Two new chefs are shaking things up at Saucy.
Change isn’t necessarily about fixing something bad; sometimes it’s about improving on what’s already good.
Saucy Restaurant, a Streetsville staple for 14 years and counting, is embracing change in the form of new head chef Alex Aboui and sous-chef Devon Clark. These friendly and enthusiastic young chefs are taking an innovative approach to cooking through experimentation and blended cuisines.
“I don’t have a favourite cuisine,” says Clark. “I like fusion, so I guess I like everything. Every culture has its own unique flavours; I’m really interested in that aspect of cooking so I want to learn everything I can about it.”
“I love picking up ingredients that I know nothing about, figuring them out and creating something cool with them,” adds Aboui. “We have fresh specials every day, where we get to play around and do whatever we want.”
Some examples of those somewhat random-sounding specials include crisp pork belly on a roasted honey-glazed pineapple slice with a balsamic reduction, and a roasted red pepper and asparagus slaw. Or a white fish rolled up and stuffed with cream cheese, lobster and spinach, poached with lemon water and herbs, with a lemon beurre blanc.
This creative and adventurous philosophy is reflected in Saucy’s menu, which includes key lime prawn salad, and fried chicken and waffles, to name a few. “We have a little bit of everything,” says Aboui. “Our restaurant is like something you’d find in downtown Toronto, only it’s close to home. That said, we’re going to have a menu change soon. It’ll be a blend of the old and new.”
Both Aboui and Clark became interested in cuisine at a young age; 18 and 15, respectively. Aboui doesn’t have any formal training; she started as a dishwasher at Saucy and worked her way up. “I don’t know what I’d be doing if I didn’t luck out and get that dish pit job,” she says. “I’d probably still be making burnt toast and runny mac ’n’ cheese!”
For Clark, cooking was a way to get through high school. “I was one of those kids who skipped class, partied, did all the fun stuff,” he says. “One day, one of the chefs from my school talked to our class about his job, and something clicked for me. I asked if he could teach me, and did a co-op there. From there I went to George Brown, worked in a couple of restaurants and now I’m here.”
The chefs share a similar philosophy and style: simple is better. “Over-thinking things just makes it more difficult for yourself, especially when you’re serving 60 or 70 people,” says Clark. “We keep it simple, clean and fresh.”
What’s next for them?
Clark is staying put and learning all he can. “I’d like to open my own place one day. Something with a simple menu, that’s welcoming to everyone. The door’s open, come on in.”
Aboui is interested in teaching; she’s currently helping a friend with a cooking class. “But Saucy is my focus right now,” she says. “Eventually, I’d like to have my own restaurant, too—a tapas place, though not necessarily Spanish tapas—but that’s off in the future.”
“And if that doesn’t work,” she adds with a laugh, “then gourmet toast!”
RECIPE: Potato-Crusted Pickerel with Lobster Pernod Cream Sauce
Elegantly different and delicious!
Ingredients (to serve 1)
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil
- 1 cup crushed potato chips (regular)
- 1 fillet (6–8 oz) pickerel
- ½ tbsp garlic butter
- pinch (or as desired) green onions
- pinch (or as desired) basil
- ½ cup cream
- lobster, as desired
- ½ oz Pernod
- 1 tbsp Parmesan
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Method
- Preheat oven to 450°F.
- On stovetop, heat vegetable oil over medium heat; just enough to cover the pan.
- Crust pickerel on one side with potato chips, season with salt and pepper, and sear in pan; about 1 minute.
- Put pickerel in oven and cook until golden brown, flip; about 5 minutes.
- While pickerel is cooking, prepare sauce: over medium heat add garlic butter, lobster, herbs and seasoning. (For some extra flavour, add some cooked bacon as well.) Add Pernod to deglaze and then add cream right after. Reduce to one-third; about 2 minutes. Stir Parmesan in. Season with salt and pepper.
- Spoon sauce over pickerel and serve with steamed vegetables or whichever side you prefer.
(Originally posted on mississaugalife.ca; recipe originally posted on urbaneats.ca. The print version originally appeared in Spirit of the City/Mississauga Life, issue 29, 2015; the PDF of that is available here.)
Leo Graziani 