Chef Spotlight: Rich Sweeney Gives Thanks and Recipes

From helping out at his family’s bakery in Long Island to pouring pints in New York City, ranking top of class at San Diego Culinary Institute, and starring in a short but memorable debut on “Top Chef” season five, Richard Sweeney has had quite the industry adventure, all while well under 30-years-old.

Locals know him best for redesigning tapas style fine dining at Confidential, but Sweeney now has a new roadmap driving him through 2009. You can catch him teaching skills and sharing recipes at Balboa Food & Wine School and you can even interact in real time on his dynamic website. Yes, Sweeney is set to launch a new independent venture in 2010. But, nope, we can’t share the juicy details with you, just yet…

While we wait for the public launch of Sweeney’s new project, we give thanks for what he’s done for the San Diego dining scene so far, and ask him what he loves most about Thanksgiving.

DiscoverSD: What are you thankful for this year?

Sweeney: This year I’m SUPER thankful for my family, friends, and fans who have all been super supportive of me over the last year, and my working to open up my own restaurant. I’m thankful that my BF, Steve, is in my life to keep me grounded, and to keep me motivated when things just aren’t going my way. And, in its own fun way, I’m thankful to have business partners who believe in me and are willing to finance the new restaurant.

DSD: What is your favorite memory of Thanksgiving?
S: Growing up with divorced parents, Thanksgiving was one of the holidays I spent with my dad. A favorite memory is of my dad, sister, and I cracking jokes at the dinner table, and laughing so hard that cranberry sauce came out my nose...and ended up practically being a food fight between the three of us!

DSD: What is your favorite dish to eat at Thanksgiving?
S: Stuffing and gravy are my FAVORITE things to eat at Thanksgiving – it’s a great combo of crunchy, soft, salty and sweet. And I still do enjoy cranberry sauce...the jiggle jelly stuff out of the can - very non-culinary of me, but it’s a nostalgia thing!

DSD: What is your favorite dish to prepare?
S: Besides making the stuffing, which I could eat a whole pan by myself, I love making my Spicy Ginger Sweet Potatoes. I never ate them as a kid, but my second thanksgiving in San Diego was just my sister and I, and she loves sweet potatoes. So I tinkered around with them while working on the rest of dinner, and have evolved the recipe to what it is today. I like ‘em too, but my whole family now gets on me to make them every year – and I don’t even get to keep the leftovers!

DSD: You’re not only a Top Chef star, you’re a great culinary teacher. Can you share some recipes to help us impress our guests at Thanksgiving dinner this year?

S: Sure! I won’t bog you down with another turkey recipe, but I will say that you need to BRINE YOUR BIRD! It’s key to keeping the turkey moist and tender. Here are two of my favorite recipes that I make every year: Sweet and Salty Sausage Stuffing & Spicy Sweet Ginger Sweet Potatoes.

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