Chef’s Thoughts with Exec Sous Jason F. Lynn

Interlachen CC’s Executive Sous Chef says he’d like to learn more about this.

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Chef’s Thoughts is sponsored by barillafs.com.

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Jason F. Lynn, CEC, is the Executive Sous Chef of Interlachen Country Club (Winter Park, Fla.). His passion for food began while learning how to bake alongside his mother at a young age. He fell in love with the hospitality industry and has always seen it as a calling to serve others.

1. You’d be surprised to learn that I am a couple classes away from completing a bachelor’s in ministerial arts.
2. If I could trade places with one chef, it would be myself, 20 years ago. I would do some things differently. 
3. One of my most memorable meals was at my wedding, we had Pan Seared Salmon with Sauce Beurre Rouge, Wild Rice and Haricot Verts.
4. My go-to drink is unsweetened black tea.
5. My last meal would be anything with a bone in it.
6. My worst culinary creation was there’s been more than one. I remember I made something in culinary school and my instructor saying something like fusion confusion.  
7. If I could change one thing about my club it would be no more sharing plates.
8. My favorite junk food is microwaved popcorn.
9. If I wasn’t a chef, I’d love to be an interior designer.
10. I knew I wanted to be a chef when I was a dishwasher at a private club. I was prepping food and just knew I wanted to be a chef.  
11. You’ll never see scrapple on the menu at my club because not enough people would order it.
12. The most ridiculous member or guest request I’ve ever had was when a member wanted only 5 french fries.
13. I love being a club chef because of the large selection of high-quality products I have access to.
14. When I’m not in the kitchen, I’m spending time with my family.
15. My biggest mistake when I first started as a chef was when I put two cases of frozen shrimp into a prep sink and ran hot water over them instead of cold water. I basically cooked them through.
16. I cook seared bone-in pork chops smothered in baked beans and slow-cooked in a casserole dish at home, but I’d never cook it at the club.
17. If I could have dinner with one person, dead or alive, it would be my father.
18. The most valuable piece of career advice I’ve ever received was, “Make it nice or make it twice.”
19. My favorite celebrity chef is Julia Child because there was something approachable and likable about watching her. She had no ego.
20. The most important piece of equipment in my kitchen is the combi oven.
21. I want to learn more about molecular gastronomy because I don’t completely understand it.
22. My favorite ingredient is garlic. Filet mignons are the most overrated ingredient. Fresh Parsley are the most undervalued ingredient. I detest immitation, and I can’t live without red grape tomatoes.
23. I don’t like to brag, but I’m a pretty good shot with a compound bow.
24. My most embarrassing moment in the kitchen was when I was working pantry at a big waterfront seafood restaurant. I sent out a salad with a piece of paper towel in it.
25. If I could have one superpower, it would be always knowing exactly how much product I would use during service.
26. My favorite cookbook is Food Lovers Companion.
27. My favorite kitchen hack is while owning my cafe I would save bacon fat for cooking omelets in egg pans.
28. I am motivated and inspired by my wife, Tonya, and daughter, Alexis.
29. The hardest service of my career was Mother’s Day in 2015. The gas went out at my restaurant. I ran home and got all of my camping cooking equipment. All restaurants around us closed. It was the busiest day I had at Frank’s Deli and Cafe.
30. The most popular item on my menu based on sales is Filet Mignon.
31. I’d lose my job if I took salmon off the menu.
32. A can-do attitude is the most important quality in a sous chef.
33. My go-to breakfast is black coffee and 3 sausage wake-up wraps at Dunkin Donuts.
34. When hiring, misspelling kills a resume fastest for me.
35. My biggest professional pet peeve is sales reps who give poor service.
36. I will always purchase mayonnaise instead of making it from scratch.
37. The most important question I ask during the interview process is, “What are your future goals?”
    
38. The best excuse I’ve ever been given for calling off work is he lost their cell phone and he really wanted to go buy a new one.
39. If I had to hire a family member, I would choose my brother, Mike because he’s an artist and a great cook.
40. The best culinary gift I’ve ever received was 10″ Mac Chefs Knife.