-
The Drake's Chef Nick Gstrein Talks Its Phenom Success + Cookin' With Dad
- 2024/12/20
- 再生時間： 51 分
- ポッドキャスト
-
サマリー
あらすじ・解説
On Monday, Dec. 16th, The Drake’s Chef Nick Gstrein joined me in the KXFM 104.7 radio studio for another exclusive interview on the life and times of Laguna Beach chefs.
The Drake Laguna Beach has been a rocking, high-level dining experience from its opening day with live jazz, blues and contemporary classic music 7 nights a week. This is also a rare entity in that it’s a father-son chef duo in the kitchen.In all the times I’ve visited The Drake Laguna Beach, it’s been nothing short of a dazzling experience. Now it’s time for you to learn more as we dive into this interview.
SHOW NOTES:
The Drake Laguna Beach has been a rocking, high-level dining experience from its opening day with live jazz, blues and contemporary classic music 7 nights a week. This is also a rare entity in that it’s a father-son chef duo in the kitchen.In all the times I’ve visited The Drake Laguna Beach, it’s been nothing short of a dazzling experience. Now it’s time for you to learn more as we dive into this interview.
SHOW NOTES:
- My initial coverage on the coming of the Drake Laguna Beach in May 2019, the reasons why Alec Glasser recreated “The Drake” experience here, and what a will without a way can still do.
- How the Drake crew broke through the former “Tabu” walls to add their significant bar and lounge.
- Nick talks about his Austrian heritage, the longstanding family hotel in the Alps and his Dad’s (Chef Paul’s) culinary schooling and quick rise in the culinary world, from Austria to the U.S. when he arrived in the 1980s.
- The reason why Chef Paul chose to have an exhibition kitchen after decades of cooking “behind the swinging doors” of most restaurants.
- Nick’s scholarship days at UNLV as a football player and we discuss the advantages and disadvantages of culinary school, Nick’s “training” in his uncle’s kitchen in Austria, and more.
- The two BIG events Chef Nick participated in on opening day of The Drake on Fri, Sept. 13, 2019.
- When COVID shut down the world (and The Drake) six months after their opening, Nick shares the card-playing moments of discussion and decisions between the owners.
- Why did Chefs Paul and Nick choose to participate in a restaurant in Laguna Beach? And what are Chef Nick’s favorite restaurants in Laguna Beach?
- The difference in atmosphere between Drake’s bar area and Drake’s dining area.
- More on the “Concert Series” the Drake offers in late January and, then, again after Valentine’s Day through March.
- Chef Nick shares the meal he’s going to fix on Christmas Day - a super special day when son and dad get to sit down together (but only after they cook everything first).
- Do people actually do “dry January” and “losing weight in January” plans? Does this interfere in business?
- Per Chef Nick, the #1 way to quickly bond with your clientele.
- How this chef measures the “energy in the air” in his restaurant.
- How The Drake exemplifies the dining experience with two seatings (that most diners don’t even recognize is happening). And how those two seatings work in favor for people who want to be in the prime seats at the bar!
- Chef Nick talks about his favorite items on the Drake menu right now, his Dad’s favorite on the menu, and we talk about why and when menu item changes happen in a restaurant.
- The Drake’s unique, customizable (and additional to the main menu) “Tasting Menu,” option year-round at the Chef’s Counter.
- Nick explains “The Drake Gives,” a bi-annual give-back program to music programs for under-privileged children.
- Nick’s final thoughts on what a Michelin star would mean.