Chef's Extravaganza

Chef's Profiles from The Payson Roundup

Food lovers prepare for annual culinary event

By Felicia Megdal,
Roundup staff reporter

Monday, November 27, 2006

The Rim Country's top culinary notables are sharing their talents for a benefit to raise money for the Payson Public Library.

"We're so excited about this fund-raiser," said Library Director Terry Morris. "It will help us achieve our goal of enlarging your library."

The Library Friends of Payson and the Payson Roundup, will co-host this savory event -- A Taste of Rim Country. It's a slice of urban culture to enrich the local rural charm, featuring a wine tasting, unique desserts and tempting appetizers.

A Taste of Rim Country is scheduled for Saturday, Feb. 17 at the Tonto Apache Community Center.

And though tickets aren't available until early January 2007, planning is under way and the library seeks volunteers and other participants.

Tickets are $30 per person -- 50 percent of which is tax-deductible, and proceeds will benefit the Payson Public Library Expansion Project.

"A small library is a cornerstone in a growing community," Morris said.

The $1.4 million library expansion project is designed to fit the growing needs of Payson.

The plan calls for a 5,500-square-foot wing stocked with wireless internet access, 20 computer terminals and plenty of extra space.

"We want to be able to put the books back on the shelves to where they belong," Morris said.

So far, the Library Friends of Payson have raised about $150,000.

Last year, the Chef's Extravaganza garnered $5,637.

"We felt that it really went well last year," said Donna Hopkins, a friends volunteer. "We have much more lead time and many more chefs participating this year, which will let us doing interesting things."

As the expansion project comes to fruition, the library will hammer out the dollar details with the town. Morris said the group will model the funding on the first project -- the friends will pay for the interior furnishings while the town takes care of the building shell.

The 2007 Chef's Extravaganza participants include: Mike Kitts from Cedar Ridge Restaurant; Olive Matus from Creekside Steakhouse; Gerardo Moceri from Cucina Paradiso; Linda Weber from Fireside Espresso; Diane Frederick Bedsworth from Payson Regional Medical Center; Leoni Dobbins from The Red Elephant; Trent Rowley from The Rim Club Restaurant, Tamara Logsdon from Rimside Grill; Jan Marnell from Strawberry Lodge; and Greg Hart from Zane Grey Dining Room at Kohl's Ranch.

Editor's note: The Payson Roundup will feature each chef participating in the 2007 Chef's Extravaganza in the weeks leading to the event. Watch the Friday newspapers.

Chef profile

Linda Weber, co-owner of Fireside Espresso, has cooked all her life. Even so, to support her family, she worked as a registered nurse, specializing in labor and delivery. Nearly a decade ago, though, she decided to pursue her passion for food. Weber attended the Colorado School of the Rockies where she earned a chef's degree.

"It was the best time of my life," she said.

Last year, Weber and her son Michael moved to Payson from Southern California and bought Fireside Espresso. She'll take her talent for quiches and baked goods to the Chef's Extravaganza.

Linda Weber, Fireside Espresso

What's your favorite dish to cook? Why?

Jampasta (Jambalaya Pasta). It's delicious and quick.

What do you love to eat?

Italian food -- anything.

Do you enjoy cooking for pleasure?

Yes. It de-stresses me.

What got you into this business?

I used to work for a caterer in California in the form of a coffee shop. I decided to try it on my own.

What is your worst chef disaster?

Almost cutting my finger off with my new knives ... Murphy's Law.

What's the hardest part of your job?

Trying to get everything done on time without having a nervous breakdown.

What do you love most about your job?

The people and knowing how happy they are with the end result.

Tell us one thing about being a chef that people don't know?

It's not glamorous, but it's tremendously rewarding, creative and fun. It make me happy.

Is there a trade secret that every person who cooks should know?

Season everything well. Experiment with different flavors. Be creative.

