Todd's Taste Of Summer In San Francisco
From his internationally renowned restaurants to his recognition as one of People Magazine's "50 Most Beautiful People," Todd English is truly one of the most acclaimed charismatic, and respected chefs not only within the industry, but in the world. He is an American celebrity chef, restaurateur, author, and television personality, based in Boston, Massachusetts. English has earned an endless amount of accolades during his booming career. He has been featured on the Today Show, Good Morning America, Iron Chef USA, and CBS This Morning.
Todd English stole the show at Macy's Culinary Council in Santa Clara, CA on Saturday, June 11th with his delectable summer specialties. From tangy gingery lemongrass iced tea to succulent skirt steak with sweet corn raita, he whipped up quite a commotion amongst the audience and tantalized their taste buds. Not only did he capture his audience's heart with his mouthwatering dishes, but he stirred up the show with some lighthearted witty comments and enjoyable sense of humor.
"The only difference between a live cooking show and a cooking show on TV is that you can actually smell what's going on in the kitchen. Smellivision hasn't been created yet," he exclaimed in the midst of the preparation process. I had the great pleasure of sitting down with Todd after the show to learn more about him and his expertise.
He believes the ultimate purpose of Macy's Culinary Council is the reach. "From the standpoint of who their demographic is and how many people they touch. Just the New York store alone itself...That hits a billion people or a billion dollars... Something crazy," he stated.
As he enlightened the audience about "umami" and how the blend of sweet and savory is all the rage these days, he emphasized that in 2017 it'll be more about "no gluten and less starchy food. There'll be more protein and greens and ethnic foods will be in more because of their flavors with health certainly being a huge aspect of it."
Back in his earlier days, English tried a couple things and as soon as he entered the kitchen, he realized it was where he belongs. He attended culinary school and told himself this is it and this is what he's going to pursue. He added that he gains his inspiration from his aunts and uncles who were all chefs.
Nowadays with online food delivery services like Blue Apron and Munchery, cooking has gotten easier than ever before, but does it take away from the real chef experience? In fact, English finds them helpful by providing users with guidance and gets people cooking. "I think it's going to continue to grow. People like it. They do it. I think it's great," Todd stated.
When it comes to vital cooking gadgets, Todd simply can't live without a blender and meat grinder. He also loves Japanese medallions due to his love for shaving certain foods thinly. When Todd's not cooking up a storm in the kitchen, he enjoys listening to music, and playing tennis and golf.
"Cooking is life. That's what it means to me. It's about nurturing. It's about health and wellness." –Todd English
For more about Chef Todd English and the other chefs on Macy's Culinary Council, visit macys.com/culinarycouncil. Keep up on their events by following @CulinaryCouncil on Twitter.