Chef takes pride in French cuisine, foie gras

Hunting wild game may be a passion for Brent Fiedor, 23, but it's his indulgence in French cuisine and "obsession" with foie gras that make him an exceptional force in local culinary circles. The self-proclaimed foie gras addict works as sous chef at Rox City Grill at Hotel Baker in St. Charles.

Fiedor, a young chef with a quiet sense of urgency when it comes to his future, has plans to open his own French restaurant, simmer sauces next to Thomas Keller, famed French Laundry chef, and pick the brain of chef and molecular gastronomist Ferran Adria at El Bulli in Spain.

A native of Kalamazoo, Mich., Fiedor became enthused with the culinary arts at an early age.

"My dad could cook anything. We had home-cooked meals every night," Fiedor says.

Unaware of his developing interest in a culinary career, he washed dishes at a restaurant every day after high school until graduation.

His plans to become a history professor took a back burner as his fascination with food blossomed. He found himself at Robert Morris College in Aurora and graduated with an associate degree. In his young career he has already stomped through the kitchens of Radisson Hotel & Suites in Kalamazoo, Tamarack Golf Club in Naperville and the now-shuttered Chez Francois in Geneva. He joined Hotel Baker in May 2007 and lives in St. Charles.

When did your culinary career begin? My dad and I would go hunting, and when I was 8 my dad threw me a knife and told me to clean a deer carcass. I butcher my own meat to this day. My dad cooked our hunted game, and I would sit in the kitchen and watch him. He's been one of my biggest influences of pursuing a career in this industry.

What intrigues you most about French cuisine? I am most attracted to the history. I am interested in learning where it all began, with Escoffier and other great French chefs. French cooking is basic and traditional.

How did you come to apprentice with chef Francois Sanchez? He was my French cuisine class chef in culinary school. The first day he started talking, I knew I wanted to learn as much as possible from him. I asked him about an internship and from there, it fell into place. I base my future goals on what I have learned from him. He taught me about foie gras, sauce presentations, flavors and learning about my palate. He is my second most influential mentor.

What is the most challenging aspect of being a young chef? The hours. I work about 65-70 hours a week. People might consider me a typical guy in my early 20s who parties and drinks. I am very focused on my career so I don't go to bars and I rarely drink.

What advice do you have for other young chefs making their way into the industry? Don't get frustrated. Learn as much as possible and meet as many people as you can. Networking is important. Stay focused at all times.

As a sous chef, what is your most rewarding duty? My featured foie gras every week. It has my name on it, therefore I take pride in it. There is a customer who comes in every month and has my foie gras and says it's the best he's had. I take that as the highest compliment considering he is from France. When I think French, I think foie gras.

What is your go-to date-night meal? For my girlfriend, once a month, I make a stuffed pork chop with a fig sauce and mashed potatoes. She loves it.

If you weren't in the kitchen, where could we find you? The woods, probably bow hunting. I might be more obsessed with hunting than foie gras.

What do you have stored in the fridge at home? I have venison, quail and pheasant in my freezer. I have a lot of fruits and vegetables and a huge chunk of blue cheese sitting in there right now. I shop at Whole Foods and have produce on hand most of the time. I don't eat processed foods so you won't find any hot dogs stored anywhere. I also love pistachios, so I always have those on hand.

If you hadn't pursued a career as a chef, what would you be doing? I would either be teaching World War II history as a college professor, a sniper in the Marine Corps or a Department of Natural Resources officer, regulating hunting.

What are your goals for the future? My ultimate goal is to open a small, traditional French bistro. I want it to be simple, yet fine dining, featuring beautiful food. I want to be truly happy with my food. I would also like to work with Thomas Keller of the French Laundry in California and would love the opportunity to work in El Bulli in Catalonia, Spain.

Tell us about your recipe. Quenelles of Trout in a Watercress Sauce. My inspiration for this came from wanting to make something elegant, but also simple as well as French.

• To recommend a chef to be profiled, write to food@daily herald.com.

Quenelles of Trout in a Watercress Sauce

Quenelles

10 ounces brown trout

10 ounces smoked trout

3 egg whites

Mace, to taste

1¼ cups heavy cream

Salt and pepper. to taste

Sauce

⅔ cup dry white wine

5 tablespoons shallots

cup chicken stock

1¼ cups heavy cream

4 bunches watercress

Lemon juice, to taste

stick butter

For the quenelles: Put the fish into a food processor and blend until smooth. Add egg whites, mace, salt and pepper to mixture and puree. While the motor is still running, add heavy cream and only blend for 20 seconds, the mixture should not be too thin. Chill for 30 minutes.

For the sauce: Simmer shallots and white wine for 15 minutes. After most of the liquid has evaporated, add stock and heavy cream, let reduce by one-third until it coats the back of a spoon.

Blanch the watercress for 2 to 3 minutes in a separate pan. Drain and shock in ice water. Puree watercress and add to the cream mixture. While blending, add lemon juice and butter to finish. Strain.

To cook quenelles: Bring a medium pot of seasoned water to a boil. Assemble the quenelles by filling a large spoon with the mixture and shaping it into an oval ball with another spoon. Poach them in the boiling water 7-9 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon and set on a cooling rack.

To serve: Place 3 quenelles on a warm plate. Add greens to the middle, however you prefer, and ladle a small amount of sauce on top or around the plate.

Serves four.

Chef Brent Fiedor, Rox City Grill at Hotel Baker, St. Charles