Expert Interview: Adan Trinidad
Behind the Chef
What were your favorite foods growing up?
Tacos, chulupas and my grandmother's cooking.
When did you decide you wanted to be a chef?
I went to my father's work in New Jersey (my father was a line cook) and I became interested in cooking because there were no Latinos cooking on a higher level.
Where and when did your career in food begin?
In 1997 at La Campagne in New Jersey under Edwin Dottery. I worked as a dishwasher, prep, then line cook.
If you didn't become a chef, what would you be?
A farmer.
Who/what has shaped your cooking the most over the years?
My grandmother's cooking, Douglas Rodriguez, Jose Garces,
Richard Sandoval, Guillermo Tellez and Edwin Dottery.
How would you describe your cuisine?
My personal style is Nuevo Mexicano; here at Zengo, the menu is Latin-Asian.
What influences your cooking style and particularly the menu at your restaurant?
The availability of every kind of ingredient you can resource locally.
What are your favorite culinary weapons in the kitchen?
Spoon and a knife.
What is your favorite secret ingredient?
Honey.
What is the one rule or value you try to instill in all of your staff?
Respect, cook with your heart and go with your gut feelings.
What qualities do you look for when hiring cooks for your restaurant?
Passion, determination and hard working.
If I'm trying to watch my weight and I'm eating at your restaurant, what am I ordering to eat?
Sushi, salads, steamed tofu, vegetarian options or soups.
What was the most challenging meal you had to make? Why?
When I had to cook a meal for Eric Ripert at Striped Bass, we made an egg souffle with truffles.
What was your worst restaurant disaster?
My first time expediting with Chef Jose Garces at El Vez.
What is your least favorite food?
I don't have one.
What is your beverage of choice?
Water, tequila and beer.
What are some recent dining and culinary trends you have been observing?
Returning to rustic flavors paired with well executed techniques, simple sauces.
When you are not eating at your own restaurant, where are you eating?
At home, at my mother's house or at a local tacqueria.
Which foreign country inspires your style most?
South America and Mexico.
What was the most spectacular meal you have ever had?
Charlie Trotter's in Chicago.
What is your best cooking tip for a home enthusiast?
Vinegar, acid and citrus.
What do you eat when you are home?
Hummus and pita.
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Expert Profile
Adan Trinidad
Adan Trinidad possesses a mastery of culinary technique and breadth of knowledge that gives Zengo's Latin-Asian menu the full expression and depth of flavor it deserves. He comes to Zengo after having established himself solidly in Philadelphia's restaurant scene. He worked most recently as Executive Chef at the popular El Vez, serving a contemporary Mexican menu with high-quality ingredients.
Adan grew up just outside of Philadelphia in Cherry Hill, NJ, and was drawn to cooking from a young age, observing and tasting the results of his grandmother's cooking. His father was a line cook; upon visiting him one day, Adan was struck by the thought that he saw no Latinos cooking on a higher level, and he determined to change that. His very first job was at a local, highly regarded French restaurant, La Campagne, where, working his way up, he got a solid grounding, learning French techniques. Following a subsequent Sous Chef position at another Cherry Hill locale, Olive, he spent two years at Philadelphia's acclaimed Capital Grill steakhouse.
Once established in Philadelphia, Adan became an integral part of its burgeoning Latin food scene. He worked under 2010 Iron Chef Jose Garces at El Vez; as Chef de Cuisine there he created new dishes for its Neuvo Mexicano concept. From that position of responsibility he opened the Water Works Restaurant and Lounge, as its first Chef, creating the menu and managing the operation. But Nuevo Latino cuisine called to Adan again, and he took the position of Sous Chef under its "godfather", Douglas Rodriguez, at the critically acclaimed Alma de Cuba. Here he assisted in creating specials and new dishes. Chef Guillermo Telez's customers at the renowned Striped Bass also benefited from Adan's creativity during the subsequent two years he spent as Sous Chef there, before taking on the Executive Chef duties at El Vez prior to his departure for New York.
Adan Trinidad's Philadelphia experience has instilled in him unerring instincts for the ways in which the many varieties of Latin flavor can be communicated via contemporary techniques and paired with tastes of other cultures. He now shares his skills with the many satisfied New York diners at Zengo.
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