Watch How a Michelin-Starred Chef Fries Up a Hot Chicken Sandwich
The pandemic has been horrible for the restaurant industry, but the distress Covid-19 has caused has also led to innovation, especially when it comes to delivery. Such is the case with Michelin-starred chef Michael Mina, who owns restaurants across America including International Smoke, Bardot Brasserie, Bourbon Steak and more. And, of course, there’s his flagship eponymous restaurant in San Francisco that draws on his Middle Eastern heritage as well as Mediterranean flavors.
During the pandemic, his restaurants have been offering takeout, but his latest venture is slightly different than his normal fare. Tokyo Hot Chicken is a delivery and takeout-only restaurant with locations in Boise, San Francisco, Los Angeles and Del Mar, Calif. For now, he runs the concept out of existing restaurant kitchens, like International Smoke, and serves up his take on the hot chicken sandwich. He starts with the Nashville sensation, made famous by Prince’s, and then crosses it with karaage, a Japanese style of fried chicken that includes a marinade of soy, ginger, garlic and mirin.
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In this episode of Robb Report Culinary School, Mina joins culinary editor Jeremy Repanich to talk through the creation of Tokyo Hot Chicken, offers tips for home cooks on frying at home and shows off how he makes his hot chicken sandwich with a spicy apple slaw.
Odds and Ends and Additional Links
One of the best things a home cook to be better at frying food is invest in a thermometer and make sure to check the temperature of your oil.
If you don’t have a fryer at home, use a cast iron skillet.
Don’t just use all-purpose flour for your breading, adding in different starches will lead to crispier results.
You can follow Mina on Instagram @chefmichaelmina.
Head to Robb Report’s Instagram page to check out more episodes of Culinary School, including Top Chef winner Mei Lin’s congee and James Beard Award-winner Chris Shepherd’s recipe for bacon chile jam.
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