THE GRILL MASTER | CHEF DAVID ROSE

You don't need an excuse to come together with friends and family for great conversation and good food! If you opt to make it more of an intimate affair with your significant other or to enjoy solo, a great meal is always welcome!

In Nov 2020, we chatted with Chef David Rose about how to prepare for the holiday season. At that time, we were navigating the pandemic and celebrations looked different from years past. As we continue to navigate the new normal, we're excited to think about fun times ahead! We talk about his first cookbook EGGin': David Rose Cooks on the Big Green Egg (Volume 4), the art of grilling and how we can create great meals for Father's Day and other events that we're excited about - even if it's just a random day ending in "y."

ATHLEISURE MAG: Since we last talked, EGGin Volume 4 came out late last year. Can you share with our readers about this cookbook?

CHEF DAVID ROSE: I’m really excited about this! EGGin’ is in it’s 4th volume but it’s my first cookbook! This cookbook has everything from mains, sides, salads and desserts – everything that you need is in there that you want that can be grilled! It’s your heart’s desire! It’s just a celebration of food, a celebration of every culture, every region – every state has their own culture of open fire barbecue and open grilling. From asado in South America, to North Carolina in the South to Alabama to Texas to Korean and Jamaican. So this book covers it all and pays an homage to everything and doing it in a sensational way. We have the honor of hitting #1 on Amazon for a couple of days back in Feb around my birthday. So it was the perfect celebration for my 40th! So, the book is huge and it’s doing very well.

AM: Every time we see you on Instagram, Good Morning America etc – it’s like, that man loves to grill!

CHEF DR: I do! If you can’t see my Instagram and don’t know that I love grilling, I don’t know how else to show it!

AM: What is it about grilling that you love and why is it good to prepare foods in this way?

CHEF DR: For me it’s just something that, the cave men got it right all that time ago, thousands of years ago. Raw meats, fire – put it right on there! If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. I’m from the school of utilizing that and the Jamaican culture, I’ve grown up around these amazing grilled foods – especially jerk chicken and there’s something about the grill being the secret ingredient where you can infuse flavor with different types of wood, different types of marinades and anytime you smoke something, brown is flavor, brown is deliciousness. You get that great char on there and it brings out that deep caramelization, sweetness and savoriness and fruits and vegetables and finish. I’m one of those guys where grill season – I don’t know what grill season is – for me, it’s 24/7, 365 and even if it’s snowing – the grill is still going to be hot so we’re going to have to cook!

AM: Well, for people who aren’t familiar with grilling – let’s say those that it’s their first time. What are 3 tips that you have for someone who has that grill, but they’re not sure about using it?

CHEF DR: Yes, yes ok. The first thing I would say is that a clean grill, is a happy grill. Every time you finish and start up, you want to brush off all that debris, grit and grime. There could be an accumulation of food, maybe a critter that might have got up in there. Because you don’t want none of that on your food. After you’re done cleaning it, always use an oil with a high smoke point to oil it down like a grape seed oil, canola, vegetable oil – because the last thing you want to do is to spend all that time seasoning and marinating and then the meat, protein or vegetables stick to the grill. You always want to oil the grate so that the food releases. That way, you can taste it and eat it.

I’d also recommend secondly, getting a digital meat thermometer. That way, it takes all of the guesswork out of whether the steak is ready or not ready. Is your chicken 165° yet? A high quality digital read out thermometer is a great investment!

And 3, get a copy of EGGIN’, David Rose Cooks from the Big Green Egg and keep your freezer chock full of Omaha Steaks so you can be ready to grill from your hearts desire! There is a Harris Poll that was done earlier this year that says 83% of Americans agree that having high-quality meat on-hand to prepare at a moment’s notice would make their lives easier. So with those three things, I think that those are pretty good tools to get them started.

AM: I love it and like you’re saying, grilling can take place any time of year! I’m originally from Indiana, I live in NY, I love a grilled meal! Now that it’s the summertime and with all the holidays coming up, how do we stay grill ready in terms of keeping our fridges stocked?

CHEF DR: You know, the great thing about working with Omaha Steaks is that we carry a variety of steaks, poultry, seafood, ready to eat sides and meals. The steaks are expertly carved and trimmed and we age them, especially our Private Reserve for a minimum of 35 days and that maximizes tenderness. We do a flash freezing process and what that means is that when the food is at the height of perfection, the flash freezing presses that pause button and until you thaw it out, it’s going to remain in that status of deliciousness. It’s a great thing to have everything at the ready because you never know when you’re hearts desire or a craving might hit. So it lets us do the hard work for you – by delivering you those quality meats and having those recipes that we do have on the website where we have them for days like Father's Day. I have a sensational recipe with their Private Reserve filet and it’s a Blue Cheese and Chive Compound Butter and a loaded Hasselback Potato. I’m not sure if you know what a Hasselback Potato is -

AM: Oh, I know my potatoes!

