MEET THE CHEF: Bobby Will of Salt and Steel in Bar Harbor, Maine
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5 Reasons to Visit® sat down with Executive Chef and Owner Bobby Will of Salt & Steel in Bar Harbor, Maine.
Source: Salt & Steel
Where did you grow up, and where have you traveled to that has helped inspire and shape your cooking philosophy?
I grew up in Coastal New England, more specifically Ipswich, Massachusetts. Living on the coast of New England really shaped my cooking style and how I approach being a chef because I have access to some of the best seafood in the world. I also grew up buying from local farms well before “farm to table” became the trend it is today.
Source: Salt & Steel
Tell our readers an interesting fact or two about yourself.
I’ve always been drawn to thinking outside the box. I guess being creative flows in me because when I have rare days off I spend them playing my guitar, and grew up around music. I picked up a guitar and trumpet almost the exact same summer I picked up cooking as a teenager.
Tell us about your absolute favorite food and why readers should try it if they haven’t already.
That’s an easy one. One of my favorite ingredients to work with is Vadouvan Curry Powder. It’s a French derivative of Masala Curry but with added aromatics such as garlic and shallots. It’s incredibly versatile and can be used to zest up a pumpkin bisque in the fall, add a boast of spice to an aioli for a tartare, or flavor a mussel broth.
Source: Salt & Steel
What are three ingredients that you simply couldn’t live without?
Olive Oil, Beets and Scallops!
We love the art behind plating. What do you love about designing the perfect dish?
That saying you hear in just about every cooking magazine “You eat with your eyes” couldn’t be truer. Especially when you’re dining at a restaurant like Salt & Steel. It is one thing to cook the ingredients to perfection, but to have the plate tell a story gives the guest a elevated experience.
Source: Salt & Steel
Tell us about one of the most creative dishes you’ve created?
Last summer I created this dish called “Walking through Acadia,” which is inspired by the Acadian National Park that serves as our back yard. The ingredients are foraged locally but it is illegal to forage in the national park. We use responsible vetted foragers that work all along Downeast Maine to capture ingredients in their prime. The dish, using Maiitake Mushrooms and Japanese Knotweed is plated to look like you’re walking through the woods in the spring. We garnish it with toasted hazelnuts to resemble rocks, sherry gastrique, and an edible tarragon “moss” that is olive oil powder enhanced with tarragon.
What is one of your greatest accomplishments and/or recent awards you've earned?
Prior to coming back to Bar Harbor to open my dream restaurant, I was garnered an “Excellent” from the New York Times for my work as Executive Chef at Saltaire Oyster Bar. Salt & Steel was named one the hottest restaurants to open in 2019 and we were recently awarded “Best Wine List” by Maine Magazine.
What are some of the latest trends you’re seeing in top restaurants across the globe?
I think two of the things you’re seeing in the bigger restaurants is a reset in fine dining and a focus on more humble ingredients. The phrase fine dining is dying isn’t true. We are adapting to the new world and adjusting to all the challenges we have faced these past 3 years. You’re seeing Restaurants like Eleven Madison Park focus on vegetables which aren’t usually looked at as “center of the plate” ingredients. Although we don’t plan to steer away from meat or seafood, we are taking an approach to giving vegetable and grains more purpose on the plates. Each dish at Salt & Steel is crafted to ensure every ingredient on the dish compliments each other.
What’s your favorite cocktail or beverage of choice?
I love a Rum Old Fashion. A rum with a nice age on it can easily take the place of whiskey. I’ve also been really big into the White Negroni lately.
Source: Salt & Steel
What do you love about being the Executive Chef of Salt & Steel in Bar Harbor, Maine?
When I opened the doors for the first time at Salt & Steel, it was the best feeling in the world. To be the Chef and Owner of this restaurant was a dream come true. I finally had a stage to really go all out with my cooking style and have nothing holding me back. I set out to show that Maine was more than just Lobster Rolls and Clam Chowder.
Source: Salt & Steel
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