Diners' feedback feeds his cooking creativity

Chef Jason Stoffels was bitten by the culinary bug at a young age while on family vacations. Buffet lines with serving stations always caught his attention and he relished watching chefs carve and make omelets.

Stoffels, owner of Enticing Cuisine, a restaurant and catering business in downtown Batavia, is a 1996 graduate of the School of Culinary Arts at Kendall College in Chicago. Over the years he's worked a wide range of culinary jobs from personal chef on Chicago's North Shore to executive chef at Riverside Receptions in Geneva.

These days, in addition to planning menus and preparing food for his hometown establishment, Stoffels offers personal chef services and teaches cooking classes. He devotes his free time to his wife, Diocelina, and their 10-month old son, Eric.

What prompted you to open Enticing Cuisine? The restaurant evolved out of the catering business and a desire to offer fine dining to the general public. We offer four-course dinners on Friday and Saturday nights and a Sunday brunch complete with an omelet station, prime rib carving station and a chocolate fountain.

Describe your typical day? My day usually starts around 6 or 7 a.m., but can start as early as 3 a.m. I begin by making shopping lists and returning messages. I then place my orders with purveyors and do some shopping myself. After that I make prep lists, organize staff for the day and cook. I usually work until 6 or 7 p.m. on weekdays and often until midnight on weekends.

Describe your cooking style. Classic French with Italian and Spanish influences. I elevate standard comfort food to fine dining entrees. I want people to be comfortable with the fine dining experience.

What do you receive the most requests for? Beef and lamb. I change the menu every six weeks and often incorporate customer comments and requests into new menu items.

For example, the braised short ribs appetizer became an entrée after I received several requests from customers. Changing the menu more often meets the needs of my customers by keeping the selections fresh and interesting.

What is your favorite dish to prepare for yourself? Pasta bolognese -- it's nice and hardy. For dessert, ice cream.

Do you have a favorite cooking tool, something you believe every home cook should have? A Burr mixer (handheld "stick" mixer). It is very handy for pureeing two cups of sauce or a large pot of soup and you don't have to drag out the heavy blender.

What is the best cooking tip you can offer to home cooks? Be patient. Let the food cook. For example, meat needs a few minutes to sear in order to caramelize and lock in the juices before flipping.

What is the secret to your success? I have a passion for what I do and I enjoy meeting the diners and getting their feedback; it propels me to expand and be creative. I try to listen and respond to customer wants and needs.

Tell us about this recipe. Lobster Mac and Cheese is lobster tossed with cavatappi (S-shaped) pasta in a white cheddar cheese sauce, topped with bread crumbs and then baked. It has a rich flavor without being all cream and butter. If you try this at home, keep stirring the roux to avoid scorching. Serve it with poached pear and spinach salad.

Try this at home or at Enticing Cuisine, 12 S. Water St., Batavia. (630) 761œ0399.

Spinach Salad With Poached Pears and Hot Bacon Dressing

Poached pears

1½ quarts water

1¼ cups sugar

¼ cup orange juice

¼ cup red wine (preferably cabernet)

½ teaspoon cloves

teaspoon allspice

1 cinnamon stick

2 pears (preferably Bosc)

Hot Bacon Dressing

5 slices bacon

¿ cup sugar

1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon cornstarch

½ cup water

½ cup cider vinegar

½ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon black pepper

4 ounces fresh spinach

For the pears: Place all poaching ingredients in a sauce pan and bring to a simmer. Cut pears into quarters and remove seeds. Place pears into simmering poaching liquid and simmer for about 20 minutes or until tender when pricked with the tip of a knife. Remove pears from the liquid and cool.

For the dressing: Cut bacon into pieces. Cook bacon in a sauce pan until just starting to crisp. Pour off bacon grease.

In a bowl, mix together the sugar, cornstarch, water, vinegar, salt and pepper; add to the bacon and bring to a simmer. Cool until ready to use.

Wash the spinach well to remove any traces of grit. Remove the stems from the spinach. Cut the cooled pears into slices. If necessary, warm the dressing in the microwave for 30 seconds. Be careful when removing from the microwave as the dressing will be very hot. Toss the dressing with the spinach in a bowl and place on serving plates. Arrange pear slices on top.

Serves four.

Cook's note: Blue cheese goes very well with this salad. If you have a favorite, sprinkle some over the pears and enjoy!

Chef Jason Stoffels, Enticing Cuisine, Batavia

Lobster Mac and Cheese

2 ounces butter, unsalted

½ cup flour

2 cups lobster stock

2½ cups milk

¾ cup heavy cream

1 tablespoons salt

1 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

¾ teaspoon white pepper

½ teaspoon onion powder, or to taste

½ teaspoon mustard powder

¼ teaspoon garlic powder

¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg

1 small bay leaf

4½ ounces white cheddar cheese, grated

½ pound cavatappi (s-shaped) pasta

2 tablespoons bread crumbs

2 tablespoons parmesan cheese, grated

1 teaspoon fresh parsley, chopped

1 lobster tail, 8 ounces

½-1 tablespoon olive oil

Melt butter in sauce pan. Whisk in flour to make a roux and cook for 2 minutes over low heat. Whisk in the lobster stock, milk and heavy cream. Increase heat to medium high. Continue to whisk to prevent scorching on the bottom.

Add salt, Worcestershire, pepper, onion, mustard and garlic powders, nutmeg, bay leaf; continue to cook and whisk until mixture thickens and just starts to boil. Reduce heat to low and whisk in the cheddar cheese. Continue to cook until cheese is melted. Remove from the heat and discard the bay leaf.

Cook the pasta in boiling water until al dente. Cool and reserve.

Heat oven to 350 degrees.

In a small bowl, combine the bread crumbs, parmesan and parsley; set aside.

Remove the lobster meat from the shell. Cut into small pieces and saute in olive oil. Add 2 cups of the cheese sauce (reserve rest for another use) and all the pasta and stir to combine. Place mixture into individual ramekins; top each serving with some of the bread crumb mixture. Bake about 10 minutes or until bread crumbs are slightly browned.

Serves five.

Chef Jason Stoffels, Enticing Cuisine, Batavia