The Pittsburgh Dish
Do you really know the food scene of Pittsburgh?! The Pittsburgh Dish introduces you to the people, places, and recipes that make our regional cuisine so special. By sharing personal stories, weekly recommendations, and community recipes, we aim to inspire you to connect with local taste makers and experience the unique flavors that shape our city.
The Pittsburgh Dish
038 Fernando Canales: A Tasty Journey in Pittsburgh
Embark on a culinary journey with us as we welcome the talented Executive Chef Fernando Canales, who is shaking up the dining scene at Fairmont Pittsburgh. Discover how Chef Canales, with his rich background and experiences across exotic destinations, is redefining the hotel’s menu with an emphasis on his favorite dishes like octopus and rack of lamb.
We take a closer look at the unique ingredients and local partnerships that make each dish at Fairmont Pittsburgh extraordinary. Imagine savoring a filet mignon perfectly paired with a rich mole sauce, featuring an unexpected twist—animal crackers.
The episode rounds out with Chef Canales sharing his personal journey, from early culinary inspirations sparked by his mother to his decision to bring his family to Pittsburgh over a tempting Boston offer. Upcoming culinary events at the Fairmont, like festive brunches and cocktail classes, reflect his creative spirit and commitment to guest satisfaction, as he concludes his first year at the property.
Plus, Julie Engelbrecht of @girleatsburgh takes us for breakfast to Nancy's Revival, and Julian Figaretti of Healthy HeartBeets shares a family recipe of linguine with clams that won over his 'picky eater' palate as a child. Enjoy a culinary adventure from across our city!
Welcome to The Pittsburgh Dish. I'm your host, Doug Heilman. How is the Fairmont Pittsburgh leveling up its restaurant and other dining options? Executive Chef Fernando Canales describes his first year at the property, craving country fried steak and other hearty breakfast options. Julie Engelbrecht takes us to Nancy's Revival. Julie Engelbrecht takes us to Nancy's revival. And when a picky eater loves the family linguine and clam sauce recipe, you know it's a good one. All that ahead, stay tuned. Thank you so much for coming over and for being on the show. Would you introduce yourself to our listeners and what you have going on right now in the world of food? Of course.
Fernando:First of all, thank you for the invitation. Thank you for having me. It's a pleasure to be here. Hello everyone, my name is Fernando Canales. I am the executive chef of Fairmont Pittsburgh. Right now I'm working on Fairmont Pittsburgh. As you know, Floor 2 is the restaurant that we have in uh, over there. Uh, right now we are having a oh my God, so many things that they're being happening. You know, I mean, I just start, uh this year actually in Fairmont, uh, January, so I have around 10 months. Yes, Just earlier this year, Exactly, yeah, but, uh, something that you need to know is like uh, it's not my first time working for Fairmont.
Fernando:It's my second time. My first time it was in Mexico, like six, seven years ago. Oh wow, so yeah, it was in Fairmont, Mayacoa. It's an amazing place. Oh my God, it's an amazing place. I was working there about five, six years.
Fernando:I worked for Fairmont in different restaurants over there and then I moved to Pennsylvania. Pennsylvania is a really nice place to live. To be honest, I really love Pennsylvania. So yeah, now that I'm just starting in Fairmont, we have so many changes since I started, you know. I mean I changed obviously the Flr 2 menus. We changed as well the spa menus. We're going to talk about that later if you want, but right now we are. Actually we just introduced two different new dishes to the menu. Those two new dishes are octopus. I love octopus. I don't know if you like it.
Doug:Oh, I like octopus if it's done well.
Fernando:Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah, actually, yeah, to cook octopus is not easy, right To be honest, it's not easy. Right To be honest, it's not easy. I mean, some people they think, ah, it's octopus, you know, but no, you need to have technique, you know. Yeah, technique is not just about, ah, yeah, just give me the octopus. No, no, no, we are having a really nice octopus on the menu. I will say, like two weeks ago, we'll start with that dish and also with the lamb rack of lamb. Oh, my god, every single dish, I'm gonna tell you this, every single dish that we have in the menu is because I love that. I love that. You know what I mean yeah because I don't.
Fernando:I I mean, I'm sorry, but I never gonna put in the menu something that I don't like it, you know. Because that's the point. You know, like you need to feel that kind of feeling like, okay, if I like it, maybe you're gonna like it, maybe you're going to like it, but I don't want to put something like, oh, I'm not sure about this. You know what I mean. I like to talk with the people and then say, okay, how was your dinner? What did you order? What do you think about the food? And it's the perfect feedback that you receive because, like that, you can. Some people they say, oh, you should have pork chops, because actually I, I'm thinking to have pork chops, you know I like a good pork chop oh my god and I don't know.
