Chef/Partner Frederic Kieffer of Artisan Restaurant, Tavern & Garden located at the Delamar Southport, a 44-room luxury boutique hotel in Southport, Connecticut shares a taste of "New England inspired cuisine influenced by the rhythm of the seasons and farmstead offering" with his recipe for the American, New England classic, Artisan Pot Roast.
We had the opportunity to get to know Chef Frederic Kieffer first through his food while having dinner at the restaurant in March 2014, and then later through an interview with this talented and inspired chef who speaks with a charming French accent, and enchants guests with his culinary passion.
Chef Frederic Kieffer grew up in the western countryside of Paris, and trained at the L’Ecole superieure de Cuisine Frangaiselean-Ferrandi in Montparnasse, France, where he was trained in classical French cuisine.
He honed his craft with apprenticeships at Taillevent, Le Chiberta, Lutetia Hotel, and Potel et Chabot in France, before moving to Greenwich, Connecticut where he worked at C’est si Bon, and then in New York working with Tentation Caterers, Restaurant Associates, at Windows of the World, Water’s Edge, and at Man Ray restaurant.
Chef Frederic Kieffer
In 2002, he returned to Greenwich, Connecticut to open l’escale Restaurant Bar, followed by working at the organic restaurant Gaia, also in Greenwich; in 2011, he returned to l’escale and also became Chef/Partner of the sister restaurant, Artisan Restaurant, Tavern & Garden in Southport.
He finds inspiration in the seasons, which is his main ingredient, while maintaining the restaurant’s theme and keeping the restaurant’s rhythm. His favorite ingredient is whatever inspires him at the moment whether it is fresh English peas in the spring, or a beautiful Dorado.
His favorite cooking tool is a micro-plane, which he uses to extract flavors from nuts and cheese, and to spice up a dish. What he loves about it is that you can extract flavor without adding texture, opposed to slicing or dicing ingredients.
Married with three sons, ages 16, 8, and 7, he likes to get his kids involved in cooking, having them stir whatever he is making, and also by having them watch, to expose them to better food. In his free-time when he is not working either at l’escale Restaurant Bar in Greenwich, or at Artisan Restaurant, Tavern & Garden in Southport, he likes to work in his large garden at his home, where he produces his own vegetables and produce from May until September, as he feels that it is the right thing to do for his kids, and also likes to run or bike when time allows.
Artisan Restaurant, Tavern and Garden
He also is involved with Chef Michel Nishan and Chef Bill Taibe to advocate sustainable farming in Connecticut. Being a chef is not just about life in the kitchen, that is just one part, we have to reinstall the basics of eating healthy, good food, and he wants to be a part of that. There is a lot of information that helps chefs make that decision, the hard part is to stay with that decision.
Local farms are often not producing "standard size" products as that costs more to maintain, so a chef, as well as home cooks, must approach the products and make them beautiful, be flexible, you cannot standardize a vegetable to meet the cook’s needs, as chefs, we must learn to adapt to the vegetable. If it is too small to slice, then dice it, or whatever it takes to work with it.
Since he began cooking at age 20, he has continued his culinary passion, and his advice to those considering a culinary career is to make sure that you love it. If you look at fresh green peas or a monkfish and you cannot wait to prepare it, and you love food, then everything else will come along. Also, realize that school will only take you so far, then you need to learn all the aspects of the restaurant; however if you like it, you can bear with anything.
Chef/Partner Frederic Kieffer graciously shares his recipe for Artisan Pot Roast. Bon Appétit!
Chef Frederic Kieffer Recipe – Artisan Restaurant, Tavern & Garden,
Southport, Connecticut
Artisan Pot Roast
Artisan Pot Roast
Ingredients:
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Beef Cheeks, sliced
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Pot Roast Sauce
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Method: Slice the beef into 1/3-inch (0.84 cm) thick slices (when cold); allow 3 to 4 slices per guest). Place them in a shallow pot, pour the sauce over, cover and bake at 300° F (149° C) for 45 minutes.
