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In a town with more restaurants per capita than other US cities, being a Chef is not just a job—it’s an honor. Every year, we spotlight local chefs working to make a difference in Toledo’s food industry. Here, they serve up advice for home cooks, and divulge a few secrets about the gadgets, meals, and ingredients they can’t live without.
Photos Nick Amrhein of 3BYONE Media
Did you know?
While “food trends” might make you think of Instagram and chia seeds, financial analysts approach “what's trending” a little differently. Considering that new figures suggest that restaurant sales have topped grocery store spending in America for the first time ever, the national restaurant industry is having it’s year. How’s Ohio doing?
- 10% of Ohio employees work in a restaurant. (restaurant.org)
- 22,000 food service establishments call Ohio home. (restaurant.org)
- Toledo has 1418 restaurants (restaurantbusinessonline.com)
- T-town was ranked the 106th best place to open a restaurant in 2011, by the Nielsen Restaurant Growth Index.
- 2011 saw $1 billion of restaurant sales in Toledo. (Nielsen, RGI)
Ray Oka
POP Grille
Owner /Head Chef
3309 N Holland – Sylvania Rd.
419-517-5310
partyonthepalate.com
Describe your favorite meal:
Fresh sea bass with fresh veggies and brown rice.
What's in your home fridge?
Almond milk, organic veggies, organic juice, organic chicken, tofu, ice cream, sausage, eggs.
What's one easy tip or trick to fix a common cooking mistake?
Don’t overcook, and don’t overuse seasonings.
Eric Kish Rosie’s Italian Grille
Chef/GM
606 N McCord Rd.
419-866-5007
rosiesitaliangrille.com
What's your go-to ingredient?
Fresh herbs and produce.
Where do you look for inspiration?
I look atup-and-coming trends, and try to stay ahead of the curve.
Describe your favorite meal:
Anything my mom cooks.
Wes Wright Revolution Grille
Chef
5333 Monroe St. Ste. 22/23
419-841-0070
revolutiongrille.com
What's in your home fridge?
Champagne, beer, fresh lettuce, artisan cheeses, smoked salmon, kimchi, pesto, sundried tomatoes, milk, ginger, cilantro, freshly chopped garlic, dijon mustard with white wine and ketchup.
What's one easy tip or trick to fix a common cooking mistake?
Break a sauce at home? Add a touch of cream and whisk it in.
Where do you look for inspiration?
Seasonal ingredients, different types of proteins, unique flavor combinations, Asian/Middle Eastern/South American/Moroccan/European street foods and staples, as well as street food I can put my own spin on.
Joe Jacobsen Dégagé Jazz Cafe
Executive Chef/General Manager
301 River Road Maumee
419-794-8205
degagejazzcafe.com
What’s your go-to ingredient?
If all else fails, I always go for the pig.
Where do you look for inspiration?
Nothing inspires me more than visiting our local farmer’s markets or one of the local farms we source from. There’s a real connection to being able to see where your food comes from and the passion of those that grow and raise it.
What’s one easy tip or trick to fix a common cooking mistake?
A common mistake is Overcooked fish and poultry. If the deed’s been done, you can salvage overcooked protein by shredding it and adding some stock, water or sauce to rehydrate it.
Sean Moran Mancy's Steakhouse
Executive Chef
953 Phillips Ave.
419-476-4154
mancys.com
Favorite kitchen gadget?
Buffalo chopper.
What's your go-to ingredient?
Potatoes.
Describe your favorite meal:
A good burger, cooked to a perfect medium, with hand-cut fries and malt vinegar.
Moussa Salloukh La Scola
Chef/Partner
5375 Airport Hwy.
419-381-2100
lascolaitaliangrill.com
Burger Bar 419
5215 Monroe St.
419-724-7901
4400 Heatherdowns Blvd.
419-724-5844
burgerbar419.com
Where do you look for inspiration?
My mother’s cooking is the inspiration for me. Love is food, and food is love.
Favorite kitchen gadget?
Robot Coupe (combination food processor)
What's in your home fridge?
Fresh garlic, fresh vegetables, fresh fruit and a six-pack of Heineken.