Do you have any advice for someone who wants to become a chef?
It's good to know the basic cooking skills. But don't be afraid to try new things again. Be creative.

What challenges or benefit do you face working in a small town like Payson?

People's tastes differ, which makes it difficult to please everyone. I try.

What is in your refrigerator at home?

Not much. I buy as I need ... certain things for those recipes.

Steve Morken and Tamara Logsdon, Rimside Grill

Steve Morken and Tamara Logsdon said "enough" to their aerospace careers at Honeywell in Phoenix, and "hello" to a new life in Pine. Although Morken inherited cooking skills from his mother and grandmother, he pursued an 18-year stint in the corporate world instead.

"I don't know that (cooking) hit me until I was older," said Morken. "I did a lot of cooking for family and friends for a few years. I played there a few years, experimenting with Italian dishes. It's a good place to start."

Logsdon and Morken moved to the Rim Country in 2004 to start over.

"We looked at a couple of restaurants, but they didn't serve our needs," Logsdon said. "We wanted something for outdoor stuff -- a place big enough for events."

Questions for Morken and Logsdon

What's your favorite dish to cook? Why?

Steve: Salmon with dill sauce. Fish is great because there are so many quick, easy options.

Tamara: Linguine with clam sauce. It's simple and delicious.

What do you love to eat?

Steve: Italian food.

Tamara: Seafood and sushi.

Do you enjoy cooking for pleasure?

Steve and Tamara: Yes, we have lots of great cooks in our families and we have always loved to cook together.

What got you into this business?

Steve and Tamara: Our love of cooking. (We) were ready to get out of Phoenix and always loved Pine. This restaurant had what we wanted and room for large events and parties.

What is your worst chef disaster?

Steve: Cooked a butter sauce two hours for a special Oktoberfest meal, and then dropped the pan and had to start over.

Tamara: When I first started cooking, I put a glass pan on a hot stove. It exploded.

What's the hardest part of your job?

Steve and Tamara: Making sure everything is timed right (cooked, temperature, and so on) and multitasking among customers, employees and cooking.

What do you love most about your job?

Steve and Tamara: The interaction with customers and the compliments on our food, events and service.

Tell us one thing about being a cook that people don't know?

Steve and Tamara: There's a lot more than cooking involved in being a chef.

Is there a trade secret that every person who cooks should know?

Steve: Be creative.

What is your first memory of food?

Steve: Granny's gingersnaps and Mom's homemade breads.

Tamara: Pancakes with thick, "syrup butter." Dad always made it for me.

Do you have any advice for someone who wants to become a cook?

Steve and Tamara: Work in a restaurant first. Learn all areas from dishwasher, busser, server, line cook and finance. Then decide

What challenges or benefits do you face working in a small town like Pine?

Steve: Specialty item selection and quality groceries are limited. Benefits: Getting to know customers personally and seeing people we know wherever we go.

What is in your refrigerator at home?

Steve: Not a lot. We mainly eat at the restaurant -- water, tea, condiments and leftovers.

Leonie Dobbins, owner of the Red Elephant Bakery Cafe, operates the hideaway of teatime lovers throughout Rim Country. The eatery -- located in the backroom solarium of the Carpenter's Wife -- serves up much more, including homemade sandwiches, soups, salads and quiches. Dobbins said she'll serve up her special caramel-topped cookies and miniature quiches for the event.

Chef profile

What's your favorite dish to cook?

Bread baking is what I like to do most. I love the feel of kneading dough.

What do you love to eat?

Cheese and fresh-baked bread.

What is the most complicated dish you've ever made?

An Indonesian dish, "Rijstatfel," which means rice table. There are a lot of separate dishes to prepare.

Who inspired your love of food and cooking? When did you start cooking?

I started cooking when I was about 10. If my sister and I didn't bake, we never get cake and dessert unless my grandmother came to visit us annually.

What's your worst cooking disaster?

We are still looking for something to happen. It's still the early days for the Red Elephant. I have dropped a tray of glasses of iced tea.

