Lily Sahagun, CSC, Demi Chef, Houston Country Club
Houston Country Club Demi Chef Lily Sahagun, CSC, says inspiration for her deconstructed beef bourguignon came from her love for the original French dish.
“Beef bourguignon is a classic dish with rich and hearty flavors that I love,” says Sahagun, “but it doesn’t have a fine dining aspect. I decided to take those classic elements and elevate them into more complex flavors for the members of Houston Country Club.”
Her take, she says, is bold, sharp and rich, leaning on the familiarity but with new and nontraditional components.
But what makes her most proud of the dish, she says, is the attention to detail it requires and the way it transforms a tough piece of meat into something that melts into your mouth.
“The flavors are well developed, but the plating is also something I like to play around with,” Sahagun adds. “There’s a saying I like to live by: ‘You eat with your eyes first.'”
The dish requires a lot of time and effort, she admits, but the outcome is worth the commitment. Updating a classical dish, she says, “can open your mind to so many other ideas, textures and flavors that can be kicked up a notch.”