Matt Lawrence Mancy’s Italian Grill
Executive Chef
5453 Monroe St.
419-882-9229
mancys.com
Describe your favorite meal:
Fresh bread, good olive oil, ripe tomatoes and sea salt.
What's in your home fridge?
Hot sauce and almond milk.
Favorite kitchen gadget?
My tongs.
Tino Amaya Amaya’s Fresh Mexican Grill
Chef/Owner
1470 Ford St. Maumee
419-482-5500
amayasmexicangrill.com
Favorite kitchen gadget?
Steam oven.
What’s your go-to ingredient?
Garlic.
Describe your favorite meal:
My favorite meal is a peasant dish: Pork tostadas with a grilled pineapple and fennel slaw. My mother used to make traditional tostadas, so whenever I make these for myself, I think of my mother and remember the wonderful flavors she would create with little to nothing in the cupboard.
Tony Bilancini Swig Restaurant
Beer Dude
219 Louisiana Ave., Perrysburg
419-873-6223
swigrestaurant.com
What's your go-to ingredient?
Since we are a charcuterie all types of meat is our common ingredient. I like to add booze to make it smile.
Where do you look for inspiration?
Old world cities and towns, my wife, and day dreaming.
What's one easy tip or trick to fix a common cooking mistake?
Adding whole potatoes to oversalted soups or sauces can help absorb some of it and the potato tastes awesome.
Bill Adamski Deet’s BBQ
Pitmaster
1385 Conant St., Ste. D., Maumee
deetsbbq.com
What's your go-to ingredient?
Butter, pepper, or Italian seasoning
Where do you look for inspiration?
I look to God every morning for strength and courage to help face what the day brings in a positive way. I look to my father, who taught me that hard work and long days are okay. For fun, I look to Guy Fieri from Food Network for styling tips and love for food!
Favorite kitchen gadget?
A good quality sharpening steel.
Justin Thomas M’ Osteria & Bar
Chef
611 Monroe St.
419-214-4222
mosteriatoledo.com
Describe your favorite meal:
Any style of tartare or crudo, followed by braised beef short ribs with a nice IPA.
What's in your home fridge?
Vegetables, fresh greens, some form of fresh beef, chicken, pork or fish. Fresh berries, iced tea, yogurt, Gatorade, and beer.
What's one easy tip or trick to fix a common cooking mistake?
Stock. Adding a little stock to a broken sauce and emulsifying it in will bring it back to life.
Reuben Easler The Winwell
Chef
3324 Secor Rd Ste.10
419-214-0909
thewinwell.com
What’s your go-to ingredient?
Chinese 5 Spice
Describe your favorite meal:
My favorite meal is very simple fresh vegetables, an exquisite cut of meat perfectly prepared, with an out-of-this-world sauce, paired with a killer Malbec.
Favorite kitchen gadget?
My Hobart (stand mixer).
Rob Campbell Stella’s Restaurant and Bar
Executive Chef
104 Louisiana Ave., Perrysburg
419-873-8360
stellasrestaurantandbar.com
What's your go-to ingredient?
Snake River Farms American Wagyu strip loin.
Where do you look for inspiration?
Food pictures always get my creativity rolling, but buying what’s in season and plentiful is the key.
Favorite kitchen gadget?
Wooden spoon.
Ian Regent Manhattan’s Restaurant
Chef
1516 Adams St.
419-243-6675
manhattanstoledo.com
Where do you look for inspiration?
For me, inspiration comes from many different places. Most often,I look back at places I’ve been and try to recreate the feeling of a particular moment or evening. A large part of my creativity also comes from seeing new ingredients in use in other dishes and attempting to recreate specific flavors in a different way.
Describe your favorite meal:
Some of my favorite meals are made at home, in quiet, with my wife and dogs. These usually revolve around pots of soup, or roasts and bread. Just-baked bread is decidedly a must.
What's one easy tip or trick to fix a common cooking mistake?
“Broken” sauces can usually fixed with cornstarch, water and a blender.
Jose Carlos Mendez Cocina de Carlos
Owner
27072 Carronade Dr., Perrysburg
419-872-0200
cocinadecarlos.com
Describe your favorite meal:
My dad has magic in his hands, and anything we cook tastes unique. Al pastor tacos, carnitas, huevos con chorizo and my spicy-cheese "mijas burrito.”