Fernando:You heard about this. Uh, kurobuta pork chop. Kurobuta is kind of uh, it's like a Japanese pork. Oh, oh, my god, it's amazing, it's amazing. And even something uh interesting about that pork is like you can order that one. Uh, with temperature. So many people they say, oh, pork should be well done, right, no not necessarily, not necessarily I mean it really depends what kind of pork are you using?
Fernando:you know what I mean like, for Be rkshire, or, uh, kurobuta. Those kind of pork is completely different because their, their, their feed is completely different. You know, like they're well raised, exactly. So I was thinking about that. So, yeah, I have so many ideas, but right now we are having this menu.
Fernando:But obviously I love Mexican cuisine because I mean, I am from Mexico, but at the same time, if you ask me what is my favorite cuisine, I always gonna say Asian. Really, really, yeah, really, asian cuisine, I love it. I have been working in some restaurants like Chinese, japanese, Korean barbecue. Obviously, I love the Mexican cuisine, of course, but if I need to pick between Mexican and Asian to do a menu, I'm going to pick Asian. That's so interesting, really, really, really. Another thing I love to make sushi, but I don't like to eat sushi, but you like making it. Another thing I love to make sushi, but I don't like to eat sushi, but you like making it, of course. Why is this? Actually, we just had a wedding two weeks ago and they require sushi, you know. And he's like yeah, of course I can do it. I love the process. There is so many steps. You know All of the technique involved.
Doug:Exactly, it's artistry.
Fernando:Exactly, it's really nice and and looks nice on the plate. So I love that. But if you invite me to eat sushi, I'm going to say, oh, I have things to do, you know. You know what I mean. No, I don't really like sushi, but I love to make it.
Fernando:I'm sure you're not the only chef that enjoys making something but it's not their favorite thing to eat Exactly, but they're good at doing it, of course. Yes, yeah, yeah. So yeah, we have this menu right now in floor two, and we are having so many things happening right now, especially because the winter season is coming, so it's the most special environment season that we're going to have in the restaurant, so in the hotel as well.
Doug:And chef, are you in charge of not only floor two, but there's a spa menu, right, of course? And then what about? Like all of the other events Do you play a hand in? Like weddings, of course, yeah.
Fernando:We have this spa menu and I really want to talk about that because not so many people know about that. And we have this spa menu that I really want to talk about that because not so many people knows about that. And we have this spa menu that I just created like a couple months ago. But this spa menu I have more healthy options, you know okay for example, I have one pasta that is 100% vegan, 100% dairy, 100% gluten-free, plant-based fettuccine is the name of that dish.
Fernando:So, it's a pasta made with spinach, so this plant-based fettuccine we use marinara sauce, homemade. We made also meatballs, vegan meatballs. So oh my God, it's really good. And also we have like a I like this kind of concept like a bento box.
Doug:Oh yes, a bento box, exactly.
Fernando:We have bento boxes on the spa, we have salmon, we have pita pocket. Pita pocket with like a chick beans salad.
Doug:Like a chickpea salad.
Julian:Exactly yeah.
Fernando:It's really good as well. So in do you know something else? We have pizza in the spa.
Doug:I would not guess pizza would be on the spa menu, this pizza is cauliflower pizza crust so it's a hundred percent gluten-free.
Fernando:So sometimes, obviously, when you go to the spa, you don't want to order pizza. It's like, okay, I want a salad, you know something like that. But we have this pizza. That, oh my God, it's really good. It's crunchy, it's crispy, and we uh, we use this kind of uh, fresh mozzarella and uh, tomato sauce. Homemade tomato sauce and cherry tomatoes is really good one as well.
Doug:And so, just to back up for a moment, this is a brand new menu. If I'm going to floor two, I'm not seeing this menu because this is exclusive to the spa. Exactly, I'm going. I'm having a treatment, or a day of it. I'm going to see this special menu that I can choose these items from.
Fernando:Exactly, love that, yeah yeah, we have fresh juices every day. For one of them, I want to tell you this this is a green juice. We choose spirulina. I don't know if you've heard about that.
Doug:Oh, spirulina, is that?
Fernando:seaweed Exactly Okay. It Seaweed Exactly Okay. It's a healthy seaweed because it has a lot of benefits. It's healthy, but at the same time you have something else, you know. Yeah, it's good that one as well.
