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Upscale Vegetarian: Q&A with Lanny Lancarte II
Posted on Tuesday, October 23 @ 05:55:20 PDT
Topic: Vegetarian
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Lanny Lancarte II, great grandson of Fort Worth Tex-Mex legend Joe T. Garcia, graduate of the Culinary Institute of America, and executive chef of Lanny's Alta Cocina Mexicana agreed to respond to some e-mailed veg-related questions.
For more background on Chef Lancarte, check out the biographical info and interview on the StarChefs "Rising Stars" web page. On to the questions...
Q: You grew up in a restaurant family. What was that like?
Lancarte: It definitely instilled work ethic at a young age. I have always known the hours it takes and the dedication needed to run a restaurant. Plus, I was never hungry.
Q: At what point did you decide you wanted a career in the restaurant business?
Lancarte: In college I saw an issue of Food & Wine with the top ten up-and-coming chefs, read the bios, and just knew cooking for a living was what I wanted to do. So I went on to culinary school. And I am still waiting for the goal I set out when I picked up that magazine.
Q: And that goal was?
Lancarte: To be on the cover of that issue.
Q: You've had the opportunity to work with some big names in Mexican cuisine, including Rick Bayless and Diana Kennedy. How did that shape your development as a chef?
Lancarte: With those two, I developed a great deal of respect for raw ingredients and true regional Mexican cuisine. The Mexican style of cooking is rustic and doesn't exactly follow the rules of classical cuisine. So I use some of the techniques I saw them using and try to incorporate them in my cuisine. But mainly it's the ingredients that I was exposed to when working with them.
Q: I've read that you make culinary trips to Mexico. What grabs your interest most when you're there?
Lancarte: I try to go down as much as possible. It's usually because I get into a tunnel and start really exploring other cuisines like Spanish, Italian, or play with the molecular stuff, so I buy a ticket to Mexico and spend time at the market eating and refocusing my center of the plate towards Mexican ingredients.
Q: You mention molecular gastronomy. Have those influences started creeping into your menu?
Lancarte: Yes, I have been experimenting with it for about six months. We currently have an immersion circulator and Cryovac machine, liquid nitrogen, and I just won a combi oven from the StarChefs Gala.
Q: Let's talk a little about vegetarian cooking. Do you get many vegetarian guests at Lanny's?
Lancarte: We get maybe two or three a month.
Q: Since you've been open, has the number of vegetarian requests increased, decreased, or held steady?
Lancarte: Steady--just not that many. When we first opened, we always had a vegan dish on the menu. But we found we were constantly throwing away everything we would prep for that dish, because we couldn't sell it fast enough.
Q: What do you think vegetarians are looking for in a fine dining meal?
Lancarte: Something with substance, different textures, and creativity. I would assume they get served some boring food at most restaurants.
Q: How much of your kitchen's response to vegetarian requests is based on advance preparation and how much on improvisation?
Lancarte: All improvisation. Like I said earlier, we quit prepping vegetarian dishes. We always have vegetable stock on hand and have many things to work with. So when a vegetarian comes in, we ask what kinds of food they like and work with that. I have also found--I am sure you know the different kinds of vegetarians--but in the restaurant I have seen some new vegetarians. Ones that will not eat chicken stock, but will eat caviar. Or that are strict vegetarians, but eat halibut. So sometimes--kind of similar to allergies--diners would rather say they are vegetarian because of food aversions than tell us there is nothing on the menu they can eat. The allergy thing would be a good topic also. I have heard some outrageous allergies.
Q: What's your best allergy story?
Lancarte: One guest claims to be lactose intolerant, allergic to goat cheese, but loves to eat crème brulee for dessert. There are a few like that that make me laugh.
Q: In preparing vegetarian dishes, do you find the Mexican or Western European tradition to be a more useful source for ideas and inspiration?
Lancarte: It depends on what we have on hand. If we have poblanos roasted, we will make a veggie chile relleno. Or if we are in a crunch, couscous is a quick fix. I would say that probably Mediterranean over Mexican, though.
Q: What's your thought process in designing a vegetarian entrée?
Lancarte: I actually love to get a vegetarian request, because once I know what the diner eats and I know what I can work with, I just cook. I have to make sure there are different cooking techniques on the plate for different textures and use of acids or rich sauces that will excite the palate and make sure they aren't hungry when they leave.
Q: Do you think a vegetarian dish needs a central point of interest--like the role a cut of meat plays in a lot of entrees?
Lancarte: It helps to have a focal point to work around--I guess the thing that is going to satisfy the hunger--and add components. But, in all, vegetarians have to be willing to experiment with what people throw at them, if they "live to eat." But if they "eat to live," I guess tofu, grains, and bland veggies would do.
Q: How do you work with the waitstaff to make sure they understand and respond to the needs of vegetarians?
Lancarte: The waitstaff will communicate with me, as to the diners' needs. Or, if I am not sure, I will go to the table. Being in a restaurant like we have, we are extremely sensitive to all diners, allergies, and making sure everyone gets what they came in for and will come back.
Q: Can a vegan get a good meal at Lanny's?
Lancarte: Absolutely, and I will cook everything from start to finish. My line cooks don't get those special request tickets. As long as I know what people are willing to eat, I can do it. But, like I said, there are so many different kinds of vegetarians. If I know they will eat pasta, or cheese, or eggs, or chicken stock, I can make sure the flavors are stronger. Obviously these foods can't be used for a vegan, but I still have plenty to choose from in our walk-in.
Q: Are you satisfied with the quality and variety of produce you're able to get for your kitchen?
Lancarte: I am. Sometimes it's better than others, but I have many different people to choose from.
Q: Do you do any gardening?
Lancarte: I have in the past. I grew herbs, tomatoes, lettuces, and squash. I did most of it in a green house in the back of Joe T.'s. I don't have much time for it anymore, and I have two extremely hyper border collies in my back yard that make it hard for me to grow much, other than my yuccas, palms, and a few grasses.
Q: If you were to become a vegetarian, what animal would be hardest for you to give up and why?
Lancarte: Pork. That would be tough. I love sausages, bacon, loins, hocks, and it adds depth to other dishes.
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?
Lancarte: I would probably say anywhere that has a good reputation and a chef that is creative. That leaves a lot to choose from.
Q: Any chance of getting you to be more specific?
Lancarte: Craft. But any restaurant I mention is second to Joe T.'s, of course.
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