Vegetable Ingredients:
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16
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Rainbow Baby Carrots
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2
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Parsnips
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3
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Ounces (85 gr)
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Butter
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1
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Sprig
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Rosemary
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Method: Peel and split the baby carrots. Peel and cut the parsnips into 1/4-inch (0.64 cm) thick pieces. Place the carrots and parsnips in a sauté pan, and season with salt and pepper. Add the butter and rosemary and bake at 325° F (163° C) until fork tender.
Ingredients for the Brussels Sprouts:
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1
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Pint
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Brussels Sprouts
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2
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Ounces (57 gr)
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Butter
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Method: Quarter the Brussels sprouts, season them, and sauté over medium-high heat with the butter.
Ingredients for the Parsnip Puree:
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4 |
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Parsnips
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Milk, to cover
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Heavy Cream, to cover
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Salt, to taste
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Method: Peel and chop the parsnips, and place in a pot covered with the milk and heavy cream. Season with salt, bring to a simmer and cook for 30 minutes or until soft and well cooked. Strain well, puree the parsnips. You should not need to add anything to the puree. Check the seasoning, and keep hot.
Ingredients for the Parsnip Chips (optional):
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1
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Parsnip
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Vegetable Oil
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Method: Peel the parsnip, then using the same vegetable peeler, peel long strips of parsnips. Deep fry them in vegetable oil at 325° F (163° C). When they turn gold and crispy, place them on a paper towel and sprinkle them with salt.
Ingredient for the Garnish:
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Parsley, chopped
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To Plate: Place the parsnip puree in the center of the bowl. Arrange the pot roast slices, and pour some of the sauce over them. Scatter the vegetables around the bowl, and garnish with the chopped parsley. Bon Appétit!
Welcome to Artisan Restaurant, Tavern & Garden where the style is understated elegance with its 18th century Scandinavian design in the main dining room, stunning floral arrangement add a touch of gracious hospitality and cheery warmth to the room.
A stylized floral mural on the back wall of the restaurant draws the eye, and a large artistic copper wire "basket weave" chandelier over a table and its curved banquette in the center of the room adds visual interest.
Framed vintage mirrors rich with character and a patina that comes with age along one wall of the restaurant reflect the recessed lighting and light from the sconces on the square columns. Shapely dark wood upholstered seat chairs flank tables dressed with sparkling crystal on pristine ivory linens topped with white paper, with white roses in glass vases, salt and pepper grinders, votive candles add a soft glow to the room in the evening, and low music complements the ambience without being a distraction.
The main dining room is light and airy from the wall of the windows, there is a library case arranged with books on Scandinavian design and objet d’art added an intimate dining area in the corner of the room, and framed vintage art grace the walls.
Artisan Restaurant, Tavern & Garden is a 20-minute drive from Greenwich and New Haven, Connecticut, a 1-hour drive from Hartford, Connecticut and from New York City, and is within close proximity to the Southport Metro North rail station. Artisan Restaurant, Tavern & Garden and the Delamar Southport provide complimentary shuttle service from the Southport rail station for guests.
The restaurant is open for Breakfast from 7:00 am until 10:00 am, for Lunch from 11:30 am until 3:00 pm, for Dinner Sunday through Thursday from 5:30 pm until 10:00 pm, and on Friday and Saturday from 5:30 pm until 11:00 pm. The restaurant serves Sunday Brunch from 11:00 am until 3:00 pm.
The Tavern menu is available daily from 3:00 pm until 5:30 pm. In the warmer months, there is also al fresco dining in the attractive garden.
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Artisan Restaurant, Tavern and Garden
Artisan Restaurant, Tavern & Garden has a sister restaurant, l’escale Restaurant Bar located at the Delamar Southport’s sister hotel, the Delamar Greenwich Harbor in Greenwich, CT.
Read about l’escale Restaurant Bar in the Restaurants section and read about the Delamar Greenwich Harbor in the Hotels and Resorts section.
Artisan Restaurant, Tavern & Garden
(Located at the Delamar Southport)
275 Old Post Road
Southport, Connecticut 06890
United States
Telephone: +1-203-307-4222
Website: www.ArtisanSouthport.com
Website: www.DelamarSouthport.com
Facebook: www.Facebook.com/ArtisanSouthport
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