Conversations In Culinary

San Diego-raised, Chicago-based chef Stephan Sandoval joins us live to make the dish that put him on the map — a Baja-style bluefin tuna tostada built on Japanese knife technique, a scratch-made ancho-morita salsa macha, and three sauces that quietly hit every corner of the palate. Stephan talks about growing up between San Diego and Tijuana, the Japanese and Chinese immigrant influences baked into Baja food culture, why sauces are his real superpower (and his biggest production nightmare), and how mentorship under Rick Bayless shaped the kind of chef — and person — he wanted to be. He also gets into his upcoming concepts Trino and Entre Suenos, and why he's always been an open book in the kitchen. Topics covered:• Butchering a Pacific Baja bluefin tuna loin live on stage• Making salsa macha from scratch — chili selection, the nut debate, and his 4:1 ancho-to-morita ratio• The three-sauce system behind his signature tostada• Baja's Japanese and Chinese culinary influences• Kitchen mentorship, managing people, and the "open book" philosophy• Rick Bayless, The Homecoming, and what's coming next

Meet Our Next Conversation - Pitmaster Barry Sorkin: Where it began...

Check out what the March 26th In Culinary Conversations Spotlight Chef shares about diversity. It all goes down in person on 3/26/2025 at Boelter Chicago.

She's our March 26th In Culinary Conversations Spotlight Chef. Her demo is Catfish & Hush-Puppies and she's going to share her story with us on 3/26/2025 at Boelter Chicago.

On March 26th Chef Dominique will take stage for an In Culinary Conversations. She's going to demo Catfish & Hush-Puppies and here's why she has selected to share this experience on 3/26/2025 at Boelter Chicago.

Unfiltered, Unscripted Conversation with Pit-master Phil Wingo of Porkmafia https://porkmafia.us/ - April 2024 Production by: Pathfinder https://www.yourpathfinder.io/

The Cost of Restaurant Business Now

The whole hog ... how it all started for Chef Brian Jupiter.