We Asked Five Chefs to Eliminate Everything Except Their Desert-Island Ingredients
And the keepers reveal the key to their cooking.
And the keepers reveal the key to their cooking.
Fridge feeling a little overseasoned? Take inspiration from their edits, and pare down your larder.
Ricky Moore
Owner of Saltbox Seafood Joint in Durham, North Carolina, and a Culinary Institute of America graduate, Moore was also an army cook, an Iron Chef competitor, and a 2020 James Beard Foundation semifinalist for Best Chef in the Southeast.
Photo courtesy of Saltbox Seafood Joint
"Due to the great quality of North Carolina seafood, sometimes the simplest ingredients are all that’s needed to help this healthy protein shine. My pantry is stocked with lemons for ceviche and herbs like parsley, tarragon, dill, and chives to finish my chilled shrimp salad and bouillabaisse. I have seafood stock to create a deep, rich flavor for stews and condiments like capers, mayo, and Dijon for fish salads. A nice range of fats—especially olive oil—is key."
Kimberly Tilsen-Brave Heart
The chef and co-owner of Etiquette Catering Company in Rapid City, South Dakota, Tilsen-Brave Heart strives to honor Indigenous ingredients by cooking meals that draw upon her Jewish and Oglala Lakota heritage.
Photo courtesy of Chef Brave Heart Modern Indigenous
"I use chicken stock when steeping wild rice, an Indigenous grain, to add flavor in recipes like rice and chicken dumpling soup. In Lakota culture, we dry deer meat for soup, so I keep a jar of it throughout the cold months. I also dry Indigenous corn, which makes a great addition to any dish. I love using sunflower oil—derived from sunflowers and Indigenous plants!—for its high smoke point and great source of vitamin E."
Gaby Maeda
The Hawaii-born, San Francisco–based executive chef at State Bird Provisions, Maeda received a 2020 James Beard Foundation nomination for Rising Star Chef and was included in Food & Wine’s 2021 Best New Chefs in America list.
Photo courtesy of Rumpasri Chicharoen
See the full story on Dwell.com: We Asked Five Chefs to Eliminate Everything Except Their Desert-Island Ingredients
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