Pedro Sanchez, Executive Chef, BraeBurn CC
Pedro Sanchez, CEC, CCA, WSETII, Executive Chef of BraeBurn Country Club in Houston, Texas, tells Club + Resort Chef about his pan-seared duck breast, which features a wild mushroom mille-feuille and star anise jus de canard. The dish, he says, is a culmination of several moments of inspiration, including a dinner hosted by another Houston club chef.
Club + Resort Chef (C+RC): Tell us about the inspiration behind this dish.
Pedro Sanchez (PS): The inspiration for this dish came from two distinct sources. First, Olivier Burgos, the Executive Chef at Royal Oaks Country Club, hosted a dinner for local club chefs where he served a perfectly roasted pork loin. The jus, infused with cinnamon and aromatic spices, was deceptively simple yet flawlessly executed. It was so memorable that it stayed in my head for days.
A couple of weeks later, while tasting wines for an upcoming wine dinner, I tasted a Burgundy wine that, as soon as it hit my palate, I detected subtle notes of star anise and a rich array of earthy flavors, which immediately made me think of duck breast and mushrooms. I knew those flavors would be a perfect complement to the richness of the duck.
At that point, I had a clear sense of the flavor profiles I wanted to create, but I still needed to figure out the techniques to bring it all together. That’s when I recalled the pork dish from Chef Burgos and realized I could apply the same principles to the duck, combining the aromatic spices with the earthiness of the wine for a truly balanced and refined dish.
C+RC: How would you describe the flavors and the presentation of this dish?
PS: The dish was full of depth, with the star anise cutting through the richness of the duck jus, creating a balanced contrast. For the duck breast, I kept the preparation straightforward, focusing on achieving a perfect sear and crispy skin to highlight the natural flavors of the meat.
To complement the duck, I served a wild mushroom mille-feuille, which brought out concentrated earthy mushroom and herb flavors. The delicate, buttery crust and rich béchamel added a luxurious, creamy element, perfectly matching the earthy, complex notes of the Burgundy wine I paired it with. The combination of these elements came together seamlessly, creating a dish that felt both elegant and grounded.
C+RC: What makes this a successful dish?
PS: Crafting a dish that seems so simple yet carries such depth of flavor and technique is always a challenge. It’s the kind of disguised simplicity that I find truly rewarding. While I’m proud of the whole dish, the element that truly represents who I am as a chef is the wild mushroom mille-feuille. Transforming a classic dessert into a savory dish was a moment of real creativity, pushing me to think outside the box and explore new possibilities. The result was something both succulent and delicate, exactly the balance I strive for in my cooking.
I’m constantly inspired by ingredients, techniques, and classic dishes, always thinking about how I can adapt and transform them into something new. It doesn’t always work, but when it does, there’s a sense of accomplishment that makes all the effort worthwhile. It’s moments like these that remind me why I love being a chef.
C+RC: What was member response like?
PS: Duck isn’t everyone’s favorite, so whenever we serve it to a crowd, we are always prepared to offer an alternative protein, and we did the same this time. However, to my surprise, none of the members asked for a different option.
After dinner, I spoke with several guests, and I was truly moved by what they shared. Many of them told me that they don’t typically enjoy duck, but the dish looked so appetizing that they decided to give it a try. After tasting it, they were amazed at how much they liked it. A few even asked what was the secret ingredient to make the duck taste so good, and they were shocked when I told them it was just a Muscovy duck breast, seasoned only with salt and pepper.
To have guests willing to try something they’re not fond of because the dish looks so inviting, and because they trust you as a chef, is the greatest compliment I could receive as a culinarian.
Pan-Seared Duck Breast, Wild Mushroom Mille Feuille, Star Anise Jus de Canard
