30 Minute Interview With Chef James Rigato Of Mabel Gray

I had the privilege of conversing with James Rigato from Mabel Gray in Hazel Park. James Rigato, a James Beard Semifinalist in 2017, 2018, 2019, and 2020, as well as People’s Best New Chef 2015 according to Food & Wine Magazine, and the recipient of the Restaurant Of The Year award in 2017 by the Detroit Free Press. Additionally, I had the opportunity to collaborate with the Mabel Gray team last year, and ever since, I've been inspired by their resilience, passion, and dedication to delivering exceptional experiences.

Join me in exploring my conversation with James as we dive into topics such as the hospitality industry, resilience, and the profound influence of food in shaping our perspective of the world.

Q: What inspired your passion for cooking, and how has it evolved over the years?

A: I grew up with pretty few resources. I had a single mom and lived in a trailer park until I was 12. However, I had a really great extended family, so my grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins brought a lot of inspiration and comfort. Much of that was through food. To be honest, I got a job on my 14th birthday because I was tired of going without. I was a dishwasher at a diner and then a pizza cook at a pizzeria. Pizza was my first food love. Eventually that lead to an Italian American restaurant job and working under an actual chef. I think hard work, gratification and teamwork appealed to me deeply. I loved the hard work. Still do. I was shown the French Laundry Cookbook when I was 16 and it blew my mind. I didn’t know restaurants could be like that. Soon after I started traveling to Chicago, eating at chef Takashi Yagihashi’s Tribute and buying all the books I could afford. In my early 20s, during the recession, I took a private chef job and started traveling internationally and eating in Michelin restaurants. I learned a ton from dining and seeing how different chefs in parts of the world curate their food and hospitality. I think creativity for me was later than the fundamental cooking part. I enjoyed the grind of professional cooking and built a strong foundation before trying to force my ideas or dishes onto my guests. Nowadays, writing menus is very natural for me. It’s a combination of what’s in season, what do I want to eat, what pairs well with the weather/beverage program/accompanying dishes, what I’m inspired by, where I’ve recently traveled and so on. Because Mabel’s menu changes so much, it’s almost like a living journal.

 Q: How do you approach creating a new dish or menu? Where do you draw inspiration from?

A: Almost always, what sounds good to me. What’s in season, in healthy supply, will flow in a succession of courses. Travel, music, Champagne, people and the weather are big inspirations for me.

Q: Can you share a memorable culinary experience or moment that significantly influenced your cooking style?

A: There’s definitely been a few. The first time I tasted Molé. Being invited to guest chef at Vie with Paul Virant, seeing him collaborate with and host so many talented chefs. Eating snow crab on the shore from a fisherman in Newfoundland with Iceberg beers and a bunch of chef friends. But, I’d say eating at Racines in Paris around 2009. Chef Pierre Jancou was running it solo. Building plates. Opening wines. Serving guests. It was so casual, intimate and delicious. I felt like he was really an inspiration for me as an ambassador of slow food, ethical farming, natural wines, and farmer first philosophies. The chef as not only the curator but, the dishwasher. Because we are. He’s since moved on and Racines has new ownership, but the humble ambition he ran Racines with stuck with me. Racines means “roots” and my first executive chef job was opening The Root in White Lake. Pierre isn’t well known in America but he’s one of those “your favorite chef’s favorite chef” types in France. He inspired me to involve the kitchen in service and to cook from the heart and change everything often.

Q: What do you believe sets apart a truly exceptional meal from an ordinary one?

A: Service. Hospitality really. I always say you pay for service but you’re gifted hospitality. Food is extremely personal and not everyone will love everything. But true hospitality is something everyone connects with. It’s transformative.

Q: How do you balance innovation and tradition in your culinary creations?

A: Innovation is never a goal of mine. Sometimes a good idea may appear innovative to someone, but rarely is anything done for the first time in food. And if so, it’s not usually me doing it. Tradition is a nice foundation and some things can benefit from improvement. I like red curry and coconut milk in place of tomato paste and cream in a lobster bisque. Is it innovative? No. But it makes sense and pairs well with the traditional components and leaves room for new garnishes/beverage pairings.

Q: In your opinion, what are some key skills or qualities aspiring chefs should cultivate to succeed in the culinary industry?

A: I’m a believer in hard work. There’s no way around it. The hard work has to get done. Trying to find a shortcut or delegating your way out of hard work, just delays the inevitable. Restaurants come and go, jobs rarely last for a whole career. The only thing you take with you day to day is your skill. And skill comes from dedication, repetition and hard work.

Q: Could you share some insights into the importance of sourcing high-quality ingredients and their impact on the final dish?

A: Chefs know better than most, how healthy, natural food looks, smells and tastes. Our food system in America and much of the world is severely broken. Top soil depletion, loss of full circle farming, corporatizing of organic practices, mass animal production, overfishing, ocean abuse all have a huge cost and it’s playing out in real time. What we purchase makes a significant impact in our economies, ecological environments, and bodies. And it’s no coincidence that ethically sourced natural food TASTES better and is better for you.

Q: What challenges have you faced in your culinary journey, and how have they shaped you as a chef?

A: It’s very difficult to make the leap from employee to employer. I often times didn’t have the right tools at the time I needed them. Literally and metaphorically. Too many times did I live the old phrase “If the only tool you have is a hammer, you tend to see every problem as a nail.” As a chef, manager, leader, business owner I strive to constantly improve. Change is good. And if you recognize something isn’t working or isn’t beneficial you have to change it. I like to believe that my team works for the business and I work for the team. That mentality has created a better work environment and the ability to perform as a restaurant.

Q: How do you stay updated with evolving food trends while maintaining your unique culinary identity?

Travel. I try to leave the country about 5 times a year. Not only does the world of food constantly inspire, humble and educate me as a chef, but it matures me and makes me a more compassionate person. I grew up in a culturally devoid part of the Midwest. Music, art and film gave me early perspective before cooking. Now I rely on food and beverage as my main compass. Mabel’s menu and cooking style will always begin from my point of view. So most dishes have a sort of framework that our customers expect and recognize. But the more I travel, the more I grow as a creative. I also believe the vast majority of people are good. And that belief is constantly reinforced through travel.

A heartfelt thank you to everyone who has taken the time to read this interview with Chef James Rigato. It's truly enriching to hear the insights of individuals in the hospitality industry, particularly those who consistently shape our perspectives on food. I have many more interviews with exceptional chefs lined up to share with you, and I eagerly anticipate hearing your thoughts, feelings, and expressions on these culinary journeys.