With
Duck Prosciutto,
Wilted Arugula
and a
Saffron-Black Pepper Parmesan Tuile
Publication: Restaurant Edge, February 2003
Auther: Chef Scott Monteverde
Culinarians are a special breed. Rarely do we begin with the premise of fame and fortune. It is the love of the work. Many times our work evolves and ends up do be something different than what it began to be. We begin with the textures, smells, colors, tastes and the environment. Before we know it we are involved in the science and economics of food. Perhaps this is where many are led astray into a world of percentages, cost and quality cutting. Subtly, often unnoticed, we turn from the painstaking and dedicated side of our art to the shortcuts. On our way to conventional efficiency we often neglect our emotions and miss the true joy of what we do. We drift into competition, less romance, and more reality. Offering less time for discoveries and following them through to the rewarding end.
Is food just food? Are all rice grains created equal? Why do some people love to knead dough, others pull sugar and still others create sauces? Some people enjoy working in small intimate establishments while others seek the challenge of large operations. There is no one way to cook, for every level of work there should be a consciousness of doing that work well and constantly striving for the next level of quality and enjoyment of the process. All people are different and have different goals. But if there was a common goal among us, let it be that we focus on the enjoyment of the process.
Often we cross a threshold were one discovery leads to another. Food is a sensual medium with an infinite amount of creative possibilities. We can create exquisite flavors and presentations or we can hack out unrefined, impulsive messages. Without the underlying satisfaction of the process we would be unable to grow and to teach others, there by assisting in the evolution of the gastronomic process of food.
"Focusing On Our Art" is more about finding out who we are as individuals first and applying who we are to what we do. We can not expect to be detail oriented, organized, clean and creative if that is not what we are to begin with. Yes, we all can learn these traits and are constantly seeking higher levels of awareness, but we can not clock in and become what we are not. I have found that as I become more aware as a father I become a better teacher and mentor in my job, as I excel as a chef/manager my ability to take care of my personal life becomes easier. All areas of our life are symbiotic of one another and none are void of similarities.The challenge is to balance all the facets of life and give each the attention that it deserves and you deserve.
It is imperative to understand our strengths and weaknesses in order to grow. Constant trustworthy feedback is the greatest tool for us to see where improvement is necessary and to help notice our accomplishments. Given a clear path and direct goals, we can enjoy the process of working, learning, growing as an individual and living life to its fullest. So go out and plant a rose, you will be a better chef. Sit down and talk to your cooks, you will be a better parent. Enjoy the challenges in the process, you will be a happier, more fulfilled human being.
Chef Scott Monteverde
AKA: Chef Bento
Raised on the central coast of California, Chef Scott Monteverde began working in restaurants at the age of fifteen. Exposed to the bounty of fresh regional products available year round and the influence of a multicultural population, he soon learned �California Cuisine� and the inspiring possibilities it had to offer.
When asked why he got into the food business; he admits that it was mostly fate. �When I was five years old I was in a parade float, Rub-a-Dub Dub, Three Men in a Tub, I was the Butcher. My parents posted the picture of me in a toque waving a butcher knife around like Bruce Lee. I guess it stuck, literally.
His journeys have taken him around the globe in search of new flavors and products. At eighteen he traveled, via Mexico, to South America�s coastal regions and experienced what he calls �a food revolution.� The freshness of the foods, the care at which they were prepared and the time that was devoted was awe-inspiring. Since then his culinary exploration has taken him to Europe, Finland, Russia, China, Indonesia and points across the United States, such as Oregon, Wisconsin, Florida, Hawaii, California, and of course his current home in South Carolina.
When asked to describe his food style, Chef Scott paused for a moment and replied, �Contemporary multiethnic Fusion with a South East Asian twist� and chuckled. He added, �I really just love to learn about flavors, textures, colors and cooking styles of all cuisine�s and some combine with others very well. Asian flavors have always been a passionate area for me but I seem to rely on classical French techniques in my preparations.
What has been the most unique Chef experience that you could share? �I was the Chef at a very exclusive fishing lodge in Northern Russia. I cooked for 20 clients per week and the sky was the limit. I interacted daily with some very interesting and influential people from all over the globe. Dick Cheney and I enjoyed cigars and brandy while tying salmon flies in the midnight sun, pretty wild!�
Since then Chef Scott has had the opportunity to prepare food for many recognizable clients such as President George W. Bush, Former President Bill Clinton and Hillary Clinton, Secretary Of State Collin Powell. He has also shared the cook�s top with such distinguished Chefs as Paul Prudhomme, Mark Miller & Richard Van Rossum.
Chef Scott is now focusing on offering dynamic new flavors to his clients at the Palmetto Expo Center in Greenville, South Carolina. His goal is to be recognized as the area's leading destination for high-quality, creative, social and corporate events. With menu items including Cumin Crusted Pork Loin Rack with Black-eyed Pea Mole and Roasted Corn Couscous, Sake Salmon Carpaccio Salad with Pickled Ginger Vinaigrette and an array of exciting action stations, Scott has received excellent reviews from his clients and peers.
When asked what�s next, Chef Scott offers that he is focusing heavily on organic foods, A push that came two years ago when he and his wife had their first child. �We just felt that we wanted to give our daughter the absolute best nutrition and non-treated foods possible. So we jumped the garden fence and committed ourselves to growing and purchasing all organic foods. It has really been a great education, and thanks to my wife�s diligence we are finding new sources all the time. Currently, I am talking to growers to see how my needs can be met in the production kitchen.�
No matter how you slice it, Chef Scott Monteverde is continually striving to exceed the expectations of quality and creativity, staying on the cutting edge of the food revolution where change is always in the forecast.
A previous Chef and a dear friend of mine once said, "The more that you learn, the more that you realize how much you do not know".
What is a Chef?
I have truly spent my life trying to answer that question. In my early years of cooking, I felt that becoming a great cook meant that I was a Chef. Since those early years I have become an artist, a student, a mentor, a business man and a manager of people. I have become a historian, searching out the foundation of food products and their travels through time.
I have developed a sixth sense of my surroundings, knowing what needs to be done and how. I have developed new flavor profiles with an ever increasing foundation of ingredients. I have grown as a man, as a father and as a husband.
I have developed pride in what I do and I am continually learning how to bring the best out in people by truly caring about who they are and what they want.
I have successfully created dynamic working environments under a profitable and creative system, always striving for the next level of achievment.
If that is a Chef, then a Chef is what I am.
Scott Monteverde
Executive Chef
