spice it up with chef douglas katz
Have you ever had a life changing dining experience?
You know, that meal that you think about for weeks, and count down the days until you can enjoy again? My wife and I agree that our recent trip to Cleveland-based restaurant Zhug was completely exhilarating, from start to finish.
Inspired by Middle Eastern flavor and elegance, Chef Douglas Katz has designed a space and menu that creates an experience like no other. From the mejadra to the short rib, each option on the menu is unique, exciting, and undoubtedly filling.
I visited the famed chef at his restaurant and followed him around as he prepared for dinner service. It’s easy to see how he’s had success in all of his restaurant endeavors, as he’s very energetic and supportive of his staff.
We chatted about his first memories in a kitchen, why being flexible in the food industry is important, and what some of his non-negotiable elements are for a great dining experience.
Tell me about some of your earliest memories in a kitchen.
My earliest memories were in my family’s kitchen growing up. My mom loved cooking and took many cooking classes and made dinner almost every night. My dad loved gardening and used every inch of space to grow tomatoes, cucumbers, pepper, basil, crab apples, and impatiens.
They both taught me and my brother about good, quality food and eating well. All of our lives centered around family, friend gatherings, and entertaining in general. My mom was very organized and had rules if we were going to use “her kitchen.”
Her kitchen was spotless and she taught me great essential cooking techniques and how to “clean as you go.” She was never scared to try new things which gave me an interest in the challenge of preparing a meal.
What are some of the driving forces in your life that shaped your desire to become a chef?
I think I had some positive and negative forces that shaped my desire. I was a child actor in local theater and loved performing. I enjoyed the adrenaline rush and the team driven environment of putting on a show. I also enjoyed the feeling of being a part of a team that worked hard to put on a performance for visitors. It gave me a sense of belonging that I didn’t feel in my daily life at school.
I was an overweight awkward kid that didn’t enjoy sports and didn’t connect with many of my peers. I was last on the bench when it came to picking teams. It was sad, but it gave me some great experience in dealing with hardship. It gave me tough skin and the tools that are necessary in the food industry.
I made it through some difficult times by working hard. I had two paper routes, I worked at restaurants, and had my own catering business in high school. I enjoyed working hard and liked avoiding the difficult social situations.
When I launched my catering business, I suddenly became one of the cool kids. It was a great feeling and it taught me a lot about what I wanted for myself, in life and my career.
What are some ways that you practice cultural humility while fully immersing yourself into the various cultures that inspire your artistry?
I love food! As a chef I think the most important thing you can do is to explore different cultures and regions of the world to gain inspiration. Throughout my career, I have traveled to domestic and international destinations to learn about distinctive food cultures and ingredients. Food brings people together and it provides a great connection to learn from others and connect with others who may be different from me and my family. I am a true extrovert and I love connecting with other people.
My love of food and connection gives me the desire to learn from others and to share unique experiences. I was lucky to have parents that welcomed all cultures with open arms. Also, the issues I dealt with in my childhood also gave me an understanding and empathy towards those that may not feel included or welcomed. My life’s work is about nurturing others and welcoming people into my restaurants. Hospitality is about giving comfort to all and I truly care about making others feel welcome and nurtured.
My good friend Radhika Rajwade was my guide when it came to Indian cooking. She taught me how to make dishes that she and her family prepared. I was able to teach Radhika what it was like to work in a restaurant kitchen. We really valued learning from one another. My wife Karen and I were lucky to visit Radhika and her family in India many years ago. We were welcomed with open arms and we were given an opportunity of a lifetime to explore her culture with her and her family by our side. We feel so lucky to have such great friends from a world away. Her friendship inspired me to explore other food cultures over the years. The exploration taught me so much about spices and foods from different cultures from around the world.
These experiences inspired me to launch Fire Spice Company. Me and my team toasted and ground spice blends and put the correct amount of spice in each box, with a recipe appropriate for that blend. The boxes included a shopping list of the necessary ingredients and step-by-step instructions to prepare the dishes. It was a fun project, but after five years and a pandemic, we decided to close the company. Even though we shut down, we learned so much about the cultures and recipes that we prepared.
Our exploration connected us to others who enjoyed these ethnic dishes and it enabled us to learn and inspire others to learn about cultures from around the world. This company inspired us to launch Zhug (Israeli inspired), Amba (Indian inspired) and Chimi (South American inspired).
Amba and Chimi were both created out of ghost kitchens during the pandemic. Talk about being flexible in the food industry, and why it is so important.
Flexibility and change are the keys to success in our industry. There are so many moving parts in our business; ingredients, equipment, maintenance, etc. As someone who likes to remain in control, I realize that I am in a business that doesn’t allow me to do that.
