When cooking, artist finds inspiration in ingredients, styles, techniques
As Karl Gerzan studied how to create a strong composition in art school, balancing colors, lines and intricate shapes, the same curiosity also developed when it came to cooking.
The Winfield resident became intrigued about different elements on a plate, not just the way they look but also why ingredients work well together. While studying art in Colorado, he learned cooking from the experts, talking to chefs at the restaurant where he worked.
"I sure couldn't afford to eat at the restaurant. I was a starving artist after all. All day long in school I would ask why does this happen. Well, why do certain elements of food work together? I basically asked the chef questions and then went home and tried it, and it grew from there," he said.
The study was surprising. Karl said because most of his life focused on two-dimensional design. He is learning food, too, can be easily approachable and monochromatic, featuring one or two flavor notes, or can be a greater dynamic composition that is more sophisticated. He's combined the two passions, art, and food as well in a website, www.karlgerzan.com where he shares his artwork as well as recipes to a variety of dishes including stuffed meatballs, roasted red pepper soup, and more.
"I still feel like I'm experimenting, but that's the joy. I realized early on from one of my professors in Colorado your work isn't precious. The action of doing it, that's the precious part. That is the art. And the same with food. The meal is the byproduct of the creating process," Karl said.
Just as he will examine colors, he also has learned to explore ingredients, such as learning the difference between kosher salt, Himalayan salt and lava salt and how each can have its place.
"Early on, I discounted the pedestrian kind of ingredients like table salt, and now I'm starting to find there is a place for it," he said. "Just as pedestrian tools and design work in my professional career, I'm starting to find that yes there is, but everything in moderation, including moderation."
One building block Karl relies on: the classic mirepoix which is a mix of carrots, celery and onion. It's the basis on which he most often makes stock. Karl said he has eight stocks in the freezer ready to use, which he uses to make variations of his grandmother's chicken noodle soup, or another favorite, chicken gnocchi with spinach.
"It's one of my dad's favorites, and he lives close by, so he gets a lot of leftovers. I started calling them prepared meals instead of leftovers. It makes him feel better," he said laughing.
Much of the cuisine Karl likes has been inspired by his art studies abroad. He remembers at first feeling intimidated as he studied long-cooked dishes in France and the many sauces he tasted while exploring northern Italy.
"I realized I shouldn't be afraid of it. I'm making the dish with ingredients that are local to me and paying respect to the original technique but also making it my own and having fun with it," Karl said. "I went to museums all the time when I went to college, and that was half my education."
He also lived in Mexico and learned their cuisine is labor intensive, requiring a lot of patience while controlling pressure, heat and time.
"I'm still intimidated by one of the most traditional Mexican sauces, the mole. I've never tried to make it," Karl said. "Just having the patience and the trust to try to figure out how to use 60 to 70 different ingredients, and it's just a sauce. You still have to cook the protein and the vegetables."
While Karl continues to discover a new compilation to create on canvas or a new combination of flavors to present on a plate, one thing he enjoys each week is creating a meal that he can share with his friends.
"The best case scenario is when a friend joins me in the kitchen, and we work together cooking. My strongest friendships have developed in the kitchen," he said.
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