Behind the Pass:
Plate by Plate

At Kid Sister, each new season means a new menu for the restaurant, and this winter was no exception.

 

But how does Head Chef Isaac Mendoza create menu after menu of mouth-watering, palette-pleasing dishes?

 

The first thing Mendoza does when a new season rolls around, he said, is check what local produce will be available.

 

This season brought squash, hibiscus, persimmons, beets, cauliflower and carrots to Chef Mendoza’s table.

 

The next thing Mendoza considers his team.

 

The amount of line cooks on staff dictates “whether we have to keep some things a little more simplified, or we can actually do things that have a little bit of technique or labor put into it,” Mendoza said.

 

Lastly is trial and error.

 

“I made a lot of bad dishes until I started making good dishes,” Mendoza said.

 

Mendoza cultivates his creative edge by reading cookbooks in his free time, he said, they are an excellent tool to get ideas.

 

“If you're a young cook and you don't have the money to travel or yada yada, you should get a library card,” Mendoza Said

 

Mendoza changes the menu often to both challenge himself and keep customers curious.

 

“We have two guests that come in here, they make a reservation every month,” Mendoza said. “They’ve tasted the menu like four times already, so they're ready for something new.”