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Ever since they began serving food at the local farmer’s market,
summer concerts, and other events, chef Ian Brandt and his wife, Kelsey,
have been dedicated to bringing healthy, locally grown, organic foods
to the masses. For five years, they have owned and operated Sage’s
Café (named in honor of their son Sage), which has attracted
a dedicated following in Salt Lake City and beyond. Chef Ian prides
himself on preparing fresh, innovative, all-vegetarian cuisine made
to order, without microwaves, fryers, or heat lamps. Specialties of
the house include fresh-made tortillas, carrot butter pâté,
vegan tiramisù, and a raw foods four-course tasting menu. |
Chef Spotlight:
Ian Brandt
Restaurant: Sage's Café
Chef: Ian Brandt
Position: Executive Chef
Age: 29
Q. Do you have companion animals?
A. No domesticated pets, just two rambunctious kids (Sage, 6; Calista,
1) and my best friend and wife, Kelsey.
Q. How long have you been a chef?
A. I have been excited about and interested in preparing food since
cooking as a child in my mother’s kitchen but have been preparing
food professionally for about seven years now.
Q. What type of cuisine do you focus on?
A. I focus on preparing fresh, seasonal cuisine with international
flare.
Q. Do you have a personal specialty?
A. Yes, we prepare an entire menu of my personal specialties at Sage’s
Café. I would have to say my favorite recipe is a toss-up between
our carrot butter pâté, fresh basil macadamia nut pesto, raw
food pad Thai, and escargot-style roasted shiitake mushrooms. Q. What
are the most important elements in cooking great vegetarian cuisine?
A. The most important elements are the quality of ingredients used and the
positive intentions of the chef.
Q. What is the key to getting meat-eaters to enjoy vegetarian food?
A. Meat-eaters will enjoy vegetarian cuisine when proper portions
of spices, seasonings, and salt are matched with other full-flavored, natural
ingredients. Many meat-eaters scoff at the thought of eating meat substitutes
and often prefer properly prepared whole foods, although many transitional
vegetarians enjoy meat substitutes.
Q. What, in your opinion, is in store for the future of plant-based cuisine?
A. Vegetarian cuisine is growing year by year. Many people would like
to reduce fat intake and do not want to consume the abundance of chemicals
found in animal-based foods. The American diet is in turmoil due to the
failed leadership by many health practitioners. The future on Earth with
the population rising is founded on plant-based diets.
Q. What are your favorite ingredients to work with?
A. My favorite ingredients are those grown by either myself or other local
organic farmers. I love edible flowers, herbs, and seasonal delicacies harvested
in my backyard garden. These ingredients are often exploding with beautiful
colors that demonstrate health, flavor, and freshness.
Q. In your opinion, what vegetarian dish or type of food is most frequently poorly prepared and why?
A. The most often ill-prepared vegetarian recipe is salsa. Everyone
I talk to about salsa tells me that it must have apple cider vinegar. I
prepare my salsa with fresh lime juice, which lends a distinct sweetness
and tartness to the salsa. Vinegar lends a sour and overly acidic flavor
to salsa. I believe that the canned-food industry is subconsciously dictating
how fresh-food recipes are prepared.
Q. Fun question of the day: If you were stranded on a deserted island and could only eat one kind of ethnic food, what would it be?
A. It would have to be Italian. Ever since I was a kid, I have always
loved the rich and elegant flavors of Italian cuisine. I grew up near Philadelphia,
and I always envied Italian households, where the aromas of tomatoes, basil,
and garlic were standard.
Q. Do vegetarian restaurants have any special obstacles that they face versus meat-based restaurants?
A. Vegetarian restaurants are challenged by higher food costs and
maintaining an inventory that is more perishable. Many vegetarian restaurant
owners and operators have a stronger social conscience, which can cause
the operating costs to rise dramatically.
Q. Can you give us one great cooking tip for aspiring vegetarian chefs?
A. Wonderful cuisine that is constantly evolving must maintain a balance
of creativity and science. Q. What are some food ingredients you recommend
that vegetarians and vegans should have in their kitchen for cooking?
A. Use Real Salt—an underground sea salt found below the Earth’s
surface that is harvested in Southern Utah. This salt is quite expensive
but is a foundational ingredient. Cooks should always try to use fresh herbs
and fresh local or regional produce that is fitting to its season. I also
recommend dry cured black olives grown in California and bottled by Santa
Barbara Olive Company and organic Frey wines that are prepared without the
use of any added sulfites.
Q. Are there any newer vegetarian products on the market that you are
particularly fond of?
A. I prefer simplicity and easily read ingredient lists. I really like the
ingredients offered by Essential Living Foods from California. I really
enjoy agave syrup (a great sweet syrup similar to honey). My favorite intentionally
vegetarian product would most likely be Turtle Mountain’s Soy Delicious
Creamy Vanilla vegan ice cream. Q. Can you give us some tips on how
to prepare tempeh?
A. At Sage’s Café, we prepare tempeh in a wok with blackening
sesame-cumin seed blend. We wok the tempeh with a sweet and spicy shoyu
reduction for our lettuce wraps. Tempeh requires less oil when it is braised
into a sauce or sautéed with vegetables. Tempeh Tacos are also on
the Sage’s Café menu. I love the way the tempeh infuses the
flavors of the roasted vegetables and seasonings.
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Chef: Scot Jones
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