Being a chef at one of Boston’s premier seafood dining establishments can at times be a stressful experience (especially when your expected to serve from a menu of largely sustainable foods), but it’s a dream role for any area chef that has grown up on New England’s fine fish. Just ask Armand Toutaint, who has served as Head Chef at Turner Fisheries for the past year and a half. Armand is happy to call Turner’s his kitchen, as he frequently adjusts his ingredients and preparation methods in pursuit of the quintessential regional seafood menu. But after those long nights, as you’ll read below, all Armand really needs is just a good, old fashioned peanut butter and jelly sandwich.
Q: You seem to know your way around Boston pretty well. Did you grow up in the area?
A: I am born and raised in New England. Laconia NH, home of the oldest motorcycle rally in the country.
Q: When and why did you become inspired to start cooking?
A: I started working in restaurants very young, first as a dishwasher in a family friend’s restaurant when I was 11, and just kind of moved into cooking from there. I grew up in a single parent household and was a bit of a troublemaker. I convinced my mother to let me start working as a dishwasher so that I could buy myself the things we couldn’t afford.
Q: What chef inspires you and why?
A: Living in Boston, it would be cliché to say, but Julia Child. I used to watch rebroadcasts of Julia Child’s show growing up with my grand-mère.
Q: So does the French style of cooking have an influence on you?
Even though I have a French name, I don’t consider myself French. Although, French cooking is a major influence, I wouldn’t say anymore for me than any other cooks I know.
Q: You have now been at Turner Fisheries for over a year and a half. What’s your favorite dish on the menu that everyone should try?
A: Right now I would have to say the wild salmon. However, with the menu changes that we have coming up, I may be tempted to change my mind on this…
Q: And your favorite personal creation?
A: I crafted a special earlier this year that was a soft-shell crab stuffed with butter pouched lobster, served with grilled asparagus and lobster roe berr blanc. It was quite nice.
Q: What is your most used secret ingredient?
A: The chefs that I work with would say that its maple syrup because I use it more like a seasoning than as a toping for waffles, but I personally would have to say it depends on what I’m cooking and how it’s being cooked.
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Stay tuned tomorrow for the remainder of the interview with Head Chef Armand Toutaint.
Can’t wait to see the fall menu with the sustainable fish options.
It is fastenatating that you have lived in New hampshire right by the motor rally somewhere I always wanted to visit
I really would like to see some of your recipes with Maple with your back ground it maybe something spectatucular.
Do you have a french twist to your cooking?
Great article can’t wait to here the rest
Great article Armand. We are proud of you. MOM
Hey you never said do you like cottage cheese yet? Memere would be so proud of you. We all like peanut butter and jelly it is a family tradition