Restaurant Michael Mina. - Michael Mina: the cookbook

Text copyright 2006 by Mina Group, LLC

Photographs copyright 2006 by Karl Petzke Studio

All rights reserved.

Except as permitted under the U.S. Copyright Act of 1976, no part of this
publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, or
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Bulfinch Press

Hachette Book Group

237 Park Avenue

New York, NY 10017

Visit our website at www.HachetteBookGroup.com

First eBook Edition: Feburary 2010

ISBN: 978-0-316-10194-3

For my wife, partner, and best friend, Diane,

and my two beautiful children, Sammy and Anthony,

and to my mother and father

for their encouragement and unwavering love

I first met Michael several years ago at Aqua in San Francisco. I had just finished one of the most amazing meals of my life, and he came to the tableas he did with every customer in the restaurantto be sure that the experience lived up to his standards. He was executive chef of the restaurant at the time and clearly driven by the desire to deliver not just exceptional food, but extraordinary experiences.

Being new to the area, and with New Years Eve just five days away, during his stop at my table I asked him to recommend a chef to cater a gathering of friends at my home. (Based on the exceptional experience I had just had, it was easy to trust his judgment.) To my surprise, he said he would be happy to do it himself. I enjoyed an unforgettable meal with friends, and a new friendship was formed.

When Michael established the Mina Group in 2002, we became business partners in his venture because I believe a talent like his is rare. Designing his own concept restaurants gave Michael the ability to infuse the atmosphere with the same vision and detail that he brings to his cuisine. We have since opened restaurants in my own backyard with SeaBlue, Michael Mina Bellagio, and Nobhill, which continue to raise the level of culinary excellence in Las Vegas and keep me from traveling to San Francisco for dinner.

I not only celebrate Michaels passion, but I admire his gift. When you experience the best in any field, you quickly develop an appreciation for how good the best can be. Michael combines his extraordinary talent with an appreciation for lifes finer details, and the results are found in every one of his creations.

We are blessed that Michael is sharing his creativity and talents in this new book. He is truly as good as it gets.

ANDRE AGASSI

Opening Restaurant Michael Mina in the legendary Westin St. Francis Hotel in the heart of San Franciscos Union Square has been a dream come true. The St. Francis is so much a part of the citys past that it truly is San Francisco. I felt that the landscape of the hotel and its historical value and location made it a perfect setting for my namesake restaurant. My goal was to create a timeless space that would become a landmark in the city I live in and love. I wanted to establish a sense of permanence, to make an impact with a restaurant that would be an enduring part of the city.

I have been in love with San Francisco since I was a boy. I will always remember my first visit to the city as a thirteen-year-old on vacation with my family. From that moment, I knew that I belonged here. All through school, I had posters of the Golden Gate Bridge and Fishermans Wharf on my bedroom walls. I guess I was biding my time until I was old enough to make the move.

My first exposure to the culinary profession also came from San Francisco. As a teenager, watching Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous, I saw Robin Leach feature Jeremiah Tower, the chef/owner of the citys famed Stars Restaurant. The restaurants walls were covered with photographs of movie stars, and celebrities filled the tables, sipping champagne and eating caviar. I thought to myself, I want to be a chef in San Francisco. I was very fortunate to know at an early age where I wanted to live and what I wanted to be when I grew up. The fact that the two were simpatico was a happy accident.

Chefs from all over the world view San Francisco as one of the great restaurant towns. It is arguably one of the best epicurean cities in the country and is frequently hailed as the culinary capital of the West Coast. Like New York City and New Orleans, it is virtually impossible to disconnect the place from its cuisine; food is a vital part of the citys magnetism. From artisanal breads to seasonal produce and seafood, San Francisco is a gourmets paradise. The people who grow the products, prepare the food, and make the wine are our rock stars.

Developing and cultivating relationships with local purveyors is a special privilege of being a chef in San Francisco. I have a profound admiration for the hand-crafted artistry that goes into creating products with individual character and relevance. I cannot think of too many other places that can match the accessibility to such ingredients as we have in the Bay Area. Over the years, I have seen a maturing of the California style that has allowed us to develop a distinctive cuisine, one driven by seasonal ingredients. It feels organic, not forced, and, more important, it is right for the climate and the population.

The unqualified joy of being a chef in San Francisco comes from our diners. Dining is a big dealpeople are food savvy with educated palates and an appreciation of great food and wine. Even people who arent in the food industry read the Chronicle food section, follow the latest culinary trends, and take an interest in restaurant openings. It is an enormous luxury to have a built-in clientele so passionate and well versed.

I am also lucky to have three restaurants, Nobhill, SeaBlue, and Michael Mina Bellagio, in Las Vegas. It is a city that has undergone an incredible transformation in recent years as it has become the fastest-growing urban community in the nation. When it comes to food, Las Vegas promises unparalleled dining experiences. Visitors are treated to some of the most noteworthy restaurants in the world. The very concept of Las Vegas dining has changed remarkably in the past decade. A town built on gambling, it was infamous for mediocre food. Today, the culinary arena has grown to become one of the countrys most competitive and exciting. Many renowned chefs have opened first-rate restaurants in the lavish hotels that dot the famous Strip. Jol Robuchon, one of the greatest French chefs of the last century, now has a restaurant in Las Vegas, evidence that the city has truly evolved to a food lovers destination. Las Vegas was invented for celebration; a refuge for people to escape to and leave stress behind. Visitors come to have fun, especially in the evening hours. I get enormous pleasure from running restaurants with a convivial energy that reminds me of being at a great party. Everyone is there for the same reasonto laugh, relax, enjoy a drink, and along the way partake in a fine meal.