Flavors of the World

Chef Edgar Kano was born in Mexico City to a Japanese household, allowing him to appreciate a fusion of cultures at an early age. “One of the flavors that reminds me most of my childhood is the aroma of freshly cooked gohan Japanese rice. That punch of steam, similar to a sweet perfume, was an indication that the table was set. Today, that aroma still opens my appetite,” said Kano.

Now, at the helm of Gabrielle Restaurant at Charleston’s Hotel Bennett, he is inspired by those engrained childhood flavors. “I remember the albondiga[s], or Mexican-style meatballs, with a hit or more of the smoky chipotle pepper and fresh corn tortillas. I could eat them for breakfast, lunch and dinner.” From corn tortillas on a comal (a griddle made from earthenware) to Mexican-style rice, pickled Japanese vegetables like takwan (pickled daikon radish), rakyo (pickled Japanese scallions) and teriyaki-glazed snapper with shizo leaves, Kano brings a world of creativity to his menu. He is a graduate of the Culinary Institute of America, with more than 20 years in culinary leadership roles working for Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts.

Jean Baptiste-Lawson, a native of Paris, is the head baker at Salamander Middleburg, with a pedigree from the French baking school École Professionnelle de Boulangerie et Patisserie, in Champigny-sur-Marne, where he specialized in learning the production of artisan breads, gourmet pastries and chocolates. Baking is an exacting practice and Baptiste-Lawson’s dedicated studies and experience over more than a decade provide him with a solid foundation in the Middleburg kitchen.

Currently, as Head Bread Baker, he’s baking French baguettes, soft milk bread rolls and brioche buns for bread service and the market bakery. And, while each of the300-plus buns he bakes daily packs a bouquet of flavor, he recommends a semi-salted butter to complement each bite. Born in Togo, West Africa, Baptiste-Lawson grew up in Paris, where food played an important role with African spices and traditional ingredients filling his family pantry. Now, at Market Salamander and Harrimans Grill, he works with the chefs to create beautiful breads that build on the finest local ingredients.

For chef Marco Fossati, director of food & bever-age operations at Salamander Washington DC, itis the scent of fresh basil cultivated in the coastal town of Pra’, Italy (nestled between the Ligurian Sea and the Ligurian Apennines mountain range), where he grew up, that inspires him. “Its medium-small curved green leaves, delicate scent and intense flavor distinguish it from other basil plants. The smell of fresh herbs – fresh basil, rosemary, sage and marjoram (a popular herb in Liguria) – seemed to always permeate the kitchen, the heart of our home,” Fossati says. His passion for cooking was born standing in the kitchen beside his grandmother for hours at a time. “Every Sunday, Nonna would go to mass, visit her loved ones in the cemetery and head home to make handmade potato gnocchi with basil pesto and green beans. She always purchased fresh ingredients the day prior,” he notes. They tended to use older potatoes, giving them more time to store sugars and convert them into starch, with less water in their cells.

Spaghetti alle vongole (spaghetti with clams)was his father’s favorite for the end of the week. “The simple preparation includes shaved red garlic, slow-cooked in extra virgin olive oil with fresh chile peperoncino. Next, stems of parsley, clams and pigato (white wine from the Liguria coast) is added – simply delicious,” Fossati says.

These mountains inspire some of his favorite menu items, including ravioli with house-made ricotta plus three hour slow-roasted leeks, organic egg yolks, brown butter, sage and fresh Parmesan. “All ingredients are locally sourced, except for our flour, which comes from Italy. The magic of authentic Italian cuisine is the simplicity and the freshest of ingredients, pre-pared with love,” notes Fossati, who embarked on a remarkable career that included working at prestigious luxury hotels, renowned Michelin-starred restaurants including Il Carpaccio in Paris, and exclusive private clubs like Harry’s Bar and Annabel’s in London before gracing Salamander Washington DC with his finesse.

Chef Christopher Golding grew up in Jamaica where his grandmother instilled in him a love for cooking. “She taught me that a recipe is just a list of ingredients and a guideline, but your duty is to bring out the soul in the dish,” says Golding, now the chef de cuisine at Sugar Mill Restaurant, the signature restaurant of Half Moon in Jamaica.