Lunch Chef, the Frontier Room, 2203 First Ave (Belltown), 956-RIBS.
As reluctant as I am to visit the prettied-up new version of the Frontier Room, the conversation I had with Michael made me awfully hungry--and the FR's Southern-themed menu is drawing a new crowd of fans to the former dive bar.
How long have you been cooking professionally?
"About 18 years."
How did you get into cooking initially?
"Well, my mom was kind of a terrible cook, so I started getting up early in the morning to make my own breakfast. My first main dish was white bread with sliced hot dogs, ketchup, and cheddar cheese. Then I started doing some catering when I got older and eventually went to school."
So what type of barbecue are you guys doing at lunch?
"Pretty straightforward--Texas-Kansas City style. Ribs, brisket, shredded pork. Standard sides: beans and greens, potato salad. The dinners are more upscale--barbecued salmon, half a crab grilled. We also have these great Texas links that I picked up last time I was in Texas."
What's the key to making good brisket? It's a tricky cut....
"Definitely. A good rub and keep basting it--that's the key--[and] keep mopping it. And very slow, low cooking--200 degrees or so."
I understand you're hoping to open your own place eventually. What does your fantasy restaurant look like?
"A little Southern kitchen. Simple stuff like chicken-fried steak, but really, really well done. Catfish, greens, hushpuppies.... I just have a real affection for Southern cooking. I've done a lot of fine dining over the years, but I keep coming back to the down-home stuff. I was down in Louisiana once and stopped at a gas station in Iberia for some fried chicken and beer. I noticed some corn next to the chicken and the owner told me it was deep-fried. It was one of the best things I've ever had. In the South, they know what's really going on!"
So you're clearly a country punk. If you could cook for any hillbilly punk-rock icon, who would it be and what would you make?
"I've had the good fortune of cooking for Steve Earle twice, which was very cool. I love him, so I was all shy and nervous. I made him barbecued pork sandwiches and jambalaya. But it would have been great to cook for Hank Williams. Something with bourbon in it: a bourbon-soaked steak!"
