Telluride Festival of the Arts: Kenny Gilbert, Capella’s Executive Chef

13 Aug Telluride Festival of the Arts: Kenny Gilbert, Capella’s Executive Chef

[click “Play” to hear Eileen’s conversation with Kenny Gilbert]

A trifecta of the arts is taking place August 13th through the 16th in Mountain Village as Telluride celebrates it 2009 Festival of the Arts with a fabulous line up of food & wine, art and music.  Top celebrated chefs will be on hand to showcase and demonstrate their culinary expertise.  A gallery of more than 40 artists with national and regional acclaim will exhibit and sell their work throughout the weekend.   Grammy nominated and multi-platinum artist, Joan Osborne will perform in a free live concert at the Sunset Stage on Friday the 14th.

A highlight to Telluride’s Festival of the Arts is the ‘Celebrating the Arts ’ Celebrity Chef Dinner.  Kenny Gilbert is executive chef of Telluride’s five star ultra-luxury resort, Capella Telluride, and is one of the culinary experts taking part in the weekend festivities.  Gilbert’s celebrated international cuisine is showcased in all three of Capella’s dining rooms including the fine dining restaurant Onyx, the casual Gray Jay Cafe and the popular Suede Bar.  

Kenny Gilbert began cooking at the tender age of three and with the support of his family, continued on this career path that led to his graduating from Pennsylvania Culinary Institute in Pittsburgh.   Gilbert brings over 16 years of experience to Capella.  Gilbert has received many prestigious honors including being invited to cook at the James Beard House in New York on multiple occasions. 

Chef Kenny Gilbert will be partaking in many events throughout the weekend including Saturday afternoon’s “Art of Pairing” and Sunday’s demonstration center stage at the Viking Tent in Heritage Plaza themed around mushrooms, entitled “The Fascination of Fungi.”   Both promise to be entertaining and interactive culinary demonstrations by Chef Kenny, whose creations have garnered multiple awards from the country’s top dining institutions. 

To hear more about Chef Kenny Gilbert’s path to becoming a top chef, the path that led him to Capella and what he plans to present at the 2009 Telluride Festival of the Arts, please listen to the posted interview he did with TIO’s Eileen Burns.  If you would like copies of each recipe he is planning for this event, they are are listed at the end of this article.  

For a complete schedule of events taking place during the August 13th through August 16th, see the Telluride Festival of the Arts website.  To find out more about Chef Kenny Gilbert and Capella Telluride, log on to the Capella website.

Capella Telluride opened Feb. 12, 2009 in the heart of Mountain Village, setting a new standard in the hospitality industry and redefining mountain luxury.   Capella’s unique benefits and individualized service, as well as it’s on-mountain, ski in/ski out location are unmatched. Capella offers world-class amenities such as an exclusive lounge, spa and pool as well as a fitness center, ski valet, several restaurants and entertainment venues.  Capella is made up of 100 luxury condominium rooms and 60 condominium residences.

Kenny Gilbert, Executive Chef, Capella Telluride – Recipes for  “The Fascination of Fungi” Demonstration

Warm Chanterelle Mushroom Potato Espuma with Confit of Bison Short Ribs

Serves 10 Guests
Recipe#1– Step I
Bison Short Ribs
Ingredients
    •    5lbs sliced Bison Short Ribs
    •    5 each sprigs Rosemary
    •    10 each Garlic Cloves
    •    1 quart Vegetable Oil
    •    2 cups Extra Virgin Olive Oil
    •    5 each Bay Leaves
    •    4 ea Star Anise
    •    1  T. Fleur de Sel
    •    20 each cleaned Chanterelle Mushrooms
Procedures
    •    Place short ribs into sauce pot.
    •    Layer meat with spices, garlic and chanterelle mushrooms.
    •    Top off with Vegetable oil and olive oil.
    •    Bring up to a boil and then reduce to a simmer.
    •    Cook for 40 minutes.
Plate Presentations
    •    Place Bison and Chanterelle Mushrooms on bottom of a bowl.
    •    Dispense Espuma on top of Chanterelles and Bison.
    •    Garnish with Chiffonade of Celery Leaves.

