Artfully prepared dished of sustenance arrive at our tables and seldom do we consider the craftsmen behind the magic. Let’s meet a few of those artistic, magical rebels in the kitchens of your favorite local restaurants.
Carlos Mendez
Cocina de Carlos
27072 Carronade Dr. F
419-872-0200
cocinadecarlos.com
Food item you hated as a kid:
Avocados and liver. I like avocados now, but I don’t like liver.
Type of music you listen to when you cook:
Mexican Pop Rock in Spanish.
Number of tattoos:
0
If you went on a food tour around the world’s top 3 countries you’re definitely stopping in:
Japan, Peru and Mexico (south).
One word that describes how you feel about food…
Discoverer.
How many dishes on your menu right now are inspired by your childhood?
Maybe all, because I’m still a child in an adult’s body (according to what my parents and wife say haha).
If the world went vegan today – What are you making for dinner?
Mushroom tacos with roasted poblano salsa.
Long night in the kitchen…Coffee or energy drinks?
Coffee, not a fan of energy drinks.
What’s your gangster move in the kitchen?
Play with knives like a juggler.
Shrink-flation sucks: One tip for readers to stretch a dollar?
Never throw away leftovers. Use scrambled egg with leftovers wrapped in a tortilla for the perfect breakfast burrito.
If I weren’t a chef I would have been:
Marine Biologist.
Something I’ll never make as good as my mom:
Nothing, she has delicious seasoning. In fact, many recipes on our menus are from my parents.
Brandon Busby
Shorty’s True American Roadhouse
5111 Monroe St.
419-841-9505
mancys.com
Food item you hated as a kid:
Mushrooms.
Type of music you listen to when you cook:
Heavy metal, or folk music.
Number of tattoos:
2 and counting.
If you went on a food tour around the world, top 3 countries you’re definitely stopping in:
Cuba, Greece and Lebanon.
One word that describes how you feel about food:
Thankful.
How many dishes on your menu right now are inspired by your childhood?
None.
If the world went vegan today, what are you making for dinner?
Steak and Roasted Potatoes, y’all can have the salad.
Long night ahead with a packed house…Coffee or energy drinks?
Black coffee.
What’s your gangster move in the kitchen?
Remaining calm and collected in the fire.
Shrink-flation sucks: One tip for readers to stretch a dollar?
Buy the whole cow!
If we asked your staff, what would they say your famous line or mantra is?
Couldn’t be worse than Mother’s Day.
If I weren’t a chef I would have been:
A sous.
Something I’ll never make as good as my mom:
Literally anything. Best I’ve ever known.
Don McCluskey
Ye Olde Durty Bird
2 S. St. Clair St.
419-243-2473
yeoldedurtybird.com
Food item you hated as a kid:
Lima beans.
Type of music you listen to when you cook:
Blues or classic rock – Led Zeppelin.
Number of tattoos:
0.
If you went on a food tour around the world’s top 3 countries you’re definitely stopping in:
Italy, France and Spain.
One word that describes how you feel about food…
Happiness.
If the world went vegan today – What are you making for dinner?
Our Vegan Fauxlafel Burger.
Long night in the kitchen…Coffee or energy drinks?
Both.
What’s your gangster move in the kitchen?
Ideas.
Shrink-flation sucks: One tip for readers to stretch a dollar?
Research everything.
If we asked your staff, what would they say your famous line or mantra is?
Don’t celebrate mediocrity.
If I weren’t a chef I would have been:
Fireman or carpenter.
Something I’ll never make as good as my mom:
Ravioli.
Kasey Szirotnyak and Liz Anderson
Mancy’s Steakhouse
935 Phillips Ave.
419-478-4154
mancyssteakhouse.com
Food item you hated as a kid:
Liz: Cooked Carrots.
Type of music you listen to when you cook:
Kasey: Rock – Billy Idol.
Number of tattoos:
Liz: Who’s counting?
Kasey: Six.
If you went on a food tour around the world, top 3 countries you’re definitely stopping in:
Liz: India, Italy and Japan.
Kasey: Italy, Spain and Norway.
One word that describes how you feel about food…
Kasey: Love.
How many dishes on your menu right now are inspired by your childhood?
Liz: One right now, apple pear pie.
If the world went vegan today – What are you making for dinner?
Liz: Peanut butter and jelly sandwich.
