Described as "friendly" and "unpretentious" by colleagues and customers alike, Chef Michael Schlow has created some of the best restaurants in the country, all the while maintaining his trademark kindness. Brooklyn-born and Boston-based, Schlow now has a tribe of restaurants, including several in Los Angeles and Washington, D.C. TICO, his Boston outpost (that has a sister restaurant in D.C) is a study in comforting cool. After work, this place is jamming. There's a killer tequila menu with about 150 selections paired with shareable tapas like red snapper ceviche with peaches and Serrano peppers and habanero-spiked plancha-fired shrimp with charred pineapple. Not only do Schlow's vegetables -- like sweet corn with smoked bacon and roasted cauliflower bedazzled with crunch fava beans and cotija cheese -- avoid afterthought status, they actually are some of the stars of his menu.
What drew you to become a chef?
I've always loved cooking... the simple act, the gestures, the sense of hospitality that comes with it. My first job was as a dishwasher and I was immediately bitten by the "restaurant bug". I loved watching the interaction between the staff and the guests. I came to the quick realization that being a chef meant having the ability to bring joy to people by preparing something delicious that you created with your own two hands. Ultimately it would be that, coupled with the ability to be creative, the energy and unity of a good kitchen, the need for intense discipline and dedication, that would be the deciding factors to make this my life long career and ambition.
Any early memories of cooking?
At the ripe old age of eight, I remember wanting to help my mother and grandmother in the kitchen and thought I was a "badass" when they let me do something of real importance, like peel carrots. I'm the oldest of four and it was always a proud moment when my mom would let me "make" something for my brothers and sisters, like tearing the tin foil off the corner of the TV dinner and placing into the oven. As I got older, my interest in cooking would continue and I would often get my younger siblings ill with my experimentation in the kitchen. It was at an early age that I learned that sometimes simple is better.
How has the restaurant landscape changed since you first started?
The restaurant landscape has changed so dramatically since I first got started in the business. Today you can find great restaurants in every corner of the country and the best chefs today are no longer strictly from France or Italy or Germany. The changes and differences today are vast and America is such a more interesting and better country to eat in as we continue to explore, import, honor, harvest, and cultivate new foods and new talent. As American guests continue to become more interested and demand more from their chefs and restaurants, the stakes and competition continue to rise, but the results are better service, more diverse and interesting foods, and overall, better experiences.
I know you're originally from Brooklyn, New York. You're now based in Boston. And you have restaurants around the country, including LA and DC. How do you juggle it all?
I work a lot but I've always had the same approach to managing my time and my business (whether it was my first and only restaurant or my 11th), and that was to acknowledge that I was only one person and that there is no way I could do everything myself. If I'm going to be successful, I need to surround myself with like-minded, goal-oriented people that I trust. In order to "juggle" all of the elements in running a business that has outposts on both coasts of the country, it's important create a culture that's inclusive, giving team members the freedom to grow and be leaders. If you want to expand, you have to empower the staff and give them the opportunity to be responsible and allow them to make decisions, while making sure the goals, objectives, and core values that you expect are well articulated and understood.
How do regional preferences and access to ingredients influence the menus in your various locations?
It's so interesting to see how tastes differ in different parts of the country. A dish in one place may be a crowd favorite and that same dish may attract zero attention in another. Every restaurant menu needs to use as many local ingredients and local purveyors as possible and we listen intently to our guests and our servers for feedback; we are constantly tweaking our menus for our guests' tastes, seasonality, and what we hope will continue to build guest loyalty.
Any great food tips on finding great food in Boston? Any hidden gems? (Maybe a Lebanese butcher, or a fish guy that sells from his boat, a neighborhood market....whatever the average visitor might not otherwise discover.)
So much great food in Boston right now. Of course I'm biased and love our restaurants (Doretta, Tico, and Alta Strada) but I have my tried and true favorites that are "can't miss" restaurants. Places like Oisshi (sushi), Grill 23 (steak), Ostra (high end seafood), Babbo Pizzeria (Pizza), and any of the restaurants from good friends Ming Tsai, Ken Oringer, Jamie Bisonette, and Jeremy Sewall. My new favorite in town is Bar Mezzana from Colin Lynch and you need to check out Andy Husbands new BBQ joint (The Smoke Shop)
When you're not working, what's your favorite go-to meal at home or out?
When I'm not working, I love cooking for my family and friends. My wife and kids are always happy when I make pasta. The kids are always happy when I make tagliatelle bolognese or our constant go-to, never fail, spaghetti with tomato basil sauce. It's simple, delicious, and is always a crowd pleaser. Summertime finds me grilling tasty but easy dishes like local striped bass with spicy corn salad.
Any food trends that you predict will (or should) wane soon?
I try not to get too involved in "trends" as they obviously come and go. I'm much more interested in things that have real staying power, whether we're talking about food, music, friends, etc. With that, I do think we will see a continuation of people being interested in the quality of their ingredients, where they come from, how they were raised, sustainability, and how to best prepare them.
Are there any ingredients that you haven't had a chance to work with yet but would love to incorporate?
No, I'm pretty lucky in that way, if there is something I want, I live and work in places where pretty much everything is available or I can have someone find it and get it to us quickly. Spoiled, I know.
Flash forward ten years: What are you doing?
Ten years from now? I'm still cooking. I'm still opening restaurants; hopefully creating new opportunities by investing in the men and women that I have the pleasure of working with.