THE CHOPPING BLOCK – CHEF PROFILES
John Peters
Favorite class to teach:
Any class in the demo kitchen
Training/education:
BS biology from Trinity University, 1996; Associates from the culinary institute of America, 1999.
Cooking since:
1990
Favorite childhood food experience:
Mustard sandwich, french's yellow mustard and white bread. It was my first culinary creation. And I still could do it if I really had to.
What made you want to become a chef?
The opportunity to make people happy through food. I feel that is the main role of a chef. Put a smile on someone's face. Put the egos aside fellow chefs. We just make people happy.
What is your signature dish?
Slow roasted crispy chicken thigh with toasted farro, swiss chard, celery root puree, and thyme-flavored chicken jus
What are the 5 ingredients you can't live without?
Onions, avocado, pork shoulder (or any other delicious cut from the swine), corn tortillas, ginger
What do you love about cooking?
It has always come very natural to me. It is a life long process of learning and everybody has to eat!! I feel that cooking and eating are a way of uniting any group of people. And to invite people into a kitchen and cook for them is a way of inviting them into your soul.
When you're creating a new recipe, what influences and inspires you?
I like to start with flavor combinations and then turn to the season to see what will be the freshest and yield the best result. And I hate recipes. I need people to understand the act of cooking and go with what inspires you in a day. Think of the flavor and how you are going to achieve that.
What advice would you give a new cook?
Be patient, don't let yourself get frustrated. You learn through your mistakes and practice, practice, practice. "It is ok to make a mistake as long as you don't make the same mistake twice"( a quote from the great Dean Fearing, the godfather of southwestern cuisine).
What are you doing when you're not cooking?
Live music, Eating out, hanging with friends, watching football, thinking about the next meal I'm gonna eat.
Describe your perfect evening.
Dinner at Frontera Grill followed by a few Belgian ales at the Hop Leaf. And maybe a little live jazz at the Green Mill on a Saturday late night.
If you had friends in from out of town, where would you take them to eat?
Frontera Grill, the Bristol, spoon thai, quartino, pizza doc, el taco veloz, arturos tacos, smoque bbq, Naha, Bricks pizza,
Where are you from?
Dallas, TX
What was your favorite vacation?
The 6 months I spent in Ecuador for a semester of "college." I was there to refine my already good Spanish, visit the Galapagos Islands, the rainforest, and see a new culture first hand. It was here that I really learned to love food. My "mom" was an incredible cook and she gave me the best meals everyday.
What are your hobbies?
Internet surfing, soccer, traveling, dining out, live music, reading
What is your favorite band?
Widespread Panic
What is your favorite sports team?
The Dallas Cowboys
If you could have dinner with one person, who would it be?
Julia Child
What are your guilty pleasures?
Let's see where do I start?? Gooey brownies, Belgian beer, Chips and salsa, Pizza(pepperoni and jalape?os), chocolate chip cookie dough ice cream, etc….
Who is your favorite celebrity chef?
Jaques Pepin
What 5 tools should every new cook have in the kitchen?
A sharp knife, microplaner, fine meshed strainer (chinois), quality vegetable peeler, cast iron skillet(well seasoned)
What resources would you suggest for Chopping Block clients?
Any publication/website that tells you a technique of cooking more that explaining a recipe.
List/describe three of your favorite tips or techniques you use in the kitchen.
Mise en place (French term for having all your ingredients ready to cook when the time comes to start the cooking process. Literally "things in their place"), season every layer of ingredients as they are cooked, and then taste the dish before you serve it always!! The use of salt separates the ordinary from the extraordinary, and know your fire (refers to any vehicle used to cook food be it grill, oven, stovetop, etc..).