Introducing Garrett Melkonian,
our new Pastry Chef extraordinaire
Don’t know what a ‘tonka bean’ is? We didn’t either until Garrett joined our ranks and graced us with his sweet culinary knowledge! When Garrett was a wee little lad he worked on the line at Dahlia Lounge and helped make Dahlia Bakery’s lunch, then went on to bigger and better things.
Back in our kitchen since this summer in a new role, Garrett has started settling in, changing menus and surprising us all with his thoughtful desserts and boundless positive energy. He is in charge of all of the desserts in our restaurants, Dahlia Bakery, and for our catering team. He answered the following questions while filling an empty tart shell with something caramely. (Delicious!)
So, Garrett, you’re from Seattle, but you moved to San Francisco for a few years and now your back. What were you doing all that time?
Refining my pastry skills while working in four-star restaurants such as Campton Place and Elizabeth Daniel. I also got to acquire skills I was missing, such as the art of making chocolates.
Do you have a favorite ingredient right now?
Tonka Bean (A tonka bean is the seed from a legume tree found in tropics. The seed is black and wrinkled in appearance and is mostly known for its fragrance, which is reminiscent of vanilla, almonds, cinnamon and cloves.
You tend to mix ingredients that are normally savory, like butternut squash, into your desserts. What’s the idea behind that?
Sometimes, the best thing for something sweet is a counterpoint….a different taste. I prefer to challenge someone in a comfortable way, so I give them something they’ve seen 1,000 times before, but I like to do it with a new twist.
If you were on a deserted island, what one food would you miss the most?
Bacon
You have a cute little fox-dog. Do you bake for him, too?
Yes, I do. Anything we eat, he eats.
Thanksgiving Secrets
Did you ever keep a culinary secret to yourself because you relish the praise every time you make the dish for a new crowd? We set out to uncover the ‘Great Secrets of Thanksgiving’ from our food-loving and food-cookin’ staff.
I follow the recipe from Martha Stewart from years ago to roast my bird. She has you soak cheesecloth in a ba-gillion pounds of butter melted with white wine and then cover up the turkey breast till the last hour of cooking. I make a mean bird, I got to say! ~ Amy Pennington, Gal Friday
Kahlua and cream with a pinch of cinnamon poured over vanilla ice cream is something my family has done for years. ~ Molly McCarter, Dahlia Bakery Manager
I bring a bottle of Irish whiskey and a coconut cream pie to my in-laws each year and I’m always the hit of the party. ~ Bill Irish, Dahlia Lounge Server/Bartender
Definitely brine your turkey. I use a simple salt & water brine. When my mom used to make thanksgiving stuffing, she used to add chicken liver to the stuffing. Add a little pomegranate juice to the drippings for a tasty gravy. ~ Gary Weinraub, Etta’s Server
I stole this side dish from the Dahlia. You take brussel sprouts and shred them really thin and then sauté them until they start to caramelize. Then you add Sultana raisins and a squeeze of lemon. Everyone loved this last year! ~ Nancy Hubbard, Server Dahlia Lounge
You know what the trick is to a good Thanksgiving? Making something that’s not traditional and getting everyone involved. I’ve made gravy with rosemary and chanterelles before and that was delicious. ~ David Weeks, Palace Kitchen Server
Stuffing is key. You have to add wild rice and dried cranberries to your stuffing. My mom used to do this. It was excellent. ~ Joel Lichosik, Dahlia Lounge Line Cook
I like to sweat my celery and onions that you’ll use for the stuffing in duck fat. ~ Chris Field, Catering Chef
Steam your potatoes, don’t boil them. When they’re soft, add hot milk and melted butter to them. This will prevent them from getting watered down. ~ Desi Bonow, Dahlia Lounge Sous Chef
