Dallas Food - Upscale Vegetarian: Q&A with Jason Weaver

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Upscale Vegetarian: Q&A with Jason Weaver
Posted on Wednesday, February 13 @ 19:32:00 PST
Topic: Vegetarian

Chef Jason Weaver of the French Room agreed to respond to some e-mailed questions about his approach to vegetarian cooking. On to the questions...

Q: I've read that you served in the US Marine Corps, which seems an unlikely starting point for an aspiring chef. At what point in your life did you decide you wanted a culinary career?

Weaver: I was a cook as long as I have been working. I more or less took a break to serve in the Marine Corps. I started cooking as far back as high school. It is really the only job I have ever known. However, in 1990 the country was going into the Persian Gulf the first time and I enlisted to go, too.

Q: What chefs whom you've worked with or studied under have been most influential in your development, and how?

Weaver: Christian Schmidt is my primary mentor and friend. We worked together for over seven years in three states. He passed on a wealth of information to me, not only about cooking, but management and how to run a hotel kitchen. Peter St. John is another chef who taught me a great deal about cooking and running restaurant kitchens.

Q: For those who may not have dined at The French Room since your arrival, how would you characterize your cuisine and approach to cooking?

Weaver: I like to keep things simple and interesting. I love to let the natural flavor of the food shine. I also, however, enjoy intertwining flavors to make a balanced plate...goat cheese, tomato, lavender, and herbs is a great example.

Q: Let's talk more specifically about vegetarian cooking. What do you think a vegetarian looks for in a fine dining experience?

Weaver: The same as any other gastronome--they want to be blown away with flavor, presentation, and service. I can also tell you that they don't want to be considered second class because they don't eat meat. They are looking for an experience.

Q: If there is a "right answer" to that question, you just gave it. The French Room is the only fine dining restaurant in Dallas with a vegetarian tasting menu. [Note: This is no longer the case.] Why do you think that isn't more common?

Weaver: It becomes a challenge because of the amount of times you sell it. We may only sell one or two a week, but we must go and prepare everything fresh each day regardless. Not every restaurant is willing to do that. We are. I think a vegetarian menu belongs in a fine dining restaurant.

Q: How aggressively do you rotate items on the vegetarian menu, compared with the standard tasting menu?

Weaver: I change the regular tasting menu every two weeks--a complete rotation. The vegetarian menu is not changed in the same manner. I will more or less change out courses on the menu as the seasons dictate. This particular menu received a change of two items last week, but I kept the entrée because I still really think it is neat. A vegetarian "osso bucco" made with all grilled vegetables and using a heart of palm for the "bone." Vegetarian saffron risotto.

Q: What's your thought process in developing a vegetarian entrée, as opposed to a salad or appetizer course?

Weaver: I want the diner to feel like it is well thought out, healthy, and complete, without the feeling that we just removed the meat and added some extra vegetables.

Q: Have you ever tried using tofu or other protein substitutes in your cooking? If so, do you think they have any use in a fine dining setting?

Weaver: When I was with the Mandarin Oriental, I used a tremendous amount of tofu; and on occasion I will use it here too, just not in the same amounts. I am definitely not opposed to using it, especially on the vegetable tasting menu.

Q: How do you work with the waitstaff to make sure they understand and respond to the needs of vegetarians?

Weaver: I do menu roll-outs for every item that comes out of the kitchen. They have seen and tried everything on our menus.

Q: Can a vegan get a good meal at The French Room?

Weaver: My printed vegetarian menu is not vegan, but I am always willing to accommodate special requests. No problem. It's the French Room!

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

Weaver: It's great. We buy from the best and work very hard to find the best vendors in the world. But to be honest, I will never be satisfied. We can always do better.

Q: Are there particular varieties of produce you'd like to see, that aren't currently available?

Weaver: I would love to see more organic produce available to restaurants; also I am always looking for special baby vegetables, unique things.

Q: Do you do any gardening?

Weaver: In my yard there are tomato plants, four chile plants (i.e., Thai, jalapeño, and poblano), a raspberry bush, an herb garden (e.g., basil, thyme, rosemary, sage, oregano, and Thai basil), and some beans, the beans being a Mother's Day gift from my youngest son Gideon to my wife.

Q: I'm a little surprised at the chiles, since I don't remember ever having anything really spicy at the French Room. Do you crank up the heat when cooking at home?

Weaver: I do love chili peppers and spicy things. But at the French Room I try to be very conscious of the wine and also the courses that come after, so I am not too inclined to travel the spicy road in this particular restaurant.

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

Weaver: Wow! I guess I really love poultry and game birds, but I would really miss the variety of all the meats. (Sorry to my vegetarian friends.)

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?

Weaver: I would go to York Street to see Sharon Hage because of her very natural way of cooking--organic if you will. I would also go see my friend David Gilbert for his creativity and talent.