In today’s episode, I talk to chef Andy Doubrava from Rustic Canyon Restaurant in Los Angeles, California. His unique style doesn’t depend on rules, but is more focused on flavor and what local farmers have on offer at the weekly markets.
You’ll hear about the most iconic dishes on the menu at Rustic Canyon, and why he values working with local farmers and building those relationships. He talks about culinary inspiration and collaboration in his kitchen, the importance of treating one another with respect, and he shares an important word of advice for young cooks.
What you'll learn with chef Andy Doubrava
- The menu structure at Rustic Canyon 4:42
- How frequently the menu changes 6:31
- Unique sustainable farming relationships 7:43
- Chef Andy Doubrava focus on preservation 8:47
- The pandemic-era dinner series he hopes to bring back 10:33
- How Andy Doubrava describes his cooking style 12:23
- Finding the balance between being creating and running a business 13:41
- Why MSG might not be so bad 14:20
- On working with chef Jeremy Fox 15:16
- Defining simplicity 16:31
- Chef Andy Doubrava's colorful sources of inspiration 18:44
- The collaborative process in the kitchen 20:37
- How his cooks get to flex their creativity 22:51
- The scientific roots of Andy Doubrava's cooking 23:30
- Why he transitioned from a musician to a chef 24:33
- The connection between playing music and cooking 25:51
- Andy Doubrava's poignant advice for young chef’s 27:21
- His recipe for the perfect pork chops 30:25
- The “curveball” in his recipe for chops 34:12
- A little known fact about Andy Doubrava's food phobias 35:03
- Where to eat in Santa Barbara 37:18
- His guilty pleasure food 39:14
- Cookbooks to inspire you 40:25
- Kitchen pet peeves 42:13
- His favorite spice that he puts on everything 43:27
- Series of rapid-fire questions.
- Link to the podcast episode on Apple Podcast
Links to other episodes in Los Angeles
Links to most downloaded episodes (click on any picture to listen to the episode)
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- Rustic Canyon Restaurant in LA
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- Beets & Berries from Rustic Canyon
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- @weiserfamilyfarms Melon Dish from chef Andy Doubrava
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- Coal-grilled Maitake Mushroom & smoked strawberry hollandaise
