3.) Alvan Cailan, Amboy, Los Angeles - Hiramasa kinilaw
Alvin Cailan grew up in Los Angeles, California and began cooking at a very young age. Being part of a Filipino household, meals revolved around the kitchen, so the smells, sights and sounds came to define this eager chef. By the time he was a senior in high school, Cailan was cooking professionally and had risen in the ranks to kitchen manager.
Cailan attended Oregon Culinary Institute, then worked in Europe, staging at Mugaritz and Noma, before returning to stage at Castagna, Olympia Provisions, Bouchon, The French Laundry, Spago, and Hatfield’s. After graduation, Cailan cooked at Portland, Oregon’s Ten 01 and California’s MB Post.
His love of eggs inspired Callan to open Eggslut as a six-month pop-up. It was so successful, the restaurant is now a staple at Grand Central Market, and earned Cailan a 2014 StarChefs Rising Stars award. A second Eggslut recently opened in Las Vegas with more slated in Venice in Glendale. His latest venture is Unit 120, a concept incubator that teaches young chefs how to run a business.
At StarChefs' Chef Congress, Cailan delivered a crash course in a cuisine that most Americans have yet to discover – kinilaw, in all its soothing, pungent, humble, kaleidoscopic glory. Using longganisa, dilis, banana ketchup, and adobo, his featured seafood was South Australia’s famed Hiramasa Kingfish.
As a natural inhabitant of the cold waters of Spencer Gulf off the Eyre Peninsula in South Australia, Hiramasa Kingfish are locally fed year-round by Antarctic currents that flow from the Great Southern Ocean. Hiramasa is the Japanese word for the species, where it’s highly prized as a superb sashimi fish. Increasingly though, Hiramasa Kingfish is also being acclaimed for its extraordinary versatility; it can be served as sashimi, cured, smoked, grilled, fried or roasted as a cutlet or poached as a fillet in broth.
Hiramasa kinilaw (Serves 1)
INGREDIENTS
- 4 ounces Hiramasa kingfish, thinly sliced
- 100-gram coconut milk
- 30 gram cane vinegar
- 5 gram chili oil
- 2 Thai chilies, thinly sliced lengthwise, seeds removed
- Cilantro leaves
- 1 lime, supremed
METHOD
In a bowl, marinate kingfish in coconut milk and cane vinegar for 30 minutes in the refrigerator; drain. On a serving plate, arrange kingfish and finish with chili oil, chili, cilantro leaves, and limes.
