Chef Q&A with Chef Michael
Cairns of Wright's at the Arizona Biltmore & Spa.
At 39, Michael Cairns already has close to two
decades of experience in restaurant and hotel kitchens. At the helm
of the newly revamped Wright's, the fine dining restaurant
at the Arizona Biltmore & Spa, the resort's executive chef is excited
about serving a new kind of cuisine. The restaurant reopened in
September.
CMEplanner: What do you call the cuisine you're serving
at Wright's?
Cairns: We call it "American Lodge Cuisine," a nod to the hotel's
long history as a significant resort and lodge-style getaway. Essentially,
we're serving a menu of simple, seasonal and farm fresh regional
cuisines drawn from all over the map.
CMEplanner: Was that the idea from the beginning?
Cairns:
Initially, the concept was Napa Valley, grounded, earthy, and great
with wine. But the more I thought about the Biltmore's history,
it has been a great American lodge for almost 70 years. And there
is a certain straightforward, unfussy type of food that comes to
mind when you think about eating at a grand resort lodge. That's
what we're going for.
CMEplanner: Do you think that Frank Lloyd Wright would have
enjoyed dining at the restaurant?
Cairns:
He would certainly have loved the setting! I think we've brought
his distinctive and organic art deco style into the present by restoring
and enhancing the room's architectural elements, including the famous
Biltmore Blocks, the gold leaf ceiling and the wall of windows that
opens the restaurant to the outdoors. The space was originally a
solarium, so it's always had a view. The look the designers wanted
was crisp and clean, which is exactly what I'm striving to do with
the food. But I'm also trying to deliver surprises, inventive combinations
of textures, flavors and ingredients. So, yes, I think Frank would
approve.
CMEplanner: Has the new menu
meant forging new relationships with purveyors?
Cairns:
Locally, I already had many relationships in place. But we've raised
the bar, and now we're brokering with purveyors around the country
to bring their best local product to the table. The menu will be
printed weekly, with an emphasis on fish, game, wild caught seafood
and free-range poultry and beef from American boutique farms, dairies
and ranches. Now I'm constantly searching for the best of American
food products, whether it's goat cheese in Maui or organic greens
in Arizona.
CMEplanner: You hail from a state known for its agriculture, New Jersey.
Did you grow up eating fresh produce?
Cairns:
Absolutely. Jersey tomatoes and peaches are the best. But I
think in general, farmers and restaurants are working more closely
than they ever have. To the point that a farmer will produce specifically
to meet a restaurant or hotel's needs.
CMEplanner: Wright's is only one aspect of your job. What else do you
do?
Cairns:
I oversee 11 kitchens, a staff of 200, and a crew that turns
out more than a million covers a year. That's another reason why
I like to keep things simple.
CMEplanner: Did you attend culinary school?
Cairns:
No, I'm a self-taught chef who has worked my way from the bottom,
up. I started my career in high school washing kitchen mats, then
I was "promoted" to dishwasher, then bus boy, eventually landing
a job as a line cook. I just kept cooking. My first hotel job was
at the Hyatt Sacramento, and I've been at hotels ever since. I fell
in love with hotels and never wanted to work anywhere else.
CMEplanner: Do you have any pet peeves?
Cairns:
I consider myself generally an even-tempered guy, but there
is one thing I can't stomach: cell phones and blackberries at the
table. Dining is supposed to be about having conversations, about
communicating. I worry that it's becoming a lost art.
* * *
Champagne cured wild caught
salmon with sturgeon mousse, American Osetra caviar and fennel brioche,
paired with a glass of Veuve Cliquot.
Wright's at the Biltmore
Arizona Biltmore Resort & Spa
240 East Missouri Ave.
Phoenix, AZ 85016
(602)381-7632
http://www.arizonabiltmore.com/dining/wrights.asp
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