Chef Rick Moonen
Oceana of New York City

Brad: Welcome to the TABASCO Chef Chat! Tonight's guest is Chef Rick Moonen. Please submit your questions to the chef.

Brad presents the speaker with question #39 from Greggilbert: where is your restaurant from

Rickmoonen: New York City, In midtown Manhattan

Nawlins: What is your favorite food?

Brad presents the speaker with question #41 from Chefwannabe: What's it like living in NY?

Rickmoonen: I guess just like living in any great city, just more fun. Not as much fun as living in Nawlins

Brad presents the speaker with question #40 from Nawlins: How long have you been cooking?

Rickmoonen: 20 years--or more actually--20 professionally

Brad presents the speaker with question #42 from TABASCOfan1: ( I love salmon) What exactly is salmon tartar

Rickmoonen: It's raw salmon that is cured with a real spicy mayonnaise

Brad presents the speaker with question #43 from TABASCOfan1: have you cooked anywhere outside of new york

Rickmoonen: that we make at Oceana

Nawlins: Hello Beans

Rickmoonen: Yeah. I worked in Key West, FL for nine months 15 years ago

Brad presents the speaker with question #44 from Nawlins: Where did you get the Name Oceana from?

Rickmoonen: It's ocean with an 'A" on the end. It's a seafood restaurant.

Brad presents the speaker with question #45 from Nawlins: Key West - do you surf?

Rickmoonen laughs hysterically.

Rickmoonen: I tried windsurfing once. I like diving better.

Brad: Do you catch your own seafood?

Rickmoonen: I used to dive for fresh conch just outside of the restaurant.

Brad: I guess you can hold your breath for a long time.

Rickmoonen: This area is where I learned the most about seafood, besides the Fulton Fish Market.

Brad presents the speaker with question #46 from TABASCOfan1: do you ever dive for lobsters

Rickmoonen: Yep.

Greggilbert: sometimes you have to hold your breath for a long time in the subways in NY

Rickmoonen: I dove for the kind without the claws... the kind with the whips on them. They are located on shells where you have to weigh yourself down on them.

Nawlins: Whips?

Rickmoonen: Shelves not shells

Brad presents the speaker with question #47 from Chefwannabe: What's your favorite kind of Louisiana seafood?

Rickmoonen: Gumbo, gumbo, gumbo!

Rickmoonen cheers enthusiastically.

Rickmoonen: Love the hot & spicy

Brad presents the speaker with question #49 from TABASCOfan1: have a good recipe for lobsters other than boiled?

Rickmoonen: I got tons of em. I do lobster raviolis. Lobster steak

Brad: Tell us about the Ravioli?

Rickmoonen: Okay--It's fresh lobster mixed with creamy polenta and wrapped in a wonton skin with herbs and cooked in a tomato broth with lots of vegetables...

Nawlins: ummmm

Rickmoonen: ...and garnished with basil oil

Nawlins: sounds great

Rickmoonen: It is MMMMM.... It sells #2 in the restaurant just behind jumbo lump crab cakes

Chefwannabe: ya

Brad presents the speaker with question #53 from TABASCOfan1: do you have a favorite wine to accompany seafood?

Nawlins: lets get drunk

Chefwannabe: sure... whos go it?

Rickmoonen: Sauvignon wine, anything with good crisp acidity

Greggilbert: im in

Rickmoonen: Sauvignon Blanc with GOOD crisp acidity

Brad presents the speaker with question #52 from Nawlins: Do you like fried seafood - I do.

Rickmoonen: I do. If its done right, fried seafood is outrageous....

Brad: How can you do it wrong?

Rickmoonen: You need to bread it just before you put it in the oil and the oil has to be the right temperature, otherwise it gets soggy, the oil must be clean, too.

Brad presents the speaker with question #51 from Nawlins: How about Crawfish?

Rickmoonen: Nothing better than a good crawfish boil, a buncha friends and a good Dixie Beer.

Brad: Abita beer--Thats my ticket

Brad: Enough about me..

Brad presents the speaker with question #54 from TABASCOfan1: what is your favorite restaurant in the US?

Rickmoonen: Besides Oceana, I like Molyvos in NYC

Brad: What kind of food?

Rickmoonen: It's a real cool Greek restaurant in midtown Manhattan

Brad presents the speaker with question #56 from Chefwannabe: Whats "hot" in New York cuisine now?

Rickmoonen: All ethnic cuisines

Brad: good one.

Rickmoonen: Indian seems to breaking the surface

Brad presents the speaker with question #58 from Southerne_belle: what's your favorite dish at oceana

Rickmoonen: The next special that I'm dreaming of... Tonight I did grilled black grouper on sauteed fresh tomatoes on grilled ramps and fingerlink potatoes fingerling

Brad presents the speaker with question #57 from Chefwannabe: What does it take to become a great chef?

