Chef Mateo Roberson from Texas is the head chef at Carne, a meat-focused restaurant. His style of cooking explores a South American take on Western fare, with an emphasis on using various fiery methods to prepare his dishes. He embraces the idea of using Thai locally sourced ingredients, from start to finish. Guru sat down with Roberson to learn more about him.
How would you describe your style of cooking?
My style of cooking tends to be purposeful. Most of my food represents a dish/ingredient in a particular place or time, with respect to its historical significance.
What is the most influential moment in your journey to becoming a chef?
That would be when I first began to travel. Travelling has been pivotal in my culinary journey, so far.
Having been born in Texas with Mexican-American upbringing, how have the two heritages inspired your cooking?
I was grateful to grow up around a lot of women who cooked very well. Most importantly, I learned how to use a particular ingredient in a traditional way. I needed this lesson. I was also learning to put my heart on the plate and to entertain. Several members of my family also have had a Mexican restaurant for more than 30 years.
The most important element of your cooking style is fire. Can you tell us how this determines the end result of a dish?
You need good instincts as a cook to be consistent with fire. However, it's not just about fire. Cold-smoking, brining, curing, pickling, some fermentation, preservation and heritage cooking techniques form the foundation of the restaurant.
The various techniques used are not just on meat dishes like chargrilled braised wagyu beef tongue and grilled line-caught fish, but also on the accompaniments to such main dishes. For example, we take beetroot, encrust it in salt and cook it over hot embers. We grill lime, corn kernels and orange pulp. We also smoke a couple of items that are not typically smoked.
You cook a lot with Thai ingredients. How does Thai cuisine influence your cooking style?
I grew up around Thai and Vietnamese people. My stepmom is Vietnamese and they have a grocery store I would spend hours in, discovering new ingredients and how to use them. But I would say it's really influenced how I build flavours.
How does your two-culture background and your experience working as a chef in Asia influence your dishes at Carne?
When cooking, I try to think about authenticity and flavour first. Also, I use a variety of local ingredients that are actually indigenous to regional Mexico. In addition, I use cooking techniques acquired from my cultural exposure that people may not be familiar with.
