by Tammy Sproule Kaplan

Chefspeak with Isaac Becker

For Isaac Becker, it began in the kitchen of Lowry’s, at Franklin and Hennepin avenues in Minneapolis, where Auriga is now. It was during a five year period there that he got his hands dirty, if you will, cooking under owner Jim Reininger. And then he joined that great big family of D’Amico chefs, to which the roots of many local culinary greats can now be traced. He cooked at D’Amico Cucina, and at Campiello’s, first in Uptown Minneapolis, then as sous chef in Eden Prairie. In 2002, when D’Amico hatched its latest concept, Lurcat, on Loring Park, Isaac was hired as the opening head chef and remained so for a little over two years.

Now, Becker is trying his hand at running not just a kitchen, but an entire restaurant. In January, he and his wife, Nancy St. Pierre, also with a history at D’Amico, opened 112 Eatery, at 112 N. 3rd St. in the Warehouse District. It was a quick transition. He left Lurcat in December and a little more than a month later 112 Eatery opened its doors. Here is what Isaac had to say in our conversation about being the man in charge.

tsk: How did you develop this happy connotation with bistro food reflected in Bouchon?

Becker: A bistro restaurant to me is a restaurant that you go to over and over and over again. You really build a relationship with the people. It’s almost like walking into a relative’s house. It’s really kind of a happy time. You feel good about it. You feel good about what you’re going to eat because you know what you’re going to eat. There’s no apprehension about ordering anything because you know, I’m going to have the chicken tonight because I feel like having the chicken. It just makes me feel good.

tsk: How would you describe the concept at 112 Eatery?

Becker:I’m trying to create a place that, I don’t have a catch phrase to describe it, but what I’m trying to do is create a place where food is good and accessible. A place you would go to more than once or twice a year. I don’t want to price it so people say it’s too expensive, I’m not going to go there. It’s food that I would look for when I got out to eat. Basically, I created a place that I would want to go to.

With the food, too, I try to accomplish an honesty with the dishes. I’m not looking for the newest coolest ingredients. There are no quail eggs or smoked paprika. I don’t put something in my dishes just because it’s hard to find or cool. I just try to make it taste good. People underestimate how hard it is to make a dish that tastes good, as opposed to just looks good.

tsk: Why do you think this notion of simpler food, or “comfort food,” has been such a hit?

Becker: I don’t know. I think that there’s a misconception with the phrase “comfort food.” It’s not any easier to prepare than the more artistic dishes that you see out there. There’s just as much technique and execution involved. It’s a trend I guess, as anything with food. I’m not so sure that the comfort food trend is that new anymore. In New York, Dufresne at WD-50, for example, is kind of going back to doing crazy things. Combining things like anchovies and fois gras, or black olive popsicles.

tsk: How do you choose your products?

Becker: Of course, I want the best ingredients, but customer service is important too. Not someone that thinks I should feel lucky to be getting their product. Some artisan guys are like that and it becomes a pain to use them. It’s not like I want a salesman that is a brownnoser, but someone who helps me and communicates with me, tells me what’s a good deal or what’s in season or fresh. If they say there’s bad weather in Alaska and the halibut is small and the price goes up, you’re kind of at their mercy and you have to build up trust.

tsk: What’s the first thing you learned to cook really well?

Becker: Probably pasta. When I worked at Lowry’s, we sold a lot of pasta there. At Cucina, I worked the pasta station. I think pasta is probably one of my favorite foods and I have a lot of experience with it.

tsk: Ever created a dish that flopped with your customers?

Becker: Anything with liver on it usually doesn’t do well in the restaurants I’ve worked at. It seems in Minnesota, the word grouper turns people off and if you call it sea bass it goes like crazy. Like on my menu now, I have a beautiful grouper, and if I lied and called it sea bass it would sell. A lot of my favorite things don’t necessarily sell very well.

tsk: Are you still friendly with Lurcat and D’Amico?

Becker: They were very, very nice. I gave them plenty of notice. They were very helpful and supportive. I owe that company a lot. There’s a not a decision I make now where Jay Sparks’ (D’Amico’s executive chef ) opinion is not in my mind. What he would do.

tsk: Where do you like to go out on a night off?

Becker: My wife and I go to lunch more than dinner. We go to Quang’s deli quite a bit. I’ve had some good dinners at I Nonni. We don’t go out that often.

tsk: Now that you have your own place, what have you noticed that’s different about owning a place versus running the kitchen for someone else?

Becker: I really feel like when you create a place and try to sell something, it’s almost like, I feel more grateful to the customers. These people come into my restaurant and pay money for what I’m providing. Everyone who walks through that door, I’m grateful to see. I’ve always wanted business in the restaurants I worked in, but more so now. It’s not just financial.

tsk: As people are coming in to try 112 Eatery, any one dish you’d like everyone to taste?

Becker: My favorite is the savory Choucroute Bread Pudding, made with ham hocks, sausage, sauerkraut, pork belly and bread. Also, my Stringozi with Lamb Stew.