Good Times: Area chefs share secrets, tastes of favorite dishes

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The after-hours swapping of professional secrets is part and parcel of virtually any profession, but when a bunch of chefs get together, it winds up being a party.

Last Friday, Chef by Request hosted its second annual chef party at its headquarters at 5100 Academy Drive in Lisle.

Executive chef David Miller said this year’s event included chefs who represented culinary schools, local restaurants, country clubs, catering companies and more.

“We had 17 chefs a year ago and have invited the same number back,” he said. “This is a chance for people in the same profession to hang out and see how other people do things and maybe swap stories or pick up an idea for a dish they’d like to make.

“But mostly, it’s a party where people can eat and drink and enjoy themselves.”

Friday night’s attendees included representatives from Rosebud, Capital Grill, four catering companies, a Naperville country club, two chef instructors from the College of DuPage, the corporate executive chef from Unilever Foods, plus a few culinary school graduates and hobbyist chefs, along with several participating chefs from the American Culinary Federation.

Chefs engaged in a friendly competition that tested their skills in three categories: a hot and cold appetizer, and a small entree competition. Jim Cressman from the Capital Grill won first place for the best hot appetizer. Cressman made seared diver’s scallop with a braised pork belly confit.

“Scallops are my favorite protein, and I love the contrasting textures of this dish with the crunchy wonton and the cold and warm components that come together,” Cressman said.

As for winning, Cressman said it was all in fun.

“This event isn’t any sort of competition,” he said. “It’s just a lot of fun hanging out with other people that do what you do.”

David Russell, corporate chef of Unilever Food Solutions in Lisle, brought hickory smoked pork shoulder and sausage that he said took seven hours to prepare. He also brought a huge pan of grits that were laced with three cheeses, including white cheddar and bleu cheese. Russell said the best part of the event was “seeing friends and pretending that I’m working.”

“There isn’t any professional jealousy here or concern about sharing recipes,” Russell said. “You can go on websites and get the recipes from world champions in barbecue, chili or whatever you want. But the odds of having something taste like that person made it are almost impossible. There are too many variables in ingredients and cooking conditions.”

Cressman’s father James was invited to attend the event again this year and brought with him eye-popping photographs he took of dishes made a year ago. The elder Cressman runs his own commercial and promotional photography business in Naperville and said shooting food magazine-quality pictures is a lot of fun.

“I think since I got my first camera back in 1970 that I’ve had an eye for pictures, and you have to be able to identity your subject first and then change it into a photograph,” he said. “The fun thing about this is I not only get to take the pictures but I get to eat the food, too.”

Miller said the party — which included a variety of drinks and “the lighting of the cigars, which lasted until 1 a.m. Saturday morning” — was a great success that would require yet another encore next year.

“I made a shrimp and mango ceviche, which everyone liked, and Liz Chaidez of Sprig Catering in Aurora tied me in the cold appetizer competition with an ahi tuna tartare,” Miller said. “Jessica Conover, who is the executive chef at McNally’s in St. Charles, wowed us with this perfected seared loin of lamb and a chicken roulade that was awesome.

“We’re already looking forward to next April and doing this all again.”