CHEF DR: Ok, ok you know! Hasselback Potato, thinly sliced, cheese, bacon and sour cream – that and the filet, it’s love! What better way to show dad or yourself, how much you care and to love yourself with our steaks that can be delivered anytime because that’s the gift that keeps on giving – at least until you eat it.

AM: Once again, what’s really great about this time of year is the impromptu nature of things. Whether you have a deck, backyard, rooftop, front stoop or wherever you’re eating. If we’re coming to your house for an impromptu meal, what are you making for us?

CHEF DR: Alright, well definitely there will be a ribeye on there. The ribeye is my favorite and we carry this Ribeye Crown Steak – it’s the ribeye cap, the most tender and coveted part of the steak so you’re definitely going to find some of those. We have some sensational St Louis ribs so you will find some of that. I’m Jamaican so I’m going to have to have some of my snapper on there. We serve Jamaican Snapper Escovitch with a marinade of pickled onions, scotch bonnet peppers, pimento, garlic and whenever I’m cooking especially around my family, spices are always in the mix. Of course, Lobster Mac & Cheese because what is a barbecue without Macaroni & Cheese and just make it better with Omaha Steaks Lobster Tails so it’s a win-win.

AM: A lot of people when they’re grilling, they do think about meats and vegetables. But the grill can also be used for a lot of things. What are dishes that people don’t realize that are totally a grillable food?

CHEF DR: Oh yeah! In EGGin’, there’s quite a few cocktails – smoked cocktails. We have a Charred Pineapple Margarita, we have a Grilled Watermelon Sangria and also smoking adds a really good element to baking! You can bake sweet items on there. We have a Smoked Peach Crostata a Jamaican Rum Raisin Bread Pudding – so the great thing about the Egg and grilling on it is that it can go low and slow, it can do hot and fast and once you put the plates on there called the convector, that essentially turns the Egg into a convection oven. So then you can bake, do pizzas and anything that your heart desires. There is nothing that I have yet to throw at the Egg that it can’t do. So that along with the Omaha Steaks with their meats, poultry and sides, you can’t lose.

AM: I love hearing about this and is there anything that you can share that’s coming up that we should keep our eye out for whether it’s more cookbooks, TV segments etc?

CHEF DR: Yes for sure! I have a couple of really good events coming up in the near future! I have Essence Fest which I will do for the very first time that’s coming up in July so I’m very excited about that! I have a book signing and a demo coming up with that! I will also do the Macy’s NBC 4th of July Fireworks Special and I will do a demo for that as well! It’s kind of exciting as well as a surreal moment! Growing up in NJ, I would always watch it so it’s a full circle moment. We have some great recipes coming down the pipeline, even more deliciousness with Omaha Steaks not just for Father’s Day but for everyday consumption for meals and Sunday cooking with the family.

AM: Well Chef, that’s a lot that’s going on and congratulations on everything! A few years ago I did Essence Fest for the My Black is Beautiful booth where I shared style tips and get ready! There are a lot of people that come through there so definitely eat your Wheaties!

CHEF DR: I’m ready – I stay in shape, I’m ready!

IG @chefdavidrose

PHOTO CREDITS | PG 60 Omaha Steaks | PG 63 - 67 Facebook/Chef David Rose |

Read the JUN ISSUE #78 of Athleisure Mag and see THE GRILL MASTER Chef David Rose in mag.

SMOKING AND GRILLING WITH CHEF DAVID ROSE

It has been quite a year and yet, 2020 continues to roll on. In the midst of a lot of uncertainty, there have been things that remind us how life was prior to living in the pandemic that has taken place across the globe. This holiday season will be a bit different than what we have experienced with us socially distanced and not partaking in holiday parties and events that we have been used to in the past. We caught up with Chef David Rose to hear some tips on how we can tackle this year's season.

ATHLEISURE MAG: We enjoyed seeing you as a finalist on Season 13's Food Network Star, being a Food Network personality and a number of shows. How do you define your cooking style?

CHEF DAVID ROSE: My cooking style is kind of a mix of a couple of different things. First off, my family is Jamaican and I am from the tri-state area so there is a huge cultural melting pot. I would say that I cut my teeth in terms of cooking in the South. So you see a lot of Southern influences and twists on my recipes. But I was also classically trained in the French arts at Le Cordon Bleu where I graduated summa cum laude back in 2006 – very proud of that one right there! I would say that my cooking style is elevated Southern with a Caribbean French Twist and a bit of international influences. So I'm sort of a man of mystery and a chef of mystery! I like to keep people on their toes and to keep them guessing.

AM: The Athleisure team throughout quarantine has enjoyed a number of the dishes from Omaha Steaks so we know that they are more than just steak and chicken as they have sides and desserts. As the Executive Chef for Omaha Steaks, what is the synergy between you and the brand and what can we expect to see between you and them in this partnership?

