Adam Woodfield
Adam Woodfield is the executive chef/owner of New York’s new restaurant Betel. The Australian native began his career at the William Angliss Institute in Melbourne where he combined his theoretical studies with a four-year apprenticeship that would usher him through some of the city’s highly regarded kitchens including Stokehouse, The Willows and Est Est Est. The 32-year-old then went abroad to the prestigious Bank restaurant in London where he worked as sous chef for one year. In 2001 Woodfield returned to Melbourne as chef de partie at Prodigy, and in 2002 he moved to Sydney to work at the top-rated Asian restaurant Jimmy Liks. While there he became head chef and the New South Wales Restaurant & Catering Association gave him the award for “Best Modern Asian” in 2006. In 2008 he met his future partner Luke Fryer, and the two banded together to create Betel, an alluring Southeast Asian restaurant in New York’s West Village.
This Roasted Eggplant Salad with Fresh Mint is a great summer dish.
I feel this is a great summer dish: It can be served as a side at lunch or dinner. It also is great with grilled fish, such as swordfish. The flavors are so light yet rich at the same time and it leaves you wanting more. It also is a great healthy option.
Barrio Chino in NYC is a great little hole in the wall.
Located on the Lower East Side, this is a great little hole in the wall. Friends took me and my wife there about a year ago and we have to go at least once every second week. It has a great energy about it and I love the atmosphere there. I can’t get enough of the squid salad, so simple yet full of favor.
Cookbook: Thai Food by David Thompson
I believe David Thompson is the god of Thai cooking.
I believe David is the god of Thai cooking, and this book made a lot of young chefs want to explore and get into Asian kitchens more than ever. Thai Food takes you through the history of Thailand and their food. It is truly a great cookbook and is a must for every aspiring chef.
Food Destination: Na Trang—Vietnam
Na Trang is a great way to discover a part of Vietnam that we don’t see much in the Western world.
This coastal town nestled in the middle of Vietnam is a great place to go for food and relaxation. They are famous for their clay pot char-grills. They bring these to your table with what you ordered raw and you have to cook it yourself. This is a great way to enjoy dinner and discover a part of Vietnam that we don’t see much in the western world.
