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Guest chef Curtis Lincoln in town for Taste of Vail

Daily Staff Report
Vail CO, Colorado
Special to the Daily
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VAIL, Colorado ” Chef Curtis Lincoln’s adventurous upbringing had him traipsing through ” and eating in ” Europe, Asia and the Middle East. He knew at a young age exactly what he’d be when he grew up. He didn’t know he’d offer to work for free just to get his foot in the door of some of New York’s culinary hot spots. It paid off. The chef has worked with seafood guru Rick Moonen, Vail’s own Paul Ferzacca and is now executive sous chef at the Brown Palace Hotel in Denver. He’ll be teaching a cooking seminar at the Vail Marriott on Friday from 9:30 to 11 a.m. in addition to serving at several of the tasting events.

Curtis Lincoln: Absolutely. It is a completely different dynamic. I am a family guy and we enjoy entertaining so we cook a lot at home. The nature of cuisine completely changes in a home. Platter or family style service as opposed to composed plates. Equipment and power sources vary wildly. In a professional kitchen a myriad of tools and a cleaning staff are at your service. At home you have your family, generally inferior equipment, and a volunteer cleaning staff. Some dishes are best when prepared and consumed at once. Roasted chicken at its moment of perfection can almost only be served at home. The time and care that go into the various components of a plated dish would be laborious and expensive to perform at home. Each area has its virtues.

CL: Lunchables and similar products. It is a crime what we are forcing down the throats of our children. We cannot fight enough to protect the youth (and adults) in this country from being poisoned by the corporate food industry. Hopefully the future will hold some legislation to control these criminals.



CL: The International experience has been invaluable to me. In our family we were forbidden to refuse food that was put before us. Sometimes it was caviar, other times fermented fish. As a child, people of all classes would invite me to join them and share the foods they were eating. In the end it all worked out to a well rounded experience.

CL: What a cruel question!!! Right now it would be the penne with spicy fennel sausage, braised greens, and white beans that we have been eating at home the past two nights. It warms the soul and satisfies your appetite.

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CL: Someone needs to carry the torch for the basics. I like good old knife skills. With the onslaught of modern cooking techniques many fundamentals are being overlooked. I meet cooks that can make bacon foam but can’t cook bacon.

CL: No. there are always new opportunities in cooking. By the time you process the new things you long for the old comforts you were familiar with. It’s like returning home after a long trip.

CL: Powdering foods for restaurant guests. Isn’t this something astronauts suffer through to survive?

CL: Middle America’s allegiance to its region has experienced a lull. As a community chefs, suppliers and markets need to support local producers. With energy costs and environmental footprints becoming critical issues we need to turn to new (or old) solutions to sourcing. Government and regulatory agencies are often playing a less-than-positive role in this transition. Corporate interests often have no local ties.

CL: Another cruel question. I probably gain the greatest pleasure from cooking and tasting. I can’t stress enough how important it is that we think about food and its role in our life and culture.

CL: A lot of stuff. I will be featuring local and sustainable product at four different events. People will have to show up to find out!


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