Chef Spotlight: Shay Gerard Ohana Name: Shay Gerard Ohana Age: : 33 Restaurant: Counter Vegetarian Bistro: Organic Wine & Martini Bar, New York City

Do you have companion animals? If so, can you describe them?  
I adore my German shepherd mutt, Azit. I found her in Prospect Park in Brooklyn, tied to a tree. She is friendly, calm, loyal, and very protective.

How long have you been a chef?
Fifteen years. Three years in Israel, and 12 years in New York City.

Where did you train to become a chef?
I first trained in Israel, and then in New York at the French Culinary Institute. I was already a chef when I arrived in New York, and after graduating, I worked at Paladin and at Fresh in downtown Manhattan.

What type of cuisine do you focus on?
I'm known for my French-Moroccan cooking. My parents are Moroccan and Spanish, and I grew up on North African and Middle Eastern cuisine, which incorporates a large variety of spices and fresh produce from the village markets: couscous, Moroccan tagine, and my father's specialty—his famous fresh spearmint tea. He also created a lot of unusual dishes, such as citrus salad with olives, and an amazing fresh chopped salad. He spent countless hours doing the small things that others might not care about—chopping and mincing everything perfectly—but it made all the difference, and I remember it to this day.

My parents were very family-oriented. Every weekend, the uncles and relatives would get together and we would cook and barbecue. All the kids would be outside playing, but I was with my dad, marinating and prepping things, and everyone would ask, "Who cooked this? This little boy?" It was something I was destined to do ever since I was young. Later, I attended cooking school and became a classically French-trained chef.

Have you or has your restaurant received any awards?
Counter:
VegNews "Restaurant of the Year" (2005)
Time Out "The Best of New York City" (2005)
New York Magazine Best Restaurant Issue (2005)
Organic Style "The Best American Green Cuisine" (2004)
New York Naturally "Restaurant of the Year" (2004)
USA Today "10 Great Places to Eat With an Easy Conscience" (2004)

Do you have a specialty?
I like to think I'm sort of like a chemist, using spices to coax maximum flavor out of fresh ingredients. I toast and blend my own spices for superior texture and flavor. Spices are fascinating; for instance, they say that eaten raw, cumin helps to calm nerves. It also has a certain kick to it. Cilantro has an aromatic element as well as freshness; it's more intense than parsley, chervil, or some of the milder herbs. And paprika—when you smell it fresh-ground, it's like nothing else.

The spices I grew up with—even the salt—are different than what you find here. The salt is saltier; the sugar, sweeter. Even the vegetables have more flavor and taste as good as they look. Here, they may look good, but the taste isn't there. Even the coarse paprika I use at the restaurant I brought from home; it's fresh and flavorful, and it makes the best garnish for our hummus.

I also like to use a lot of combinations, especially in summer (blood oranges, jicama, and star fruit, for example), for flavor, texture, and color. And high-quality olive oil—that's incredibly important, especially in creating layers of complexity within various dishes. For instance, the hummus we serve at Counter is much more complex than it looks. There's the paprika, then the olive oil, the zaatar (a special mixture of dried herbs and sesame seeds that originated in Jordan and Syria), and cooked Moroccan hot sauce, or harisa. All these layers make the cuisine much more authentic, and I grew up this way, so I've always felt it's important to honor that but develop your own style along the way. In the Middle East, at every falafel shop you'll find hummus, but it's not like what you'll find at Counter.

What are the most important elements in cooking great vegetarian cuisine?
People typically associate various textures with various foods. For example, when someone eats a burger, it's all about the textures: the spices, seasonings, and smokiness. Often when people eat vegetarian food, they find that specific textures are missing, so it's a lot about complex textures. Also, sauce as a complement is very important. For our Steak au Poivre, which is made from seitan, I pair it with a five-pepper béarnaise—which is normally made from egg yolks, so it's that much more challenging. And color: People expect various colors in their food. With a hollandaise, they're looking for something yellow. I always try to pay attention to the small details—texture, color—to create something memorable.

