Yesterday we started our interview with Chef Carlos Jorge of the W Hotel in Fort Lauderdale. Today, he tells specifics of how he'll change the menu at Steak 954, the signature restaurant at the hotel.
New Times: You spoke of recharging the seafood menu. Will you be using any new fishes?
I
used different fish in Hawaii, but there are a lot of fish like those I
those I worked with there: onaga - ruby snappers - and crimson red
snappers that can be found locally or that are similar. I'll be working
with some great Dade County fishermen and fishermen from the Keys. I
had dealt with a lot of them from my days at the Raleigh. We'll be
introducing some other local fish. No need to go elsewhere - we're
right here surrounded by ocean. We need to make it our backyard for
food sourcing.
It's admirable in theory, but not every fish works for diners who tend to want fish that tastes like chicken.
We've
been sampling fish and tasting with our staff and guests. We'll put it
to paper, and then in the pan to see how it flies. But yes, we'll focus
on diner-friendly fish like yellowtail and mahi. They're sustainable
and local.
What about the seafood platters and composed plates?
Those
will be shellfish platters but for the most part, remaining the same.
We'll offer some regional fish dishes - East Coast and West Coast
offerings that change weekly or maybe nightly. We'll have seafood
plateaus - we do a good amount of business with these. A lot of
four-tops order a seafood plateau and get a variety for the table: crab
claws, lobster and the signature coconut ceviche.
So what's your ultimate goal at W?
To
keep Steak 954 fresh, and with a buzz. We're not the new kid anymore,
and we have to do something different. With a new season, we have to
ask, what do we have working? Is it still hot?That's the difficulty of
year two of any operation. We have to do things to make it fresh and
keep it out there to keep the diners interested in coming back.
Clarification: An earlier version of this story quoted Chef Carlos Jorge as saying he's in charge of the menu at Steak 954. He is not.
Follow Clean Plate Charlie on Twitter: @CleanPlateBPB