S + P = Talent

What do two racing horses, a handsome chef, and edamame salad have in common? 

First the horses. Saxon (the larger horse on the left) and Parole (the little guy on the right) belonged to Pierre Lorillard IV whose grandfather founded P. Lorillard and Company the oldest continuously operating tobacco company in the US—think Newports.

If you had to bet money on which of Lorillard’s two horses would mop up during his career, most of us would have put it on big ole’ Saxon.  No doubt he was good—won the Belmont Stakes in 1874. But little Parole was the feisty one. Placing fourth at the 1876 Kentucky Derby, he went on to win race after race. By the end of his career Parole was America’s leading money winner of his era and in 1984 the late gelding was inducted into the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame.

The cute chef is Brad Farmerie. Raised in a food-loving family in Pittsburg, Farmerie trained at Le Cordon Bleu and spent eight years working for the brightest chefs in Europe before returning to NY to open PUBLIC. This Michelin-starred chef is also executive chef at The Monday Room and Madam Geneva.

And here’s where the horses come in. His latest venture is Saxon + Parole, a distinctly American restaurant with an emphasis on grilling. The story of Saxon and Parole was the inspiration behind this stable-themed restaurant that just opened last month.

First at PUBLIC and now at Saxon + Parole, Brad is as equally gifted at the seriously carnivorous as vegetarian and vegan. On his S + P appetizer menu Miso-Glazed Bone Marrow with Orange and Olive Marmalade sit comfortably next to mason jars of Portabella Mushroom Mousse with Parole Whiskey and Truffle Jelly. (I tried to get this recipe—maybe someday!)

At S + P you could enjoy a hearty main courses like Guinness and Five-Spiced Glazed Short Rib or Grilled Berkshire Pork Chop with Quince and Apple Sauce or you could make a vegetarian feast off his sides: Whole Grain Mustard Mashed Potatoes, Cauliflower and Gruyere Gratin, Wheat Berry Salad with Tomatoes, Cucumbers, and Marcona Almonds or Edamame with Sun-Dried Tomatoes with Feta Cheese.

His broad talent is precisely why Brad, along with four other very gifted chefs, was chosen to be part of Lean Cuisine’s Culinary Round Table launching next month. After decades of helping harried cooks eat healthy and well, Lean Cuisine has decided it’s time for a makeover. Brad and the other four chefs are using their distinct styles to infuse new life into many of the brand’s most popular entrees. As curator of this project, I look forward to sharing more with you in the coming months.

I’ll eventually get Brad’s recipe for Portabella Mushroom Mousse. In the meantime, here’s his bright take on edamame.