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| Sven
Mede
NOBHILL
MGM GRAND
3799 Las Vegas Blvd. S.
Las Vegas, NV 89109
(702) 891-3110
Biography»
Interview:
Antoinette Bruno: Why did you
start cooking? Who or what inspired you to be a chef?
Sven Mede: Cooking is in my family.
My grandfather was a cook and my father also loved to cook. I started
when I was 16.
AB: Did you attend culinary school?
SM: Yes, in Germany. It was an apprenticeship program. I would definitely
recommend culinary school to aspiring chefs today. It’s a
great chance to learn what you need to know. An apprenticeship is
very important. The opportunity to do one week on, one week off
in the restaurant.
AB: Can you talk about your mentors?
SM: Raymond Blanc – he’s a classical guy. He taught
me to have respect for product. Charlie Trotter taught me about
cleanness of flavor, using fresh herbs, and paying attention to
seasons.
AB: Are there any secret ingredients that you especially like?
SM: Minus 8 vinegar – it’s a great product, very unique
flavor.
AB: What is your most indispensable kitchen tool?
SM: I like a microplane and a truffle slicer – no favorite
brands.
AB: Is there a culinary technique that you have either created
or use in an unusual way?
SM: I use the sous vide technique with a lot of ingredients –
pork belly I’ll cook for 8 or 9 hours, foie gras, etc. It
concentrates the flavor with the limited use of liquid and slow,
slow cooking.
AB: What is your favorite question to ask during an interview for
a potential new line cook?
SM: What’s your favorite dish and why? It lets me know how
passionate they are and why they are cooking.
AB: What tips would you offer young chefs just getting started?
SM: If they are serious about what they are interested in learning,
have pride and work hard; it takes many years to get there.
AB: What are your favorite cookbooks?
SM: Art Culinaire, also Raw
by Charlie Trotter and Roxanne Klein
AB: What cities do you like for culinary travel?
SM: I like to visit Japan. The sense of respect and techniques -
what is part of their culture – shows in their food.
AB: Where do you see yourself
in 5 years? In 10 years?
SM: Being a chef here or at
another successful restaurant.
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Sven Mede
NOBHILL | Las Vegas
German-born chef Sven Mede is serious about becoming
a master of modern American cuisine. His first stop in the US was in Chicago
at Charlie Trotter’s, and he cites Chef Trotter as a key
mentor, who instructed him on the importance of achieving clean flavors,
using fresh herbs, and paying close attention to seasons. Prior to joining
the kitchen at Nobhill Las Vegas in December 2004, Mede was part
of the opening team at Bradley Ogden, and helped the restaurant
to earn a “Best New Restaurant” award from the James Beard
Foundation. Raised in a cooking family – his grandfather was a professional
chef – Mede started learning the ways of the kitchen as a young
boy. Before moving to the United States, he worked under French chef Raymond
Blanc at his Michelin two-star restaurant, Le Manoir aux Quat’
Saisons, outside of Oxford, England.
Marinated Hawaiian Tuna with Santa Barbara Sea
Urchin, Daikon Radish and Spicy Cucumber
Chef Sven Mede of Nobhill at the MGM Grand Hotel & Casino
– Las Vegas, NV
Adapted by StarChefs.com
Yield: 10 Servings
Ingredients:
Marinated Tuna:
- 1 ounce organic soy sauce
- 1 ounce yuzu juice
- Black pepper
- 8 ounces Hawaiian tuna
Santa Barbara Sea Urchin:
- 2 ounces Santa Barbara sea urchin
- ½ ounce cream
- Lime juice
- Salt and pepper to taste
Spicy Cucumber:
- ½ English cucumber
- 2 ounces Champagne vinegar
- ½ teaspoon chili flakes
- ½ teaspoon pink peppercorns, crushed
- 4 ounces water
- 1 ounce sugar
- Salt to taste
Daikon Radish:
- ½ small daikon root, peeled
- Micro-cilantro
- ½ lemon, juiced
- ½ teaspoon olive oil
- Salt and pepper to taste
Method:
For Tuna:
Combine soy sauce, yuzu juice, and black pepper to make a marinade for
the tuna. Slice raw tuna very thin and brush with marinade.
For Sea Urchin:
Blend sea urchin with cream, lime juice, salt and pepper and pass through
a chinoise.
For Spicy Cucumber:
Peel cucumber skin, then shave flesh by using peeler to make long strips.
Combine remaining ingredients in a pot and bring to a boil. Pour over
cucumber, then cool down in an ice bath.
For Daikon Radish:
Julienne raw daikon, mix with micro-cilantro, and season with lemon juice,
olive oil, salt and pepper.
To Serve:
Arrange several slices of tuna on a plate. Spoon sea urchin cream on top.
Garnish plate with pickled cucumbers and daikon.
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