Frogtown Inn In Canadensis, Pennsylvania: Meet The Chef
WRITTEN BY 5 REASONS TO VISIT® EDITORIAL STAFF
PUBLISHED OCTOBER 2022 • 4 min read
5 Reasons to Visit® sat down with Executive Chef Mark Arnao of Butter at the Frogtown Inn in Canadensis, Pennsylvania.
Executive Chef Mark Arnao of Butter at the Frogtown Inn in Canadensis, Pennsylvania
Where did you grow up, and where have you traveled to that has helped inspire and shape your cooking philosophy?
I grew up in South Philadelphia where I started working at a restaurant at the beginning of the Italian Market, aka 9th st that ran for about a half mile with fresh fruit & vegetable stands, butchers, culinary markets, cheese shops and some not so Italian markets as well, you name it. I was tasked in the morning to do the shopping. Armed with twenty dollars and a list I was sent to shop. This is where I was introduced to the freshest produce and ingredients able to pick the ripe tomatoes, the best marbled meats and freshest catch. That sticks with you through the years and is at the core of everything I do. And with such a diverse market in front of me everyday you are influenced by where you grew up.
Butter at the Frogtown Inn in Canadensis, Pennsylvania
Tell our readers an interesting fact or two about yourself.
Throughout my career I have been asked where I had gone to school. And my answer is always the same. I had not gone to school. This surprises many especially since I had led teams as the Executive Chef at The Ritz-Carlton New York Central Park as well as The St. Regis New York, two of the most outstanding hotels in the world. I always say put yourself in positions of failure and refuse to fail. Going to school might have helped, but would I have worked so hard?
Tell us about your absolute favorite food and why readers should try it if they haven’t already.
My favorite food is anything someone else makes. That is the best! But if I had to pick a few things to try, it would be a hoagie/sub/hero from Sal, Kris and Charlie’s in Astoria, NY, and tripe sandwich at George’s Sandwich Shop in the Italian Market. And best meal was at Alinea in Chicago.
Butter at the Frogtown Inn in Canadensis, Pennsylvania
What are three ingredients that you simply couldn’t live without?
I think here most would pick awesome ingredients like Foie Gras, Myoga, Wagyu something that sounds fancy, but to be truthful the three ingredients I could not live without are butter, salt and pepper.
We love the art behind plating. What do you love about designing the perfect dish?
The process is the best part, designing the perfect dish starts with the dish itself. This is where overthinking will kill you. So lets just focus on the plating. Simple is usually the first key, then flavor, texture, color and contrast. You also have to think about how a person holds the silverware and make sure they don’t have to put a cuff in the food to cut it. Then looking at it, tweaking it and tweaking it some more, then the final product, the perfect plate, is picture perfect every time it leaves the kitchen.
Butter at the Frogtown Inn in Canadensis, Pennsylvania
Tell us about one of the most creative dishes you’ve created?
Not sure if I have created my best yet; there is still lots to come. But, if I had to pick I think it would be a toss up between the Foie Gras Bomb with Truffle Chocolate Ganache or Roasted Jalapeño Feta Purée with Watermelon Sorbet, Heirloom Tomatoes with Basil Seed Vinaigrette.
Butter at the Frogtown Inn in Canadensis, Pennsylvania