Long night ahead with a packed house…Coffee or energy drinks?
Liz: Iced tea.
Kasey: Energy drink.
What’s your gangster move in the kitchen?
Kasey: Sweet spins.
Shrink-flation sucks: One tip for readers to stretch a dollar?
Liz: Budget and buy ingredients you can cross-utilize.
If I weren’t a chef I would have been:
Liz: A nurse.
Kasey: A geologist.
Something I’ll never make as good as my mom:
Liz: Sausage gravy.
Kasey: Thanksgiving dinner.
Victor Vermeulen
Rosaria’s on 3rd
135 W. 3rd St., Perrysburg, OH, 43551
567-898-2121
rosariason3rd.com
Food item you hated as a kid:
Belgian endives.
Type of music you listen to when you cook:
Kitchen speaker stays on shuffle! Personally, I’ve been enjoying a lot of modern soul, Thee Sacred Souls, Black Pumas, Michael Kiwanuka.
Number of tattoos:
4.
If you went on a food tour of the world, top three countries you’re stopping in:
Vietnam, Thailand, Lebanon.
One word that describes how you feel about food:
Critical.
How many dishes on your menu right now are inspired by your childhood?
None from my personal childhood, but many of the Barone family recipes have been a pleasure to learn and implement. Lots of heritage and pride in those dishes.
If the world went vegan today, what are you making for dinner?
Sautéed mushrooms on toast, with a bit of shallot and lemon. Breakfast, lunch and dinner!
Long night ahead with a packed house, coffee or energy drinks?
Shifting more towards coffee lately. Less sugar.
Shrinkflation sucks, one tip for readers to stretch a dollar:
Learn to break down a chicken! Very cost effective, and one chicken can be transformed into a plethora of different meals. Wings, thighs, breasts; soup, chicken salad, curry, you name it.
If we asked your staff, what would they say your famous line or mantra is?
You good?
If I weren’t a chef, I would have been:
Dead in a ditch.
Something I’ll never make as good as my mom:
Anything! Both of my parents are great cooks, and have always valued the importance of sitting down to eat as a family.
Matthew Hubbard
Rosie’s Italian Grille
606 N. McCord Road
419-866-5007
rosiesitaliangrille.com
If you went on a food tour around the world, top 3 countries you’re definitely stopping in:
Italy, Lebanon and Serbia.
One word that describes how you feel about food:
Comfort or love.
Long night ahead packed with a full house, coffee or energy drinks:
Energy drinks.
What’s your gangster move in the kitchen?
Organization.
Shrink-flation sucks, one tip for readers to stretch a dollar:
Make every ounce count, always look for deals, sales and coupons. Always count your pennies.
If we asked your staff, what would they say is your famous line?
Back to work now.
If I weren’t a chef I would have been:
If I were not a chef I would have gone back to my roots and enlisted in the United States military.
Something I’ll never make as good as my mother?
An attitude.
Eric Kisch, Executive Chef
If I went on a food tour around the world, top 3 countries I would definitely stop in:
Italy, Spain, Greece.
One word that describes how I feel about food?
Flavorful.
Long night ahead with a packed house, coffee or energy drinks?
Energy drinks.
What’s my gangster move in the kitchen?
Proactive, fix issues/problems before they become issues/problem.
If you asked my staff, what would they say my famous line or mantra is?
7 P’s: Prior, Proper, Planning, Prevents, Piss, Poor Performance.
Something I’ll never make as good as my mom?
Coffee Cake.
Jake Hart
Bar 145
5305 Monroe St.
419-593-0073
bar-145.com
Food item you hated as a kid:
Green Beans.
Type of music you listen to when you cook:
Classic Rock, AC/DC.
Number of tattoos:
16.
If you went on a food tour around the world, top 3 countries you’re definitely stopping in:
Spain, Italy and Greece.
One word that describes how you feel about food…
Fantastic.
How many dishes on your menu right now are inspired by your childhood?
One currently, hoping to add more soon.
If the world went vegan today – What are you making for dinner?
Caesar Salad.
Long night ahead with a packed house…Coffee or energy drinks?
Energy drinks: Yellow Red Bull.
What’s your gangster move in the kitchen?
Being able to control fire. LOL.
Shrink-flation sucks: One tip for readers to stretch a dollar?
