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In Turf Valley, A place that is striving to break the mold
of the typical hotel restaurant.
Serving a cuisine known as Modern American Fusion.
We're going Table to Table.. with Alexandra's.
Hello.. and welcome to Table to Table. I'm Vinnie Rege.. Program Director of the
Center for Hospitality and Culinary Studies at Howard Community College.
On each episode of Table to Table.. we'll take you inside one of the most popular restaurants
in the community.
This time, we're heading to the Turf Valley Resort in Ellicott City, home to Alexandra's.
Both the resort and the restaurant are owned by the Mangione family.
The Mangiones bought Turf Valley in 1978 and ten years later they opened the luxury hotel
that's home to Alexandra's.
Later in the program, Executive Chef Russell Svoboda will show you to create one of the
restaurant's signature dishes.
But first, we'll hear more about the restaurant and its cuisine, known as Modern American Fusion.
There was a racetrack,er an exercise track here. Thats all I know.
.
and then I guess it became the country club?
My dad bought the property in late 78 or early 79 uh I was graduating from high school..
so I was 18.
I'm sure my husband saw it as a golf course, more than the horses, actually. And eventually,
he went, he had a vision beyond that to build a hotel here.
One of Nonno's favorite things to do is to go for car rides. And you never really knew
where you were going. But you always went to like a pile of dirt. Like a big area with
just a pile of dirt. And, it's funny, because this was a pile of dirt. And now it's Nonno's
dream thats realized and it's really cool.
We've seen a lot of changes in the 30 years that I've been here. We've built a golf course,
that we've built in addition to the ball room.. we built a hotel.. we built an addition to
the hotel which is this section here. Um we're building houses now and we built the town
square so uh I've seen a lot of changes and it's been really exciting,
I feel whenever we're here, even the people who work here always remember him with great
fondness. He really did walk around, talk to everybody. Always there was a dream ahead.
But he really connected with people.
from the beginning it was always run as a family operation.
I have ten children. I have thirty-seven grandchildren. And some
are quite grown now. We have a lot of college kids, a lot of college graduates,
and as Rosemary said, some are actually working, are here at the business.
I did various jobs um I started off as a porter when I first got here so I uh I was cleaning
floors, cleaning toilets, setting rooms.
I did my first project when I was in high school, I think; just my senior year of high
school. I've been very fortunate to work for my father.
It's pretty amazing, you drive in everyday and it's a constant reminder that you know
I'm working for where my grandparents started.
I think it gives off a special image to the clientele, seeing the family. Especially my
husband, when he was here he walked around and his presence was very much evident.
I can tell you too that it's more than just a business for us. I mean, it's our family,
our family name, and we care very much to fulfill my father's dream. And it's our dream too.
Everyone's on the Nonno train.
Alexandra was our first grandchild. It was my husband's idea to name if after Alexandra.
And, then, little by little, we added on Nicole and Christina, Maria. We'd need a lot more
rooms to get the rest.
I got married here, actually. That was kind of neat. Everyone realized that,um you know,
everyone knows it's our family place and um it was cool that, you know Alexandra got to
get married at Alexandra's.
When we first opened the restaurant in Alexandra's it was more of a fine dining restaurant. You
know we had the two restaurants, the casual grille for the golfers and we had the more
upscale uh uh-uh Alexandra's. We were trying to push ourselves out to the public here within
this country club and it was a real challenge trying to get that word out uh to the neighbors.
So really getting it out there you know we are open to the public.. it's a great spot
if you're from this area.. it's a great spot to travel to also we're in between DC and
Baltimore.
we have plenty of competing restaurants that are you know, they're open for dinner and
they're fantastic restaurants they do a great job, but thats all they have to do. You know
run that shift, run that dinner shift, and they're open from 5 until 11 or whatever it
maybe, um but we're here 365 days, all day, everyday.
We're serving all three meals, meal periods throughout the day, plus we've got room service,
plus we've got a spa here, plus we serve food at the pool, uh plus we have a you know hospitality
suites that we service, and a fairway lounge upstairs all coming out of the same kitchen.
We would have up to four weddings at one time in our ballrooms upstairs, the guests will
leave the wedding and they have a hotel room upstairs but they're not ready to leave yet.
So we do have to consider their needs when they're leaving the event and also the next
morning as far as breakfast, because a full hotel means probably a full restaurant for
breakfast.
You're open from 7 in the morning till atleast 10 not 11 o'clock at night. That's a large
stretch... that's a lot of responsibility.
I think part of our keys to success with our staff that we have and that we're able to
promote from within is because the people that are here know what they're getting their
hands-- know what they're getting into.
A chef who can handle all the variety of functions that go on in a hotel can certainly master
a free standing restaurant kitchen.
I believe it was late 2009 is when we really started coming up with plans to renovate.
In 2011 we knew it was definitely going to happen, we we're going to shut the restaurant
down and renovate.
I have done all of Turf Valley's work; renovated the rooms, meeting, conference area. Anything
that's been renovated here, I've been fortunate enough to do the renovations; this was my
third renovation of this restaurant.
We started the design process two years before the design was actually completed. And a big
reason was because we didn't really know what our targeted market was. Is it the hotel guests?
Is it the golfer? Is it the families that are coming in? So, we went, if I pulled my
files you would probably see four or five designs. None of them were this final design.
But, it kept coming in and the key word was always flexibility. This can't just be for
weddings. This can't just be for meetings. We needed flexibility. Because it got to the
point where the hotel guests were not keeping us busy. So we needed to go and reach out
to different people.
Really to take it from being a hotel restaurant, you know just an amenity to a hotel and actually
making it a restaurant that people recognize not being associated with a hotel.
