Chef Jonathan Gushue – Fogo Island Inn
As one of the EAT! Vancouver Ambassadors, we’re catching up with the chefs at this culinary festival and here we have a bit about Chef Jonathan Gushe of Fogo Island Inn! EAT! Vancouver takes place from November 4 to 9, 2019 and features culinary collaborations between award-winning local and special guest chefs from across Canada and the United States. Experience a culinary experience like none other from this year’s events including: EAT! Dinner Series, EAT! Harvest, EAT! Pastry Day and EAT! Expert Classes. Here’s a little bit about Chef Jonathan Gushue who will be collaborating with Chef Ned Bell for a dinner at The Vancouver Club and also at the EAT! Vancouver Harvest Celebration on November 8, 2019.
Tell us a little bit about your restaurant and/or style of cooking.
My cooking style is contemporary with ingredients sourced locally.
Where do you eat in your city?
I like to get coffee at Sexton’s Cafe in Tilting, NL and I like to eat at local restaurants, Bangbelly and Scoffs.
What would be your ideal food day?
I would have breakfast at Cafe Royal London, UK, I would have my lunch outdoors in Seasalter, Kent, and I would have supper in Spain at Asador Etxebarri.
What trend do you wish would die?
None — I choose to not fixate on trends as they may be working for other cooks.
What trend/s do you wish would be next?
None — although I do see natural cuisine becoming more popular, which I find a good thing.
What ingredient do you always have on hand?
I always have locally made Fleur de Sel from Saltbox Salt on Fogo Island, NL.
What’s your go-to recipe when you’re eating at home?
My father’s linguine and clams.
What equipment do you wish you had in your kitchen?
A centrifuge.
What cookbook do you suggest every cook should have?
The French cookbook, Larousse Gastronomique.
What is one of the dishes you will prepare for Eat Vancouver?
I will be preparing Lettuce Pudding with Snow Crab.
What are you most looking forward to about Eat Vancouver?
Going back to visit, I haven’t been in Vancouver since 2003.
Stewed Turnip, Pickled Chestnuts and Mussels
Serves 4
1 small yellow turnip (rutabaga/swede) 2 tsp sugar
2 tbsp unsalted butter
350g mussel meat, cooked, picked and cooking liquid reserved 400ml chicken stock
1 slice salted back fat (can sub bacon) 200g chestnuts, cooked and peeled 150ml currant leaf vinegar
100ml maple syrup 1 tsp kosher salt
1 shallot, minced
Parsley and chervil, chopped 2 spring onion, sliced
Salt and pepper
Method:
Peel the turnip and cut into 5mm dice. Stew the turnips in 1 tbsp butter, sugar, chicken stock, back fat and salt under a piece of parchment. Cook until tender, 6 minutes approximately. Discard back fat.
Combine the vinegar, kosher salt and maple and warm just enough to dissolve the salt. Cool and pour over chestnuts. Store in sealed container, refrigerate indefinitely.
Foam the remaining butter and add the shallot. Cook until soft, without colour. Add the turnip with its cooking liquid. When the turnip is just warm remove the chestnuts from the pickling liquid and add to stewed turnip. When warm remove from the heat and add the musses and herbs. Taste and season with some of the mussel liquid of needed. Fish with freshly ground black pepper.
Photo Credits – Paddy Barry, plated images and Steffen Jagenburg, Chef’s headshot
