Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/648009
We end what King calls the "Wonka" part of the tour and head into a massive butchering room. King stands amidst the controlled chaos and starts directing my line of sight toward various stations, conveying product data throughout. In one corner, a trio is breaking down some of the last freshly-caught halibut of the season. In another corner, a skilled butcher makes quick work of a four-foot long big-eye tuna caught the day before; its lusciously ruby red steaks are destined for Water Grill's Santa Monica menu that evening. "We're getting some fresh swordfish from Mexico tomorrow," King says excitedly. "We're really looking forward to that shipment." King's enthusiasm for the fresh fish that he provides Gordon is palpable every time he mentions where a species was from and how it was caught. At the same time, he finds slapping a label on what King's Seafood Company does a bit redundant. "Our distribution house doesn't really promote the fact that we champion sustainable practices, just because this is the way we've done things since we started in 1945," he says. "We do what we do just because it's right." While King begrudgingly acknowledges that obtaining fresh, sustainable prod- uct plays a key role in Gordon's creative process, he defers all ownership to any of Water Grill's menu items to the chef. "Damon is so talented," King states. "We give him the right tools to get the job done, but Damon takes those tools and creates something phenomenal. He really makes anything that we give him better." D G THIS King's Seafood Company's distribution center in Santa Ana, CA preps and processes all seafood for the Water Grill and King's Fish House restaurants, including a veritable cornuco- pia of bivalves, fish and crustaceans. Chef Damon Gordon, Culinary Director of the Los Angeles– based Water Grill's critically acclaimed restaurant network. (left) Morro Bay black cod and slow-cooked pork belly accompanied by Szechuan yams and red miso. 8 | t h e c l e v e r r o o t The Last Detail And make no mistake: Gordon is in his element when the call for creativ- ity occurs, existing on a plane where the stoic concentration of a Ducasse student and the personable charm of a culinary teacher intersect. Prior to our interview at Water Grill's Santa Monica location, the chef retreats to the kitchen to prepare a plate of Morro Bay black cod and slow-cooked pork belly accompanied by Szechuan yams and red miso. A slight crane in his neck and a furrow etched in the tip of his brow, he carefully composes the plate through deliberate, empirical movements. A kitchen staffer fresh to her shift walks by and gives him a shout out in the middle of his process. He quickly straightens up and engages in effusive small talk with her, smiling throughout. The conversation ends almost as quickly as it starts, and Gordon instantly reverts to near-machine mode, as if the exchange never happened. The results of his heavy concentration are terrific. The fish looks as if it could fall apart with a sustained glance. The pork belly cubes are present but do not intrude on the dish's star. The yams, miso, and parsley garnish add pops of bright color to further entice. It's almost too pretty to wreck with a fork. Almost. While the dish serves as a testimony to Gordon's innate skill, it also symbol- izes what Gordon's philosophy behind Water Grill as a whole, right down to the very last detail. "We are committed to sustainability and high quality in every aspect of the restaurant, from the vegetables that accompany the dish to the fruit we use for our cocktails," he says. "You have to be on board with providing quality from top to bottom. It's the one lesson that I tell my kitchen staff. If you're going to do something, do it properly or don't do it at all." �������������������� �������������������� ■cr