Doug:I love it. So, Fernando, tell us about maybe one or two more dishes that you've just put on the menu at floor two.
Fernando:Of course, I really want to talk about this. Actually, this dish is one of the best sellers on the menu. Okay, and it's filet mignon with mole. Do you know mole?
Doug:This is a funny story. I have made mole from scratch once, oh really, and it took like three hours. So I don't know if I'll ever do it again, but I'm sure you are making it from scratch. Of course it's very complex.
Fernando:Yeah, yeah, oh, my God, I mean for you, take you three hours, for me, take me like around five and six hours, really Wow.
Julian:Really, really really.
Fernando:You need to know this. In Mexico we have different kind of mole, not just one.
Doug:Right right.
Fernando:We have black mole, yellow, brown, different kind of moles. Okay so, but one of the main ingredients on the mole that I'm using right now is animal crackers.
Doug:What Really, oh? Does it thicken it or give it a thin flavor? I mean it helps for the thickness and as well the flavor.
Fernando:Okay, the flavor is really good, did you?
Doug:taste it. I have not tasted the mole that you're serving up. I've had the one that I made had a little chocolate in it, okay.
Doug:Many, many peppers like cecia and guajillo.
Doug:Yeah, yeah, of course.
Fernando:Our mole that we have in the menu. It has around 28 to 30 ingredients. My goodness.
Doug:Really yeah.
Fernando:We use different kind of dried chiles. As you said, we use these animal crackers. That is the most important thing in remole, most important thing. Really, trust me, animal crackers, that is the most important thing, really trust me, because actually, if you taste those animal crackers before, try to taste it deep fry, deep fry the animal crackers in your pan, leave it in the plate like two minutes, and then it's going to be really crispy and the flavor is completely different. Yeah, so we use that one on the filet mignon. So we serve that dish, the filet mignon. It comes with mashed potato, with mole sauce, and we use a flavorful butter that is made with different kind of herbs and anchovies. Yes, and all that stuff combined. Oh my God, what a combination. Oh my God, it's just amazing.
Doug:Oh my God, what a combination. Oh my God, it's just amazing yeah.
Fernando:It's just amazing dish. The people love it and so many people they ask, hey, where is the chef? I need to talk to him about the Mole. I never tasted this Molly before, you know. I mean I I never going to say he's the best, but it's really good Well this is something that I am going to make at home.
Doug:I am going to go visit you to have that dish. I much rather go out and have that experience of something that I'm never going to create. Yeah, that's true, bravo. Yeah, it's good that one All right. So we talked about the octopus, the rack of lamb, the mole on the filet. I did have another question Are you still serving up dishes more family style or individual? When folks come to floor two for dinner, are they sharing? I recall there used to be a whole chicken on the menu. I don't know if you're still doing that Exactly.
Fernando:Actually our menu is. I will say it's a combination of both. For example, if you order, we have Halibut on the menu.
Fernando:The.
Fernando:Halibut is a small portion, it's just for you, obviously but we have this part of the menu that says to share, so we have this whole chicken. Oh, actually, you need to know something else about this. I think in every single dish I have something to say. You know like for example, in this whole chicken, this whole chicken, it comes from a farm close to here. The name of the farm is Footprints Farm Footprints Farm.
Doug:Yeah, you know that farm. Actually other guests have talked about Footprints. Oh, really on our show. Yeah, oh yeah, yeah.
Fernando:So yeah, we have a rotisserie in the kitchen, so we're we use, uh, that, uh rotisserie like for the chicken, like about two hours, oh my, to get that crispy skin.
Fernando:Yes, but slow roasted delicious very juicy inside is out because we brine the chicken one day before. It's really important that the step so and we serve that chicken with mashed potato and some broccolini and chicken jus. Obviously it's really good that one, and as well as well. If you are going to judge yourself or with your partner and you said, oh, I think it's too much one chicken, we serve half as well, oh, you will.
Doug:Yeah, of course. Oh, that's good to know. Of course, yeah, we serve half as well.
Fernando:So it's good. It's good and the people love that one as well of my dinner sometimes.
Doug:Oh yes, okay. Well, you sparked a couple of thoughts that I wanted to chime in about. Number one the kitchen is beautiful and I love that you can actually look in and see what's happening on floor two, as well as the bar just gorgeous. But the other thing that you sparked was talking about Footprints Farm. I wanted to know are there some other local farms or purveyors that you're working with?
Fernando:Yeah, actually we have this on the menu. We have charcuterie board, you know, because I mean it's important to have charcuterie board for the bar and for the restaurant because some people they just come to have a drink, you know like, and yeah, charcuterie board is perfect.
