texasmesquite

Monday, October 20, 2008
Chef Michael Symon brings hearty, fun menu to Roast restaurant at Book Cadillac

Kate Lawson / The Detroit News

The black T-shirt, jeans and motorcycle boots do a decent job of covering up the tattoos gracing Michael Symon's body, but what they can't conceal is this celebrity chef's love and his flat-out enthusiasm for life -- and meat.
"I've got a tattoo problem," laughs the 39-year-old chef, who last week allowed a sneak peek of his body art while standing in the massive kitchen of his newest venture, Roast, opening Sunday on the street level of the Westin Book Cadillac in Detroit.
His tattoos illustrate a variety of Symon's passions, including family, cooking and his true love: pork. "I'm very much a meat guy," he says.
In fact, Symon loves meat so much that his left leg sports a vision of flames engulfing the words "Live to Cook." On his right calf is a butcher's diagram of the holy trinity of meat: mutton, veal and pork. But best of all is the image over his heart, two cherubic pigs bookending a banner reading, "Got pork."
"Even my wife couldn't believe this one. She said, 'Is that even real?' " he laughs.
Indeed, there's nothing fake about Chef Michael Symon, who has garnered fans from across the country as one of the Food Network's Iron Chefs and host of "Dinner: Impossible." With a grin as bright and shiny as his freshly shaved dome and his ever-present laugh sounding like a moose through a megaphone, Symon is the real deal, full of Rust Belt grit and gentlemanly grace. He's adored in his hometown of Cleveland, where he owns two critically acclaimed restaurants, Lola and Lolita.
Now Symon has come to Detroit to bring us Roast, the signature restaurant he co-owns with his wife, Liz, and good friend Doug Petkovic, where he's sure to capture our hearts as well as our appetites. The food will reflect his style -- straight ahead, honest, Midwestern and even fun. That means you won't find precious pretensions such as foams or herbal essences on the plate, no thimble-sized servings of soup garnished with a singular baby arugula sprout here.
Instead, offerings will include a "roasted beast of the day," a "porterhouse for 2" that measures almost 3 inches thick, and beef cheek pierogi, a Symon staple (which comes from the head of the cow, not the other end) served with mushrooms and horseradish crème fraiche.
"Cleveland and Detroit are pretty much alike," says Symon. "I understand the Midwestern mind-set. I was born and raised in Cleveland. They're both great cities, and I'm excited and honored to be a part of this downtown revitalization."
Symon's Roast joins two other food venues already open, the Motor Bar and Boulevard Room, both operated by the Westin. Roast will be open for dinner only until after the first of the year, when lunch will be added.
All things meat

While the name Roast conjures up visions of a steakhouse to be sure, Symon's vision goes beyond simply searing steaks and chops. "We're going to focus on preparing artisanal and heritage meats," he says. "That includes suckling pig, baby lamb and even goat."
"The meat will come from right here in the Midwest and will be raised properly from farms that are 100-percent sustainable," says the chef, who's a strong supporter of locally produced products.
Symon also notes that Roast's prices are reasonable, averaging from $14 to $38 for entrees. (The hearty, 48-ounce porterhouse for two is listed for $59.)
The huge hardwood-burning grill and rotisserie will be the heart of the kitchen and the centerpiece of the dining room where diners can watch their meals being roasted over a live fire.
Meats will be served simply sprinkled with sea salt, oregano, shallots and roasted garlic, and diners will be offered a choice of sauces: salsa verde, balsamic, coffee barbecue and the special Sha Sha Sauce named for Symon's mother-in-law, who makes a hot sauce of banana peppers, mustard, vinegar and a bit of sugar.
Symon promises his restaurant will be hip and comfortable.
"Whether you come in a suit and tie or jeans and a T-shirt, you're going to feel at home," he says. "Roast will be like coming over to our house for dinner. You'll be treated like family."
To emphasize his passion for creating a homey yet hip dining experience, he shows off a beautiful 16-foot-long redwood table that will be placed in the bar.
"I don't know about you, but when I travel -- I hate to eat alone," says Symon, his hand rubbing the polished piece of fallen redwood. "This table will serve as a communal table so you can bring your friends or come alone."
A passion for food

Symon says he never set out to become a chef, let alone a celebrity.
In fact, he looks like he'd be more at home in a WWE arena instead of a professional kitchen. Not surprisingly, as a kid, Symon was a wrestler (the real sport, not the entertainment smackdown), and he was a darn good one -- until he shattered his arm along with his hopes for a college scholarship. So, he turned to restaurant work to earn money for college. Along the way, Symon says he "fell in love with food."
"Food was a natural for me," Symon says. "I went to the Culinary Institute of America when I was 18."
Symon graduated from the CIA in 1990, voted by his class "most likely to succeed," and turned Cleveland's restaurant scene into something spectacular, garnering awards along the way. He was named one of Food & Wine's 10 Best New Chefs in 1998 and was nominated for a 2007 James Beard Foundation Best Chef-Great Lakes region award.
And he's also quick to credit his wife for her help in designing the restaurant and selecting the wine.
"Liz has won several Wine Spectator awards, and she's put together an amazing wine list," boasts Symon, indicating the 1,000-bottle, glass-encased, temperature-controlled wine cooler that takes center stage in the 25-seat bar.
Executive chef Jeff Rose, whose impressive resume includes helming the kitchen at the Big Rock Chop House in Birmingham and serving as sous-chef for Takashi Yagihasi at the award-winning Tribute, says Symon didn't even ask him for a tasting menu when they first talked about the job.
"He said, 'You cooked with Takashi; that's good enough for me,' " Rose says.
And now that Symon has wrapped up taping his Food Network shows, Symon says he has plenty of time to be a presence at Roast.
"I'm only a few hours down the road," he says. "I'll be here every week."
Yes, but the real question is will he still be having fun?
"Absolutely," says Symon, cutting loose with another laugh. "Having fun has never been a problem for me."