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Laurent Tourondel
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BLT DC: Victor Albisu – the heart of a chef
Victor Albisu was appointed chef de cuisine at BLT Steak DC nearly two years ago. With a Cuban father and a Peruvian mother who were both from “very intense cooking cultures,” and summers spent helping out at his family’s restaurants in Miami, Albisu seemed predestined for a culinary career. Yet, at one point in his life, he was headed in a completely different direction. Then his career path took an unexpected turn, and he made his way back into the kitchen. Creative and always evolving his skills, he is definitely at his happiest there.
What are some of your favorite childhood food memories?
I started cooking at a very young age. My grandfather was a baker in Cuba. You could find me at a very young age standing on milk crates or telephone books to watch him make empanadas. I was always very involved. I used to go to Miami every summer to help out in the family business. I’d press Cuban sandwiches, brew coffee, or make croquetas. I guess it could have been seen as child labor anywhere else, but I enjoyed it too much to consider it work!
So you always knew you wanted to continue the tradition?
Yes, but at first I didn’t take it seriously; I never opened my eyes to it as a career. I studied international relations, I was very much into political science, and I worked in international development after I graduated from college.
Then what happened?
One day I woke up and realized that I was sitting in a cubicle, staring at a computer, and I wanted to shake it off. So I did. I had just bought a house, so I sold it; same with my car. I even broke up with my fiancée! Then I moved to Paris to learn how to really cook. A lot of people thought I was crazy!
Who is your biggest influence in the kitchen?
My grandfather—he still means the world to me, and I find inspiration in his memory. He died when I left for college, so he never really got to see me cook. I try to honor him in the kitchen by being as creative as I can.
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F. Rozzo & Sons
Bring up Laurent Tourondel, and Louis Rozzo effuses. The fourth-generation F. Rozzo & Sons fish purveyor took some time to chat about the history of the business, himself, and his client and dear friend, Laurent.
How would you define your relationship with Laurent?
I have a tremendous amount of respect for him, and every time I’m with him we have fun. I realize there are a lot of fish guys out there, so besides the friendship, as a business partner I know that he relies on me to provide the best product.
What is the backstory on F. Rozzo & Sons?
We started in 1900 with my great-grandparents, who came over from Italy. While my great-grandfather started off as a gravedigger, my grandmother took a job filleting fish and was earning five times as much as he was, so they decided to start their own business.
What was it like back then?
My father used to tell me that the Fulton Fish Market was run by the Irish, and that at first they wouldn’t let my great-grandfather buy any fish until his wife’s boss, who was Irish, vouched for him. He peddled his first box of fish back in his neighborhood and made more money on that box than he did in two weeks working as a gravedigger. Back then, he would go down to the market in a horse and buggy. Now take this next story as you will, but apparently my greatgrandfather would sometimes fall asleep in the back of the buggy, but since the horse went to the market so often, he knew exactly where to go!
Aside from the mode of transportation, how has the fish business changed?
While my father used to buy all his fish from Fulton Street, I buy mine direct from commercial fisherman. The technology of freight, the way fish can be packed and shipped, now gives me a huge advantage. I buy fish from Brazil, Ecuador, Holland, and France. There’s a much greater variety available today.
What does Laurent favor?
While he wants fish that is exotic and interesting, his overall concern is quality, so he prefers fish that I can get locally. I can get sea bass, eight or nine hours out of the water, directly to his restaurant.
What can diners expect from the sea on the fall menu?
Ocean striped bass, black sea bass, fluke–there’s a lot of beautiful local fluke around. Also, local monkfish.
Anything new and exciting?
Yes, I’m actually going to be the first guy to bring in Alaskan king crabmeat uncooked, sashimi quality. I have been very impressed with the quality of this product, and it’s a perfect fit with Laurent’s philosophy.
What is your favorite dish on a BLT menu? I have to admit that BLT Fish
is one of my favorite restaurants in New York City, and Amy, Laurent’s protégé there, does a whole red snapper that is out of this world. Also, the black cod at BLT Market is to die for.
Do you have preferences when it comes to pairing fish and wine?
I’m unconventional in that I really enjoy red wine, and all of Laurent’s restaurants offer a great selection. My favorite is an Opus.
What’s your favorite fish?
That’s a tough question, because I love fish. I sell to 300 restaurants, and I try to eat my fish in every one of them. It’s just my passion–I enjoy them all thoroughly.
What’s your favorite at-home preparation?