Doug:Everyone loves charcuterie board.
Fernando:Everybody loves charcuterie board, so that's why we have that charcuterie board. So that's why we have that, uh, charcuterie board on the menu and, uh, all the cheeses that we are using for that charcuterie board, they're coming from a local region. Oh, that's perfect. Yep, hello, this is Chef Fernando Canales from Fairmont, pittsburgh, and you are listening to the Pittsburgh Dish.
Doug:So, chef you alluded to this earlier that you moved to Pittsburgh recently. You're liking the area, your family's here, but I would like to know a little bit more about you, and where did you grow up?
Fernando:Okay, I am from Mexico, like I told you before. Yes, so I started working over there. I mean, I study over there in Puebla. I don't know if you heard about the city of Puebla.
Fernando:It's really close to.
Fernando:Mexico City. So I started to work over there after I finished my bachelor degree and then I moved to Playa del Carmen. Playa del Carmen is an amazing city. It's like a tourist city. You know it's close to Cancun. So many people they know about Cancun, but not some of them they know about Playa del Carmen, you know.
Doug:It's like it's a little less discovered, but probably better, oh my.
Fernando:God, Actually, I was about to tell you this Playa del Carmen is an amazing city and it's not too crowded like Cancun, you know. So yeah, I was working in Playa del Carmen for different kind of resorts and one of them is Barcelona Barcelona Group. I started there and then I moved to Grand Bellas. Grand Bellas is a big, huge group talking about hospitality in Mexico and then I moved to Furman. I moved to Furman, I worked for them around, like I told you, five, six years, something like that, and then I decided to move to Pennsylvania. I mean, you know, I mean I I was working in Fairmont, Mayakoba, and the view of the restaurant that I was working, it's just an amazing view in front of the beach, I would say in front of the beach on the golf side right yeah.
Doug:Mexico is in front of you.
Fernando:Exactly so. We have fresh seafood all the time, so it's good. But even when you are in the best place you get. You know, I mean, sometimes you need different things. You needed to grow. Exactly, and it's like, okay, let's try USA. So that's why I come to Pennsylvania and I start to work in the Macaulay.
Doug:The.
Fernando:Macaulay is an amazing place to work. I work over there about three and a half years I was working in different restaurants over there and then I moved to oh, actually I moved to Hawaii for a couple months to work like a private chef.
Doug:Oh, wow, hawaii is not bad.
Fernando:No, it's really good. It's really good. I was there, like I said, just for a couple months. I work for one family that they require different things, you know, like snacks, breakfast, dinner and those kind of things. But it's amazing because you need to make your groceries and everything. So I was working over there and I really enjoy it. I work in two different islands big island as well, maui. I have a quick question.
Doug:Did you bring your family along with you, or are you married yet at this point? Yeah, yeah.
Fernando:I have my family with me. I have two kids that they're-.
Doug:In Hawaii. I mean oh, no, no, no. When I was there.
Fernando:I was by myself, you were by yourself. Yeah because I was there and there is a lot of work to do and I don't want them just being in my house waiting for me. You know, like no, no, no. I don't want that. And even for me, being honest for me was better because at the same time, I need to refocus on my work. You know what?
Fernando:I mean I don't need to worry about like, oh my God, it's late and I need to go to my house. You know those kinds of things. You were honing your skills.
Doug:Exactly, this was really a learning experience for you it was a really learning experience.
Fernando:So that's why it's like, okay, I need to do this by myself.
Doug:And I did it and it was great. It was great Now the States. You also had a choice between Boston or Pittsburgh, and it was the family Exactly. It really helped make the choice.
Fernando:Actually, yeah, I received a job offer from Boston. But they told me I mean the interviews, everything was well and everything, you know all the process. But at some point they say oh, you know that this is just opportunity for single people, right? And I say oh, what do you mean? No, no, no. I mean you cannot bring your family with you and it's like no, I'm really sorry, I cannot do it.
Fernando:Because you know one of the motors of my life is my family. You know, like of course I mean, I love my job, it's my passion, I really love my job, but of course, you know, my family is first all the time.
Doug:Speaking of family, I do want to take a step back as well. When did you start cooking, or who cooked for you growing up? Like, where did this passion even start?
Fernando:Actually, this is a really good question, thank you. To be honest, I remember really well when I was nine years old. I love when I was watching my mom cooking in the kitchen, you know. And it's like she loves to make chile rellenos, poblano peppers. Yes, they're not spicy, especially for me they're not spicy, so chile rellenos. But the point is like when I was watching at her, she enjoyed what she was doing, you know.