Rickmoonen: Years of perseverance. Have a good time! Remember your childhood experiences and use them.

Brad: Did you cook as a child?

Rickmoonen: I had to cook as a child because I was so hyperactive my mother wouldn't let me out of her sight. I had to stay in the kitchen.

Brad: Was she a good cook?

Rickmoonen: She was the GREATEST cook!

Rickmoonen: I used to stir the pudding with a wooden spoon and it would thicken up. I thought it was magic.

Brad presents the speaker with question #59 from Chefwannabe: How long did you study and where?

Rickmoonen: I graduated from the Culinary Istitute of America in Oct. 1978 for the two year program. I haven't stopped learning since.

Brad presents the speaker with question #60 from TABASCOfan1: where in NY is your restaurant?

Rickmoonen: on 54th street between Madison and Park Avenue

Chefwannabe: I'm a fashion designer

Brad presents the speaker with question #61 from Southerne_belle: do you ever visit new orleans?

Greggilbert: hey wannabe what is ",,"

Rickmoonen: Yes. A couple of times. I LOVE New Orleans. I was there for a conference regarding genetically engineered foods. I was on a panel of chefs.

Brad: What's your opinion of them?

Rickmoonen: I don't think there is a real need for them today. I think we should make efforts towards better organic farming.

Brad: I heard if you spray TABASCO on plants the bugs stay away. true!

Chefwannabe: " ,, " ?

Rickmoonen: Is that true? What a awful waste of a great product.

Brad: DO you,like to use TABASCO?

Rickmoonen: TABASCO acidity as well as creates a balance with a little spice.

Brad: Jalapeno?

Brad: Ð

Rickmoonen: About the Jalapeno sauce, I've been disappointed with the color so I blend it with a little bit of oil and chives. You get the best of both worlds, color and flavor.

Brad presents the speaker with question #50 from TABASCOfan1: can you give out the recipe for lobster steak? it sounds great

Rickmoonen: Basically its a light scallop mousse made with scallops and cream and lobster meat thats been taken out of the shell raw. Fold it in with lobster chunks line a ring mold with a leek thats been been blanched, fill it with the mousse. Cook the whole mold in a saute pan with butter to firm up the mousse. serve with a light tomato sauce

Brad presents the speaker with question #63 from Southerne_belle: have you "adapted" any southern recipes?

Rickmoonen: ABSOLUTELY. I've got gumbo on my menu. Oyster shooters.

TABASCOfan1: yum

Rickmoonen: The crab cakes are a take-off of a southern recipe...

Brad presents the speaker with question #66 from TABASCOfan1: I received a free bottle of the new jalapeno in the mail. It's great!

Rickmoonen: I am somewhat familiar with cajun cooking.

Brad presents the speaker with question #62 from TABASCOfan1: would you serve red wine with seafood?

Rickmoonen: I hosted the 125th Anniversary for TABASCO 5 years ago in NYC. It was one of the most enjoyable events I've ever done in my life... I ordered all of my products my calling 1-800-YO-CAJUN

Brad: Would you serve red wine with seafood?

Rickmoonen: Definitely. I sell a lot of red wine at Oceana.

Rickmoonen: Depending on the preparation of the dish.

Brad: Just went to NAPA

Rickmoonen: Some Pinot Noir are made for seafood

Brad presents the speaker with question #68 from Southerne_belle: do you make ceviche and do you have a good recipe for it?

Rickmoonen: Yes. One trick to making a good ceviche is to take...

Chefwannabe: ceviche?

Rickmoonen: ...your raw product, like scallops and soak them briefly in cold white vinegar for 5 minutes

Rickmoonen: Drain the vinegar...

Chefwannabe: ah

Rickmoonen: ....then add your fresh lime juice, cilantro, peppers, onion....

Chefwannabe: I said I was a wannabe

Rickmoonen: ...Spice it up, of course, with TABASCO. The vinegar removes some of the liquid from the fish--You can do this with any fish--The dish doesn't get watered down.

Brad: Well I think thats about it for tonight's chat - I want to thank Chef Rick Moonen and everyone for coming and joining in.

Rickmoonen: It's been great talking with you. Hope to see you in NYC sometime.

Rickmoonen: Stop in and say "hi."

Brad: Thanks a lot Chef. Stay tuned for next month's chat.

Rickmoonen: You're welcome, keep on cooking!

Brad: Next chat is with Chef James Graham

Greggilbert: What do you think of that ceviche tip

Chefwannabe: I didnt even know what ceviche was. Sounds good to me.

Greggilbert: It's great if it's done right

Greggilbert: dyin for a beer