Chef Robert DeWitt prepares several Vietnamese dishes during the third Chef’s Table at Jefferson Marketplace on Thursday, March 22.
With a smile and a plate full of Vietnamese chicken wings, Chef Robert DeWitt welcomed guests to the third Chef’s Table at Jefferson Marketplace on Thursday, March 22. Guests enjoyed tasting a variety of authentic Vietnamese dishes, including fresh spring rolls, shrimp and grapefruit salad, steamed cod and pork chops.
Before becoming chef-manager at the University of Texas at Austin, Chef DeWitt ran his own restaurant consulting firm in Vietnam and mastered the art of Southeast Asian cuisine. He learned how to prepare many different types of seafood and meat dishes and how to capture a spectrum of flavors in one meal. He answered many questions from the audience about his experience in Vietnam, detailing the diversity of the country and the people he met while consulting, as well as his future ventures.
“My wife and I both love to travel,” DeWitt said. “There is so much to see, and I enjoy getting to travel to different kitchens.”
Chef DeWitt said he is happy to be in a profession that combines his “love for traveling and passion for cooking.” He enjoys learning new techniques and skills and applying them in his own kitchen.
Guests were also taught techniques to recreate many of his dishes while accommodating different dietary needs or substituting different ingredients, such as mixing up different spices and herbs to create a different taste. Guests described many of the dishes as “fresh and flavorful” and were surprised to find out how simple the dishes were to prepare. Chef DeWitt encouraged guests to always experiment and be creative in their own kitchens.
Don’t miss out on the final demo dining experience of the semester! The next Chef’s Table of the semester will be held on April 11 with Chef Chito and will feature dishes from Southeast and Mainland Asia. Tickets will be $25 and seating is limited so reserve your spot today at https://commerce.cashnet.com/culstudio.
This article was provided by Ohio University Culinary Services.