My Food Job Rocks! Ep. 097 - Dissecting Youthful Creativity with Logan Guleff, Junior Celebrity Chef
Hey everyone, just a quick note before the episode begins. We have a survey up for My Food Job Rocks that will help us plan for 2018. We need your input on how we’re doing so far, and we also have some really cool ideas we want you to approve in 2018. For your efforts completing this monster 40 question survey, we will be offering a chance to win an Amazon Echo. I just got one, they make your life a lot easier. Just go to My Food Job Rocks.com/survey
I thought I was going to have a hard time interviewing a 16 year old superstar chef, but it was one of my funnest experiences podcasting.
Logan Glueff has a huge list of culinary accomplishments at such a young age. He’s met President Obama, Gordon Ramsey, and other top chefs around the nation. Not only has he been on TV such as Master Chef Junior, and Good Morning America, he also has a really big heart and enjoys hosting dinners at his house. Oh, did I mention he has a cookbook?
So I ask some awesome questions to Logan and I got some amazing answers. I wanted to really see what drove him, and how he thinks of complex flavors. It all boils down to taste, texture and depth. Pay attention to this.
If you are any type of creative in the food space, you have to listen to this episode. The way Logan describes his competitive spirit, thought process and culinary experiences brings a type of curiosity and excitement I haven’t felt since I was a kid.
About LoganLogan Guleff has been named one of the Most Influential Teens by Time Magazine and a James Beard Blended Burger Winner. Since becoming the 2014 MasterChef Junior champion he has become a rising star in the culinary world. He was named Southern Living‘s Best New Southern Cook and earned a spot on Fortune Magazine’s 18 Under 18 list; he’s also the youngest certified judge for the World Championship Barbecue Cooking Contest in Memphis, Tennessee, and the youngest chef to cook at the historic James Beard House in New York City. Earlier this year, he judged the International Young Chef Olympiad in India and just launched his first cook, “Logan’s Chef Notes and Half Baked Tales”.
Key Takeaways- How Logan creates amazing dishes and his thought process
- Logan’s experience meeting Obama and Gordon Ramsey
- The fun way Logan did his cookbook
- I pitch to Logan about Food Science
How do you introduce yourself?: People call me a lot of things. Logan, Logan the Chef, Logan the Kid Chef. Most people aren’t chef, am I technically a chef? I’ve proven myself What do you think you need to do to become a chef?: An extensive knowledge of techniques and flavors How do you become a chef?: You can become a chef either trained in a restaurant or in a classroom What would you like to do?: Either a TV show or a food truck. I couldn’t do a restaurant because it’s too much work managing people and people won’t listen to you as a kid. Advice: The flavor of your restaurant changes with each chef. For example, Chinese Restaurant Chefs What got you interested in food?: I started with morning coffee with my mom at 2 years old. Then pigs in a blanket, then deviled eggs, got into bread, What are you fascinated with right now?: Vegan food Front porch dinners – 9 courses. My fans never had my food and I wanted to feed them Media journey: 7, 8 or 9, I entered competitions. My pasta was great, so I started to enter competitions JIF peanutbutter sandwich contest – Made a complicated turkey burger – won 2nd place, got mad Salty: millennial term that means grumpy Kid’s day dinner contest. Won that, met President Obama (whaaat?) Advice: Losing sucks, but chefs are very competitive. I still get salty about losing, but you don’t think about it every day Skillset: The fire of competition pushes you forward How was meeting President Obama?: Just being in the white house was amazing James Beard Blended Burger Contest: The sustainability of meat and mushrooms Friend who’s really into mushrooms Cook down mushroom gills to make a meat. Add steak seasoning and make a burger. Milkshake (lavender cardomon milkshake) ahji paka peruvian red spice When you do competitions, are you nervous all the time or not?: I don’t get nervous, when a problem arises in a competition, you have to just think, “huh, what went wrong?”. The element of surprise is tough Demo at Duke University the students gave me random things and I had to cook themn When you get surprises, how do you create a dish?: You think of flavor, texture, and depth. What components of the dish do I need and what components do I have? Example: Resource + common knowledge base = making amazing food! We like food that have multiple fun components like flaming hot Cheetos. How logan cooks: Each dish should be essential to the dish so I can explain each ingredient and why it’s used Julia Child Reality TV: Usually unedited. I really enjoy being on TV I've been on: Master Chef Junior Flip My Food Chef Jeff Pickler and Ben Today Show How was working with Gordon Ramsey?: He holds you to the highest standard. He really wants you to do your best and that you’re growing What is one thing you learned about Gordon Ramsey?: The kitchen is a tough place and you have a chance to create your best. Only serve the best Dabbing Who else do you admire: Bobby Flay. He has so much knowledge about flavor. He will plate you something delicious How would you describe the way Bobby Flay flavors?: They are a bit heavy handed. You have to beat Bobby Flay using light flavors What would you fight Bobby flay with?: Your signature dish. Mine is currently a salad. A roasted beet with a spiced honey gastrique. I hate it. I have to make it over and over again. For me, I want to make one dish and move on to another. If I had a restaurant, I would do special of the day Why Does Your Food job Rock?: You may have the most important job in the world, but my job is more important. My food makes people happy. Everyone’s gotta eat. You need to enjoy the best What kind of trends are exciting you right now?: I want the trend of plating to die off. Like 3 hours of plating. However, Sous Vide is really cool. What do you think about meat in the future?: You can’t grow a cow in space The tick that makes you allergic to meat Favorite book: Ender’s Game Favorite Kitchen Item: Tong Favorite Quote: Einsteins’ definitition of insanity. What’s the best thing you ever eaten?: May’s Gordon Ramsey’s restaurant. Duck Confitt What are your favorite flavor indicators?: I actually like a lot of bitter foods. Chefs who smoke makes food more saltier, Cold food sucks Most challenging thing you’ve cooked: Figuring out the finale menu for master chef junior. They told me to memorize it and then I didn’t! Logan’s cookbook: Cookbooks usually cost 30k, Girl in Indonesia created fan art of Logan. So we decided to have her do art for a recipe book Any advice for people?: When you go for something new, 9 times out of 10, it won’t work Where can we find you?: Website, instagram, youtube channel, Netflix
Logan’s Social Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LoganJuniorChef Twitter: https://twitter.com/LoganJrChef Instagram: http://instagram.com/Logan.Jr.Chef YouTube: http://tinyurl.com/ojtd2vg Blog : http://orderupwithlogan.blogspot.com/ For my Youtube subscription, click on me below, http://tinyurl.com/ojtd2vg
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