Community Building in the Washington, DC area!!

SFP Editor: What inspired you to pursue a career in the food business? Laura Trevino: My grandmother, Ana Vega, was an amazing cook. I remember going to visit her in Sevilla when I was little and heading to the markets with her to pick up things to prepare dinner. She took a lot of care to pick the best. And she took cooking very seriously. There was a proper way to do things. You never added garlic to roasted pepper salad because that would dominate the sweet flavor of the peppers.

SFP Editor: What inspired you to pursue a career in the food business?

Laura Trevino: My grandmother, Ana Vega, was an amazing cook. I remember going to visit her in Sevilla when I was little and heading to the markets with her to pick up things to prepare dinner. She took a lot of care to pick the best. And she took cooking very seriously. There was a proper way to do things. You never added garlic to roasted pepper salad because that would dominate the sweet flavor of the peppers.

Her cooking was very plain and homey. There were not a whole lot of sauces or even ingredients. Things were very simple, not buried in sauces or full of strong flavors. She believed in letting the food speak for itself. If you were going to take 20 minutes at the market finding the best possible artichoke wouldn’t you want to let the artichoke shine?

My abuela was also extremely resourceful and frugal and knew how to get maximum value from what she bought. She would make a puchero with chicken and vegetables and chickpeas. We would serve the broth as a soup and then eat the chicken and vegetables as a main course. Yesterday’s bread would become crouton or go into gazpacho of today.

I always loved to cook and entertain. Whenever it was a birthday, whenever I threw a party, for barbecues or whatever, I always enjoyed cooking. I even had a few recipes published in Gourmet! But I never seriously considered a career in food until I was in my 30's. My then job was not very rewarding and I was trying to find a way to make a living doing what I love. One day, I met Jose Andres and he offered me a job on the spot.

SFP Editor: What have you learned from working with Jose Andres?

Laura Trevino: Jose is extremely open minded about food and about people. He has faith in his instincts. Working with him puts you in an atmosphere that is all about learning and sharing.

In that atmosphere, I have learned a lot about teamwork, about organization and about how you set up a kitchen. I learned how a collaborative creative process works. It is very easy for one person to create but to create within a team is much more challenging. It requires organization, it requires the ability to articulate your ideas. Sometimes you have to be an advocate for your point of view, you have to be able to argue on your behalf, persuade others to listen to you.

Food wise, I have learned a ton about Spanish, Mexican, Latin American, Middle Eastern cuisine. And within the food world I've made invaluable contacts. It is all about networking!

SFP Editor: Describe your experience developing Jose's cookbook.

Laura Trevino: I was hired to test the recipes for his first book, "Tapas: A Taste of Spain in America." Does the recipe work? You have to be super precise and keep in mind the audience for the book. A professional chef used to a restaurant kitchen is not the right person for the job. Their perspective is all wrong.

SFP Editor: How would you desceibe the DC restaurant scene?

Laura Trevino: DC has become a food town in last ten years. We are no longer just steak houses. There are a lot of very good restaurants that can compete with restaurants in any town. We may not be as big as New York but we can eat as well.

SFP Editor: What does it take to run a well-respected restaurant?

Laura Trevino: Don’t cut corners. There are a lot of restaurants out there that don't do a very good job. They buy their sauces, stocks, etc. prepared. Do you really think that the corner sports bar made that Jalapeño Popper? No. More than likely they bought it frozen. Just like the crap at COSTCO. And the fries. I can’t believe there are restaurants that don’t cut their own fries! It is not rocket science and the final product is so much better! It is like anything. Do it well and do it with pride.

The truth is the food is maybe 10-15% of why you like a restaurant. The rest is really about hospitality: the service, the physical environment and the intangibles. How many times have you continued to go to a restaurant where the food was just okay but every time you left feeling good? That is hospitality. Did the host greet you? Did you feel welcomed? Did they remember you if you were a repeat customer? Did the server come by the table within a few minutes of your being seated to say hello and take a drink order? Was the place clean? Was it attractive? Was the seat comfortable? Were the dishes too big for the table or just the right size? Were your dirty dishes cleared quickly? Did the server know the menu? Were they accommodating of allergies and food preferences? The bottom line is did you feel good about spending your money there? That is the most important measure.

SFP Editor: What are your aspirations in the food/restaurant industry?

Laura Trevino: The food and restaurant business is full of small business people. It is very entrepreneurial in spirit. Like most people in this industry, I would like to have something of my own one day. I don’t know if that means my own PR or consulting firm or my own coffee shop. I would love to get into food or wine importing. I am still trying to decide. My dream job would be to write about food and travel.

SFP Editor: What is your favorite restaurant in DC?

Laura Trevino: My current favorite isn’t even in the city! (I am such a city person it pains me to say that!) There is this great Korean restaurant in Annandale called Yechon. Great bulgogi and kalbi and seafood pajeon. I love it. I just wish there was a place in Adams Morgan where I could get great Korean food.