Even though this is the case, I try hard to control every variable that I can. This effort has taught me to focus on what I can control and to minimize focus on the things that I cannot. You have to be willing to confront mistakes, but staying positive and doing what you can to overcome challenges is the key of survival in this business.
The ghost kitchens allowed us to explore these concepts that we had wanted to launch in a period where we had lots of time and kitchen space to practice. We had lost our catering business and we had an empty kitchen waiting for us. We needed to get to work. The ghost kitchens got us back up and running and helped us engage with the public.
The experience taught us what people enjoyed and what things we might want to adjust. It gave us the practice and experience to come out of this difficult period with strength and hope for the future.
Sharing a meal with someone is such an intimate gesture. What are some of your non-negotiable elements of a great dining experience?
Food quality is most important. I want to know where the food came from. Does the restaurant use local farms? Are their specialties that are not to be missed?
When I was six or seven years old, I remember going out to dinner with my grandmother. As a “fat kid”, she would always lovingly offer advice on how to eat less. She would say that I should “Eat to live, not live to eat.” I still remember these conversations and made it a point to “Live to eat and not eat to live.”
This guidance really speaks to what I look for in a dining experience. I look for passion, authenticity, and care. I want to support restaurant owners and chefs that exhibit a love of food and dining experience.
“My life’s work is about nurturing others and welcoming people into my restaurants. Hospitality is about giving comfort to all and I truly care about making others feel welcome and nurtured.”
Talk about a dish or type of cuisine that you want to become more familiar with.
There are too many to mention, but if I could spend a year in every part of India learning about the unique dishes in all of the different regions, over the next 20 years, that might just do it.
I would want to do the same in South America and throughout the Middle East too. I love exploring spices in general. I love dishes that are cooked slowly and that excite every sense.
What’s a great movie or show that depicts the real-life of a chef?
The Hundred-Foot Journey is my favorite food movie. I’m not sure it shows the real life, but I do love the movie and could watch it hundreds of times.
What is your go to meal when you are cooking for your family and friends?
Local chicken from Tea Hill Farms marinated in Seeds of Collaboration Tahini, sumac, lemon juice, kosher salt, and black pepper. For some sides; crispy potatoes and a local vegetable from one of our great Cleveland area farmers markets.
Your restaurants are always thoughtfully designed. Is the curation of the menu as important as the physical environment? How do you make sure to align the two?
Our designer’s name is Kelley Shaffer. The menu tasting for Zhug started about five months prior to opening. The research and learning took 19 years of experience at Fire. The Amba menu research started at around the same time and we completed five menu tastings over the last year. The menu is carefully curated, costed, and planned based on so many different considerations.
So, I would say, yes. The curation of the menu is probably the most important to me, but so is everything else.
“Food brings people together and it provides a great connection to learn from others and connect with others who may be different from me and my family.”
Zhug was voted as one of Esquire’s best restaurants in 2020. How do accolades like this motivate you?
The accolades are motivating and I love sharing them with the community and our entire team. I would say that it’s more important to me that we feel good about all that we do; day in and day out. I worry about every dining experience, every review, and all the employees. When my worries subside for a couple hours, it motivates me to do more.
Tell me about the best meal you’ve had in recent memory.
My business partner Todd, beverage manager Noah, and Chef Cameron went to NYC and ate at Rahi, a restaurant by Chintan Pandya and Roni Mazumdar. The experience was delicious, fun, and I crave it many days out of the week. Unfortunately it just closed, but it was replaced by a new South Indian spot called Semma, which I am excited to try.
What is your relationship like with experimentation and failure and how has it evolved throughout your career?
I like practice and I enjoy things that I am comfortable doing. I do like experimentation, but I prefer to learn slowly over years and incorporate new skills and education in little increments. This gives me time to work on experiments and gives me confidence to move in new directions.
That being said, I have had many failures in life and all of those have made me stronger. I don’t want them, but I expect them and keep on pushing through.
What is something new, outside of your career/medium that you are interested in learning more about?
I love doing pottery. My teacher Billy Ritter is an amazing human and not only teaches amazing ceramics, but teaches me about patience and enjoying the process of learning a new craft. He is the most amazing teacher and teaches to accept failure as a part of your journey.
I love entrepreneurship as well, and I like advising and participating in new food and beverage ventures with other passionate business owners.
I’ve read lately that there really is no such thing as work life balance, especially when doing what you love. What are some things you try and do each day to achieve some type of balance?
I love exercising to relieve stress. I go to Corus45 (a power yoga type workout) three days per week. I also enjoy biking and walking my dog around the Shaker lakes throughout the year.