I’m not really one to kill it with a lot of sauce. I love to take a fluke that I know was swimming just this morning or late last night, fillet it, and sauté it with a little butter and some salt. I prefer to really taste the fish on its own.
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Put to the Test
Daniel Boulud and Laurent Tourondel, blindfolded.
No agenda, no script, only one rule–no peeking. Just two very accomplished chefs (and longtime amis) getting together for a friendly gustatory challenge–which was more about having fun than any kind of test.
Both chefs are passionate about their profession, and focused on turning out the best food, no matter what venue it may be. They each have made their mark on the dining scene in New York and around the world. The taste test was originally planned just for Laurent to challenge Daniel at BLT Steak. But the tasting was so much fun for the chefs that Daniel decided to invite Laurent Tourondel to his place, Restaurant Daniel, to do a taste test of his own.
BLT Steak Chef de Cuisine Christopher Lim, who worked for Daniel both at Restaurant Daniel and Café Boulud, couldn’t resist the chance to get in on the action. He brought out the components of a butternut-squash soup to challenge his old boss, but Daniel was up to the task and named off each ingredient in swift succession.
DB: Ah, that was a great test. Laurent had to scratch his brain as hard as I did. The thing about this is that you have no idea what the challenging chef is doing, what he is thinking, or where he is going with the concept of a dish. Breaking it down like this blindfolded, your mind wants you to try to make flavor associations. And so you have to bring your taste buds into the process of asking “What could this be?” Most people eat with their eyes first, so what you see definitely influences taste.
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The Heart of a Chef – BLT DC – Victor Albisu
Victor Albisu was appointed chef de cuisine at BLT Steak DC nearly two years ago. With a Cuban father and a Peruvian mother who were both from “very intense cooking cultures,” and summers spent helping out at his family’s restaurants in Miami, Albisu seemed predestined for a culinary career. Yet, at one point in his life, he was headed in a completely different direction. Then his career path took an unexpected turn, and he made his way back into the kitchen. Creative and always evolving his skills, he is definitely at his happiest there.
What are some of your favorite childhood food memories?
I started cooking at a very young age. My grandfather was a baker in Cuba. You could find me at a very young age standing on milk crates or telephone books to watch him make empanadas. I was always very involved. I used to go to Miami every summer to help out in the family business. I’d press Cuban sandwiches, brew coffee, or make croquetas. I guess it could have been seen as child labor anywhere else, but I enjoyed it too much to consider it work!
So you always knew you wanted to continue the tradition?
Yes, but at first I didn’t take it seriously; I never opened my eyes to it as a career. I studied international relations, I was very much into political science, and I worked in international development after I graduated from college.
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The Betsy Restored
BLT Steak Heads to South Beach
The Betsy hotel is a majestic presence, a fact confirmed nightly by people out for an evening stroll who pause to admire the unique façade and then ascend the stairs for drinks or dinner at BLT Steak.
Designed in the early 1940s by L. Murray Dixon, and the lone remaining example of Georgian architecture on South Beach’s Ocean Drive, Betsy has been completely reconditioned over the past two years by the design team of Pedersoli and Santoro working with the firm of Beilinson-Gomez. The space is stylish but not trendy, a modern classic that is unforgettably cool, refined, and friendly, giving way to a hospitality experience that seamlessly bridges past and present.
The Renewed Betsy Hotel is an Inviting Sanctuary Realizing a vision for excellence rooted
in the continuity of enduring tradition, light filters floor to ceiling through windows into an exquisite lobby, inviting restaurant and hotel visitors to relax and talk about things that matter. Potted palms create a unique tropical-colonial ambience. Vestibules and stairways reveal the work of artists with a world view. The renewed Betsy hotel is an inviting sanctuary with 63 guest suites, each adorned in a palette of whites accented by rich, dark wood and touches of grass green, coral red, lilac, and ochre; intuitive room amenities abound.
Eco-friendly bookmarks imprinted with the words of great poets are gifted each evening to visitors, who can purchase books from Betsy room libraries on departure. Just up an easy
flight of stairs, accented by a breathtaking white sail positioned to impact exposure to elements, a rooftop solarium offers sweeping ocean views.
