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For Food Network star Tyler Florence, good things have been coming in threes this year: In addition to launching a third gourmet food shop, he's ambitiously opening not one but three California restaurants, including San Francisco's Wayfare Tavern, Mill Valley's El Paseo and a Napa rotisserie shop, all the while juggling three kids, a new television show and his involvement with Wishbone salad dressings, delivering healthy salad recipes through a series of online cooking demonstration videos.
But Florence, 39, isn't daunted by the challenge, he admitted Tuesday night at a Wishbone-sponsored "Salad Night Live" event in NYC. "We started planting seeds there [for the restaurants] years ago and they're all coming up at the same time. Plus, buying in bulk to get a better price is a financial incentive. We're capable."
Capable indeed. With an impressive culinary background that stems from his start in professional kitchens at age 15, to a flourishing line of successful cookbooks and organic baby food, to his rise to fame as a Food Network chef and host, Florence is as at home in front of the camera -- having recently hosted the Travel Channel's upcoming Food Wars series -- as in his private kitchen. He reminisces back to his culinary start, when the Food Network "had two cameras and that was the whole network... And it was really bad, but I loved every minute of it!"
His culinary ambition is a simple one: discovering and publicizing "how one can take restaurant recipes and take all the flutter out of them and make them simple and delicious," priding himself with having a "Rolodex of flavors" and an "ability to understand where people come from." It is his continued assurance of accessibility that has kept Florence grounded as a chef of the people -- and a likely proponent of the food truck revolution.
"It's a dynamic way of eating; the old way is new again," raves Florence, stating his plan to employ food trucks for his rotisserie restaurant. He admires that food trucks allow younger chefs to avoid getting held back by the economy -- with lower overhead, trucks can be started with roughly $60,000, compared to the millions typically invested in restaurants. It's a "lesson about economics," he says.
When asked about other foreseeable food trends, Florence notes that "vegetables are going to be really big this year," anticipating a "boycott of meat -- everything but bacon. Pork was taken to such heights that it became gluttonous. Vegetables will start to serve more as a flavor point or focus."
It's not surprising that the chef who reportedly grows hundreds of sprouts in the garnish garden of his Marin County, Calif., home would vouch for the resurgence of vegetables. "Salad should be respected and kept as full and organic as possible," he added. For more advice and recipes from Florence on jazzing up your greens, head to Wish-bone.com.
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4-29-2010 @8:25PM fobesq said... Now if he would only not try to talk "cool" and speak proper English, it would be fine, but the boom and all that jive talk really cheapens the message.
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4-29-2010 @8:47PM kevin said... thats his schtick
4-30-2010 @6:03AM Simzee said... Remember, he's a celebrity first, chef second.
4-29-2010 @9:13PM disdannie said... Isn't this the same Tyler Florence who used to do the Applebee's ads? Talk about hypocrite.
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4-29-2010 @10:01PM dawn said... It was Guy Feiri who was in the Applebees ad's wasn't it? Or did Guy to TGIFriday's? Anyways... Tyler is an AMAZING chef! I remember way back when the food channel started up... it was WAY scary! I am very intrigued as to how it's been able last & grow and produce as many celebu-chefs as they have .. crazy world we live in...
4-29-2010 @11:45PM Hogeye said... yeah do as I say not as i do but he's one one the more talented cooks out there today
4-29-2010 @9:23PM MellersMom said... I don't think he's a hypocrite at all - I'm thinking his stint as an advertiser for Applebee's probably helped him economically which is why he's able to open 3 new restaurants today. As far as eschewing meat goes, it's because vegetables are "hot" now. Besides, I remember his shrimp dishes as being the best on the menu at Applebee's at the time - frankly, their steaks sucked!
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4-30-2010 @11:31PM glenn said... Another false AOL headline. Tyler is good, but AOL always plays with what the story is about.
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4-30-2010 @4:12AM Had Enough said... He's as bad to watch and listen to as Rachel Ray. Then lets not forget the California bimbo who has sucha fake white smile and big boobs ...which may be fake as well.
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4-30-2010 @4:34AM Hannah said... Tyler's put on a lot weight in recent years...maybe he should eat more sprouts.
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4-30-2010 @4:35AM Al Schrader said... Tyler Florence is great, but why does his photo look like a DUI mug shot ? Al-
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7-01-2010 @7:00PM nate lane said... Florence is a savvy business man with an enormous talent. He is young, educated and very charming. Most important of all...he is super bright and very approachable. I wish him success in the Bay Area.
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