for our Mansion Restaurant menu. In addition, I am really looking forward to debuting the Chef's Room. The 22-seat Chef's Room is the ultimate opportunity for a chef. It will feature prix-fixe and seasonal tasting menus. One tasting menu will be solely dedicated to vegetarian cuisine.

Q: That's great to hear, even though it means I'll have to put an "asterisk" next to anything I write based on my prior vegetarian meals at The Mansion. How big a departure will the vegetarian dishes in the Chef's Room be from what the kitchen has been previously turning out?

Tesar: It will be a whole new world because we are going to put an additional effort on creativity and seasonal ingredients. It will have its own identity.

Q: When a vegetarian order comes in, how much does the kitchen rely on improvisation and how much on previous planning?

Tesar: It is a combination of improvisation and planning. We try to use the freshest and the most flavorful ingredients that we have available that day. If we are offering a tasting menu with a vegetarian option, it is a planned effort.

Q: Meat is the center of gravity in most Dallas fine dining entrees. When designing a vegetarian entrée, how do you work around that "hole" in the plate?

Tesar: I rely on the freshness and quality of the produce or grain, and I try to use as much imagination and flavor combinations as I possibly can. If a chef has imagination, creativity, and a great product, it is possible to create a fabulous dish without meat, seafood, or dairy.

Q: Have you worked much with the more common protein substitutes, like tofu or seitan? If so, what kind of potential do you think they have in a fine dining setting?

Tesar: Yes. I feel their potential is great. From hard tofu to tofu skin to tempeh, there are so many options. Each with its own unique flavor and texture. The new vegetarian tasting menu will certainly reflect these protein substitutes.

Q: How do you work with the waitstaff to make sure they're responsive to the needs of vegetarians?

Tesar: We have ongoing discussions and training regarding all aspects of guests' needs, especially the needs of vegetarians and those with dietary restrictions.

Q: Can a vegan get a good meal at The Mansion?

Tesar: Absolutely. We tailor our menu to our guests' preferences. In our 22-seat Chef's Room launching this fall, we will feature an elaborate six-course vegetarian tasting menu that we can customize for vegan guests.

Q: Are you satisfied with the quality and variety of produce you're able to get for your kitchen?

Tesar: I am, and it is important for me to continue developing relationships with local farmers and growers in an effort to bring the best of Texas to the tables of The Mansion.

Q: I remember reading about some of your tours of area farms in the local paper. Are you just looking to get the best of what's already out there, or are you also trying to get some new items or varietals that aren't currently available?

Tesar: Both. This is a process that will change with seasonality and that will grow with new relationships.

Q: Do you do any gardening?

Tesar: Yes. I grow herbs, tomatoes, and nasturtium flowers at home. I am currently working on planting an herb garden here at The Mansion. My dream is for us to grow our own fresh herbs at The Mansion so that we can use them in our cuisine.

Q: If you were to become a vegetarian, what animal would be hardest for you to give up and why?

Tesar: Seafood would be difficult, as I love it so much. I've been eating it since I was little. Maine lobster has become a comfort food for me.

Q: If you were to order vegetarian in a Dallas or Fort Worth fine dining restaurant other than your own, which one would it be and why?

Tesar: I would go to York Street because of chef Sharon Hage's experience with local farmers and her history as a great chef.