Jeremy Leinen, CEC, Executive Chef of Dunwoody Country Club, has a thing against this particular sea creature considered a delicacy in many parts of the world.
Chef’s Thoughts is sponsored by barillafs.com.
Jeremy Leinen, CEC, is the Executive Chef of Dunwoody Country Club in Atlanta, Georgia. Prior to this post, he was the Executive Sous Chef of Atlanta Athletic Club. He is focused on providing exceptional, high-quality culinary experiences in an efficient, profitable manner.
- You’d be surprised to learn that I am a certified personal trainer.
- If I could trade places with one chef it would be Joshua Smith from Moody’s Deli in Boston, Mass. I’ve never been but he has an awesome charcuterie program.
- One of my most memorable meals was at Sublimotion in Ibiza. Besides just being a phenomenal meal and a very unique dining experience, it was also the day after my wedding.
- My go-to drink is an ice-cold diet Dr. Pepper.
- My last meal would be a big steak.
- My worst culinary creation was my first few attempts at pecan pie.
- If I could change one thing about my club it would be adding a pastry department.
- My favorite junk food is pizza.
- If I wasn’t a chef, I’d love to be a U.S. Marine.
- I knew I wanted to be a chef when I was waiting tables at an IHOP in college and would go back and help the late-night cook. I learned how to do the egg station so he didn’t have to run the whole line by himself. I enjoyed it and it felt like where I belonged.
- You’ll never see sea urchin on the menu at my club because I think it’s disgusting.
- The most ridiculous member or guest request I’ve ever had was a root beer float with the ice cream on the side (so, not actually a float at all).
- I love being a club chef because there’s time and resources to play with ideas.
- When I’m not in the kitchen, I’m probably at the gym.
- My biggest mistake when I first started as a chef was trying to make things too complicated.
- I cook quick ramen at home, but I’d never cook it at the club.
- If I could have dinner with one person, dead or alive, it would be Michael Jordan.
- The most valuable piece of career advice I’ve ever received was to treat my hard work as an investment and don’t expect to see any dividends for about 5 years.
- My favorite celebrity chef is Laurent Tourondel because he makes comfort food with style, grace and elegance.
- The most important thing in my kitchen is accountability.
- I want to learn more about nutritional cooking because I think this will play a huge role in the future of dining.
- My favorite ingredient is pork. Himalayan pink salt is the most overrated ingredient. Mayonnaise is the most undervalued ingredient. I detest cheap butter, and I can’t live without beef.
- I don’t like to brag, but I’m a dachshund daddy with the cutest two puppies ever.
- My most embarrassing moment in the kitchen was messing up a big batch of crème anglaise that we needed that night for a plate up.
- I’d like to see more club chefs taking better care of their health via exercise and nutrition.
- My favorite cookbook is “Under Pressure” by Thomas Keller.
- My favorite kitchen hack is using Wondra flour for roux-thickened sauces. The flour taste cooks out almost instantly.
- I am motivated and inspired by people like Jackson Peos. He’s a sports nutritionist that isn’t “just a nutritionist.” He holds himself to a high standard and wants to accomplish a lot. I admire the ambition and also the refusal to just be good at one thing.
- The hardest service of my career was a Saturday night in the restaurant here at Dunwoody CC about two years ago. We were abnormally busy out of nowhere and were short two cooks that night. I worked broil and got utterly destroyed. I haven’t felt that defeated after service very many times in my career.
- The most popular item on my menu based on sales is burgers.
- I’d lose my job if I took fish tacos off the menu.
- Hunger, drive and a motivation to be great are the most important qualities in a sous chef.