Tobago chef: Pinch saffron or get 'Chopped'

TOBAGONIAN Kyronn Cordner may have been "chopped" from the aptly titled reality-based cooking TV show, but the Texas-based chef said he enjoyed the experience tremendously. Cordner made his debut on the Food Network's Chopped show on Tuesday evening, two years after the episode was filmed.

Asked what he learnt, Cordner replied, "Pinch saffron.”

Tobagonians were glued to their television sets on Tuesday to see the Church Street, Bethel-born chef display his culinary skills in the popular competition.

But, after completing the first round successfully, his dish in the second round did not impress the judges and he was chopped as the judges remarked, “Way too much saffron.”

Cordner said: “The moment that pound of saffron left my fingertips, I know right away it was (too) much. At that point there isn’t anything I could have done; that flavour and colour runs immediately as moisture hits it.”

In the first round of the cooking competition, Cordner made crusted skirt steak with coconut bean sauce and braised dandelion. He followed up that challenge with swordfish bouillabaisse and fried gnocchi sandwich dough but the saffron overdose cost him.

The former Signal Hill Secondary student, 36, who left the island in 2001 has made a name for himself since migrating to the US. Even with no formal culinary training his skill has seen him rise to sous-chef at Mako's on the Creek restaurant, Cibolo, Texas.

He told Sunday Newsday, from his mid-20s he knew he wanted to cook on a professional level.

“Food always made me happy and it makes everyone happy. I like seeing people happy, so it was a no-brainer for me to do something I love while keeping random strangers happy. I love that,” he said.

Cordner said he attended no culinary school but learnt to cook from his father and working at restaurants in the US.

“I had a very solid foundation from my dad (Steve Cordner), he’s actually a really, really good cook. I watched him for years. I’ve been cooking professionally for ten years. All my training is from the school of the hard knocks (life experiences), I got it all from years of working the line throughout New York City and New Jersey – deep in the trenches. I did not attend culinary school. Axia Taverna in New Jersey is one of the restaurants he trained in.

“After moving to New York City, I quickly realised that I may actually do this for a living. So, I worked under some really well-established and talented chefs, seeking myself up on the right path, basically just being a sponge, head down answering 'yes chef' all day long, honing my skills with a detailed vision.”

Cordner said his favourite dish to cook is octopus. He noted that his love for food, culture and the challenge of creating different dishes inspired him to continue in this field. His favourite ingredient, he said is garlic, while his favourite tool is the mandoline slicer.

“It doesn’t like me. In fact, I think the mandoline hates every hand that picks it up. It bites,” he said.No stranger to cooking competitions, Cordner said he jumped at the chance to appear on Chopped.

“Honestly, I’ve been into competitive cooking but after years of cooking and watching the show I figured I’d put myself out there. What did I have to lose? Nada,” he said.

He said when he got the email to enter the competition, he was very excited and couldn’t wait, but had to keep it confidential.

“I couldn’t say a word. Only my immediate family and a couple close friends knew. They were all excited,” he said as he recalled going to New York City for the filming in June 2018.

“My first thing was: do not stutter. When I’m excited, I stutter,” he laughed. “And do not get chopped for running out of time.

“The experience was awesome, I got to meet three other very talented chefs and we’re all still very much in touch.”His first four ingredients in the appetiser round were fish skin chips, skirt steak, dandelion greens and cream of beans with coconut while his second basket for the entrée round contained swordfish, red long hot peppers, graffiti eggplant and a gnocchi sandwich.“Honestly, I didn’t want to stress myself and over think too much. So, I just let it flow naturally.”

But of both baskets, he found none difficult.

“I was pretty familiar with it all. Just my execution could have been a lot better,” he said.

Cordner said he was too busy to practise working within the Chopped time limit before appearing on the show.

“I was always working. I’m literally always working, so that was all the practice I got.”

He said since appearing on the show, besides a sense of pride for making his country proud, nothing has changed.

“I wake up early every morning, bang out some push-ups and crunches, make a cup of iced espresso and head to the restaurant.

“If I get the redemption call, I’m absolutely going back. I have unfinished business in that kitchen,” he said.Cordner had some advice for people interested in entering the field.

“Make sure you’re the hardest working person in the building, show up every day with a can-do attitude, stay humble and keep pushing to better than you were the day before.”