Doug:She was happy cooking.
Fernando:She was really happy cooking. So at nine years old I asked her can I help you? And she said yeah, of course I mean if you want, help me. So I started to help her and I really love it. You fell in love. Oh my God. He's like oh my God, I think this is what I would like to do.
Doug:So, yeah, it's so rare I just want to chime in.
Fernando:So many kids don't know what they want you were one of the rare people that knew what you wanted to do Trust me, I'm going to tell you this. Another interesting thing that it happens to me when I went to the high school, because you know you have those kinds of classes that they say, oh for tomorrow. Everyone needs to talk in front of everyone. What are you going to do in your future?
Doug:Yes, career choices.
Fernando:Exactly Career choices, those kinds of things, future, you know, like career choices, exactly career choices, those kind of things. And like, okay, so the next day, when I, when I came to the school and it's my turn, I mean before me so many people they say like, oh, I wanna, I wanna be a doctor, and if that's not possible, I'm gonna be a dentist. And that's not possible, I'm gonna be this. You know, like I have different choices, sure. And when I went there, in front of my teacher, they say, okay, fernando, tell us about you. And I say, okay, I want to be a chef. And she said, okay, that's nice and really, really good career. And what is your second option? And I say, my second option is to be a chef. And she was thinking that I was, you know, like.
Fernando:I was just joking. And she said no, no, I'm talking serious. And I say I'm talking serious as well. And she, she asked me what about if you cannot be a chef? And I say to her I cannot find the reason why I cannot be a chef. So you knew, yeah, I trust me, it's in my veins, you know. Like, yeah, I love that. I feel that passion for my work. So I really enjoy to be in the kitchen, even when I'm stressed, because, you know, sometimes, like a chef, hopefully it's 100% cooking, but obviously it's not. So sometimes you have things to do in your office, you know those kind of You've got to manage the experience.
Fernando:You have to manage your team and everything, and when I'm stressed, I'm going to the kitchen to cook.
Doug:That's me. I cook to actually kind of zone out and get de-stressed.
Fernando:Oh, really, yeah, that's how I feel. So now you understand me. And even in my house, in my house, in my days off, I always cook for my family. I always trying to make breakfast before work and I always try to have food for my family in the fridge. You know, like always like, okay, I need to go to buy this, this and that, so, like that, they just need to reheat the food.
Doug:I love that. So is anyone ever cooking for you at home?
Fernando:Not really and, to be honest, I don't eat it.
Doug:All right. So another question when you have a day off, what's a dish or two that you like to cook?
Fernando:I mean right now is like um, my favorite dish to cook always is simple steak. Ah, steak, I love steak. I love steak with asparagus, steak with fries, steak with salad, but always steak, you know what I mean always, it can be steak with whatever whatever, but always steak but of course I love to make a soup, I mean like a seafood soup, you know those kinds of things.
Fernando:I love to make chilaquiles for my breakfast, chilaquiles, you know chilaquiles, one of my favorites oh yeah, chilaquiles. And I love spicy. You know I cannot eat anything without chili without sauce.
Doug:I was going to ask what your level of spice is. Are you a spicy guy?
Fernando:Okay, I'm going to tell you this In Fairmont, I always order habaneros, okay.
Doug:Habaneros.
Fernando:And the habaneros are my snack, you know like really. What Really You're literally eating them raw. Of course, Even sometimes the cooks is like what are you doing, chef? I went to the walk in cooler, I took habanero and I bite the habanero and even if I'm having scrambled eggs, you know, for breakfast needs to be habanero, at some point you cannot feel. I mean you feel the flavor.
Doug:It's more about the flavor, exactly.
Fernando:You feel the flavor but you don't feel that it's spicy. Oh interesting, sometimes the habanero is really spicy. Yeah, most of them, they're just good.
Doug:They're just good. Yeah, I love habanero. I really appreciate that story. Well, that actually gets me thinking and I'll bring us back to the restaurants, Floor 2 specifically, I would love to know in the next couple weeks or months, since you said we're getting into like the holidays, are there any special things happening, anything coming on the menu?
Fernando:So we're going to have Thanksgiving brunch, and with different kind of dishes, obviously, but as well, if you don't have time to go for the brunch because you have more things to do, we're going to have turkey to go, turkey to go, turkey to go. So that's good because we can build whatever that you need. We're going to have two different sizes of turkey 10 pounds and 20 pounds. So we're going to build your package like a, for example oh okay, I want my turkey, but I need mashed potato, I need sweet potato, I need green beans, I need salad. We're going to have soups, the sauces for the turkey.