Warm Chanterelle Mushroom Potato Espuma

Recipe#2 – Step II
Ingredients
    •    10 each Red Bliss Potatoes
    •    2 c. Heavy Cream
    •    2 c. Water
    •    2 T. Olive Oil
    •    1 T. minced Garlic
    •    1 T.  sliced Shallots
    •    1  c. Chanterelle Mushrooms
    •    2 T. White Truffle Oil
    •    3 ea. Gelatin Sheets bloomed in Ice Water
    •    1 tsp. Fleur de Sel

Procedures
    •    Pre-heat sauce pot on medium high heat.
    •    Add Olive Oil and allow to heat up.
    •    Add Chanterelle Mushrooms and proceed to sautéed.
    •    Add shallots, garlic and cook to tender.
    •    Deglaze with water and cream.
    •    Add potatoes and bring mixture  to a boil then reduce to a simmer.
    •    Cook potatoes until tender. ***Note: about 15 minutes.
    •    Drain liquid and reserve.
    •    Place potato mushroom mixture into Vitamix blender.
    •    Top off with reserved liquid and truffle oil and start blender on slow speed.
    •    Puree until smooth.
    •    Strain through a chinois.
    •    Bloom gelatin sheets in ice water.
    •    Drain Gelatin and add to strained potato mixture.
    •    Finish with Fleur de Sel.
    •    Place mixture into ISI Dispenser and add 1 N2o gas charge per ½ liter dispenser.

Pickled Chanterelle Mushrooms on Goat Cheese Pot de Crème

Serves 10 Guests
Recipe#3– Step III
Local Goat Cheese Pot de Creme
Ingredients
    •    1 quart Heavy Cream
    •    ¼ cup Agave Nectar
    •    8 oz. Goat Cheese
    •    10 oz. Egg Yolks
    •    1 pinch Fleur de Sel
    •    1 tsp. Cumin, ground
Procedures
    •    Combine Heavy Cream, Nectar, Cumin and Goat Cheese together in a pot.
    •    Bring to a simmer.
    •    Temper in Egg Yolks and place into Vitamix Blender.
    •    Strain through a chinois.
    •    Dispense Custard base into 2 oz. Ramekins and fill just about to the top.
    •    Place ramekins into hotel pan and wrap with plastic wrap.
    •    Place into a pre-heated oven at 225 degrees.
    •    Bake until set. ***Note: 15-20 minutes.
    •    Remove from oven and take off plastic.
    •    Allow to cool.
Plate Presentations
    •    Place Bison and Chanterelle Mushrooms on bottom of a bowl.
    •    Dispense Espuma on top of Chanterelles and Bison.
    •    Garnish with Chiffonade of Celery Leaves.

Pickled Chanterelle Mushrooms

Recipe#4 – Step IV
Ingredients
    •    1 quart Rice Vinegar
    •    ¼ cup Pickling Spice
    •    1 cup julienne Onions
    •    2 T. chopped Garlic
    •    3 cup. Cleaned Chanterelle Mushrooms
    •    ¼ c. Extra Virgin Olive Oil
    •    3 T. Julienne Basil
    •    Fleur de Sel and Cracked Black Pepper to Taste
Procedures
    •    Combine Rice Vinegar, Pickling Spice, Onions, Garlic and bring to a boil.
    •    Cook for 3-5 minutes,
    •    Strain and pour over chanterelles and allow to marinate for 30 minutes covered,
    •    Strain off poaching liquid and add Olive Oil, Basil, Fleur de Sel, Black Pepper to Taste.
Plate Presentations
    •    Top each Pot de Crème with Chanterelle Mushroom and garnish with Crumbled Goat Cheese.

Portobello Mushroom Fries with Chipotle Prickly Pear Cactus Aioli

Serves 10 Guests
Recipe#5 – Step V
Portobello Mushroom Fries
Ingredients
    •    10 each Portobello Mushrooms sliced
    •    3 cup Seasoned Flour (2.5 c. Flour, 1 tsp each Curry Powder, Cajun Spice, Dried Thyme, Dried Parsley, Granulated Garlic, Granulated Onion, Kosher Salt)
    •    12 Eggs
    •    ½ cup Buttermilk
    •    2 quarts Fryer Oil
Procedures
    •    Bring 2 quarts of oil to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
    •    Combine eggs, buttermilk and mix well.
    •    Dredge Portobello Mushrooms in flour then Egg Batter then flour and then the fryer.
    •    Cook until golden brown,

Prickly Pear Cactus Chipotle

Recipe#6 – Step VI
Ingredients
    •    3 c. Mayonnaise
    •    1 c. Prickly Pear Cactus Syrup
    •    3 T. Fresh Lime Juice
    •    3 tsp. Chipotle Powder
    •    1 T. chopped Cilantro
    •    1 tsp. Fleur de Sel
Procedures
    •    Combine all ingredients and mix together well.