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Foodie Chap With Chef Chris Seyersdahl of Precita Park Café

SAN FRANCISCO (CBS SF) - Chris Seyersdahl, a native of Calaveras, CA is the newest addition to the Park Café Group working as the Chef de Cuisine at Precita Park Café. Seyersdahl began his career at acclaimed restaurant nopa in 2008, where in addition to working stations throughout the restaurant, he worked their "Complete the Circle" luncheon series. An honor for a new chef, these luncheons focused on the food and wine purveyors of nopa, where the restaurant staff cooked alongside the masters of their industries. It was here that he learned the importance of sustainability.

Chef ChrisSeyersdahl (credit: Foodie Chap/Liam Mayclem)

Seyersdahl then worked at boutique favorite Bar Jules in 2009 and wine bar Bin 38 in 2010. At Bin 38 he worked to transform the small tapas-style menu to a full service restaurant offering lavish tasting menus. He honed his food and beverage pairing skills working to make 19 course menus enjoyed alongside both wine and beer. In 2011 he began working at the now closed Lafitte, an American Brasserie on the Embarcadero. Following their closure, Seyersdahl took his culinary talents and managerial skills to Café Claude where he planned, ordered, and implemented the menus in addition to being responsible for hiring, training, and creating a positive work environment for his team.

In 2012, Seyersdahl moved down the peninsula to San Carlos' Town. He brought his exemplary butcher skills, successful relationships with local purveyors as well his ability to work efficiently in terms of labor, food costs, and whole ingredient utilization.

Seyersdahl is excited to share all of his knowledge with the team at Precita Park Café. Both Seyersdahl and the Park Café Group share an enthusiasm for their community, an emphasis on 'scratch cooking', and the importance of forming close relationships with small vendors. In his spare time, Seyersdahl enjoys working out, riding his bicycle and visiting new restaurants and bars to draw inspiration. Some of his favorite restaurants include Alembic, Frances, Cotogna, and Martins West.


 
chefchrisseyersdahlpork-belly-gnudi02
Pork Gnudi
by Chef Chris Seyersdahl

Pork Brine
Ingredients:

  • 3 Cups Kosher Salt
  • 3 Cups brown sugar
  • 4 Tbsp whole black pepper
  • 5 bay leaves
  • 4 quarts water

Bring everything to a boil while stirring occasionally. Remove from heat and let rest and cool down in ice bath. Once cool place the pork in the brine and let rest for 18-24 hours. Remove pork from brine and rinse than pat dry.


 
boxinggirlwine
Sous Vide Pork
Ingredients:

  • 2 bunches Thyme
  • ¼ bunch of Rosemary
  • 2 Tbsp fennel seed
  • 3 Tbsp coriander
  • 2 Tbsp black peppercorn
  • 2each Tai longpepper
  • 1 Tbsp chilli flake
  • Zest of 6 Lemons
  • 6 cloves of garlic
  • 2 onions
  • 5 Tbsp E.V.O.O

Chop herbs, garlic and Julienne onions. Toast spices for until you can see them sweat than grind them. Mix everything together and rub on the pork. Seal the pork in food saver bags and sous vide for 24 hours @ 144 F. Immerse food saver bags in an ice bath until completely cool. Slice the belly into strips like thick bacon, than cut those strips into Lardon pieces.

 


 
Gnudi
Ingredients:

  • 2.5# Ricotta
  • 2 eggs
  • 20grams clarified melted butter
  • 20grams fine grated parmesan
  • 10grams Kosher Salt
  • 1 quart Caputo flour/"00"

Whisk Ricotta, butter, parmesan and salt very well for about 2 minutes

Mix with one hand 1 cup of flour at a time until flour is well incorporated

Spread dough on sheet tray and cover with plastic overnight to let rest. Using a generous amount of flour than roll or cut dough into desired size and shape. Freeze for a few hours than its ready to be used. Makes about 15 servings


 
Smoked Peach Puree
Ingredients:

  • 3 peaches quartered with seed removed
  • 1 cup of wood chips
  • ½ bunch of thyme cleaned
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Soak wood chips in hot water with a touch of brandy for at least 6 hours. Toss peaches in a bowl with thyme, a pinch of salt and pepper and a ½ tsp of e.v.o.o until peaches are covered. Remove chips from water and smoke peaches for 10 to 12 minutes. Remove from smoke and puree. Push puree through fine mesh sieve into a metal bowl. Cool puree down in an ice bath, stirring continuously until cool. Set aside in fridge. Makes about 8 orders


 
Smoked Peach and Pork Belly Gnudi
Ingredients:

  • 8oz Pork belly Lardons
  • 2 Tbsp smoked peach puree
  • 1.5 Cups Gnudi
  • 1 cup rough chopped porcini's
  • 2 cups spinach
  • 1tsp butter
  • ¼ cup white wine

In a medium sized pot bring 4 quarts of water to a boil, add 1 Tbsp of salt. In a sautee pan render the pork belly lardons. Put gnudi in boiling water. When the gnudi start to float they are done, by this time the pork belly should be should be crispy enough, add the gnudi to the sautee pan on high heat with the porcini's. Brown gnudi on both sides as much as possible to obtain a crispy texture, when satisfied with color add ¼ cup white wine. Add 1 tsp butter than add spinach, season with salt and pepper to taste, remove from heat. On a plate or bowl place peach puree in center and smooth into a circle, place contents of pan gently in the circle of peach puree. Ready to eat

 


 


 

KCBS radio "Foodie Chap" and KPIX 5 television "Eye On The Bay" host Liam Mayclem introduces us to the culinary stars behind the food and wine loved by so many in the Bay Area.
Follow him on Twitter & Facebook @foodiechap

 

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