CHEF SOPHINA UONG, MISTER MAO, NEW ORLEANS
Chef/owner of Mister Mao in New Orleans, Sophina Uong has been earning raves for her “inauthentic” global cuisine since opening in July 2021. According to the Cambodian-American Chef, the most important thing to remember when grilling vegetables is to oil very lightly. If you over-oil, even slightly, you will wind up with soggy vegetables. Uong also says to watch those veggies constantly and not walk away, as cooking times can vary greatly depending on the size of the veggies and the grill you’re using.
Website: www.mistermaonola.com
CHEF JACQUELINE KLEIS, WILD FORK FOODS,
Executive Chef and Head of Culinary for Wild Fork Foods Jacqueline Kleis knows her way around a grill. She likes to use wood or charcoal for perfect flavor but finds gas easy and convenient and even gets good results with electric grills indoors. She’s in charge of recipe development for the brand, which specializes in reasonably priced high quality proteins that boasts more than 700 products. From a variety of cuts of beef, pork, poultry and seafood as well as hard to source cuts and exotics like rabbit, ostrich, elk and bison, Chef Jackie likes Prime Tomahawk, Black Angus Florentine T-Bone, Black Angus outside skirt, rack of lamb and Berkshire Ribeye Chop on the grill. According to Chef, the higher quality the cut, the less need for seasoning; just coarse sea salt brings out the best flavor, but lean cuts like flank benefit from marinating to help tenderize the beef; while rubs will work with cuts from the sirloin like tri-tip applied nice and early. It doesn’t have to always be about meat, though – Chef Jackie also loves shrimp skewers, octopus and vegetables on the grill.
Website: https://wildforkfoods.com/
CHEF NINA COMPTON, COMPÈRE LAPIN & BYWATER AMERICAN BISTRO, NEW ORLEANS
James Beard: Best Chef South Nina Compton grew up on St. Lucia, where catching fresh seafood and grilling it up was a regular pastime. Compton says that the key to grilling seafood is to divide your grill into two heat zones – medium and high. The New Orleans chef suggests starting in the high heat zone to get a nice sear on the shellfish. Then, transfer the seafood to the other side and cook on medium until it’s done. She also says to create a butter dipping sauce and use whatever herbs, spices and flavors you like.
Recipe: Grilled Lobster with Cilantro-Lime Butter
Website: www.comperelapin.com
CHEF ROCCO CARULLI, R HOUSE, MIAMI
“Especially for summer entertaining, I love grilling up Churrasco – the long, flat-cut skirt steak beloved in Latin cooking. When grilling Churrasco, always make sure the grill is hot enough before you start, and that your meat isn’t ice-cold. I like to take meat I’m grilling out of the cooler, liberally season it with salt and pepper, then let it sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes before I throw it on the grill. After grilling let your steaks rest for a few minutes before slicing to allow the juices to flow back into the meat. And what’s a Churrasco without a great chimichurri sauce? Skip the jarred stuff and make it from scratch, your tastebuds will thank you later.”
Website: https://www.rhousewynwood.com/
CHEF WILLIAM “BILL” GIDEON, JW MARRIOTT TURNBERRY RESORT & SPA, AVENTURA
William “Bill” Gideon, Director of Culinary at JW Marriott Turnberry Resort & Spa, has an arsenal of grilling advice as a seasoned culinary and hospitality professional. “To start, I advise letting the meat come up to room temperature, as this helps to reduce char on the outside and lets the protein cook more quickly. I like to marinate in beer as it always gives a great flavor (I prefer IPA!). Using a cast iron skillet while throwing soaked wood chips onto the fire gets sear and great flavor. I use half of the grill while cooking to prevent char and move protein back and forth while keeping the lid closed. This preserves flavor and keeps it cooking without burning. Finally, I love to grill peaches and other stone fruits for salsas to go over my grilled finished dish!”
Website: https://www.marriott.com/en-us/hotels/miajt-jw-marriott-miami-turnberry-resort-and-spa/dining/
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CHEF MARIANO ARAYA, CASA MARIANO, DORAL
Known for his local BBQ brunches, Chef Mariano, Partner/Executive Chef of Casa Mariano, runs his grilling operations like a well-oiled machine. “Fire is key. I always say test the temperature by placing a hand over the grill. Count to 10 and if you have to remove your hand before the countdown, it’s too hot. But, if you can comfortably keep it hovering for longer than 10 seconds it’s not hot enough. Another important aspect is salt. Use thick or semi thick salt and apply it to the meat before or after grilling. Don’t salt the meat while cooking it as this will extract all the juices. Finally, allow the meat to rest before cutting it. You don’t want to lose all the juices!”
Website: https://casamariano.com/
CHEF DE CUISINE IVAN COLLAZO, QUINTO, MIAMI
As Chef de Cuisine of a Quinto, which is known for its signature open-fire cooking style, Ivan Collazo has just about perfected the art of grilling. His main point is the less you touch the meat, the better. “Be sure to use high heat to sear the outside of the meat while allowing the inside to remain juicy! The grill should be super hot before putting the meat on it. Allow the meat to rest a few minutes after you remove it from the grill. Resist flipping the meat more than a few times at most.”
Website: https://www.easthotels.com/en/miami/restaurants-and-bars/quinto/