Favorite kitchen gadget?
Knife
What's one easy tip or trick to fix a common cooking mistake?
Salt, water and garlic fixes almost anything.
Elias Hajjar
Poco Piatti
Chef/Owner
3155 Chappel Drive Levis Commons, Perrysburg
419-931-0281
pocopiatti.com
What's your go-to ingredient?
Lamb.
Favorite kitchen gadget?
Boning knife.
What's one easy tip or trick to fix a common cooking mistake?
Don't overcook your vegetables. Keeping your cooked vegetables a little firm will keep the nutrients and flavor in the vegetable.
John Kim DOMO Sushi
Chef
6725 W. Central Ave.
419-214-0999
domotoledo.com
What's your go-to ingredient?
Rice and seaweed
Describe your favorite meal:
Steak and eggs.
Where do you look for inspiration?
I look to our guests.
Saif Dari Zaza Woodfired Pizza
Owner/Operator
3550 Executive Pkwy.
419-531-2400
zazawoodfiredpizza.com
What’s your go-to ingredient?
Tomatoes and peppers.
Describe your favorite meal:
Ground-Beef-and-Rice-Stuffed Squash (Kusa Mihshi): Trim and core zucchini; stuff loosely with long-grain rice, ground beef, garlic, salt and black pepper. In a large pot over low heat, combine tomato sauce, water, garlic, salt, black pepper, and dry mint. Add the stuffed zucchini to the tomato sauce, and cover, and cook for approximately 1 hour.
What's one easy tip or trick to fix a common cooking mistake?
For soups and stews, diluting with water and some lemon juice or vinegar helps to curb the saltiness.
Aaron Lawson Final Cut Steakhouse
Restaurant Chef
1968 Miami St.
419-661-5381
hollywoodcasinotoledo.com
Where do you look for inspiration?
I am always looking for seasonal ingredients available to pair with the best proteins in the market.
Describe your favorite meal:
Best restaurant experience was at Hemisphere restaurant in The Greenbrier Resort.
Favorite kitchen gadget?
Immersion circulator.
Craig Demars Hollywood Casino Toledo
Production Chef
1968 Miami St.
419-661-5200
hollywoodcasinotoledo.com
What's your go-to ingredient?
Fresh cracked black pepper
Where do you look for inspiration?
Parks. I love nature get many ideals through the years walking the trails, sitting by the streams. It clears your mind, and amazing things can happen.
Describe your favorite meal:
Chicken Oscar: chicken breast, white wine, King crab, white asparagus, sauce Bearnaise.
Billy Coyle Scene Restaurant
Executive Chef
1968 Miami St.
419-661-5388
hollywoodcasinotoledo.com/Dining/Scene
Describe your favorite meal:
I truly enjoy comfort foods, simply prepared with passion. Fresh salmon or a nicely aged ribeye.
Favorite kitchen gadget?
Mandoline.
What's one easy tip or trick to fix a common cooking mistake?
Don't rush things! Slow and low is almost always your best bet whether you are grilling or roasting. This helps preserve the natural juices in meats.
Robby Lucas Bar 145
Head Chef
5305 Monroe St.
419-593-0073
bar145toledo.com
What’s your go-to ingredient?
Salt and pepper.
Where do you look for inspiration?
Family, comfort foods, and community.
Describe your favorite meal:
Anything Chef Kengo makes.
Hochan Jang Balance Pan-Asian Grille
Co-Owner & Executive Chef
5860 W. Central Ave.
419-578-7777
514 The Blvd., Maumee
419-893-9999
balancegrille.com
What's your go-to ingredient?
Garlic
Favorite kitchen gadget?
My 10-inch Damascus chef knife
What's one easy tip or trick to fix a common cooking mistake?
Take your time to prep out all of your ingredients carefully and accurately, and measure everything out.
Chris Nixon Element 112
Executive Chef / Owner
5735 N. Main St., Sylvania
419-517-1104
element112restaurant.com
Where do you look for inspiration?
