Photo: Courtesy of Mina Group
It may be hard to picture some of today’s most influential chefs in tiny toques, but they, too, were small children at one time, with big appetites and big dreams, both of which were likely fed by their mothers. This week, OpenTable checked in with four famous chefs to find out exactly how their mothers have influenced their careers, their kitchens, and even their menus. Our series concludes with the gifted Michael Mina, whose restaurants include the eponymous and Michelin-starred MICHAEL MINA as well as RN74 in San Francisco.
Born in Cairo and raised in Ellensburg, Washington, chef Michael Mina’s mother helped shape his palate early in his life. Says Mina, 42, “My mom is a fantastic cook of traditional Middle Eastern cuisine, and a couple of the recipes I use in my restaurants are hers, from my childhood meals at home.”
Of these very personal dishes diners can delight in, Mina, reveals, “A few of my mom’s recipes that I incorporate into some of my restaurants include the falafel recipe for my falafel burger, which has been on the Bourbon Steak bar burger menus for more than a year, as well as a traditional Middle Eastern dish of chickpeas, lentils, rice, peppers and onions, called kusheri, which has been served at my Seablue restaurants for many years.”
Photo: Courtesy of Mina Group
He continues, “Both of these dishes she made for me, and our family, when I was young. I loved them so much and am so pleased to be able to use them today in my restaurants. It really is to honor her.”
