The Heart of a Chef - BLT DC - Victor Albisu

Victor Albisu was appointed chef de cuisine at BLT Steak DC nearly two years ago. With a Cuban father and a Peruvian mother who were both from "very intense cooking cultures," and summers spent helping out at his family's restaurants in Miami, Albisu seemed predestined for a culinary career. Yet, at one point in his life, he was headed in a completely different direction. Then his career path took an unexpected turn, and he made his way back into the kitchen. Creative and always evolving his skills, he is definitely at his happiest there.

What are some of your favorite childhood food memories?
I started cooking at a very young age. My grandfather was a baker in Cuba. You could find me at a very young age standing on milk crates or telephone books to watch him make empanadas. I was always very involved. I used to go to Miami every summer to help out in the family business. I'd press Cuban sandwiches, brew coffee, or make croquetas. I guess it could have been seen as child labor anywhere else, but I enjoyed it too much to consider it work!

So you always knew you wanted to continue the tradition?
Yes, but at first I didn't take it seriously; I never opened my eyes to it as a career. I studied international relations, I was very much into political science, and I worked in international development after I graduated from college.

Then what happened? One day I woke up and realized that I was sitting in a cubicle, staring at a computer, and I wanted to shake it off. So I did. I had just bought a house, so I sold it; same with my car. I even broke up with my fiancée! Then I moved to Paris to learn how to really cook. A lot of people thought I was crazy!

Who is your biggest influence in the kitchen? My grandfather--he still means the world to me, and I find inspiration in his memory. He died when I left for college, so he never really got to see me cook. I try to honor him in the kitchen by being as creative as I can.

Aside from culinary school, what have you learned in other areas of your life that carries over into the kitchen?
Patience. I used to be a bit of a hothead. I'm a father now; I have children at home. I'm still always focused on quality, but I don't get so aggravated. I don't lose it.

What is your cooking philosophy? What are you trying to achieve?
I could sit here and tell you the usual--that I value quality ingredients, simplicity, etc.--and while all of that is true, as a chef, I strive to create something new and different, and I try to do that every day. So as far as philosophy goes, I guess it's just hard work and staying creative, and honoring the chefs that I learned from and trying to build on it. Every chef has a sort of lineage of chefs, mentors that have put time and energy into teaching him or her. Likewise, I want to be an inspiration to others; I want to do my part and teach others too.

Have you ever mistakenly created something that actually turned out well? While fundamentally I have an idea of the way flavors work, as all chefs do, I have to admit, I have had the occasion to be surprised by things I put together that turn out better than expected. I recently created a dish with pork belly and sardines. It sounds a little odd, but somehow the two fats went together really well. I made a little ginger-tomato chutney to go with it and added in a little toast. It was one of the most amazing flavors I've ever put together. It was this fat-on-fat surf and turf that could have turned out awful, but actually turned out really well. As a rule of thumb, I don't force things together; I just let things come together naturally.

Tell us about the collaborative process in developing new dishes with Laurent.
We are in constant communication, whether it be about the bar menu, our blackboard specials, or sourcing quality items. He's always very receptive, and is an extremely creative chef. He really is an inspiration to work for.

What's in store for the fall and winter menu? What are your seasonal touches?
Seasons are really important in keeping the restaurant cuttingedge and current. I'm really enjoying concord grapes right now. I take pleasure in simple things, like short ribs or Berkshire pork belly, that I found a nice way of doing. But I could just as easily talk endlessly about having apples and pears in the house. How much time do you have?

Give an example of something you're excited about on the new menu.
I'm doing a foie gras with a concord grape jam and crispy pancetta layered on a brioche. It's really interesting. I've also created a scallop dish, and I made a bacon glacé to accompany it. I started with a bacon jus. I do a confit of flat bacon for a different dish, and so I use that fat once it settles at the bottom. I clarify and reduce it into a beautiful bacon glacé. Diners are always puzzled by how this liquid tastes so much like bacon, and it goes really nicely with the scallops.

How about in your own kitchen at home?
I don't actually cook that much at home anymore; but when I do, I'm a big fan of beans, actually. The Cubans and Peruvians love beans: bean stews, black beans, white beans, short ribs with lentils. I favor rib-sticking comfort food--I love it! When you begin the long process of a nice stew, it's all love. What you put into it is what you ultimately get out of it.

We know you're a big meat guy. What is your favorite cut, and your favorite way to prepare it?
I like flank steak. I grew up eating that and chorizo, sweetbreads, and blood sausages. I'm a big fan of the classic Argentinean grill. But I also enjoy different cuts, like hanger steak and skirt steak, and getting them to taste better than you could ever possibly imagine.

Can you give us some tips for cooking meat at home?
I've done a lot of classes and instructional stuff on grilling and cooking, and, you know, people are kind of shy about meat--shy about seasoning it, about turning on their grill, about sourcing the best-quality cuts and getting it right. It's not that hard. I always tell people, Don't be so reserved--go out there and find your favorite meat and your favorite seasonings. It's a trial-anderror process.

If you had to have your last cut of meat, what would it be? Oh God!
Don't ask me that, because I'm going to give you a terrible answer! My favorite meal in the world is a breaded steak that you get in Miami called bistec empanisado. It is very thin, like a Milanese, and comes a caballo: rice, black beans, sweet plantains, and two fried eggs on top of it!