A Chefs Impact on Culinary Innovation

Roasted Cauliflower Starter

In this episode of Chef AF, I chat with Tim Griffin, director of culinary at SPB Hospitality about his path to becoming a chef, finding his inspiration, and driving menu innovation for several brands. 

Since October 2020 Griffin has been leading SPB Hospitality Brands culinary team with over twenty years experience in fine dining, catering and hospitality. Prior to joining the SPB team he has worked for Kona Grill, Ignite Restaurant Group’s Joe’s Crab Shack and Brick House Tavern & Tap. Griffin also served as a founding Board Member of the Global Culinary Innovators Association. He attended Texas Tech University and earned a bachelor’s degree in restaurant and management finishing his education at The Culinary Institute of America. 

Griffin says, while at CIA in Napa Valley, he would speak to chefs that would come through, and would have great conversations about being a multi-unit corporate chef. Ultimately those discussions helped him identify what he wanted to do with his culinary education. He was drawn to the scope and scale of managing multiple things and entities across cities, states, and the world. 

I ask Griffin if he has been feeling the challenges of supply chain shortages. He says, “Yes, there's been a lot of react and adapt to current menu items as well as products, it changes daily, weekly but we have a great supply chain and I work very closely with them.” Adding, “It's a tighter relationship now than it has been in the past.” Some of the SPB brands include Logan’s Roadhouse, Rock Bottom, Gordon Biersch, Old Chicago, and more. Griffin also shares the different virtual brands that are in development with SPB. 

Griffin talks about food trends and says he is seeing a lot more from Korea. But he looks for up-and-coming food trends by taking advantage when he travels, by visiting small restaurants and seeing what ingredients and presentations they are doing. 

To hear more about the creative process in the test kitchen, get Griffin’s take on developing menus, and the story behind the Roasted Cauliflower Recipe, check out this episode of Chef AF “It’s All Food” or you can listen on Spotify!

Recipe

Roasted Cauliflower Starter 

Cauliflower Step by Step:

6 ½ oz Cauliflower, blanched 

1 Tbsp Olive Oil 

½ tsp Salt

3 Tbsp Yogurt Sauce*

¼ tsp Grains of Paradise 

2 tsp Spiced Almonds*

Dash of Raj Seasoning 

10 Pickled Fresnos, sliced 

• Toss the cauliflower, oil and salt in a mixing bowl. Transfer to a half sheet pan and roast in the turbo chef oven for 2 minutes and 13 seconds (pizza setting) .

• For a deck or convection oven, microwave the cauliflower for 30 seconds, then toss with the oil and salt, then cook on a sheet pan for 3 minutes or until visible charring.

• Arrange the cauliflower in a diagonal from one corner of a parchment lined sheet pan to another in an intertwining line as pictured.

• Drizzle the yogurt sauce over all of the cauliflower pieces.

• Place the almonds over the cauliflower. Sprinkle the grains of paradise and Raj Seasoning over the cauliflower.

• Garnish with the pickled fresnos and microgreens as pictures. 

Spiced Almonds Step by Step:

Makes 8 oz

2 oz Butter

8 oz Almonds 

1 tsp Raj Seasoning 

1 tsp Sugar 

½ tsp Salt 

• Over medium high heat, melt butter in a sauté pan.

• Add almonds, Raj seasoning, sugar and salt. Sauté until the almonds are golden brown, stirring frequently so they do not burn.
  Cool to room temp. Place in an appropriate storage container, cover, label, and date until needed. 

Yogurt Sauce Step by Step:

Makes 1 Quart 

32 oz Yogurt, plain, Greek

3 Tbsp Lime juice, fresh squeezed 

1 ½ tsp Raj seasoning 

2 Tbsp Sugar 

1 ½ tsp Salt 

¼ tsp Turmeric 

• In a mixing bowl, mix plain Greek yogurt, lime juice, Raj seasoning, sugar, salt, and tumeric until well combined.

• Place in an appropriately sized storage container. Cover, label, date, and refrigerate at 40 ̊F or below until needed.