Fernando:So we're going to give you everything.
Doug:Perfect.
Fernando:Everything set just for you to go to your house and enjoy, so you can customize this.
Doug:You can just get the turkey, of course, or you could add these other things on too.
Fernando:Exactly, yeah, you can customize whatever that you want, that's something that we're going to have on Furman and as well on Saturday 23,.
Fernando:We're going to have the light up night, oh this is light up night in November, downtown Exactly yeah yeah, and we are really excited because this year we are going to feature a special dish on the menu, because we have a collaboration with Make-A-Wish. This Saturday I'm going to cook with the kid and it surprised me because he loves seafood and not so many kids. They like seafood, you know like. But he said oh, I love crab cakes.
Fernando:So you're like oh, I love it as well. So, like, oh guy, oh, okay, let's do it. So we're going to create a, a crab cake sandwich. We're going to create a dish with this kid on Saturday and after that we're going to put that dish on the menu. That dish is going to be on the menu, so it's going to be his creation. You know what I mean. I'm going to help him. I'm going to be his helper. He's going to be the chef.
Doug:And he's going to be on the menu Exactly. Yeah, that's good yeah 10% of the sales.
Fernando:They're going to be back to the Make-A-Wish, Back to the Make-A-Wish.
Doug:So just to recap, you're doing a Make-A-Wish and you guys are going to create a crab cake. It's going to be on the menu for the next couple of months and if folks order it, 10% of the proceeds go back to Make-A-Wish Exactly.
Fernando:Love it. Yeah, yeah. So another thing that I would like to mention for this oncoming season is like we're gonna have on thanksgiving brunch, but as well for christmas, on december 22nd, we're going to have a brunch with uh santa claus. So we're going to have different. Obviously, we're going to have a different kind of uh dishes, more like a breakfast and lunch you know, like you can find.
Fernando:If you want to eggs, you can have eggs in, but if you want, maybe, salmon, you can find something okay. So, yeah, we're going to have that. And uh, as well we're going to have that, and as well we're going to have a cookie table.
Doug:We love that. Yeah, for the kids.
Fernando:It's really important to have the kids happy and we're going to have, as well, two different cocktail classes. Yeah, we have a really really good bartenders on property and they're really happy to make those cocktail classes on december as well.
Fernando:You need to visit eventbrite. com, okay so right yeah and you can find the schedule for the classes and everything, the prices and everything. So it's going to be really good and, as well, you're going to enjoy your cocktail and, the most important thing, you're going to learn how to do the cocktail chef Fernando, you are packing this first year full of stuff.
Doug:I usually ask if you have any other goals or things you want to achieve coming up. Is there anything we haven't mentioned?
Fernando:Of course Of course, yeah, yeah, of course. I mean this is, this is just for this year, but of course, the next year we're going to change the menu again, because we always like to renovate you, you know, like I don't like to have the menus for one year or something like that. No, we always need to create different things. But and like I told you at the beginning of this conversation, I like to talk with the guests because sometimes you get the best feedback. You know what I mean. Like, for example, some guests like oh, I like black cod. So sometimes like, oh, okay, maybe I can create a dish with black cod. You know, like it's really, it's really important to to listen to the guests. So, in order to to improve, of course, and in order to get a better, better options for them, yeah, so, for example, right now we have the brunch on saturdays and sundays on floor two, as you know. So, but we're gonna create a different menu for that for that brunch.
Doug:Renovate the brunch menu, reinvigorate the brunch menu, exactly yeah yeah, yeah, Because right now it's really good.
Fernando:If I don't know, you taste before shashuka.
Doug:Oh yes, shashuka, we have shashuka for the weekends.
Fernando:It's an amazing one, but I think we need more dishes. You know menu, so I want to work on that.
Doug:I'm going to chime in with my own suggestion. I would love to have a chef's tasting menu and whether that's like Mexico city or when you go back to this, all of these things that you love with the Asian cuisine, like I think people want to know what you're bringing into the restaurant as well.
Fernando:Exactly, I completely, I completely agree with you and, like I said, uh, we're going to have so many things happening next year, so, yeah, please, uh please, I'll fill out my comment card.
Doug:Yeah, is there a cuisine of like Tlaxcala that you can bring in?
Fernando:Actually, the mole is coming from Tlaxcala.
Doug:Yeah.
