Audio By Carbonatix
This is part
two of our interview with Sam Gorenstein, Chef de Cuisine of BLT Steak. You can
read the first part of the interview here.
NT: What do
you think of picky eaters?
SG: Part of my job is to accommodate every person
who comes in the restaurant and make them happy. For me, there’s not really a
picky eater.
NT: At which temperature do you prefer
your steaks served?
SG: Medium rare. It starts to break down a little
bit, but it’s still nice and juicy.
NT: What’s
your favorite cut?
SG: New York Strip. It has texture and flavor. I like rib eye, too, but
sometimes it can be too fatty for me. The filet is the most popular steak here.
NT: Do you
think there are too many steakhouses in Miami right now?
SG: Definitely. We are very different from any
other steakhouse that is open right now. Even though we have 18 other
restaurants across the world, we are very chef-driven. We accommodate here. We
pay attention to details. We strive to get the best ingredients available.
NT: Have you
been to the other steakhouses in town?
SG: Some of them. I won’t say any names. The other
steakhouses aren’t as good as we are, but they are there.
NT: The South
Beach Wine & Food Festival is this weekend. What is your involvement?
SG: We are doing Burger Bash, Best of the Best and several events on the roof.
Chef Laurent is doing an after-party here, and many celebrity chefs will join
us.
NT: What is
your submission for Burger Bash?
SG: It’s a cheddar BLT burger with applewood smoked bacon and tarragon
Russian dressing. This year we are going to take the prize.
NT: Does
your youth get in the way of you being taken seriously as a chef?
SG: Not really. You get respect for what you do
back there in the kitchen. It’s all about what you do.
NT: Do you
have cougar customers who hit on you?
SG: Sometimes. I wish it happened more frequently,
but it doesn’t happen that often.
NT: Are you
single?
SG: No. I have a girlfriend, but I’m not married
yet.
NT: Do you
like a woman who orders a big steak?
SG: I like a more refined woman. But sometimes I like the aggressive woman
who goes for a big steak.
NT: Which
foods do you consider sexy?
SG: That’s a phrase that I refer to a lot in the
kitchen. When my guys are cooking, I say, “You’ve got to make it look sexy.”
It’s not so much about the ingredients but making the plate look sexy. I am a
minimalist. If you are working with high-quality ingredients, there’s no need
to pile the plate with 200 different ingredients or bury them in sauces. I
believe in going clean and elegant.
NT: What are
some of your favorite restaurants in Miami?
SG: I like street food a lot. I go to very simple places like El Palacio de
los Jugos. I go to Garcia’s Fish Market to get a nice fried fresh fish. I go
very low-key. I don’t go out to dine in style on South Beach. I crave fried
foods.
NT: How did
you get into cooking?
SG: My love of cooking came from watching my mother cook at home. I
graduated from high school and went straight to culinary school. Then I went to
New York, which is the Mecca of restaurants. That’s where my eyes really popped
open and I fell in love with the industry.
NT: How does
your Colombian heritage inspire your cooking today?
SG: Every now and then I use Spanish ingredients
in my cooking. Not too much, though. I’m more influenced by French, classical
techniques.
NT: You
worked with Michael Schwartz, who is also nominated for a James Beard award.
What was the best thing he ever taught you in the kitchen?
SG: The love of using local ingredients. It’s a
big point as to why he’s so successful. He goes for everything local he can get
his hands on. I took a lot of that with me. It’s good when you can support the
local economy. And there’s nothing better than food that comes from your
backyard. Why not use that versus something that has been traveling for two or
three days?
NT: Where is
the oddest place you’ve cooked?
SG: About a year ago, I was on vacation back home
in Colombia and we went to an island off the coast. It was like a deserted
island. We put together a fire in the middle of the beach and cooked fresh fish.
BLT Steak
1440 Ocean Drive, Miami Beach
305-673-0044
