Doug Robson on Robert McGrath, LGO, and How He Embarrassed Himself in the Kitchen

By Nikki Buchanan Tue., Feb. 5 2013 at 7:00 AM

Categories: Buchanan, Chef Salad

Buchanan

Doug Robson thinks local

This is part two of my interview with Doug Robson, chef-owner of Gallo Blanco Café. If you missed part one, where Robson described eating beetles and maguey worms, read it here.

Your most embarrassing moment in the kitchen: I was having a heated conversation with another chef in the kitchen, and in mid-sentence, a temporary tooth flew out of my mouth and landed on the floor in front of the whole staff. The most embarrassing part was picking the tooth back up off the floor. There was a lot of laughter in the kitchen that day.

Buchanan

Banana leaf-wrapped tamale filled with Crow's Dary goat cheese, tomato, poblano and corn

What really turns you off when you're dining at a restaurant?: Indifference.

Favorite place to dine in Phoenix and why: St. Francis, Italian Restaurant, Pane Bianco, Tortas El Guero, Lux, The Parlor . . . there are too many. They are all unique offerings in their own way.

National or international chef you admire and why?: Judy Rodgers, Deborah Madison & Alice Waters because of their humble approach and respect for the ingredients. I like their sensibility. They take a sensitive and responsible approach to food, not a gluttonous one. Portions are just right. There's nothing left on the plate to waste.

What's your guilty pleasure?: Are still talking about food or something else?

What most people don't really know/understand about Mexican cooking is: Many people can't make the distinction between New Mexican cuisine & Mexican Cuisine.

Your mom was Vietnamese but you grew up in Mexico. Describe a meal your mom might have made: She would make traditional stirfried dishes composed of chayote, freshly picked mushrooms, squash & squash blossoms, peppers, onions and other stuff -- served with tortillas & salsa. She would also make sopa de fideo with rice noodles, chicken and a tomato broth.