Kitchen Talk with Owners and Chefs

_{216 N. Fourth Ave.
Ann Arbor, MI 48104
(734) 994-9174
peoplesfood.coop}

Chef Gary Elrod and Pastry Chef Keegan Rodgers

_{If I wasn’t a chef, I’d be:
GE: Musician.
KR: Pilot.}

_{Guilty pleasure:
GE: Ice cream.
KR: Artisan chocolate.}

_{Signature dish:
GE: Chicken ala King; Turkey Meatloaf; Veggie Ragu.
KR: Crustless Cheesecake and BBQ sauce.}

_{Favorite local ingredient:
GE: Fresh kale.
KR: Blueberries and apples.}

_{Items that can always be found in my home refrigerator:
GE: Garlic.
KR: My homemade BBQ sauce.}

_{Tips for the home cook:
GE: Learn and use the 5 Mother Sauces; Bechamel, Espagnole, Hollandaise, Tomato, and Veloute.
KR: Let chocolate chip cookie dough chill overnight before baking.}

_{Food I could eat every day:
GE: Salad.
KR: Artisan chocolate.}

_{1950 S. Industrial
Ann Arbor, MI 48104
(734) 665-4474
coloniallanescubsac.com}

Chef Robert McGeorge

_{If I wasn’t a chef, I’d be:
A DNR Officer}

Guilty pleasure:
Homemade chocolate cake nd craft beers

Signature dish:
Cajun Pasta

_{226 South Main St
Ann Arbor, MI 48104
(734) 994-2773
lena-annarbor.com}

Chef David Burnell

_{If I wasn’t a chef, I’d be:
A farmer.}

_{Guilty pleasure:
Pork.}

_{Signature dish:
Our beef churrasco, grilled sirloin slices over creamy sofrito rice, traditional chimichurri, matchstick plantains and fried egg.}

_{Favorite local ingredient:
Butternut squash.}

_{Three items that can always be found in my home refrigerator:
Fresh fruit, cheese, and bacon.}

_{Tips for the home cook:
I’ve always found that if a recipe doesn’t work, you should try it again. Recipes are more like guidelines, they aren’t exact.}

_{Food I could eat every day:
Pizza.}

_{3411 Washtenaw Ave.
Ann Arbor, MI 48104
(734) 971-0484
paesanosannarbor.com}

Chef David Whitney

_{If I wasn’t a chef, I’d be:
I would be either a football coach, or a player, specifically a defensive coordinator.}

_{My mentor:
My old chef, Isabella.}

_{Guilty pleasure:
Lambchops}

_{Signature dish:
Our dishes change seasonally,
I would say it would be our lamb loin, with morel mushrooms and risotto.}

_{Three items that can always be found in my home refrigerator:
Garlic, kale and lamb.}

_{Tips for the home cook:
Patience!}

_{Food I could eat every day:
Pancetta.}

Ann Arbor Tortilla Factory

_{727 W. Ellsworth Rd. #6
Ann Arbor, MI 48108
(734) 973-9824}

OWNER: GUADALUPE QUETGLAS

_{What makes your business unique?
Our method. We cook our Non-GMO corn rather than mix corn flour and water which is the standard with most businesses.}

_{Three words that describe your business?
Fresh, nutritious, and local.}

_{What do you think when you hear someone say, “I think owning my own business looks like fun?”
It is! It’s hard work and labor intensive but the customers’ comments make your day.}

_{How did you get your start in the industry?
Morgan & York believed in our products and started selling them. It took us about a year and a half to set up and get a product that was good and tasty. Markets receive the product the same day that itis made; you can’t get fresher than that!}

What keeps you going?
The workers who are dedicated and the people who call and say “Thank you!” It’s exciting to see it growing.

_{221 E. Washington
Ann Arbor, MI 48104
(734) 998-4746}

CHEF:Almaz Lessanework

_{Signature dish:
Our Ethiopian Feast includes beef and chicken dishes and a variety of vegetable preparations. We also have a Vegetarian Feast as an option, too.}

_{Favorite local ingredient:
All the ingredients that we get from local farms in Michigan, such as onions and collard greens.}

_{Food that I could eat every day:
Beef and collard greens.}

_{Three words that describe your restaurant?
Great customer service.}

_{What do you think when you hear someone say, “I think owning a restaurant looks like fun”?
Sometimes it is fun. Meeting new people, introducing new cuisine, and seeing your customers happy and excited makes it all worth while.}

_{What keeps you going?
The Ann Arbor community keeps us going, and we’ve had a loyal customer base coming to the Blue Nile for the last 25 years. We are lucky to be in Ann Arbor.}

_{1015 Broadway St,
Ann Arbor, MI 48105
(734) 995-0965}

CHEF: Jim Koli

_{Guilty pleasure:
Anything my doctor says I shouldn’t eat.}

_{Three items that can always be found in my home refrigerator:
Garlic, onions, butter.}

_{Thing that I am fussiest about in the kitchen:
Cleanliness and consistency.}

_{Tips for the at-home chef:
Wash your hands. Twice.}

_{Food I could eat everyday:
Anything from The Northside Grill.}