Award-winning chef Adam Mali brings a bicoastal sensibility to his cooking. As executive chef at Mandarin Oriental, San Francisco, Mali refreshed the menus across the hotel’s dining outlets, including the Brasserie S&P. Recognized for his culinary achievements, he was recently named one of the top five Chefs to Watch by John Mariani in Esquire magazine.
Mali’s career spans both U.S. coasts. A New York native, he trained at Le Cordon Bleu Scottsdale Culinary Institute and began as sous chef at Gianni’s in New York City. He later worked at Jodi’s Restaurant in the Massachusetts Berkshires and completed an externship at the five-star, five-diamond Restaurant Gary Danko. He was named Food & Wine’s Best New Chef of 2001, cooked at Delfina under Craig Stoll, and served as executive chef for the Montecito Restaurant Group in Denver. The James Beard Foundation honored him in 2005 as a Great Regional Chef in America. As chef and owner of Restaurant Kody in Evergreen, Colo., Mali’s restaurant was listed among Denver’s top 10 by 5280 magazine in 2003.
Mali’s interests extend beyond the kitchen. He grows vegetables in his home garden, bakes with his daughters, hikes in Sonoma County, and is both a first-level sommelier and a certified Alpine ski instructor. His varied passions inform a well-rounded approach to food.
Grilled flatiron steak, roasted cherry tomatoes, mustard sauce
Serves 1
For the marinade:
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon olive oil
½ teaspoon kosher salt
¼ teaspoon minced rosemary
¼ teaspoon cracked black pepper
For the steak:
1 8-ounce flatiron steak
Combine the marinade ingredients and marinate the steak for at least 1 hour, or refrigerate overnight. Grill to desired doneness, then rest before slicing.
For the cherry tomatoes:
10–12 cherry tomatoes (Sweet 100s recommended)
1 sprig thyme
½ teaspoon sea salt
⅛ teaspoon cracked black pepper
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
Toss the tomatoes with olive oil, salt, pepper and thyme, then roast at 375°F (190°C) for about 3 minutes. Let cool.
For the mustard sauce:
1 shallot, minced
Olive oil
½ cup dry white wine
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon whole grain mustard
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1 cup chicken stock or broth
1 small bunch Italian parsley, minced
Sweat the shallot in a little olive oil, add the white wine and cook briefly to evaporate the alcohol. Stir in the mustards, lemon juice and chicken stock and simmer gently until combined. Finish with minced parsley.
PRESENTATION: Spoon a pool of mustard sauce on the plate, top with roasted cherry tomatoes and sliced flatiron steak.
Grilled salmon, roasted cauliflower, English peas, salsa verde © Mandarin Oriental
Grilled salmon, roasted cauliflower, English peas, salsa verde
Serves 1
For the salmon:
1 6-ounce piece salmon (wild king preferred)
Olive oil
Kosher salt
Cracked black pepper
Brush the salmon with olive oil and season with kosher salt and cracked black pepper. Grill over medium heat about 2 minutes on the first side, turn and grill 1 more minute. Let rest for about 3 minutes before serving.
For the cauliflower:
1 head white cauliflower
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
½ teaspoon kosher salt
⅛ teaspoon cracked black pepper
⅛ teaspoon minced rosemary
Separate the cauliflower into small florets. Toss with olive oil, salt, pepper and rosemary. Roast at 350°F (175°C), turning every 5 minutes, for about 15 minutes or until tender.
For the English peas:
1 cup shelled English peas
½ ounce butter
1 sprig mint, minced
Kosher salt to taste
Cook the peas in boiling, well-salted water for about 30 seconds, then shock in ice water for 2 minutes and drain. Gently warm the peas in butter over low heat for about 3 minutes and finish with minced mint and salt to taste.
For the salsa verde:
1 bunch Italian parsley
1 sprig thyme
1 sprig rosemary
4–5 basil leaves
4–5 mint leaves
1 teaspoon capers
1 cup olive oil
½ teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon lemon zest
2 cloves garlic, minced
Combine all salsa verde ingredients in a blender and pulse until the mixture reaches a slightly coarse, well-blended consistency.
PRESENTATION: Arrange the cauliflower and peas in the center of the plate, place the grilled salmon on top, and drizzle salsa verde around the plate and lightly over the fish.
Mandarin Oriental, San Francisco
222 Sansome St.
San Francisco, CA 94104
tel 415 276 9888
mandarinoriental.com
Read another recipe from Chef Adam Mali.