A lot of times when people go to a vegetarian restaurant, they notice what's missing: They notice that the food isn't flavorful enough, is too bland, or even requires too much chewing. At Counter, people don't think about the fact that it's vegetarian. They just notice that it's good food—balanced, flavorful, and of course, not too chewy

What is the key to getting meat-eaters to enjoy vegetarian food?
People always ask me what kind of restaurant Counter is, and I tell them, "Vegetarian," but then I tell them, "Just come and try it." We serve all these tasty dishes—mezze (small plates), a selection of juicy organic olives—and people are amazed. And then they order more.

What, in your opinion, does the future of plant-based cuisine hold?
The success of vegetarian cuisine depends on it being less stereotypically "vegetarian." In my case, I don't try and make good vegetarian food, I simply make good food. In other words, I'm trying to take the stigma away.

Do you have a favorite cooking method?
For "meatier"-style dishes, I prefer to pan-sear using higher heat for more charring, flavor, and a delicious soft texture inside. Braising, a classical French cooking technique, is great for stews and hearty fare. Items like artichokes respond well to poaching, while for an aioli, I usually poach first and then bake with herbs, a technique known as a la grec. Basically, I try to tailor the cooking method to the ingredients.

What are your favorite ingredients to work with?
In the colder months, I love baby vegetables such as baby turnips, carrots, beets, and baby pencil leeks.

I also use all types of squash for soups and dumplings as well as rice, risotto, and pastas. During the warmer spring and summer months, I focus on salads—grilling, combining fresh fruit with different kinds of greens, heirloom tomatoes, peppers, corn, melons, and figs—and seasonal dishes such as chilled green gazpacho made with tomatillos, celery, coriander, cumin, fresh cilantro, garlic, and even an apple-jicama gazpacho.

In your opinion, what vegetarian dish or type of food is most frequently poorly prepared, and why?
Most veggie burgers are pasty and floury. The texture and flavor are just not there. I used to use grains, but then I took a different direction and started using seitan, mushroom flavorings, and less veggies—for veggie burgers that are hearty and the closest to the real thing I've seen. Also, the condiments that go with it are really important, and the bread; one of my personal favorites is a classic brioche.

If you were stranded on a deserted island and could only eat one kind of ethnic food, what would it be?
I could live on young coconuts. They contain both water and "meat" inside, and they're very good.

Do vegetarian restaurants face any special obstacles that meat-based restaurants don’t have to face?
Meat-eaters outnumber vegetarians by about 15 to 1, and even more in the case of vegans. At Counter, more than 50 percent of our customers are meat-eaters, and we've worked very hard to make Counter accessible to everyone.

There are numerous vegetarian, vegan, and raw restaurants in New York City, but unfortunately, we're all competing for the same pool of customers

What are some ingredients that you recommend vegetarians and vegans have in their kitchens to cook with?
Stock the freshest vegetables you can find. Also garlic, pasta, risotto, and rice—-these are basic hearty ingredients that you should always have on hand. Most people don't have enough spices. The important ones are sea salt, fresh black pepper, turmeric for coloring, saffron for color and stronger flavoring, and crushed red pepper for a hint of spice

Are there any newer vegetarian products on the market that you are particularly fond of?
I try to create instead of follow. Using classic French techniques, I turned our seitan Steak au Poivre into one of Counter's bestselling dishes. Our raw "Napoleon," marinated with tangerine emulsion and layered with nut cheese and herb pesto and a purée of sun-dried tomatoes, is a fave amongst our carnivorous diners. I also recently made an absolutely delicious vegan marshmallow for our signature chocolate fondue.

Have you had any noteworthy comments from or experiences with diners?
Some new diners recently raved about the fact that, unlike normal vegetarian meals, at Counter, they "didn't have to chew … a lot." They loved the fact that they could focus on, and enjoy, the complexity of the flavors and textures. (For them, it was thankfully more of a spiritual than a physical experience.) Others love how "fun" the food is, especially our Sweet Burger Deluxe, with a "patty" (vegan brownie), a "bun" (citrus doughnut), "cheese" (vegan marshmallow), "tomatoes" (strawberry slices), and mango "fries" with berry "ketchup" and an espresso frappe "milkshake."

• How best to prepare tofu
• How best to prepare seitan
• How best to prepare tempeh
• Your favorite way to work with a certain fruit or vegetable

• Chocolate Tart
• 'Napoleon'