What do chefs cook on their precious days off? Jeongin Hwang of Three-Star Benu in SF, Sarah Kirnon of MICHELIN Plate Miss Ollie’s in Oakland, Nate Anda at DC MICHELIN Plate The Partisan, and Danielle and Thai Dang of Chicago Bib Gourmand HaiSous tell us what they’re eating at home.
Sarah Kirnon, chef-owner of MICHELIN Plate Miss Ollie's in Oakland, CA
"I am working on my first cookbook right now, so as I'm working and writing from home, I like to make a pot of Bajan split pea soup, with cassava, sweet potatoes, christophine [chayote], Scotch bonnet, and broad leaf thyme, and I pull the meat off of one of Riverdog Farm's whole hens that I make my broth with. It’s pure comfort in a bowl!"
Thai Dang, chef-owner with his wife, Danielle of Bib Gourmand HaiSous in Chicago:
"I love to make Gà Kho Gừng - braised chicken with ginger when I am at home. It’s a northern [Vietnamese] style stew that my mother used to make. I refine it a bit and sometimes substitute traditional bone-in-heirloom chicken with black chicken. I slow-simmer the chicken in a flavorful broth full of fresh ginger, fish sauce and cracked pepper until it reduces and becomes tender and full of depth. I serve it warm over rice. It’s become one of my wife’s [HaiSous director Danielle Dang's] favorite dishes and it’s even better the next day."
Jeongin Hwang, executive sous chef at Three MICHELIN Star Benu in San Francisco
"Tteokbooki is one of the most craved and nostalgic foods for me. It’s a stir-fried rice cake dish and popular street food in Korea. I like to make really spicy tteokbokki at the end of the workweek, usually when I come home starving at 1am. The spiciness wakes me up after a long stretch of work and goes great with an ice cold beer. Depending on my mood, I’ll sometimes change the recipe. I’ll add habanero or serrano chiles to make it extra spicy to release stress, add cheese to celebrate a productive and smooth week, or sometimes add instant noodles for something extra filling and satisfying."
Nate Anda, of MICHELIN Plate The Partisan in Washington, DC
"Lately, my go to food has been pozole, a chili-spiced stew consisting of hominy and some type of braised meat. My mom made it for us growing up and it has worked itself into my weekly rotation. It’s a dish that takes a little time, but so worth it, and it freezes well! My pantry is stocked with dried chiles and aromatics, so depending on my mood it can be as spicy as I want it to be. The garnishes happen to be a great way to clean out your fridge too, but I usually go for diced onions, minced serrano peppers, shaved radishes, and a squeeze of lime."
Hero image: Tteokbboki. © gowithstock/Shutterstock
