In support of Farm to Family Food, we are excited to launch a new #8isEnoughQuestions interview feature with key people in the Farm to Family Food Chain such as farmers, chefs, retailers, and more. We are very privileged to have Chef Marc Murphy as our first interview in this series. Chef Marc Murphy is a highly successful chef and restaurateur with multiple New York City restaurants (e.g. Landmarc) and a brand new restaurant, Grey Salt, at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Tampa, Florida. He is also well known as a judge on Food Network’s Chopped and has multiple guest appearances on shows like Iron Chef America, Guy’s Grocery Games, Beat Bobby Flay, Rachael Ray Show (below), Today Show, and more. In April 2015, Chef Marc Murphy released his debut cookbook, Season with Authority: Confident Home Cooking.
Chef Marc Murphy’s interview is part of our Full Van Fun Thanksgiving which also includes an interview with family artist, Turkey Andersen (of course) and a story about our recent visit to the home of Abraham Lincoln, a father of the Thanksgiving holiday. For this #8isEnoughQuestions interview, each of the following questions was written by one of our Full Van Fun family members and answered directly by Chef Marc Murphy. Enjoy!
1) We are really excited about your new cookbook Season with Authority. What is the most underutilized seasoning that you believe everyone should have in their pantry?
It might sound ridiculous but salt and pepper! Most people are afraid to season but you need to learn to “season with authority” and using good kosher salt and freshly ground pepper really makes a difference in how your food tastes.
2) What delicious dish would you make with sugar, broccoli, and tomato sauce?
A curried tomato sauce with chilies and roasted broccoli, I think the sweet and sour would balance it out.
3) When I grow up I want to have my own restaurant. Other than cooking, what is the hardest thing about running a restaurant?
There are so many elements to running a successful restaurant. You need to know how to be the chef, manager, accountant, purchaser, dishwasher, host; the list goes on. When you’re the boss all the responsibility falls on your shoulders and if one thing goes wrong it can really affect everything else. So you really need to learn how to multitask.
Landmarc Tribeca Dining Room
4) What is your favorite fruit?
I love bananas.
5) I like tomatoes, beef, crackers, and cheese in my chili. What do you put in yours?
I’m big on flavor so I prefer a beef chili with lots of heat, spices, red onion, jalapeños, spicy cheddar cheese, pickled jalapeños and fried tortilla strips with sea salt.
6) What was the best thing that you ever discovered in a farmers market?
Doc’s maple syrup! It really is delicious and I use it in all my restaurants. I also love to go to the markets with my kids; even in NYC we have some really great ones with lots of produce and local finds.
7) If you were going to make the hardest Chopped basket ever, what would you put in it?
NY strip steak, potatoes, spinach and garlic. You might think that’s the easiest basket ever but one of the main goals is to be creative and because those ingredients already go together its going to be hard to make it creative.
8) Pepperoni?
Never eat pizza without it!
Thank you Chef Marc Murphy for a superb #8isEnoughQuestions interview! Up next, our Farm to Family Food Chain interview series and Full Van Fun Thanksgiving continues with Jesse Straight of Whiffletree Farm and be sure to “Like Us” on Facebook so you don’t miss a thing!
Chef Marc Murphy
Photo credits: Benchmarc Restaurants
