Jack Wagner, Executive Sous Chef, Brentwood CC
Jack Wagner, Executive Sous Chef of Brentwood Country Club in Los Angeles, says his Dill and Fennel Olive Oil Cracker with Pink Peppercorn Creme Fraiche, 24-Hour Beet-Cured Sturgeon, Variety of Radishes, Flower Variations and Steelhead Roe, nicely balances both flavor and texture.
“You have the savory and herb flavor from the cracker, paired with the cured sturgeon that displays that lox mouth feel and flavor,” he says. “Each component of the are thoughtfully paired so that not one flavor profile overpowers the other. The key to this dish is making the cracker so crispy without giving it that burnt or bitter flavor.”
He adds that the flavors are best described as savory, earthy and fatty.
“Using beet root powder to cure the sturgeon, naturally the earthiness of the beets shine throughout the whole dish,” he says. “Sturgeon is a fatty fish, so curing it with equal parts of salt and sugar really brings out that fatty mouthfeel while eating it. The savory component of this dish comes from the creme fraiche and the steelhead roe, tying the entire dish with a hints of salt throughout every bite.”
“The inspiration behind this dish came from wanting to transform one of the oldest white fishes around into a modern upscale dish,” says Wagner. “Sturgeon has been around for thousands and thousands of years, and I wanted to showcase its unique flavors while using modern technique to transform the flavor and textures by salt-curing it. … Seeing everyone pull out their phones to take pictures is so gratifying to see, knowing you put all this effort into something. Having guests looking carefully at each component and examining every inch of the dish is definitely something I am proud of.”
Ultimately, Wagner says he believes his dish might spark inspiration in other chefs.
“When a chef looks at a dish created by someone else,” he says, “they ask themselves, ‘What can I do to make it better or improve upon the existing dish?’ Inspiration can come from all sorts of avenues, but recreating or reimagining a dish is the fun part of what we do as chefs. Everything is up for interpretation, but putting your own unique twist on something is the exciting part of our industry!”
