The Clubhouse Chef Series: Daniel Amezquita

If you tried the ribs at the Kentucky Derby Party, sampled a chicken satay during a Friday “Pre,” or are planning to RSVP to next week’s Chef Series: Food & Wine Tasting, it’s possible that you might have thought to yourself: who is the man behind the new Clubhouse food? His name is Daniel Amezquita, a Bogota-born, Jean-Georges’ restaurant-trained chef. Read on to learn more about the man behind the food: how he moved to Buenos Aires on a whim, his favorite cooking technique and a bonus recipe for ginger fried rice.

Oasis Blog: Where are you from?

Daniel Amezquita: I was born in Bogota, Colombia and lived there until i was 18. I then moved to the US for a few years.

OB: Where were you trained?

DA: My first job cooking was at a Brazilian restaurant in Atlanta where I started frying yuca and bananas. Then I had the chance to train under chefs at Spice Market and Market, both restaurants by Jean Georges Vongerichten, which totally changed my perspective of how a “real” restaurant operates. I’m currently attending IAG (Instituto Argentino de Gastronomia), but I have to of course credit my mom as well.

Spice Market, Atlanta

OB: There’s a rumor that you moved to Buenos Aires because you won a free flight while you were working at Spice Market. Is that true? Are you able to elaborate on that story?

DA: When I was working at Spice Market, my boss nominated me for “Talent of the Month.” One random day I was walking into work and I saw a huge poster with my picture that said “First Place Winner: Employee of the Month.” My prize was two Delta round trip tickets to go anywhere in the world. I already had plans to go to culinary school somewhere outside of US, so I sold the other ticket, and decided to move to Buenos Aires. That was a year and a half ago.

OB: Wow, that’s a great story! So you’ve been at The Clubhouse for about 8 months now. What do you like most about working as a chef there?

DA: It has been a very interesting experience for me. I like the challenge of cooking different types of food and getting to know the people who go there. It is very different than working in a restaurant’s kitchen.

OB: You seem to be able to cook a range of cuisines – from Southern grits to Argentine empanadas – do you like a challenge? Is there a type of food you prefer to cook?

DA: Yes, that has been one of the most challenging aspects of this job. Not sticking to a menu or to a particular type of food makes every week at work new and exciting. I have done things I never did in the past and you learn a lot from that. I don’t know if I have a favorite type of food to cook, it is more about the cooking techniques. I used to be a big fan of the wok, but since I moved to Argentina (and have taken a few trips to Uruguay), I fell in love with making a fire and grilling everything.

Daniel's Chicken Satay

OB: What inspires you as a Chef?

DA: People’s cravings, friends, fresh ingredients and the constant search to be the best.

OB: Do you have any kitchen essentials?

DA: A cast iron skillet and teflon pan.

What are your favorite places to go food shopping in Buenos Aires?

A: Barrio Chino in Belgrano and the Mercado del Progreso in Almagro.

Mercado del Progreso

OB: Do you have a favorite restaurant in Buenos Aires that you would recommend?

A: The best meal I have had in BA was at Dain, the bookstore-restaurant in Palermo. It had great food and service, over all.

BONUS:

Daniel shares his recipe for Ginger Fried Rice, a dish he says he “made a thousand times at Spice Market and never got tired of.”

1. Finely chop ginger and garlic and fry them separately.

2. In a wok, add duck or chicken fat (if possible), finely chopped ginger and leeks chiffonade.

3. Next add in jasmine rice (it is better if it is leftover and cold rice ) and fry it.

4. Plate the rice and separately fry an egg with a runny yolk.

5. Top the egg with the ginger-garlic crumbs and place over the rice.

6. Season with sesame oil and soy sauce around the plate.

Daniel’s variation: add pork, Thai basil and chili sauce.