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February Member Spotlight: Eric Gillish

By Joy Johnson posted 02-02-2022 12:54

  
Happy February, Chefs. Serving as Chapter President of ACF Kalamazoo/Battle Creek in southwest Michigan, our ACF Chef's Table February Member Spotlight is a pillar of his chapter and frequent contributor to the ACF Chef's Table community. We're excited to feature Chef Eric Gillish this month! He welcomes your comments and thoughts below.

February Member Spotlight: Chef @Eric Gillish

 What is your current position? What is your specialty in culinary arts/what is your focus?

I started with Millennium Restaurant Group in Kalamazoo, Michigan 20 years ago this July as head chef for The Union. As Millennium has grown over the years, my role grew, as well, into my current position as Corporate Chef of Millennium Restaurant Group. As with any chef, there are many areas and expectations that we focus on daily. Aside from helping and supporting our chefs any way I can, my focus is ongoing education both within my position as well as through the ACF. I don't know that I have a specialty, per se. I have always dabbled in desserts/pastry as well as eclectic cuisine, but over the years I have learned to be very organized and methodical when planning for and executing large tasks, events, and new menus/openings.

What highlights have you encountered in your career journey?

I have had the privilege of working under some amazing chefs (such as Larry Johnson, Takashi Shiramizu, and Tim Fairman— not famous, per se, but all extremely talented and an honor working for them at one point in my career), as well as a phenomenal culinary education through what is now the Secchia Institute in Grand Rapids Michigan. I have traveled the world through the school in both work study tours and was on their first international culinary competition team in the Maltese Islands.

What is one piece of advice you would give to others who are just starting out in the culinary industry?

It's all about passion! Passion that drives you to prepare amazing food and or create works of art. Passion that inspires you to discover new flavor combinations and create new recipes. Passion that pushes you to work odd and, at times, long hours; and passion that encourages you to keep going, learning, and teaching. To make it in this industry, you need to be full of passion.

Why did you want to become a Chef?

Originally, I signed up for architecture classes after high school, but my father encouraged me to look into culinary arts. He worked in the telecommunications industry almost his whole life, and that industry was changing every day, it seemed, with robots and computers on the forefront taking jobs from people. My father saw job security in knowing that people would always need to eat, and that there would always need to be someone there to facilitate that. After touring the Hospitality Education program at Grand Rapids Community College (now the Secchia Institute), I was intrigued, and it became a perfect fit.

What is the most exciting or rewarding aspect of your work?

When I started out in my career, one of my favorite rewards was seeing the looks of amazement and enjoyment on guest's faces when they saw and tasted my food, which is still something I look forward to today. But more so now, I find it most rewarding to mentor and teach the next generation, to show them something new and see the excitement in their eyes when they execute that something themselves. And to see some of those individuals from many years ago with kitchens of their own, makes me proud.

What have you gained by being an ACF member?

Above all, I feel I have gained a greater connection and support from chefs all over. Throughout our community and within our chapter, we have supported each another in countless ways; and nationally, we have a network of chefs to communicate with, bounce ideas off, and find support from someone who has or is going through something similar. It is an amazing network!

What did you learn from your first culinary catastrophe?

Mistakes happen, but it is how you learn from them and rise past them that help make you a better chef and person. I remember the first time I broke an emulsified sauce in culinary school. I thought I was going to get marked down, but I ended up with full points plus extra for knowing how to correct it and for bringing it back.

What’s the strangest or most interesting meal you have ever prepared?

I would have to say one of the strangest dishes I have prepared was an Asian-inspired dessert course for an all-star chef dinner that I was part of for many years. Along with the help of one of our chefs, Daniel Irwin, we took something we had never played with before, traditional Japanese raindrop cake, and turned it into an interesting combination of art and flavors. We created a "Zen-themed” plate over fresh banana leaf, complete with ground toasted soybeans, almond flour sand, candied rocks and pebbles, edible flowers, and a ramekin of kuromitsu (Japanese black honey syrup). It was beautiful, strange, yet interesting and intriguing.

What is your signature dish?

I am always playing with and searching for fun new things, but I would have to say my Cuban Braised Beef Short Ribs. This is a recipe that was recently featured in Nation's Restaurant News Magazine's October 2021 issue. I have always liked playing with and blending bold flavors. So, I developed a robust and savory coffee rub for a special single bone block cut beef short rib, pan sear and deglaze with a peppery red wine, but then add char grilled Latin vegetables. Slow cook until tender, then strain and turn the braising liquid into a light glaze for the ribs just before plating. Serve with a robust chimichurri. Delicious and different, but not so strange you'd be afraid to try!
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Comments

Kristen Pettit-Dogan
04-20-2022 21:09

Hi Chef,
Thank you so much for all you do for our chapter, our community, and not to mention your leadership in providing educational opportunities for our future industry leaders.

Miguel Lockhart
02-09-2022 09:38

Congrats Chef Gillish, 
I am proud to see you honored for such committed service. 
You are surely correct, it takes Passion in this industry. You make me proud to be apart of this industry and an ACF member. Passion is how I started and pray that Passion will continue, hopefully I can inspire some new comer to the industry to to continue the Passion we have .
Again Congratulations

Nicholas Barrington
02-05-2022 17:10

Chef Gillish, Well deserved and congratulations on being recognized and earning well placed recognition among your fellow chefs. The hard work and passion that you show for both the culinary arts and ACF is amazing, Thank You.
Thank you for the great insight to your career and beyond.

David Kasper
02-05-2022 07:25

Chef Gillish, Congratulations. I really agree with you and say amen regarding the essential need for passion in all that we do to be successful in this trade. The Cuban short ribs sound amazing! I am surely gonna give them try, especially now that I am on the carnivore diet just to see how it feels. You are a very deserving chef of this recognition. I appreciate all your advise and insights that you unselfishly regularly share. Toque off to you chef!

Dina Altieri
02-04-2022 10:33

Hello, Chef Gillish, Congratulations! It is wonderful to learn more about you. I especially like that your initial career interest was architecture. You have something in common with Chef Antonin Careme, who had a passion for design and studied architecture - pivoting his creativity towards confectionary work and buffet design. Thank you for sharing your story!