An Interview With Martita Mestey
…enjoy the ride and let each day come to you. It is not necessary to rush through it. It will happen regardless. Enjoy your path because it is yours, and no other path is like it. Your decisions decide where you go, so make the right ones…
As a part of our series about the lessons from influential ‘TasteMakers’, I had the distinct pleasure of interviewing Adam Fiscus.
Executive Chef Adam Fiscus arrived at Central Park Boathouse after spending nearly two decades at Culinaire, the Dallas-based catering and hospitality company that helms the culinary programs at acclaimed hotels and revered cultural institutions across the country. Adam grew up on a dairy farm in a small town in Texas, and first fell in love with cooking while working as a busboy at a local restaurant. He was tasked with trying his hand at dinner service when the kitchen staff walked out. Ever since then, he has pursued a career in the kitchen. After rising the ranks at Culinaire — spending five years as their Executive Chef, Restaurant & Banquets at New Jersey Performing Arts Center (NJPAC), and a subsequent nine-year period rising to Culinaire’s Dallas Area Executive Chef back in his native Texas — Adam moved to New York City for an opportunity with Legends, the global premium experiences company, to lead the new culinary team at the city’s iconic Central Park Boathouse.
Thank you so much for doing this with us! Our readers would love to ‘get to know’ you a bit. Can you share with our readers a story about what inspired you to become a restauranteur or chef?
My career started out as a dishwasher in a steakhouse. I very quickly realized that I did not want to do that forever. I was thrust into the kitchen one night and told I was going to learn to cook. Prior to that, I had never cooked anything — not even mac and cheese. My first night on the grill I cooked over 100 steaks and not a single one came back for a recook. I realized I had a natural ability to cook. From there I began working at hotels and high-end French restaurants. I was fascinated with food. All aspects were very intriguing to me. How to make an emulsion that won’t break. Learning how to make duck confit properly. A perfectly braised beef short rib. More than anything, I wanted to belong to something special. Something that would be talked about.
Do you have a specific type of food that you focus on? What was it that first drew you to cooking that type of food? Can you share a story about that with us?
My love for food began with French cooking. Working in French bistros and fine dining restaurants. I was fortunate to have the opportunity to open a Mediterranean restaurant that leaned towards French influence. French cuisine is a very emotional cooking experience for me. Something about the building of flavors using multiple techniques. The ability to hide an entire stick of butter in a dish, or taking a cheap cut of meat and, through technique, making it seem like a top-tier cut. It’s magical.
A story I can share is when I made duck confit for the first time and my French boss told me it was better than his grandmother’s. I was beyond humbled. The thought of walking through her French basement with walls lined with mason jars of canned and preserved goods. Memories like that take me back to the earliest days of my career where everything was fascinating and magical.
Can you share the funniest or most interesting story that has happened to you since you became a chef? What was the lesson or take away you took out of that story?
As a younger man, I was working at a hotel in Fort Worth. One of our long term guests was in town to deal with matters of a family member’s death. This lasted over 3 years. From the beginning, I was assigned to be her personal chef. She was a very unique woman. Allergic to garlic, onion, salt, pepper, olive oil, dairy, gluten, nuts, sesame, and pretty much anything you can think of. At first, I was very frustrated as I could never make this woman happy. She was a very old and frail woman, and I was raised in a Southern home where respect was first and foremost. I desperately wanted to make her happy with the food I was serving her (grilled chicken, broccoli, rice; for breakfast, lunch and dinner). It took me a while, but I finally figured out how to cook for her. We actually became great friends over the years, with a few late night trips to the grocery store for last-minute needs. I learned that through persistence and patience, you can always find a way to have a positive influence on someone’s life.
Can you tell us a story about the hard times that you faced when you first started your journey? How did you overcome this obstacle?
I found myself working in a group of very talented chefs, most with formal training, or just a crazy amount of experience that I did not have. To overcome this, I simply worked hard — every day. Read every culinary book I could find, and tried to perfect the things I was good at. Most of my lunch breaks were spent in the bookstore looking at Charlie Trotter and Thomas Keller cookbooks. I wanted to make beautiful food. I had to make sure that my effort was on par with my expectations.
In your experience, what is the key to creating a dish that customers are crazy about?
Texture, color and seasoning. You eat with your eyes first. If something looks amazing, your brain is telling you that it is amazing long before you taste it. I like to add a crunchy component to a dish that is mostly soft. That contrast in mouth feel will make all the difference in the world. If something is sweet, add an acidic component. Sweet and sour is something that our palettes enjoy. I find that I lean towards using citrus or vinegar, paired with some sweetness in my most popular dishes.
Personally, what is the ‘perfect meal for you’?
Something light, with textures, and visually stunning.
Where does your inspiration for creating come from? Is there something that you turn to for a daily creativity boost?
For creativity, I go back to the start of my career. Working with very talented chefs and desperately wanting their approval. Knowing that I had a place amongst them. Pushing myself to learn more and experiment more, with different ingredients and styles. Just trying to catch a glimpse of greatness.
Are you working on any new or exciting projects now? What impact do you think this will have?
At Central Park Boathouse, every day is an adventure. It is honestly my dream come true. I have this iconic restaurant, in Central Park in New York City, and it’s mine to mold and sculpt as I see fit. I enjoy being a part of all the memories people create here, and knowing that I had an impact on so many people’s days. Having a restaurant that changes the menu every season is an amazing experience, as well. We get to focus on the seasonal and local ingredients. I personally enjoy weddings the most. Being trusted to cook for a large group of people on one of the most special days in a person’s life is a huge responsibility, and I take it very seriously.
What advice would you give to other chefs or restaurateurs to thrive and avoid burnout?
Don’t take yourself too seriously, and know that every day is another notch in your belt. You are better than you were yesterday. Now, take that experience and apply it to tomorrow.
What’s the one dish people have to try if they visit your establishment?
Tuna Tartare — Italian-style with Meyer lemon aioli and crispy chips. It’s an amazing dish.
You are a person of enormous influence. If you could inspire a movement that would bring the most amount of good to the most amount of people, what would that be? You never know what your idea can trigger.
Going back to family dinners. Dining with loved ones was something that used to be cherished. I feel like that has been lost in the current world, and we could all benefit from more family dinners.
Lastly, what are your “5 Things I Wish Someone Told Me When I First Started as a Chef” and why? Please share a story or an example for each.
- That it can be extremely lonely. Long days, nights, weekends, holidays and restless sleep.
- That no matter how hard you work, you will never please everyone. Do what you think is good and let the chips fall where they may. Be confident in yourself and your ability.
- Not to take yourself too seriously. Be ready to laugh at yourself when you do something dumb.
- To enjoy the ride and let each day come to you. It is not necessary to rush through it. It will happen regardless. Enjoy your path because it is yours, and no other path is like it. Your decisions decide where you go, so make the right ones.
- To always check and make sure it’s sugar in the bowl, not salt. Funny crème brulee story. Didn’t seem so funny at the time though.
Thank you so much for these insights. This was very inspirational!
Adam Fiscus Of Central Park Boathouse: 5 Things I Wish Someone Told Me Before I Became a Chef was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.