Betsy’s Legacy is Rooted in Events and Experiences that Shaped Our Nation Proud to serve as military barracks for soldiers during World War II, Betsy’s legacy is rooted in events and experiences that have shaped our nation. In the 1960s, Jackie Gleason chose South Beach as a location for his weekly series, broadcasting a black-and-white version of Ocean Drive. Ten years later, Betsy hosted Gloria Steinem and the National Organization for Women during the 1972 Democratic Convention. In the 1980s, South Beach was revealed in living color as a backdrop for myriad episodes of Miami Vice, revealing an Art Deco oasis and inspiring new appreciation for the area. The 1980s also witnessed Calvin Klein on location, followed by a multitude of fashion and entertainment projects, including the movie Scarface. A 1996 release of The Birdcage opened with a scene of South Beach. In the same year, designation by the National Register of Historic Places protected properties like The Betsy Ross Hotel from destruction, and served as the primer on canvas from which can emerge a completely restored and refined hospitality icon, The Betsy Hotel, and culinary partner, BLT Steak.
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cheri oteri – why i love this place
Comedienne and actress Cheri Oteri has graced both the small and silver screens with her wit and style. After joining famed Los Angeles comedy group The Groundlings in the early 1990s, she was discovered by Saturday Night Live and hired as part as a new cast responsible for the show’s resurgence in 1995. After five years, she left to work on a variety of movies, guest starring on several TV series. She recently wrapped up writing a screenplay that she finished between bites of tuna tartare at the raw bar at BLT Steak LA.
How did you discover BLT Steak LA?
I love to go out and discover new restaurants. A friend mentioned BLT to me shortly after it opened, and I was immediately impressed with the food, service, and setting. And then when I discovered they had a raw bar as well, I went nuts!
What is your favorite part of the dining experience at BLT Steak LA?
Where do I start? Everything from the food to the dé cor–it’s all fantastic! In a way, it reminds me of old Hollywood, but updated. Funny story: a long time ago I used to work at A&M Records, and one of the department heads, who was quite a character, used to hold court there when it was Le Dome, so the space has always intrigued me. Now when I walk into BLT, it feels cozy but open at the same time. I don’t know if it’s the seating or the lighting, but it’s exciting to be there. I love to people watch, and every table affords a great view of both the whole restaurant and the veranda.
Cocktail or Champagne: neither–wine
Red or White: red
Salad or Tuna Tartare: tuna tartare
Filet or Rib Eye: filet
Baked Potato or Parmesan Gnocchi: au gratin!
Crepe Soufflé or Chocolate Chestnut Sundae: chocolate chestnut sundae
If you could treat anyone to dinner at BLT Steak, who would it be?
That’s a tough one, because I am always bringing people to BLT. When I think of a place to treat friends from out of town, BLT is the best spot, and it never fails to please! If you are talking celebrity wise, I would say Oprah–although I have a feeling I would appreciate the food more than she would!
Do you consider yourself a foodie?
Well, I really enjoy food and appreciate a well-cooked meal. I work out to support my eating habits! I like to cook at home as well.
What are some of your favorite food memories?
We have an Italian tradition on Christmas Eve called “the night of seven fishes.” When I was a kid, I always associated the kind of fish my grandma served with what the older relatives liked, not the younger ones. But I loved the idea of the tradition and getting dressed up for the event, so I’ve carried on an updated version. Last year, I served miso black cod, yellowtail sashimi, crab cakes, baked potatoes with caviar and salmon roe, and teriyaki salmon, among others–all dishes I consider fun seafood!
What food staples are always in your kitchen?
Arugula, white and red clam sauce, angel hair and linguini pasta, chicken breasts, and sparkling water.
Favorite food and go-to spot?
Since I’m from back east, shellfish was always such a big deal in the summer. I have a hard time finding good places for shellfish out here in LA, and when I do it’s usually disappointing. My favorite spot to go to for pasta and crabs is called Carmen Has Crabs, on the Jersey Shore. Nothing beats dipping crabs in the tomato sauce to create that greattasting gravy!
Where did you last go on vacation?
Actually, it was the Jersey Shore. I lost my father recently, and going to the Shore reminds me of vacations as a kid. I have a lot of friends there that I grew up with and who knew my dad, so in a way it was both a vacation and a sentimental journey home.
What can we expect from you next–either on or off screen?
I am directing a movie that starts filming this summer. The location is still in question, but it will be somewhere on the East Coast. I wrote the screenplay also. It will reflect a lot of my childhood memories.
Do you have a motto you follow in relation to food?
Indulgence with discipline. I believe in enjoying the food you like infused with discipline–which can be either smaller portions or, in my case, working out!
