Originally from Panama City, Fla., Sous Chef Justin Brown has been an integral part of Plantation Gardens Restaurant for two years. In 2007, after working on the cruise ship Pride of Aloha, he decided to give the island life a
Originally from Panama City, Fla., Sous Chef Justin Brown has been an integral part of Plantation Gardens Restaurant for two years. In 2007, after working on the cruise ship Pride of Aloha, he decided to give the island life a try and has not looked back since. During a recent interview with Kaua’i Times, Brown touched upon his training background, inspirations, favorite foods, cooking styles and many other topics. In addition, Brown prepared three gourmet dishes that were stylish, radiant and above all delicious.
Kaua’i Times: Where did you receive your training?
Chef Brown: I’m not classically trained like a lot of chefs. I started cooking at an early age, through a hands-on process. I went to Job Corps back in 2000 and trained under some great chefs. It was really nice.
KT: What are the dishes you prepared today?
CB: I prepared the Kailani Farms Arugula salad, crab Rangoon with Soy Dijon and grilled fresh fish with red curry sauce.
KT: Which wines would you recommend at Plantation Gardens?
CB: The selection of wines varies from time to time. I would recommend any of the house wines in stock.
KT: Where do you get your inspiration from?
CB: Besides my grandma, it depends on my mood. I like being fresh. It’s a little bit of everything. I get my inspiration from everyday life — from the perfect ripe tomato to the softness of an avocado.
KT: Tell me about your grandmother.
CB: My grandma influenced me at an early age. She was blind and she didn’t have anybody to take care of her. One year, my mom sent me to stay with my grandma and I learned how to cook from her, basically. It wasn’t nothing big; my first cooked meal was scrambled eggs, toast and grits. Of course, (laughs) a lot of it was burnt, but it was my first experience at cooking. For me, I kind of picked up that passion. Ever since I was old enough to legally work in a kitchen — whether it was starting up dishwashing or bussing tables — I wanted to be there. Finally, I am where I want to be.
KT: What kind of foods to you enjoy eating?
CB: I love comfort food. It tends to show in some of the special dishes I prepare. Everyday we do a special dish, and a lot of the foods that I like are incorporated in dishes that I know people will enjoy. I like putting unique spins on the dishes — keep them new and fresh.
KT: What are some examples of the comfort foods you use?
CB: One example is the Kiawe Roasted Pork Loin with the Maker’s Mark bourbon jus and Kailani Farms braising greens. That’s a simple dish. It reminds a lot of foods I used to eat growing up — it’s still comfort food, but its food in a new age. Another one is the Plantation Style Seafood Stew with blackened fish, fresh cut tomato and avocado salsa. That dish comes from my days of eating cioppino. I broke down the recipe for cioppino, reconstructed it and used ingredients that you would use in Pacific Rim Cuisine. This restaurant is mainly Pacific Rim Cuisine. For me, it’s a new challenge; it’s something fun and interesting to do — every day is a good day when I come to work, because I love what I do.
KT: How many employees do you have working for you?
CB: I have nine employees under me.
KT: How do you keep them motivated?
CB: It’s a challenge for some of the guys, but I try to keep everybody focus. I was brought up in the kitchen industry and when a guest walks through that door, you should give them the best possible experience they can get at that time. When I deal with my employees I listen to what they have to say, but at the end of the day we’re in the restaurant business — we have to do what’s best for the customer. Overall, however, it’s not hard to keep the guys motivated. The guys are always up, energetic and ready to go.
Plantation Gardens Restaurant, located on 2253 Po’ipu Road in Po’ipu, is open nightly from 5:30 to 9:30 p.m. For reservations call 742-2121 or visit www.pgrestaurant.com.
