Page 36 July 2014 Father-daughter cooking a priceless moment for family Continued on page 37 By Amanda Goossen Executive Chef Chris Mayo took the reigns at Arcadia-area restaurant, Central Bistro three months ago. Since then this longtime Phoenix resident has worked to adjust the menu and overall feel of the restaurant’s culinary experience. Chris spent the first part of his childhood in Boston but moved to Phoenix in 1992 at 12 years old. After high school, Chris earned his degree in fire science and seemed destined to be a fireman. At 23, however, Chris caught the restaurant bug and began working in kitchens throughout Phoenix. When considering culinary school, someone made a statement that stuck with Chris. “They told me to not just go to school, make it a life experience,” said Chris. After debating metropolitan cities throughout the world, New York City won out. Knowing he wanted a background in French cooking, the French Culinary Institute became the place to educate Chris on the technique and knowledge for his future. With his high school sweetheart, Kim, still in Phoenix, Chris returned home in 2004. Chris then worked for T. Cook’s at the Royal Palms, Estate House and J&G Steakhouse before going to Fox Restaurant Concepts. In early 2014, Central Bistro came along. Adjusting the menu at Central Bistro meant a significant move to lighten things up. Obvious changes can be seen with more vegetable driven starters and additional seafood main courses. At home, with his wife Kim, and their four-year-old daughter Avery, his meal planning is similar to that of the restaurant. “If I have two days off in one week, we make sure to cook as a family one of those days,” said Chris. The Mayos eat a lot of fi sh, light pasta dishes and chicken. “We don’t cook special meals for Avery,” said Chris. “We have a rule that she has to try everything.” And the rule has worked. Avery enjoys calamari, linguine with clams and most types of fi sh. “This is a cool time with Avery because she still thinks cooking is fun,” said Chris. “I know she won’t want to do these things with me forever.” Recently Avery has started to help salt and pepper the food and add the herbs. “We keep it simple,” said Chris. “But it’s such a great moment for us.” Chef Chris Mayo brings his skills home to teach his daughter a thing or two in the kitchen. roa wi

Page 37 July 2014 Cookbook Continued from page 36 Continued from page 36 roast chicken with artichokes By Chef Chris Mayo Serves 3 ingredients • 1-4lb. chicken, back bone removed and split • 4 artichokes • 2 lbs. red bliss potatoes • ½ cup extra virgin olive oil • 10 parsley sprigs • 1 small bunch thyme • 1 rosemary sprig • 6 cloves of garlic • 2 lemons preparation • Preheat your oven to 425 F. • Season the chicken on both sides with salt and pepper. Heat a skillet with a small amount of olive oil and place the chicken in skin side down. • With the skin side still down, place the skillet in the oven and roast the chicken. Do not flip, this creates a very crispy skin. • Quarter the potatoes. Toss with olive oil, salt, pepper and rosemary. Roast the potatoes in the oven alongside the chicken. Both items should take about 25-30 minutes. • Peel and quarter the artichokes. Sauté the artichokes in a small amount of oil. Season with salt. • When the chicken is about four minutes from being cooked, add the thyme and garlic to the pan. Return to the oven to finish cooking. Tips on perfect piña colada By Amanda Savage National Piña Colada Day is July 10. Dwayne Allen, co-owner and spirit program director of Rum Bar in downtown Phoenix offers his tips on what makes the perfect piña colada. Rum Bar’s cocktail menu consists of the classic rum- based cocktails: the daiquiri, mojito and of course, the piña colada. Allen explains that a piña colada boils down to what happens when you put pineapple and coconut together. Piña colada literally means “strained pineapple.” The original recipe was basic, including only rum, pineapple, coconut and maybe a little sugar. The Piña Colada Redux at Rum Bar takes the original recipe a bit further with nutmeg and a coconut liqueur. Allen explains that the nutmeg adds “deep- rooted spicy notes” while the coconut liqueur is made from dry coconut. They do a few “fancy things” to it and add rum. Adding this ingredient really concentrates the coconut flavor. The drink itself is balanced: creamy, but not heavy. It’s garnished with roasted shaved coconut that can be nibbled on to enhance the coconut flavor. Although these ingredients enhance the classic cocktail, Allen expresses what the four essentials are for any good colada: 1. It shouldn’t be premixed. Premixed drinks are always laced with preservatives, and artificial fl avor coats the palate. 2. Use fresh pineapple juice. Rum Bar uses fresh pressed pineapple that they extract in house, which Allen says is an “integral part of a proper piña colada.” 3. Include cream of coconut. 4. Use proper rum, white rum, not a dark rum. White rum is gentler than dark rum, and it’s important that a person doesn’t taste the rum when they drink a piña colada. Rum Bar uses a Matusalem Platino Cuban- style rum from the Dominican Republic. For more information go to: www.thebreadfruit.com/rumbar.htm. 2013 Located at the Phoenician 6000 E. Camelback Road, Scottsdale, AZ 85251 (480) 214-8000 www.jgsteakhousescottsdale.com SUMMER at A Jean-Georges Vongerichten Creation Kitchen Table Series Cooking class and dinner with Chef Jacques Qualin and friends July 11 - Jared Porter (The Clever Koi) Aug 8 - Cullen Campbell (Crudo) Sept 12 - Robert McGrath (James Beard Award Winner) $50 per person Reservations: 480-214-8000 Summer Selects Enjoy select bottles of wine 50% off Daily 5-7