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Yogurt-Marinated Jamison Lamb Loin
Feta & Arugula Salad, and Pickled Ramp Vinaigrette
Serves 6
Marinade
The peel of 1 lemon, white pith removed
4 scallions, sliced
2 garlic cloves
1 tablespoon fresh rosemary leaves
5 sprigs mint
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1/4 teaspoon turmeric
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon coriander
1 teaspoon paprika
6 tablespoons plain Greek yogurt
3 Jamison lamb loins (about 1 1/2 pounds each), halved widthwise
Cooking Instructions
Marinate the Lamb Combine all ingredients for the marinade in a blender, and puree until smooth, about 1 minute. Pour the marinade into a shallow pan and add the lamb in a single layer. Cover and refrigerate overnight, turning the meat from time to time.
Grill the Lamb Preheat grill to mediumhigh heat. Remove the lamb from the
marinade and transfer to a platter. Season with salt and pepper. Grill lamb for 3 minutes on each side for medium rare. To check for doneness, make a small cut in the center or, better yet, insert an instant-read thermometer in the thickest part of the meat. The temperature should read 140 to 150ºF. Allow lamb to rest for 5 minutes.
Salad
1 zucchini, halved and shaved on a mandolin, keeping the core intact
4 ounces feta cheese, medium dice
2 cups arugula
12 leaves mint, chiffonade
1 cup grape tomatoes, halved
Salt and pepper
Vinaigrette
2 tablespoons pickled ramps, chopped
3 tablespoons olive oil
Juice of half a lemon
Salt and pepper
Make the Vinaigrette In a small bowl, combine the pickled ramps, olive oil, and lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper. In another mixing bowl, add the zucchini, feta cheese, arugula, mint, and tomatoes. Dress with the vinaigrette and set aside.
To Serve Slice the lamb into 1/4-inch pieces. Divide evenly among 6 plates and serve immediately, with the feta and arugula salad on the side.
JAMISON FARM
“A happy lamb is a tender lamb,” owner John Jamison of Jamison Farm likes to say. On a picturesque, 210-acre farm located in the rolling Appalachian foothills, John and his wife, Sukey, harvest about 5,000 lambs each year, which then make their way to some of the finest kitchens in the world. Their incomparable flavor–lean, firm, tender meat–is the product of a hormone-, antibiotic-, and herbicide-free diet. Nine months out of the year, the sheep graze on bluegrass and white clover, while during the winter months they are hand-fed only hay and corn.
You can find Jamison Farm lamb on the menu at BLT Steak and BLT Market in New York City. Visit www.jamisonfarm.com.
SATUR FARMS
For BLT restaurant chefs, Satur Farms, located on the North Fork of Long Island, is like having a veget
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BLT Steak Hong Kong
Going International: French Chef, American Steakhouse, Asian City
Laurent Tourondel has always been interested in the bounty of different ingredients, the intense flavors of the foods, and the diversity of cultures in Asia. No city represents this mix more than Hong Kong.
On one particular trip there he met Sandeep Sekhri, managing partner and founder of Dining Concepts, an innovator in bringing Western-style restaurants to the island and one of Hong Kong’s preeminent hospitality groups. Tourondel and Sekhri quickly recognized the potential synergies between the two companies and decided on a partnership for what became the first Asian outpost of BLT Steak. Located at Ocean
Terminal in the Tsim Sha Tsui area, the heart and soul of Hong Kong at the very tip of the Kowloon Peninsula, BLT is right on the water’s edge and boasts unrivaled views of Hong Kong Island. The dining room’s floor-to-ceiling windows open onto a sunny terrace, where diners take in the full spectrum of the harbor’s activity. At night, there is perhaps no better place to take in just how spectacular the Hong Kong skyline really is.
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Widow’s Hole
An Oyster Revival on Long Island
Nestled in the Peconic waters between Greenport and Shelter Island, Long Island, American oysters are thriving, thanks to Widow’s Hole oysters, despite all but becoming extinct in these parts by 1980. Each week, New York’s finest eateries, including BLT Fish and BLT Prime, get the pick of the crop delivered the day they were harvested by owner Mike Osinski. It just doesn’t get any fresher than that.
A little over a century ago, 30 oyster companies thrived in the square-mile village of Greenport Harbor, all thanks to an eastern oyster called the Crassostrea virginica or American oyster. It was a time when coastal natives subsisted on oysters as an exotic appetizer to a great extent; oysters were a seasonal staple, especially when other food stocks ran low. But diets changed, pollution affected the waters, and a parasite that preyed on seed oysters threatened the entire mollusk population.