Buy in bulk and compare price and quantity when making purchases.
If we asked your staff, what would they say your famous line or mantra is?
Today is a good day to cook.
If I weren’t a chef I would have been:
Trucker.
Something I’ll never make as good as my mom:
Fried Cornbread.
Casey Sadowski
Mancy’s Italian/Bottleshop
5453 Monroe Street
419-882-9229
mancysitalian.com/toledo-mancy-s-italian-grill-bottle-shop
Food item you hated as a kid:
Canned tuna fish. I cannot stand the smell even to this day. My parents used to put it in my stocking at Christmas when I was bad.
Type of music you listen to when you cook:
I tend to lean more towards rock on a regular basis and cannot go wrong with the golden era of pop punk. My favorite band is black sabbath.
Number of tattoos:
I have 14 tattoos with more planned.
If you went on a food tour around the world, top 3 countries you’re definitely stopping in:
I would love to travel to Greece, Paris, and India on the sole purpose of expanding my palate.
One word that describes how you feel about food…
Passionate.
How many dishes on your menu right now are inspired by your childhood?
I didn’t grow up in an Italian home, so the picks are sparse. Currently on our menu is a carrot cake from the very recipe from my childhood. Warm carrot cake resting on top of caramel sauce and topped with cream cheese frosting and pecans.
If the world went vegan today – What are you making for dinner?
Jackfruit pulled pork sandwiches with a vinegar-based BBQ sauce.
Long night ahead with a packed house…Coffee or energy drinks?
Energy drinks all the way. If it’s really busy I’ll get someone to shotgun a red bull with me.
What’s your gangster move in the kitchen?
Being able to multitask. It might not seem like much to you and me, but you’d be surprised at the amount of people who can’t. In the kitchen timing is everything. If you can’t have multiple things going on at once, you won’t survive.
Shrink-flation sucks: One tip for readers to stretch a dollar?
Don’t set standards for where you buy! Stop by that local vendor. Make a pitstop at the roadside stand, talk to your local farmers/ butchers. Develop a relationship with the little guy.
If we asked your staff, what would they say your famous line or mantra is?
“All art looks like sh*t until it’s finished. Keep going.” or “Take a breath.”
If I weren’t a chef I would have been:
A woodworker or anything that I can work with my hands and create.
Something I’ll never make as good as my mom:
Both of my parents cooked. My mom’s stuffed shells or chicken paprikash is something I don’t think I’ll ever be able to replicate. My dad would be pierogi. I make a pretty damn good pierogi, but it still doesn’t compare.
Damian Clarke (Executive Chef) and Adbessamad (Abdel) Hakimi (Rockwell’s Chef)
Maumee Bay Brewing Company
27 Broadway St.
419-243-1302
rockwells.mbaybrew.com
Food item you hated as a kid:
Damian: I have always disliked peanut butter.
Type of music you listen to when you cook:
Damian: RWB & Metal.. Pantera is my favorite band.
Abdel: I listen to Blues when i am cooking. My favorite band is Stevie Ray Vaughn.
Number of tattoos:
Damian: I have a total of 17 tattoos.
If you went on a food tour around the world, top 3 countries you’re definitely stopping in:
Abdel: Morocco, Italy and India.
One word that describes how you feel about food…
Damian: Torn, when you turn your passion into your career that can create some challenges.
Abdel: Love.
How many dishes on your menu right now are inspired by your childhood?
Abdel: There are 3 dishes inspired by my childhood, you can tell that there are items with a Moroccan flair and that comes directly from my childhood and being raised in Morocco.
If the world went vegan today – What are you making for dinner?
Damian: I think I would probably starve!
Long night ahead with a packed house…Coffee or energy drinks?
Damian: I think Redbull is a part of my uniform.
Abdel: Coffee all day. (Facts, he had a cup in his hand when we arrived to take his photo!)
What’s your gangster move in the kitchen?
Damian: A 3 foot flip with an omlet.
Abdel: When we are really busy and I have 10 sautee pans working at the same time plus the grill.
Shrink-flation sucks: One tip for readers to stretch a dollar?
Damian: Take advantage of our Monday – Thursday daily specials.
Something I’ll never make as good as my mom:
Abdel: I don’t think I will ever be as good as my mom’s cooking it’s one of the things I enjoy about my visits back home to Morocco.