What's the hardest part of your job?

Finding the time for the paperwork and getting enough help.

What do you love most about what you do?

Baking and cooking for people to enjoy and meeting and talking to the customers.

Tell us one thing about cooking that people don't know.

It's all in the timing.

Is there a trade secret that every person who cooks should know?

Yes. Don't give out trade secrets.

Do you have any advice for someone who wants to cook for a living?

Buy an apron and just go for it.

What's your favorite dish?

Currently, stir-fry cooked by my husband.

What's in your refrigerator at home?

Milk, OJ, yogurt, wine, vegetables, cheese and chutney.

Rick DePhilippis, executive chef/kitchen manager for Cedar Ridge Restaurant at the Mazatzal Casino.

What's your favorite dish to cook?

All Italian/Sicilian foods, which is my heritage. I grew up in the family business.

What do you love to eat?

Italian foods, salads, Mexican foods.

What is the most complicated dish you've ever made?

Apache acorn stew. I had to get it perfect to gain the approval of the tribe.

What inspired your love of food and cooking? When did you start cooking?

My mom and dad. I started cooking professionally at 14 and I've been cooking for 36 years now.

What is your worst chef disaster?

Snow days. No one can make it to work.

What's the hardest part of your job?

Working all the hours with no days off most of the time or no vacations.

Tell us one thing about cooking thatpeople don't know?

It's a very hard business. It takes a lot of hard work and dedication. People don't realize how hard it really is.

Is there a trade secret every person who cooks should know?

In this business, either you have it or you don't. Most people don't. It takes a lot of you.

Do you have any advice for someone who wants to cook for a living?

Start from the bottom. Learn the business from the ground up. They don't teach you that in culinary school.

It's very important.

What is your family's favorite dish?

Arrencinis (Italian for little oranges). They have a meat center surrounded by buttered rice and deep-fried with seasoned bread crumbs.

Jan and Adrian Marnell, owners of the Strawberry Lodge, came to the Rim Country like many of its residents -- to vacation

Jan Marnell, Strawberry Lodge

What's your favorite dish to cook?

Pasta dishes from scratch. I love making fresh pasta and sauces.

What do you love to eat?

All foods -- Thai, Italian, Latin influences.

What is the most complicated dish you've ever made?

Puff pastry from scratch. Too much rolling, folding and chilling.

Who inspired your love of food and cooking? When did you start cooking?

My mom. She is a great cook. I learned a lot from cooking with her. I started cooking professionally in 1999. Graduated in 2001 from the Art Institute of Phoenix, culinary arts program.

What is your worst cooking disaster?

We put a prime rib on for Saturday night. The pilot was out and we found out an hour before service that we had an uncooked prime rib.

What's the hardest part of your job?

Keeping up with the paperwork.

What do you love most about what you do?

Satisfying people and seeing them smile.

Tell us one thing about cooking that people don't know.

It's a 24-7 job.

Is there a trade secret that every person who cooks should know?

We all have our secrets. Keep them to yourself.

What is your family's favorite dish?

Pizza. Italian food.

What's in your refrigerator at home?

Eggs, milk, juice. We mostly eat at the Lodge.

Zane Grey Steakhouse chef uses hands-on approach to cooking

By Erin Turner, Roundup staff reporter

Friday, January 19, 2007

The Rim Country's top culinary notables will share their talents for a benefit to raise money for the Payson Public Library expansion project.

The Library Friends of Payson and the Payson Roundup co-host this savory event, A Taste of Rim Country, scheduled for Saturday, Feb. 17, at the Tonto Apache Community Center.

General admission tickets are now available.

Fifty percent of the ticket cost is tax-deductible. Funds raised will go toward the $1.4 million library expansion project, designed to fit the growing needs of Payson.

The plan calls for a 5,500-square-foot wing complete with wireless Internet access, 20 computer terminals and extra space.

