New spring menu featured at TusCA
Breast of Chicken: oven roasted free range chicken with green olives and rosemary in a brown butter sage sauce served with gnocchi and spring asparagus.
Seared Sea Scallops: large scallops pan seared and finished in a fire oven served with a carrot risotto, minted green pea puree, and pea tendrils tossed in lemon oil
Fresh Ravioli: pasta stuffed with lemon thyme ricotta, roasted red peppers and green peas in a white wine cream sauce
Those are three dishes Ross Kilkenny prepared for me during my visit to TusCA Ristorante in the Monterey Hyatt & Spa last week. They are additions to the new spring menu.
I was there to finalize arrangements for "An Evening at TusCA," a project of The Salinas Californian and Off 68 — our community newspaper serving the Highway 68 corridor. The effort was mutually beneficial from the very start. TusCA wanted to announce its new spring menu. We wanted to do something special for our readers. They gave us a fantastic price for the evening. We gave them advertising and handled all the reservations.
For 17 years, Ross Kilkenny has worked in kitchens. Although he's only 35, he's garnered a wealth of experience. His job prior to becoming the chef at TusCA was as the executive chef for Santa Barbara City College.
"It wasn't such a glamorous job," he admitted, "but it gave me training on high volume cooking."
After his year at the Culinary Institute of America, Kilkenny worked at New York City's famous River Café.
Kilkenny, originally from Ukiah, always planned to work in California. He's cooked for Bouchon in Yountville which is part of the Thomas Keller group and also at the now closed Martini House in St. Helena. His love for California's coastline attracted him to Monterey and the opportunity to work at TusCA. He joined the staff just a few weeks ago. When he's not in the kitchen, you might find him suited up and exploring our kelp forests — from below.
Steve Johnson is the executive chef at TusCA and joined the team 15 months ago. Johnson has worked for many restaurants both institutional and private. He's been working for Hyatt for the past 15 years with positions in Chicago, Columbus, Valencia, and West Lake Village. His career started at Mountain Jack's in Elyria, Ohio — not far from his birthplace in Cleveland.
"Private businesses are so fragile," Johnson said. He's worked at small restaurants where he came to cook, was presented with a check, and told the restaurant is closing down, goodbye.
Hyatt has provided job security and stability. It's been a good working environment for him.
He has spent a great deal of his time in banquets. "They send me an automated report about 18 days out," Johnson explained about large hotel food functions. "From that I know the size of the party, food choices and any special items I might have to plan for." Then he orders food, arranges for staff, and sets every detail in motion.
Johnson received the prestigious "Chef of the Year" award in 2010 from Hyatt Corporation. He loves to skateboard and surf.
The response to "An Evening at TusCA" was so great we had to go back to the restaurant and see if they would increase our limit. They did. The event is now officially sold out. We will take over the restaurant for the evening. Multiple tasting stations will be set up and chefs will be on hand to answer questions. It begins at 6 p.m., Monday, March 30.
If you missed out on this event, keep reading The Salinas Californian. We intend to offer similar evenings throughout the year. It's a great way to thank readers for subscribing and learn about topics important to you.
Follow Joe Truskot on Twitter @truskot_salnews #salinas.