Paso Robles, CA, USA
Name: Thomas Ray Drahos
Age: 24
Nationality: American
Country of Residence: USA
1. Your Restaurant/Business: Fenomenal Restaurant in Paso Robles, California
2. About Your Kitchen: Clean, organized and passionate.
3. Your Favorite Chef Works Item: The JLCL jackets in gray and black; they are lightweight and long-lasting.
4. First Job: Dishwasher at Joe’s Place in Paso Robles, California
5. Your Favorite Cookbook: A Day at El Bulli Rosés Spain by Ferran Adria
6. Your Awards: Second Place in the National Honey Competition; First Place in a mac and cheese contest; Second Place in Gluten-free Dairy Idlers Chef Competition
7. Your Cooking Inspiration: My family because there is nothing more inspirational than a good home cooked meal with the people you love.
8. Your Speciality Dish: Miso glazed pork belly, braised baby bock choy, shiitake mushrooms, and black pepper gastrique
9. Favorite Dish To Eat: Pho – a Vietnamese breakfast soup: beef broth, rice noodles, thinly sliced steak, and a big pile of fresh basil, bean sprouts, jalapenos, and cilantro. It is always served with hoisin, oyster and Sriracha sauce.
10. Weirdest Thing You Ever Ate: Pault. It’s a Swedish dish that my wife’s family makes: a potato and liver dumpling that has a chunk of salt pork cooked in side of it, only served with salted butter and a glass of milk.
11. Favorite Ice Cream Flavor: Popcorn
12. Favorite Drink: Thai iced tea
13. Favorite Wine: Gaja Promis 2009
14. Who Would You Most Like To Cook For: Ferran Adria
15. Who Would You Least Like To Cook For: There isn’t anyone I wouldn’t cook for. I love to cook for any who will enjoy my passion.
16. Favorite Things To Do When Not Cooking: Snowboarding, reading, and research
17. Your Latest Project: Project Hope and Fairness Fair Trade Chocolate
18. Favorite City and Why: Rosés, Spain because it is the food hub of the world.
19. Your Greatest Indulgence: My greatest indulgence is yet to come to me.
20. Your All Time Best Culinary Tip: Open your mind to anything.