Chef profile: Kevin DeWitt

What do you love to eat?

Fresh-roasted free-range chicken with dinner rolls.

What is the most complicated dish you have ever made?

Crusted veal loin with summer squash and lemon pepper linguini, ratatouille jus and spring flower salad.

What inspired your love of food and cooking?

My aunt was very influential in the restaurant business. She took my sister and me to the French Quarter in New Orleans, where we met famous chefs. After that, I knew that's what I wanted to do.

What is your worst cooking disaster?

When I was about 11 or 12 years old, I made a vodka cream sauce for the first time. It tasted terrible.

What is the hardest part about your job?

Guessing how much to prepare for dinner service.

What do you love most about what you do?

Cooking for people, and teaching younger people to cook with the same care and passion that I do.

Do you have advice for someone who wants to start cooking?

Learn all you can from people around you and always ask questions about things you're not sure about.

Is there a trade secret that every person who cooks should know?

Touch, taste and smell everything you prepare.

What is in your refrigerator at home?

Eggs and milk.

PRMC chefs work as a team

By Erin Turner, Roundup staff reporter

Friday, January 26, 2007

The Rim Country's top culinary notables will share their talents for a benefit to raise money for the Payson Public Library expansion project.

The Library Friends of Payson and the Payson Roundup, will co-host this savory event, A Taste of Rim Country, scheduled for Saturday, Feb. 17 at the Tonto Apache Community Center.

General admission tickets are now available.

Fifty percent of the ticket cost is tax-deductible. Funds raised will go toward the $1.4 million library expansion project, designed to fit the growing needs of Payson.

The plan calls for a 5,500-square-foot wing stocked with wireless Internet access, 20 computer terminals and extra space.

Chef Profiles:

Maria Cohen, Kristy River, Geraldine Vaccaro, Helen Young

What is your favorite dish to cook?

Cohen: Enchiladas and Italian food.

River: Almost anything.

Vaccaro: Pizza.

Young: Simple ones.

What do you love to eat?

Cohen: Everything.

River: Mexican food and seafood.

Vaccaro: Seafood.

Young: Anything that someone else plans.

What is the most complicated dish that you've ever made?

Cohen: Chicken-fried chicken -- it's very time consuming.

River: None, yet.

Young: I try not to cook too many complicated meals.

What inspired your love of food and cooking?

Cohen: I have an internal passion for cooking.

River: Watching my mom and dad cook.

Vaccaro: My family would get together every Sunday -- the food preparation and cooking was an integral part of the day -- I loved it.

Young: I like to eat.

What was your worst cooking disaster?

Cohen: Burning rice.

River: Just minutes before serving a catered meal I dropped the whole pan of chicken on the floor.

Vaccaro: When making lemon meringue pie, the filling wound up on top. I don't know why!

Young: Sugarless brownies.

What is the hardest part about your job?

Cohen: Cleaning up.

River: Trying to figure out how much to cook so I don't run out.

Vaccaro: The cleanup and having time to do everything.

Young: Standing on my feet all day.

What do you love most about what you do?

Cohen: Making my own recipes.

River: The people I work with and working with the public.

Vaccaro: Patient satisfaction.

Young: Meeting new people and serving my friends.

Do you have advice for someone who wants to start cooking?

Cohen: Ask questions and have a passion. Teamwork.

River: If it's what you really want to do -- go for it!

Vaccaro: Start young and go to school.

Young: Have fun.

Is there a trade secret that every person who cooks should know?

Cohen: Be organized.

River: Remember to cook by temperature, not by time.

Vaccaro: Use your intuition and visual presentation is a must.

Young: Cook by temperature and not by time or looks.

What is in your refrigerator at home?

Cohen: Vegetables, fruit, meat, milk, cheese and eggs.

River: Water, milk, cheese and leftovers.

Vaccaro: Hot sauce, eggs and homemade soup and stew.

Young: Not much.