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Chef Rick Moonen
Oceana of New York City
Brad: Welcome to the TABASCO® Chef Chat! Tonight's guest is Chef Rick Moonen. Please submit your questions to the chef.
Brad presents the speaker with question #39 from Greggilbert:
where is your restaurant from
Rick Moonen: New York City, In midtown Manhattan
Nawlins: What is your favorite food?
Brad presents the speaker with question #41 from Chefwannabe:
What's it like living in NY?
Rick Moonen: I guess just like living in any great city, just more fun. Not as much fun as living in Nawlins
Brad presents the speaker with question #40 from Nawlins:
How long have you been cooking?
Rick Moonen: 20 years--or more actually--20 professionally
Brad presents the speaker with question #42 from TABASCOfan1:
( I love salmon) What exactly is salmon tartar
Rick Moonen: It's raw salmon that is cured with a real spicy mayonnaise
Brad presents the speaker with question #43 from TABASCOfan1:
have you cooked anywhere outside of new york
Rick Moonen: that we make at Oceana
Nawlins: Hello Beans
Rick Moonen: Yeah. I worked in Key West, FL for nine months 15 years ago
Brad presents the speaker with question #44 from Nawlins:
Where did you get the Name Oceana from?
Rick Moonen: It's ocean with an 'A" on the end. It's a seafood restaurant.
Brad presents the speaker with question #45 from Nawlins:
Key West - do you surf?
Rick Moonen laughs hysterically.
Rick Moonen: I tried windsurfing once. I like diving better.
Brad: Do you catch your own seafood?
Rick Moonen: I used to dive for fresh conch just outside of the restaurant.
Brad: I guess you can hold your breath for a long time.
Rick Moonen: This area is where I learned the most about seafood, besides the Fulton Fish Market.
Brad presents the speaker with question #46 from TABASCOfan1:
do you ever dive for lobsters
Rick Moonen: Yep.
Greggilbert: sometimes you have to hold your breath for a long time in the subways in NY
Rick Moonen: I dove for the kind without the claws... the kind with the whips on them. They are located on shells where you have to weigh yourself down on them.
Nawlins: Whips?
Rick Moonen: Shelves not shells
Brad presents the speaker with question #47 from Chefwannabe:
What's your favorite kind of Louisiana seafood?
Rick Moonen: Gumbo, gumbo, gumbo!
Rick Moonen cheers enthusiastically.
Rick Moonen: Love the hot & spicy
Brad presents the speaker with question #49 from TABASCOfan1:
have a good recipe for lobsters other than boiled?
Rick Moonen: I got tons of em. I do lobster raviolis. Lobster steak
Brad: Tell us about the Ravioli?
Rick Moonen: Okay--It's fresh lobster mixed with creamy polenta and wrapped in a wonton skin with herbs and cooked in a tomato broth with lots of vegetables...
Nawlins: ummmm
Rick Moonen: ...and garnished with basil oil
Nawlins: sounds great
Rick Moonen: It is MMMMM.... It sells #2 in the restaurant just behind jumbo lump crab cakes
Chefwannabe: ya
Brad presents the speaker with question #53 from TABASCOfan1:
do you have a favorite wine to accompany seafood?
Nawlins: lets get drunk
Chefwannabe: sure... whos go it?
Rick Moonen: Sauvignon wine, anything with good crisp acidity
Greggilbert: im in
Rick Moonen: Sauvignon Blanc with GOOD crisp acidity
Brad presents the speaker with question #52 from Nawlins:
Do you like fried seafood - I do.
Rick Moonen: I do. If its done right, fried seafood is outrageous....
Brad: How can you do it wrong?
Rick Moonen: You need to bread it just before you put it in the oil and the oil has to be the right temperature, otherwise it gets soggy, the oil must be clean, too.
Brad presents the speaker with question #51 from Nawlins:
How about Crawfish?
Rick Moonen: Nothing better than a good crawfish boil, a buncha friends and a good Dixie Beer.
Brad: Abita beer--Thats my ticket
Brad: Enough about me..
Brad presents the speaker with question #54 from TABASCOfan1:
what is your favorite restaurant in the US?
Rick Moonen: Besides Oceana, I like Molyvos in NYC
Brad: What kind of food?
Rick Moonen: It's a real cool Greek restaurant in midtown Manhattan
Brad presents the speaker with question #56 from Chefwannabe:
Whats "hot" in New York cuisine now?
Rick Moonen: All ethnic cuisines
Brad: good one.
Rick Moonen: Indian seems to breaking the surface
Brad presents the speaker with question #58 from Southerne_belle:
what's your favorite dish at oceana?