My inspiration comes from the seasons, walking through farmer’s markets, the latest challenging ingredients, and cookbooks from the world’s best chefs and restaurants. Origin, the Food of Ben Shewry, of Attica restaurant in Australia, and Benu of Benu San Francisco are my current favorites. I love to learn what other chefs are doing so that my menus are continually evolving. Once you think you know everything, there’s always something new and unique to try.
What's one easy tip or trick to fix a common cooking mistake?
Taste your food and check the seasoning often. Trust your tastebuds and make adjustments—it's what good cooking is all about.
Favorite kitchen gadget?
Pacojet (micro-puree)
Brent Billmaier Doc Watson’s
Chef
1515 South Byrne Rd.
419-389-6003
docwatsonstoledo.com
What's your go-to ingredient?
Hot chili peppers
Describe your favorite meal:
My favorite meal would have to be grilled bone-in veal loin chop, rubbed with rosemary, thyme and garlic, served medium rare with roasted vegetables. I love a good crispy char and crunch from a properly roasted or grilled vegetable.
Favorite kitchen gadget?
Either the smoker or Robot Coupe.
Ben Meyers Nick and Nino’s Coal Fired Grill
Kitchen Manager
391 N Telegraph Rd. Monroe, MI
734-244-5530
nickandninos.com
Where do you look for inspiration?
I look for inspiration in the food I work with every day. I like to walk into a cooler with no plans, and pick out ingredients that I think would work well together, and try to do something new and different.
Describe your favorite meal:
My favorite meal would have to be my dads homemade meatloaf and mashed potatoes, sitting at my parents dinner table.
What's one easy tip or trick to fix a common cooking mistake?
Taste as you go, you can always add more seasoning, but you can never take it away!
Li Yu
Spicy Tuna Sushi Bar & Grill
Chef/Owner
7130 Airport Hwy, Unit 10, Holland
(419) 720-9333
SpicyTunaSushi.com
Where do you look for inspiration?
Seeing and reading about ordinary people doing extraordinary things everyday inspires me. I also love Zig Ziglar.
What's your go-to ingredient?
Love cooking and eating spicy food, so hot peppers, chili powder—anything that adds a kick.
Favorite kitchen gadget?
Wok and ladle.
Eddy Park
Spicy Tuna Sushi Bar & Grill
Sushi Chef
7130 Airport Hwy, Unit 10, Holland
(419) 720-9333
SpicyTunaSushi.com
Favorite kitchen gadget?
Sushi knife
What's in your home fridge?
My wife's homemade kimchi is always in our fridge.
Describe your favorite meal:
Homemade Korean cuisine.
Tim Childers Rockwell’s Steakhouse
Executive Chef
27 Broadway St.
419-243-1302
mbaybrew.com
Where do you look for inspiration?
Lately it's been a lot of Jacques Pepin
Describe your favorite meal:
Grilled ribeye with mushrooms and pickled peppers, grilled asparagus and garlic bread, in the backyard with the fam.
What's one easy tip or trick to fix a common cooking mistake?
Make sure your pan is hot enough before you cook, and don't overcrowd the pan.
Seoung Cho Kyoto Ka
Chef
6801 W. Central Ave.
419-841-2070
kyotoka.com
Describe your favorite meal:
Kyoto Ka Salad: Fresh Tuna, Avocado, calamari salad, mixed with daikon radish and spice.
Favorite kitchen gadget?
Yanagi Knife
What's one easy tip or trick to fix a common cooking mistake?
Try to concentrate before you start making food. Learn something from your mistakes.
Jeffry Davidson Owens Community College
Student/Future Chef
30335 Oregon Rd, Perrysburg
567-661-7000
owens.edu
What's your go-to ingredient?
Sea salt.
Where do you look for inspiration?
Whether they are instructors or area chefs, I like to watch other chefs work; how they handle themselves when a situation gets difficult. Since I don't have a lot of experience yet, it is a great way to learn what to do when things when things don't go as planned. The instructors at Owens Community College are awesome, and I have had a chance to work with several area chefs. These experiences have been a great stepping stones to begin my culinary career.
What's one easy tip or trick to fix a common cooking mistake?
When baking something in the oven, turn your pans often during the cooking time to ensure even cooking. Most ovens do not heat evenly. This technique helps make sure you don't have some spots that are well done and spots that are undone.
