Chef’s Thoughts with Jimmy De La Cruz

The Executive Chef of The Woodlands Country Club in Texas says his favorite junk foods are these two sweet treats.

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Chef’s Thoughts is sponsored by barillafs.com.

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Jimmy De La Cruz is the Executive Chef of The Woodlands Country Club in Texas.

1. You’d be surprised to learn that I am a gym rat.
2. If I could trade places with one chef it would be Anthony Bourdain.
3. One of my most memorable meals was when I friend made me a poblano pepper-wrapped cod with cold cilantro cream. It was very tasty, but what made this so cool was that I did not expect this from him. He surprised me.
4. My go-to drink is iced tea.
5. My last meal would be a hard-seared, only Kosher salt seasoned 16-oz. New York Steak cooked medium rare with a side salad.
6. My worst culinary creation was I had to cook a meal for Shania Twain. I started her meal and gave it to a cook to finish and that cook burnt it.
7. If I could change one thing about my club I would change the pool. It is too small for the size of our club.
8. My favorite junk food is ice cream with cookies.
9. If I wasn’t a chef, I’d love to be in the armed forces.
10. I knew I wanted to be a chef when I was introduced to the culinary profession. 
11. You’ll never see balut on the menu at my club because it’s an acquired taste.
12. The most ridiculous member or guest request I’ve ever had was a 25-lb. whole lobster a member asked me to get for him and cook for him and his guest.
13. I love being a club chef because of the variety. I get to create everything from simple dishes to a fine dining experience for our members and guest. I can create as I wish so this allows me to get creative and involve the culinary team with the ideas they want to try or share. I love to incorporate different cultures and dishes, too.
14. When I’m not in the kitchen, I’m at the gym.
15. My biggest mistake when I first started as a chef was thinking I knew everything.
16. I cook hot dogs on a fork on the open flame of my stove 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, “If you can make money for whoever you work for you’ll have a job.”
19. My favorite celebrity chef is Anthony Bourdain because I enjoyed his travel and documentaries of sharing not only the food but also the culture.
20. The most important piece of equipment in my kitchen is the burners.
21.  I want to learn more about world cuisines because I want to be more versed in different foods and cultures.
22. My favorite ingredient is salt. Pepper is the most overrated ingredient. Celery is the most undervalued ingredient. I detest Anchovies, and I can’t live without salt.
23. I don’t like to brag, but I am awesomeness.  
24. My most embarrassing moment in the kitchen was when I fell in the walk-in.
25. If I could have one superpower, it would be invisibility.
26. My favorite cookbook is Escoffier.
27. My favorite kitchen hack is plastic boxes for fresh herbs.
28. I am motivated and inspired by being under pressure.
29. The hardest service of my career was COVID.
30. The most popular item on my menu based on sales is the signature chicken curry that I created when rebranding the club restaurant LEGENDS.
31. I’d lose my job if I took the burger off the menu.
32. Dependability is the most important quality in a sous chef.
33. My go-to breakfast is breakfast tacos.
34. When hiring, job-hopping kills a resume fastest for me.
35. My biggest professional pet peeve is not being organized.
36. I will always purchase veal demi instead of making it from scratch.
37. The most important question I ask during the interview process is, “Why did you apply here?”
38. The best excuse I’ve ever been given for calling off work is, “I am flooded in and can’t get to work.” The next thing I see is the guy that called in was calling from his cell phone. He was on top of his roof and I saw him on the news when he was being rescued by the fire department.
39. If I had to hire a family member, I would choose my wife because she is hardworking and very detailed.
40. The best culinary gift I’ve ever received was an engraved chef’s knife that was given to me by a student intern I had.