Food Network photo Eddie Gilbert keeps apologizing to me for his rambling. “I’m a rambler, I really hope I’ve given you what you need for the story,” says the former “Next Food Network Star” contestant. I tell him not to worry, because ramblers can actually be a blessing for journalists. “I love it when people are all over the place,” I said. “It means they're thinking about their answers and not feeding me generic PR.”
Gilbert will be in town to head a cooking class at Sur La Table in Newport Beach on July 12, where he’ll demo things like grilled salmon with vanilla sauce and a sandwich that he calls “The Truth.” (See bottom of post for more class info.)
But before being cast on the Food Network reality show, the former Huntington Beach resident used to work at a tech firm near Sunday’s demo site. “I used to work at Fashion Island, so it’s kind of funny I’m now making an appearance in the same shopping center,” Gilbert says.
Here’s what the 30-year-old rising culinary star has to say about O.C., the show and what he’ll tackle next.
C.F.: Do you have a favorite O.C. restaurant?
E.G.: Lou’s Red Oak Barbecue Grill in Huntington Beach. I used to live right next door on Brookhurst.
C.F.: Are there any behind-the-scenes moments from the show that come to mind?
E.G.: The little private time we did have was well spent. Jeffrey [Saad] and I would spar at the end of the day. We’d come home and need to get excess energy out, so we would move the couches and shadowbox with each other. Jeffrey is a third degree black belt.
And we had family dinners. There were nights we would get home and cook for each other, and everyone sat down and had dinner. It was a great way to decompress. It was the time we all got to see each other for who we are naturally. The 10 of us still communicate and have amazing relationships.
There’s a guest post you wrote on a blog where you said that you didn’t think you deserved to go home when you did. What was your reason?
I think I might do one or two things differently. I definitely needed to be more consistent. But I felt that winning the challenge [the week before] should have at least counted for something. I totally respect the opinions of the judges, but I won a challenge and it should have proved that I could hang. But you just gotta roll with it; it is what it is. I didn’t finish the way I wanted to finish, and didn’t get to finish the way I could have finished. It’s something I deal with. I don’t blame anyone.
What are your plans after the demo tour?
Teddy [Folkman] and I have a very good friendship, and I’m going out to [Washington] D.C. to cook in his restaurants for eight or nine nights. I’m hoping to get back into restaurants. I’d really love to work anywhere where I can really absorb some new knowledge. I just want to act like a giant sponge.
I also have a Web site and a private catering company. It’s more like a guy site. I know a lot of guys who don’t cook. You’re a guy, you should know how to play with fire and knives. That’s my excuse. I went to college, got some degrees, and I’m doing exactly what my mother told me not to do as a kid. It’s fun.
CLASS INFO: Gilbert will demonstrate how to cook grilled salmon with vanilla sauce, fried leeks, a ratatouille tower (recipe below) and "The Truth” sandwich. 2 p.m. Sunday, July 12. Sur La Table, 832 Avocado Ave., Newport Beach. $69 per person. Call 949-640-2330 or visit this link to sign up.
EDDIE GILBERT’S RATATOUILLE TOWER
From Gilbert's Web site, www.food4dudes.com
Yield: 4 servings
- 2 zucchini, cut into 1/4-inch round slices
- 1 eggplant, cut into 1/4-inch round slices
- 2 carrots, sliced
- 8 slices Halloumi cheese
- 2 cups garbanzo beans, drained and dried
- 5 tablespoons canola oil
- 4 Portabella mushroom caps
- 1 bunch fresh mint, finely chopped
- Salt and pepper, to taste
PROCEDURE:
1. In a large skillet, place sliced zucchini, eggplant and carrots. Sauté until vegetables have browned just a bit. Add a pinch or two of salt and pepper to the veggies while they are sautéing. In another skillet, sear Halloumi on both sides and set aside.
2. Add canola oil to another pan and heat over medium-high heat. When oil is hot, add garbanzo beans and lightly fry until golden brown.
3. To serve: Place mushroom cap on a plate. Stack sautéed vegetables on top of mushroom cap and top with two slices of Halloumi cheese. Scatter fried garbanzo beans around the veggie stack and garnish with freshly chopped mint. Repeat for remaining three servings.