Fast-forward to 2003, when Mike Osinski sold his software business in the city and moved his family to Greenport. His waterfront property, overlooking the Greenport harbor, included the rights to the underwater land–basically, his own front yard in the sea. With grand ambition and time on his hands, Mike decided to dive in and attempt to revive the local oyster industry. “It was a lot of trial and error,” he candidly admits, while thankfully acknowledging this is now his fifth year to ship oysters successfully. To ensure a healthy population, Mike does not harvest any wild oysters, but instead selects from the more than 300,000 that he cultivates each growing season.
Early each summer, Mike buys “seed,” or young oysters, usually four to five millimeters in length, from different hatcheries in the area and suspends them in 50-gallon barrels below docks in Widow’s Hole, a small cove of algae-rich water. “Water is pumped through the barrels to expedite growth before we sort through them in August,” Mike explains. “We then move those larger than one inch to the bay inside PVC bags shelved in cages.” The following spring, the oysters are again sorted, the bags cleaned, and the mollusks again moved–first to intertidal waters where they are exposed to surf and air, and then to deeper waters to fatten. “By September, when they are roughly 18 months old, we begin to harvest the fastest growers, always careful to facilitate shell hardening and resistance to parasites by placing them in the water for a day or two at a time.”
American oysters have long been renowned for their unique taste and high meat content, and these oysters are no exception. With constant exposure to the bay’s many nutrients that are continually funneled across their beds, Widow’s Hole oysters present a tasty representation of the East Coast’s finest: delicate yet succulent, with more of a briny edge than some. Largely through his efforts, Mike is putting Greenport back on the map by helping it retrieve its historical claim to fame.
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Eriq La Salle – Why I love this place
Eriq La Salle, best known for his portrayal of Dr. Peter Benton on the
NBC smash medical drama ER, has a long list of acting credentials
to his name, on both the small and silver screens. Having made a
smooth transition into directing and producing, with his production
company Humble Journey Films, La Salle is as comfortable behind
the camera as he is in front of it. As a restaurant and food enthusiast,
Eriq enjoys being able to count on a great meal at BLT while he’s at
home in Los Angeles or in New York, where he’s just wrapped up
directing an episode of the hit NBC show Law & Order: SVU.
What is your favorite dish at BLT Steak LA?
Even though I’m not a meat eater, I’m a big fan of the seafood
and chicken dishes at BLT Steak, as well as the appetizers and the
popovers.
Do you have a favorite table?
It depends on my mood: If I’m with friends, anywhere is good;
but if I’m feeling mellow, I prefer a quieter spot.
Have you dined at any other BLT restaurants
across the country?
Because I like the BLT in L.A. so much, I tried the original
location in New York during a recent visit and was equally
impressed!
What is your beverage of choice?
I enjoy the Summerland Pinot Noir.
What are some of your favorite food memories?
My mother’s cooking set the standard growing up. I love
eating well when I travel abroad, and I especially enjoy
the food in Italy, where I often frequent.
What is your favorite food indulgence?
Olive oil with warm bread. I also have a weak spot for
chocolate desserts and crème brûlée, and I do enjoy
seasonal fruits.
Do you consider yourself an adventurous eater–and
if so, what’s the most unusual meal or ingredient you
have ever tasted?
I sampled the “pistol” of a conch in Turks & Caicos,
which I think solidifies my qualifications as an
adventurous eater!
Do you enjoy cooking?
I love to cook. My signature dish would have to be
seafood, ideally crab or lobster, cooked in my Japanese
smoker.
Eight seasons with ER meant you were on set for long
hours, day in and day out. What was your approach to
maintaining a good diet?
It’s easier to find a plentiful supply of junk food at craft
services than any variety of interesting healthier options,
so self-discipline is the key.
What is your favorite way to spend a day off in L.A.?
Up in the mountains, on a lake.
Your career started in front of the camera and now
includes more time behind it: producing, directing,
and even cowriting screenplays. What aspect do
you enjoy most?
They are all blessings, but the most challenging and
rewarding is directing.
What can we expect from you next,
either on or off screen?
I recently directed another episode of Law & Order: SVU
that will air soon, and I’m about to start directing an
episode of ER. I plan to direct more episodes of other TV
shows later this year.
