Asked & Answered: George Mendes

The New York chef on food, flavor, and family

George Mendes is one of New York City’s leading chefs, drawing on his Portuguese heritage to create meals that evoke the traditional cuisine of the Iberian Peninsula, but with a modern twist. After honing his craft working alongside chefs including David Bouley, Alain Ducasse, and Martin Berasategui, Mendes decided to strike out on his own. His first restaurant, Aldea, opened in 2009 and has been awarded a Michelin star every year since 2011. His second, Lupulo (Portuguese for “hops”), opened this year and has been warmly embraced by both foodies and New York’s Portuguese community alike. On October 2^nd, Mendes joined restaurateur Niki Russ Federman and chef Mario Batali at the New Yorker Festival for “Flavor Profiles,” a free discussion presented by The Glenlivet. Just as the scent of oranges, pears, and toffee apples immediately brings to mind The Glenlivet Founder’s Reserve and centuries of distilling tradition, the aroma of olive oil, bay leaf, and smoked paprika instantly reminds Mendes of Portuguese refogado and home.

Q. Who has been the biggest influence on your cooking—and in what ways does that express itself?

A. Many people have: chefs David Bouley, Martin Berasategui, Alain Ducasse, and my family, especially my mother.

Q. What to you is the most useful cookbook (or loose collection of recipes) in your possession?

A. “La Riviera d’Alain Ducasse.” An ode to the French Mediterranean.

Q. What are the flavors that most signify the feeling of being home?

A. Olive oil, garlic, bay leaf, onion, and smoked paprika.

Q. What’s the first dish you remember mastering?

A. Chicken Roulade: chicken breast pounded, then rolled with spinach, mushrooms, and champagne sauce.

Q. How did you acquire your own tastes? Were they inherited, or did you forge your own path?

A. A combination of both. Definitely rustic, simple flavors from growing up in a Portuguese household, then my training in a professional kitchen.

Q. What sense memory or general feeling do you hope people take with them after an evening at Aldea or Lupulo?

A. First and foremost that they feel nourished. Then a story: various aromas and flavors, herbaceous, wholesome, and authentic.

Q. Name two seemingly incongruous ingredients you love blending.

A. Mango and black olive, or coriander seeds and dried lime zest.

Q. What are the most common mistakes people make in blending flavors?

A. Lack of balance; too much of one ingredient and flavor profile when seasoning. One example is too much acidity, resulting in abolishing the natural flavor of the main ingredient.

Q. What’s your favorite—and your least favorite—NYC food trend?

A. Favorite trend: the burger; least favorite: the fried chicken sandwich.

Remember to enjoy The Glenlivet’s quality responsibly. And for more on The Glenlivet and its flavor and heritage, go here.