Fernando:Yeah, the mole that we have in the menu I'm going to be 100% honest is something that I learned from my mom Perfect, because, yeah, yeah, like when I was watching my mom cooking in the in the kitchen of my house oh, my god, she has so many stuff in the table. That is like what are you doing? You, you know, like it looks like a lab. It's the best though.
Doug:Yeah, it's, it's what we want, and I think I think the amazing thing about the fairmont and floor two is that you're providing this high end level experience, if that's what folks want, but you also are bringing in some of these family influences and some of your own culture. It's also what we love. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yep, perfect, all right, chef, I am so excited to see these dishes that you're cooking up, but if we have folks listening out there that want to find you and follow you I know you're active on Instagram when can they find you on Instagram?
Fernando:Yeah, of course. Please, if you, if you want to follow my journey and everything that is happening in the restaurant, please follow me on Instagram. I am on Instagram like chef underscore Fernando underscore PGH.
Doug:All right, chef, underscore Fernando, underscore PGH. And if folks want to follow the Fairmont, I believe that one is at Fairmont Pittsburgh, exactly.
Fernando:All right, Fairmont Pittsburgh and as well, I think it's important to mention like a for to place the order for your turkey is flr2pgh. com.
Doug:Flr2pghcom.
Fernando:All right.
Doug:Yeah, if they want to do that Thanksgiving meal ordered, I love that, of course, all right. Yeah, if they want to get that Thanksgiving meal ordered, I love that, of course. Okay, all right, chef, we are coming towards the end of our time today and I always have a final question. The name of the show is The Pittsburgh Dish. What's one of the best dishes you've eaten this past week?
Fernando:Oh, that's a good question. And look, I went to Miami, like three weeks ago just to have a meeting with one of my brothers and we went to one restaurant. It's like a kind of Philippine restaurant Filipino, exactly Filipino restaurant.
Doug:The best dish that I taste is the bread, the bread the best dish that I taste is the bread, the bread, the bread. It comes with smoked miso butter. Smoked miso butter, oh my god. And I think the bread in filipina.
Fernando:is it pandesal? Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. So when they served the bread at the table, it was just an amazing. Oh, oh, my God, and it's bread, it's bread, it's just the best thing. Yeah, but it's really important, you know, because it's the first thing that it comes to the table. Yes, so just imagine how was the experience.
Julie:Oh, my God.
Fernando:It was good, but if you ask me for the best dish, it was the bread.
Doug:I think it's the perfect answer. Chef Fernando Canales, thanks so much for being on the Pittsburgh Dish.
Fernando:Thank you so much. Like I said before, thank you so much for having me. It was a pleasure to talk to you.
Doug:Up next. We're always looking for a good breakfast spot and sometimes you need to be reminded of some of the longtime favorites. Julie Engelbrecht refreshes our memory. Hey everybody, we're back again with our friend Julie Engelbrecht of Girl Eats Burgh. Julie, I was wondering this week do you have a favorite breakfast or daytime spot that you love to go to? Maybe something that more people should know about?
Julie:Yes, definitely, I would say Nancy's Revival.
Doug:Oh yeah, over in Wilkinsburg. Yes, I think I just heard they celebrated being in business for 50 years, so they've got something going right over there.
Julie:Yes, absolutely, 50 years is a huge accomplishment.
Doug:Yeah, and do you often go for breakfast or for lunch?
Julie:Breakfast.
Doug:What's the breakfast that you love to get there?
Julie:Country fried steak and it's smothered in their gravy and side of eggs. Everything Fried steak and it's smothered in their gravy and side of eggs. Everything's so good.
Doug:Oh my gosh, that sounds so delicious. Is there anything else that you've tried or others have tried when you're with them?
Julie:Just any of their breakfast items. Everything is so good. I mean the omelets breakfast sandwiches.
Doug:Oh, I love a good breakfast sandwich, me too.
Julie:Another thing I like about Nancy's is they use a lot of local ingredients, everything from like local farmers. They use Mancini, bread, milk from you know local farms, so they really keep everything in Pittsburgh. So I really like that.
Doug:Oh, that like holds a special place in my heart as well.
Julie:Me too.
Doug:That's Nancy's Revival and it's over in Wilkinsburg. They're a breakfast and lunchtime spot. They're usually open till about 2 pm.
Julie:Yes.
Doug:Julie thanks again for being on the Pittsburgh Dish.
Julie:Thanks for having me, Doug.
