Before chefs were entertainers and celebrities, they were craftsmen. The stereotype of the chef as a loudmouthed egotist and moody screamer a la Gordon Ramsay may have its origin in a certain school of French cheffery; but just as common, in France and elsewhere, is the chef who is a quiet perfectionist and a humble man whose motivational tools are not fear and lung power, but a raised eyebrow and a few laconic phrases.
David Walford, the chef-owner of Splendido at the Chateau in Beaver Creek, began cooking in the early ’70s, an era when (to paraphrase Anthony Bourdain) the most well-known chef in America was Chef Boy-ar-dee.
Frustrated by the limited choices in Colorado at the time, Walford embarked on a long self-education project, alternating stretches in Colorado kitchens with stages in a number of restaurants in California’s Napa Valley, then later, an apprenticeship at a French Michelin-starred restaurant.
“It was in France that I learned to be a craftsman, that is what a true chef is, not an artist,” Walford says in the introduction to his new cookbook, “Wood Fire and Champagne Powder.” After several stints at Sweet Basil, the last one as chef, Walford was hired as the opening chef of Splendido’s in 1994, and became its owner in 2005.
A few years ago, while I was waiting for Brasserie Rouge to open — I’d been hired as the chef — I took a job at Splendido’s, a brief stint during the height of the Christmas season. My only job was to conceive and plate the amuse-bouche, that little bite diners are given after their drinks and before the first course. It was one of my happiest restaurant jobs, not just because I welcomed the creative opportunity (and the relief from the responsibilities of running a kitchen). It was a pleasure to watch Walford command the kitchen while rarely raising his voice. Walford also has a remarkable eye for talent, and the caliber of chefs was the highest I’ve seen in Colorado.
Walford is a perfectionist, and prone to obsession about small flaws the rest of us might not care about. (I understand the tendency, because I’m married to a perfectionist.) When we discussed his cookbook, what seemed to preoccupy him were a few typos and inaccuracies in the text. I opened the book fully expecting a less than first-rate piece of work, but what I saw was a highly polished finished product whose food, photography and design even Thomas Keller would be proud of.
John Broening cooks at Duo and Olivea restaurants in Denver.
Roasted Artichoke Salad with Toasted Garlic- Red Wine Vinaigrette and Manchego Cheese
Adapted from “Wood Fire and Champagne Powder: Colorado Cuisine, Elevated,” David Walford’s Splendido at the Chateau (Northstar Media Books). To purchase the book, go to . Serves 6.
Ingredients
VINAIGRETTE
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup thinly sliced garlic cloves
2 anchovies, rinsed and finely chopped
3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
Pinch red pepper flakes
Pinch ground black pepper
SALAD
6 large artichokes, trimmed and each cut into 6 slices
Extra virgin olive oil, as needed
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1/2 cup loosely packed mizuna
1/2 cup loosely packed frisee(tender white and yellow leaves only)
Manchego cheese, shaved, about 1/2cup
Gray sea salt, to taste
Directions
Make vinaigrette: Use 2 tablespoons of the olive oil to lightly brown the sliced garlic in a pan over medium heat, watching it carefully to avoid overbrowning, which would make it bitter. Drain the slices to stop the cooking, reserving the oil in one container and the toasted garlic in another. Allow both to cool.
In a mixing bowl, combine the cooled garlic and the oil with the remaining ingredients. Whisk well, then set aside.
Make salad: Preheat oven to 475 degrees. Toss the artichokes slices with olive oil, salt and pepper and place in a single layer on a baking sheet. Roast in the 475 degree oven until the center of the artichoke is tender and golden brown, about 15-20 minutes.
In a large salad bowl, toss the warm artichoke slices with the mizuna, frisee and enough of the toasted garlic vinaigrette to coat the ingredients. Place a serving of salad on each plate and finish to taste with the Manchego cheese, gray sea salt and cracked black pepper.
Note: the artichoke should be trimmed with the stem on. Remove the tough outer leaves, shave off the outside of the stem and remove the fibrous interior. It will resemble a bell when you are done. You can keep it in water with lemon juice for a few hours before slicing and cooking.
