Episode 6: Ehren Ryan

“Basically I've taken bits and pieces of kitchens that I've worked for and I've created my own kind of process. I think that's the only way you can do it. Each kitchen is different. You're never going to replicate exactly the same kitchen anywhere. I've hopefully created a kitchen and a restaurant that are both consistent and produce high quality food within an atmosphere that people like to work in.”

What we covered In this episode

  • Restaurant “Common Lot” in Millburn, NJ and  its contemporary global cuisine style.
  • Chef Ryan's food experience while traveling in Asia, especially Thailand.
  • What compelled him to become a chef.
  • His time in Europe building his culinary expertise with chefs like Ashley Palmer-Watts and Pierre Ganière.
  • Who have been his most influential mentors.
  • What is his creative process.
  • The large collection of cookbooks that chef Ryan leverage for inspiration.
  •  Common Lot's tasting menu (“Kitchen Pass Menu”) rotating every six weeks.
  • A deep dive of the twelve hiour braised lamb shoulder “san choy boy” style.
  • “Sous-vide” is the one piece of equipment in the kitchen that chef Ryan cannot live without.
  • The importance of the hiring process in making the team united and communicate properly.
  • Discover that micro-cilentro is his irreplaceable ingredient.
  • Finger lime is his unique and unknown ingredient.
  • Rapid-fire questions

Create a Salmon Tartare with a twist

I always found salmon tartare to be you know if you get a good quality salmon, a simple tartare is stunning. We would dress it with Ponzu sauce, grated ginger over the top, fresh chillies and then serve it with some lettuce leaf you know like a baby lettuce and put it down the middle and eat it like that you know sprinkled with sesame seeds and micro coriander. I just love like that kind of sashimi kind of raw salmon.

For the homemade Ponzu sauce: take any citrus, sugar, soy sauce, vinegar of some description, some Bonito (which is like dried fish) and then you just basically incorporate that with a little bit of water and just make a little dressing with it. You can reduce and make sure the sugar is basically dissolve. It's a very simple dressing. 

Social media

Common Lot in Millburn, NJ www.commonlot.com 

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