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Culinary Currents
January 2006
Miguel Rodriguez: Quality and Consistency Carry the Day
By Peter Langlois
 Executive
Chef Miguel Rodriguez of the Houstonian Golf and Country Club/ Shadow Hawk
Country Club in Richmond, Texas, approaches Cuisine with an eye on their
signature dishes. The Houstonian, along with a number of high profile
properties owned by Redstone, have featured a specialty Southwestern Cesar
Salad since opening in 1998 that has wowed members with its somewhat
unusual ingredients, including pumpkin seeds, grilled jumbo shrimp, and a
unique house dressing. The day I tried it, I was knocked out! It would get
my vote as the best I’ve ever had.
Likewise Chef Miguel told be the recipes for Beef
Wellington and special marinades and spices for grilled meats have not
changed in the six years he has been the executive chef. Given most chefs
penchant for changing recipes and being creative, I found this unusual.
But Miguel explained that even though he networks with chefs in Vegas, New
York, Miami, and here in Houston, his aim is to infuse a few new elements
but not to move away from what members have come to both appreciate and
expect.
In fact, he told me that maintaining recipes was one of
the secrets to building the Houstonian Golf and Country Club from its
initial 60 members to today’s 340. “We have met our annual yearly goals
and we expect to reach 450 members relatively soon by consistently
producing our classic recipes, including presentations. We’re also
convinced that’s why we have been able to achieve our membership goal at
our exclusive Shadow Hawk Country Club.”
“Perhaps when we have reached full membership, we’ll
infuse some new ideas. I’m experimenting with about 15 dishes right now.
I’m sure I’ll also bring some ideas back from my visit home to Peru this
next month. “
Back home in Piura, Peru, Miguel has a ranch and his dad
has a meat market. Chef recalled some of the different butcher cuts
featured in Peruvian cuisine. But he told me one of the most interesting
aspects about Peru was its abundant supply of fish. “Here, Mahi Mahi is
expensive and sought after, but in Peru it is not considered to be a great
fish. The last time I was home, I bought one and when I brought it home to
grill, my parents were somewhat mystified.” “We have so many better fish,”
his dad said.
What is certain is that we are blessed in the restaurant
business today by the relatively constant year-round supply of great
fruits and vegetables from Central and South America, and I am continuing
to be amazed by the culinary talent coming from there as well. In looking
around the Houston restaurant scene, such ventures as Fogo de Chao and
Americas are fabulous successes.
Beneath Chef Miguel’s modest demeanor lies a culinary
explosion I’m sure. Yet how intelligent he is to see restraint is the best
business choice in his current assignment. That’s a huge lesson;
particularly for young chefs so anxious to define themselves rather than
seeking to find the consistency guests appreciate above all else. It’s
always so tempting to modify recipes to meet our own flavor preferences,
yet it’s more important to remember who pays the bills. They must come
first. Maybe that’s also why every member has Chef Miguel’s cell phone
number. He just wants to get it right every time.
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Peter Langlois is founder of
www.RestaurantU.com: Tools of the Trade for Business, for School, for
Free!,co-editor of
Weekly Restaurant Connections (e-Newsletter), Culinary Instructor,
The Art Institute of Houston-Culinary, and Management, Marketing
and e-business Facilitator at The University of
Phoenix (Houston). Langlois is also a Malcolm
Baldrige 2005 Ambassador. He has a Political Science degree
from Michigan State University (Modern International Chinese Relations)
and an M.B.A from the University of Houston (Marketing and Business
Strategies). If you enjoyed this feature, you’ll probably enjoy his free
newsletter available on
www.RestaurantU.com.
Contact information: 832.860.5595 or
peter@restaurantu.com
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