For this edition of Chef’s Corner, we talked to Megan Logan, executive chef at Patina Restaurant Group’s Café Pinot in Los Angeles.
Logan recently joined the team at Café Pinot after serving as executive chef at the highly acclaimed Nick + Stef’s Steakhouse in Los Angeles – also under the umbrella of Patina Restaurant Group, which in May 2014 became part of Delaware North.
Words that describe you
Focused, fair, calm, driven.
Words that describe your food
Ingredient-driven, flavor-focused.
Your favorite moment at Patina Restaurant Group
Being able to travel around the country to work different food events in different cities. I have been lucky enough to represent Patina for events at the NYC Meals on Wheels, the Pebble Beach Food + Wine Festival, the Sundance Film Festival and a few more!
On the challenges of being a chef
You have to sacrifice a lot of your personal life to make it in this business. Also, trying to find a balance between creating great food and taking care of the financial aspect of the restaurant.
Your favorite food
Italian, Greek, Thai. And I love a good sandwich!
Your least favorite food
Lamb, bell peppers, and overcooked vegetables.
The hardest cooking lesson you ever received
Many years ago, when I was a garde manger (cold food production) cook at Patina Restaurant, we were serving foie gras torchon for a large party and I was responsible for slicing it and plating it. It was something I had done many times, but somehow forgot to take the plastic wrap off of the sides of the torchon. The plates made it to the guests and I was horrified. I never forgot that mistake.