Print

Chef Spotlight

E. Michael Reidt: Executive Chef B&O American Brasserie

One of Baltimore's hottest new chefs and a rising star in the culinary world, Chef E. Michael Reidt lets his food speak for itself.  Having been named one of the country's "Best New Chefs" in 2001 by Food & Wine magazine, Chef Reidt‘s gastronomic talents have evolved through his travels abroad and beyond. The young chef has a passion for all things healthy, sustainable, and natural and brings that passion to the Baltimore scene.

With an early introduction into the cooking world working at an omelet bar in Boston's Faneuil Hall, Chef Reidt's fiery spirit, competitiveness, and curiosity led him into the path to discover everything FOOD. After a brief stint at the world-renowned Copley Plaza, Chef Reidt soon enrolled at the prestigious Culinary Institute of America (CIA) in New York. Following graduation, he returned to Boston to work alongside celebrity Chef Todd English and Boston's soon-to-become elite chefs Suzanne Goin, Barbara Lynch, Marc Orfaly, and Tony Susi, all at the time behind the stoves of Olives Charlestown.

In 1998 he followed his successful run at Restaurant Zinc with the opening of the trend-setting Bomboa, and in 2001 took that successful culinary concept to Miami's South Beach at Wish.  Wish was awarded four stars under Chef Reidt's direction and also garnered him a tag of Rising Star from Starchefs.com.  He made his West Coast debut in Santa Barbara with bold Latin fusion fare at his sultry restaurant, Sevilla, named one of the country's "Best New Restaurants of 2005" by Esquire magazine. 

After six years in Southern California and several trips across Southeast Asia and South America Chef Reidt finally returns to the East Coast to cook with the style and inspiration he grew up with.  We had a chance to sit down with Chef Reidt and get to know him a little better:

VB: Where did your passion for food come from? Have you always been in the restaurant business?

EMR: I didn't really grow up in a "cooking household," so I guess my passion for food blossomed from my artistic side first-I used to really enjoy drawing and doodling as a kid and just being creative, which led to my desire to become a civil engineer/architect.  When I finally went to school for that, I ran out of money and picked up a job in a restaurant kitchen as an omelet chef. I fell in love with the creativity of it. The rest is history.

VB: What's great about being a chef in Baltimore?

EMR: The ingredients! When I started exploring the Baltimore region, I was surprised by the quality and number of local wineries and farms. The amazing wealth of ingredients in this area combined with the spirit of the city's people make Baltimore a great place to be a chef. Baltimoreans are real people looking for an authentic dining experience, free from pretension-and that's what I have to offer.

VB: In your opinion, why has the Baltimore restaurant scene gotten so many rave reviews lately?

EMR: I don't think Baltimore gets enough attention to be honest. I have been quoted as saying Baltimore is the best kept secret on the East Coast, so if it's getting credit now I think it's well deserved and overdue. Baltimore has so many great restaurants, hidden gems, that are worthy of national press and recognition; I know I have some great competition.

VB: What is the concept behind the B&O American Brasserie and how did it evolve?

EMR: American Brasserie, from a chef's perspective, is a blank palate with which to create and make a menu your own; to have fun with and experiment. From an entrepreneur's perspective, an American Brasserie menu offers the guest great food at great value-which is a huge asset to any restaurant in this economic climate.

VB: What is your favorite drink at the B&O American Brasserie?

EMR: A local beer-Clipper City Loose Canon.

VB: When you are not in the kitchen, what is your favorite comfort food?

EMR: I love to cook with my crockpot-even during summer, whether it's pork ribs, short ribs, or chicken legs, thrown in the pot with a bunch of veggies.

VB: What was the worst meal you've made and for whom?

EMR: The worst meal I ever made was for my mom.  I was 13 years old and trying to get out of the dog house, so I thought I'd win my mom over by making her favorite food: barbeque chicken wings.  The problem was that I hated when the sauce on the wings would caramelize, so I took the wings out of the oven a little early, and when my mom bit into it, it was blood red. To this day she still can't stomach eating chicken wings.

VB: What is your favorite ingredient to cook with? Why?

EMR: I'm a cheek and tail guy. Let me explain; the next time you go driving through cow country, take a look at the part of the cow that's getting the most exercise and, therefore, going to have the most flavor: the cheeks and tail.  Cows are always chewing and wagging their tails, and with the right cooking preparation, the meat can be amazing.

VB: What is your approach to cooking? And what dish/recipe of yours is most representative of your style?

EMR: I would describe my approach to cooking as fearless. When it comes to cooking, I love a challenge and I love to be creative with ingredients and combinations-I don't let ingredients intimidate me. It's hard to pinpoint one specific dish that represents my style, but I can tell you that the dish would have varying textures and flavors that are complex yet fun and in the end create harmony on the plate.

VB: Other than your restaurant, where was the last place you ate out in Baltimore? What did you order?

EMR: Woodberry Kitchen. I had an amazing Truck Patch (a local farm) lamb leg with blackberries.

VB: What themes and trends are you seeing more of in restaurants?

EMR: The main trend I am noticing is that the stuffiness and pretentiousness that was once so "in" is now gone.  Restaurants have been forced to broaden their patronage to survive and to create more value in their menus. Also, with that I have noticed a huge trend toward "farm to table" menus, meaning locally grown and organic. People have become more conscious about what they are putting into their bodies and chefs and restaurants have had to adapt.

VB: Baltimore has seen their share of chefs on Top Chef; Duff Goldman has his own reality show Ace of Cakes and John Shields has his own cooking show on PBS affiliates across the country. Do you see yourself auditioning for a reality show or creating your own show in the future?

EMR: Yes. Absolutely-I'm excited to share my passion for food with others, and I wouldn't mind giving the Baltimore culinary scene a little airtime either.