108. Phillip Foss- A Guest Ep!
Hey there food fans, welcome back to The Food For ThoughtCast! Melissa and Steve are honored (and Steve is so excited!!!) to talk to Chef Phillip Foss today. Chef Phillip is not only one of Steve's culinary idols, he's also got one heck of a story pioneering his way through the food world. He is currently at El Ideas in Chicago- an incredible restaurant that hopes to flip the script on fine dining. From their home page:
Paying homage to Chicago’s elevated train system, EL ideas is an abbreviation for ‘elevated ideas in dining’. With the mantra of ‘redefining fine dining’, EL is all about putting in fun and removing pretension from elite cooking. A full and immersive collaboration between Chef Foss and his culinary team, guests are invited to come back into the kitchen and mingle with the chefs as their meal is being prepared.
Isn't this amazing?! We had an incredible time talking to Chef Phillip about Michelin stars, playing with flavors, burnout and mental health, and tasting your way through a city one dish at a time. Enjoy this fine chat anywhere you find your podcasts, and don't forget to watch us on YouTube!
Phillip Foss
Chef
Hailing from Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Chef Phillip Foss graduated from the Culinary Institute of America in 1991. From there he cut his culinary chops in New York City, and spent the better part of the decade training in some of America’s finest restaurants, including Lafayette in the Drake Swissôtel, The Quilted Giraffe, the opening team of Oceana, and most impactfully, five years rising the ranks with Le Cirque in their original and second locations.
After leaving New York, the next decade was quite nomadic. Foss spent one year traveling and cooking through Europe, highlighted by an apprenticeship with the legendary French chef, Jacques Maximin. The next two years were spent in Chicago, mostly as chef of the now shuttered, Bistro Margot. Feeling the travel bug again, and disillusioned after the tragedies of 9/11, Foss uprooted again in search of more adventures. His travels found him in prestigious kitchens in Salvador, Brazil (Trapiche Adelaide, 2002), Maui, Hawaii (Four Seasons Wailea, 2002-2004), Jerusalem, Israel (King David Hotel, 2004-2006), and Bermuda (Fairmont Southampton, 2006-2007).
His current odyssey landed him a second time in Chicago, this time as chef of Lockwood Restaurant in the Palmer House (2007-2010).
Being behind the legislation to reform Chicago’s archaic food truck laws, Foss traded in his kitchen whites for street food when he opened the Meatyballs Mobile (2010-2011). Six months in, while finishing up a routine health inspection, Foss had the epiphany to open a tiny restaurant in the front area of his prep kitchen. Two… Read More