CHEF DR: Definitely. I am a huge smoking and grilling fan and fanatic! I have about 4 or 5 grills so I think that smoking and grilling unleashes the natural amazingness and flavors that you can find over at Omaha Steaks. From one of my favorites, the Tomahawk Ribeye that nice luscious bone eye and then there is the file as well as the strips and the T-bone. You also can’t go wrong with a lobster tail as well. I’m pretty sure when offered a surf and turf, nobody ever ever said no! A lot of those things go really well together. As far as being Jamaican, you know we eat everything. Whether it be chicken, it’s beef, turkey – whatever. We love everything and you can find so many assortments of proteins from ready to eat sides and ready to eat desserts. It’s all on the web-site and I’m excited to be able to bring my Southern influence and Caribbean influence to an incredible company known for their meat and protein portfolio in order to exude and explore and to showcase my style of cooking with Omaha Steaks.

AM:We’re in holiday mode and obviously celebrations look a little different this year with virtual get-togethers and gatherings. What tips do you have especially for veteran hosts that will be putting on dinners that are slightly scaled back then what they’re used to.

CHEF DR: I think that 2020 is a year that nobody has experienced and I’m pretty confident in saying that. According to a new Harris Poll, more than half of Americans are planning to celebrate with 5or less people and 1/3 of Americans are opting or are considering Zoomsgivingwhich is through the joy of Zoom whichI’m pretty sure that everyone has become acclimated with during quarantine. You can celebrate that experience of cooking and eating even if you’re not able to do it in person but can through the magic of Zoom or other virtual platforms.

The holidays can be very anxious especially if it is the first time that you have ever cooked a turkey. We have a 10lb pre-bast-ed turkey that gets shipped to your door-step. What I recommend is that the #1mistake that most rookies make when they are tackling a turkey is not allow-ing enough adequate time for the turkey to thaw. You always want to allow for at least 3 days for that turkey to thaw. If it’s a 10lb one, you want to give it the full 3 days and if you want the crispy skin that we all love and is indicative of a turkey, you want to uncover it in a roasting rack for an additional 24hours. By doing that, it’s going to dry the skin out and give you that golden brown crispy turkey skin every single time. As far as doing all of that. We also suggest making your turkey a day ahead of time. It allows you to have a stress free, anxiety reduced day on Thanksgiving. When you do that, you want to take the turkey out, remove the breast, the thighs, the legs and the wings. The key thing is to allow the turkey to rest and come to room temperature. What you do then is put it inside of the fridge. When you remove the turkey from the fridge on Thanksgiving day, you just need to reheat it and then you’re just focusing on the sides, the appetizers and my personal favorite – the desserts. Another way to shave some time from the prep is to buy some mix and match sides from the site as there are a lot of options. We also have a great partnership with Wine.com where we have some packages that can be purchased.

I always say, that being ready, being prepared and keeping your freezer stocked with a plethora of goodness means that you’re always going to be the hero at any Thanksgiving or Zoomsgiving table.

AM: What are your go to mains and sides that you enjoy having around?

CHEF DR: One of my favorite things is a Prime Rib Roast. I think that this reigns supreme at any holiday dinner table. I just love to eat that bone when I’m done. I’m a gnawer Athleisure, I’m a gnawer. If you have dogs, the dogs will appreciate that as well. The great thing about a Prime Rib Roast is that I can be shared with families, it’s great for leftovers – you can make a prime rib sand-wich the following day. To me, nothing screams celebrations, nothing screams holidays more than an amazing Prime RibRoast. We have an amazing selection of those as well.

AM: What are some recipes that we should keep in mind as well as we are navigating this holiday season?

CHEF DR: What I would recommend is that you want to go and brine the turkey to add additional flavor. These pre-basted turkeys are already pre-brined. They have their brown sugar, their honey and so it’s not just about the flavor but the color so it has that golden brown deliciousness. Now some of my personal flavor recipes is that I love doing compound butters. They're great for steaks, they’re great for roasts and I recommend if you want to get that juicy lush turkey breast, is make that. A compound butter is a fancy way to essentially say a butter with herbs like thyme, rosemary, sage and garlic. To get that re-ally juicy and luscious turkey breast, you take that compound butter and you slide it under the skin and slather it all over the breast. Now what that does is that when that turkey slowly cooks and we know that that fat of the butter is where the flavor comes in – it just makes it taste amazing with great texture 10 out of 10 times.

AM: Like you said earlier, 2020 no one can say that we have ever seen anything like this! How do you plan on ringing in the New Year?

CHEF DR: I think everyone is looking for-ward to ringing in 2021 and what I’m planning on doing is having a nice Prime RibRoast, maybe a filet or Ribeye on the grill– one of these amazing food packages where you can’t forget about your libations! For me, a nice glass of bourbon and just enjoying one of my favorite pairings– steak and bourbon. You can’t go wrong with that.

IG @ChefDavidRose

PHOTOS COURTESY | OMAHA STEAKS

Hear Chef David Rose on our show, Athleisure Kitchen - which is a part of Athleisure Studio, our multimedia companion podcast network! Subscribe to be notified when the episode drops. Listen on iHeart-Radio, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, AmazonMusic, Google Podcasts or wherever you enjoy your podcasts.

Read the Nov Issue #59 of Athleisure Mag and see Smoking and Grilling with Chef David Rose in mag.