Doug:You can follow Julie Engelbrecht on Instagram. At girleatsburg, I recently sat down with business partners Julian Figueredi and Hongqing Chung as they launch Healthy Heartbeats, a new food product that we'll be talking about on an upcoming episode. Food has played a big role in both of their families, and Julian tells us about the dish that won over his picky eating as a child. Hey, everybody, we're back with Julian Figueredi of Healthy Heartbeats. Julian, last time we talked, you were telling me that your family owns an Italian restaurant down in Wheeling, so I was wondering do you have a family recipe that you could share with us today?
Julian:Yes. So there's a running joke in my family because it's been my favorite food basically my whole life, and when I was a super picky kid, somehow I actually ate this too. So my dad's version of linguine and clams is like in a red sauce. And you know, after I got to college and started cooking, I started making this all the time, and so my brother loves to be like do you know how to cook anything else, or is that it so like whenever I make that for like a guy's night and whatnot, everybody's like, oh nice.
Julian:It's a hit Because I have worked on this recipe for so long and got it down to a science.
Doug:Can you break it down for us, just a couple of like the key ingredients or moves that you do to make this like over the top.
Julian:Yes, to make sure that I don't upset my father, uh, and give away all of the recipe, of course, um no, you could literally have the whole recipe written down and everything and it's not going to turn out the same.
Julian:So it's totally fine to share things at least that's my opinion. So it's a super simple dish. There's like seven or eight ingredients. You start off with, uh, tomato paste in a bunch of olive oil preferably a wok is really nice. Oh, wow, yeah. And then you just have that as low as possible, add some black pepper to that tomato paste and just let that go for a long time.
Doug:You get it a little darkened, right.
Julian:Yeah, the olive oil turns this nice red color and everything and that's really nice. So that's going to be the base of the sauce later. Then on the other side, you just uh dice up a bunch of garlic and have that really low heat uh in some olive oil and then, once you're ready to start things, you throw uh.
Doug:we just use canned clams yes, because of the convenience, how easy it is. Do you use the juice too, or do you? Yes, you do definitely use the juice. It helps build the sauce.
Julian:Yes, okay, absolutely. And if, uh, depending on the brand of clams, you could also buy like a jar of uh, the clam juice I've seen that once you're ready it, things are going to happen pretty quick after that.
Doug:Uh, you should have your pasta going already, uh because we don't really cook the clams, like you're throwing the clams in when the sauce is near done.
Julian:Yeah, they're. They're like cooked, and you don't need to take them too far, cause then they'll get too chewy. So you're really just heating it up and you throw all that together. I like two or three of those cans per pound of pasta, okay, which also equates to like one little six ounce can of tomato paste I got you Hunts tomato paste is what we always use Okay. So then you throw the clams in lemon, a lot of lemon, and parsley, okay.
Doug:Are you squeezing the lemon over top ahead of time or do you serve it with slices of lemon for people to do it?
Julian:Both Okay. So you squeeze a bunch of lemon juice into that clam mixture and then you know not too early, because uh, the parsley will wilt and whatnot and change, so towards the end you throw that in. You really just heat that up and then that is ready to go. Once your pasta is ready the the way I like to do it, because you know to mix that tomato paste I pour the majority of that liquid into the wok with the tomato paste and olive oil. That way you could mix that up and turn it into more of a sauce. Now you throw all your noodles in there, mix that up.
Doug:Marry it all together.
Julian:You have a good mix. Yes, noodles in there, mix that up, you marry it all together. You have a good mix. Yeah, side note, my dad used to not do it exactly like that and then serve himself last and get all the best bits from the bottom. Uh, way to go, dad. Uh, that was always really funny. That is a pro tip from dad. Yeah, pro tip from dad. If you want the best, go for the bottom, go for the bottom. Uh, so then that way you have all your clams left in that other pot to like top it with, and then you throw like a bit of parsley and cheese on top.
Doug:Beautiful presentation here.
Julian:Yeah.
Doug:Presentation matters, julian. It sounds delicious, so clams in a red sauce with linguine.
Julian:Yep, love it. Yeah, a little extra lemon and some good Parmesan at the end. Yeah, oh man, my mouth is yeah, oh man my mouth is watering.
Doug:Julian, thanks so much for being on The Pittsburgh Dish.
Julian:Thank you, Doug, appreciate you.
Doug:You can find out more about Julian and Hong Ching's food ventures on Instagram at their handle. Healthy underscore, heartbeets and beets is spelled B-E-E-T-S. That's our show for this week. We'd like to thank all of our guests and contributors, and to Kevin Solecki of Carnegie Accordion Company for providing the music to our show. We'll be back again next week with another fresh episode. Stay tuned.