Rick Moonen: The next special that I'm dreaming of... Tonight I did grilled black grouper on sauteed fresh tomatoes on grilled ramps and fingerlink potatoes fingerling
Brad presents the speaker with question #57 from Chefwannabe:
What does it take to become a great chef?
Rick Moonen: Years of perseverance. Have a good time! Remember your childhood experiences and use them.
Brad: Did you cook as a child?
Rick Moonen: I had to cook as a child because I was so hyperactive my mother wouldn't let me out of her sight. I had to stay in the kitchen.
Brad: Was she a good cook?
Rick Moonen: She was the GREATEST cook!
Rick Moonen: I used to stir the pudding with a wooden spoon and it would thicken up. I thought it was magic.
Brad presents the speaker with question #59 from Chefwannabe:
How long did you study and where?
Rick Moonen: I graduated from the Culinary Institute of America in Oct. 1978 for the two year program. I haven't stopped learning since.
Brad presents the speaker with question #60 from TABASCOfan1:
where in NY is your restaurant?
Rick Moonen: on 54th street between Madison and Park Avenue
Chefwannabe: I'm a fashion designer
Brad presents the speaker with question #61 from Southerne_belle:
do you ever visit new orleans?
Greggilbert: hey wannabe what is ",,"
Rick Moonen: Yes. A couple of times. I LOVE New Orleans. I was there for a conference regarding genetically engineered foods. I was on a panel of chefs.
Brad: What's your opinion of them?
Rick Moonen: I don't think there is a real need for them today. I think we should make efforts towards better organic farming.
Brad: I heard if you spray TABASCO on plants the bugs stay away. true!
Chefwannabe: " ,, " ?
Rick Moonen: Is that true? What a awful waste of a great product.
Brad: DO you,like to use TABASCO?
Rick Moonen: TABASCO acidity as well as creates a balance with a little spice.
Brad: Jalapeño?
Brad: Ð
Rick Moonen: About the Jalapeño sauce, I've been disappointed with the color so I blend it with a little bit of oil and chives. You get the best of both worlds, color and flavor.
Brad presents the speaker with question #50 from TABASCOfan1:
can you give out the recipe for lobster steak? it sounds great
Rick Moonen: Basically its a light scallop mousse made with scallops and cream and lobster meat thats been taken out of the shell raw. Fold it in with lobster chunks line a ring mold with a leek thats been been blanched, fill it with the mousse. Cook the whole mold in a saute pan with butter to firm up the mousse. serve with a light tomato sauce
Brad presents the speaker with question #63 from Southerne_belle:
have you "adapted" any southern recipes?
Rick Moonen: ABSOLUTELY. I've got gumbo on my menu. Oyster shooters.
TABASCOfan1: yum
Rick Moonen: The crab cakes are a take-off of a southern recipe...
Brad presents the speaker with question #66 from TABASCOfan1:
I received a free bottle of the new jalapeño in the mail. It's great!
Rick Moonen: I am somewhat familiar with cajun cooking.
Brad presents the speaker with question #62 from TABASCOfan1:
would you serve red wine with seafood?
Rick Moonen: I hosted the 125th Anniversary for TABASCO 5 years ago in NYC. It was one of the most enjoyable events I've ever done in my life... I ordered all of my products my calling 1-800-YO-CAJUN
Brad: Would you serve red wine with seafood?
Rick Moonen: Definitely. I sell a lot of red wine at Oceana.
Rick Moonen: Depending on the preparation of the dish.
Brad: Just went to NAPA
Rick Moonen: Some Pinot Noir are made for seafood
Brad presents the speaker with question #68 from Southerne_belle:
do you make ceviche and do you have a good recipe for it?
Rick Moonen: Yes. One trick to making a good ceviche is to take...
Chefwannabe: ceviche?
Rick Moonen: ...your raw product, like scallops and soak them briefly in cold white vinegar for 5 minutes
Rick Moonen: Drain the vinegar...
Chefwannabe: ah
Rick Moonen: ....then add your fresh lime juice, cilantro, peppers, onion....
Chefwannabe: I said I was a wannabe
Rick Moonen: ...Spice it up, of course, with TABASCO. The vinegar removes some of the liquid from the fish--You can do this with any fish--The dish doesn't get watered down.
Brad: Well I think thats about it for tonight's chat - I want to thank Chef Rick Moonen and everyone for coming and joining in.
Rick Moonen: It's been great talking with you. Hope to see you in NYC sometime.
Rick Moonen: Stop in and say "hi."
Brad: Thanks a lot Chef. Stay tuned for next month's chat.
Rick Moonen: You're welcome, keep on cooking!
Brad: Next chat is with Chef James Graham
Greggilbert: What do you think of that ceviche tip
Chefwannabe: I didnt even know what ceviche was. Sounds good to me.
Greggilbert: It's great if it's done right
Greggilbert: dyin for a beer
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