I mean it was a complete overhaul and if you hadn't, If you're in the restaurant now and
you hadn't been in there in 5 years, you wouldn't recognize um the place. While the space is
the same, everything- theres not a thing there that was there 5 years ago.
Well we knew that Chef Russell was coming back to Turf Valley. Um, Chef Russell had
been here before we started to do the fifth design of the restaurant. And we found out
what his flavor was gonna be, a little bit edgier, a little more modern. So, as much
as we could combine the two, I went modern instead of going Oriental or traditional.
We were quite feminine before, a lot of floral patterns, peach colors, the soft green tones.
Um, where now we're much more masculine.
we use a lot of blue and green. We use textures, we use stainless um natural finishes. We brought
some lighting in, that was a big part of the design. We dropped the lighting from the atrium
ceiling, which we never had before. Nicole: The drum lights?
Joanne: The drum lights, uh, which was pretty big for us. Because it really changed the
structure, the whole flavor of the restaurant.
I think that there's something about that when you have a party here and you tell your
guests where it is.. and they arrive and they see it I think that there's a wow factor.
we knew one of our biggest niches was ou-our private space and our ability to do multiple
functions and parties at one time and you know suit all different needs and meal periods.
Um so our private dining rooms were a big, big feature for us and something that we worked very ***.
And we wanted to have 3 distinct areas uh with 3 different sizes that would
appeal to different groups for different.. types of events.
We're in Christina's. And she included the fireplace to accent the view. And, then Maria's
and Nicole's are smaller but they can be used together. So, Nicole's can be used as the
reception area into Maria's.
we put some high top tables in there, because of the view. We wanted people to be able to
see outside. And so I have different levels so that um you can see the greens from anywhere.
Maria's itself we just- we had a square room to work with, there was only so much we could
do with it.
But we changed the colors, made it very simple, very contemporary.
this is probably our most popular room because it is completely private.
Christina's dining room is pretty special. Um it looks and feels different than the rest
of the restaurant uh its a little more masculine, a little darker, and more uh comfortable for
intimate dining if you will.
It's probably the only area in here that's formal. So that, uh we had some executive
meetings that come in here but we also can flip it and put a rehearsal dinner or a christening
in here.
This room can accommodate up to fifty guests at one time. And it's really, really busy
and booked on Fridays, Saturdays, even Sundays for brunch.
I remember doing all the restaurants and I remember saying to my father, you named Alex's,
you gave Alexandra's to the first grandchild. You gave Christina's to the second granddaughter."
I said Nicole wants a revolving rooftop restaurant. I'm not settling for anything less. Well,
she just got a small alcove over there, but each of the uh restaurant's have a different
child's na- grandchild's name and a different flavor to them all.
our biggest impact for me, in the restaurant and the overall look of the restaurant, was
the renovation of the bar um because the bar literally was like a box. It was just a cube
that kind of just took up so much space and by opening up the bar and really making it
a welcoming place, thats really made a huge improvement on what we do as a restaurant.
Because before it was more or less a service bar and now its a bar that people want to
go to, sit and enjoy, and its comfortable, and uh it- it's more welcoming than it was before.
It's a great place to come down and party. We have increased, you know, revenue at the
bar because of that.
Its absolutely been a success. We're almost two years later now and we still hear compliments
on how nice the restaurant looks and you know we have this beautiful atrium to work with.
It's really worked out well for us to have the renovation and people really recognize it.
We knew renovating that we really needed to get someone in here that was special, and
unique to what we wanted to offer, and to really help create a separation between a
hotel restaurant and a restaurant that we really wanted to run and we knew that Chef
Svoboda was our guy. We knew that getting him here was going to be one of our keys to
success.
His creativity is amazing. Um, his ability to pair foods and wines.
I started cooking from a very young age, it was one of the things I found interesting
almost right off the bat. And I think that I've been cooking for my family since I was
about 11 years old but I would uh put together shopping lists for my mom to go and get various
items and I would piece together the family meal every night.
Right out of chef school I continued to work for uh Chef Peter Zimmer, who had opened Joy
America CafŽ here in the harbor.. and he had gotten his four star, five diamonds at
the New Mexico. And I.. I couldn't get enough from the learning experience in
that kitchen; every day was just amazing and after a couple years working with him I actually
decided to venture out to where he came from.
After uh living in New Mexico for three years.. I followed uh my daughter had been moved out
to the East coast.
Alexandra's was a hotel restaurant which offered uh, you always have a base of clients from
hotel occupancy and the groups and people from the outside so it was a nice mix.
he actually left for a few years and um which was actually a good thing. It was I think
good for him to get out and do something different
When he heard about the renovations he was uh anxious to come back, and we were anxious
to have him and it was just a really good fit.
They proposed a renovation and I saw the design and it was one of those um it was honestly
gut instinct, you know it was- you need to go there, you need to open that restaurant.
I guess I was waking up with like menus in my head for this new place.
American-Fusion is pretty simple in itself. The idea is that we take o-our traditional
American concepts and um cookery and incorporate different themes and regions and cooking styles
from all over the world and the continental United States and blend it in to one experience.
But there's so many different types of food out there that I adore and um I'm able to
kind of roll that all into the mix at various stages, and if you look at the menu you see
not only uh the New Mexico influence but there's also a little bit of um cajun creole tex mex,
heavy dose of Chesapeake regional. I do have a pretty strong background in Japanese cuisine
as well. So the American fusion was um a concept I felt very comfortable with.
I think that he's great at pairing things and just taking unique flavors and making
them work with items that you don't necessarily know. I can't tell you how many times I've
looked at his menu and said chef what is this.. what's that item? And he'll go into lengthy
description of exactly what it is, how it originates and why it works with his menu.
he has an incredible imagination uh which I think is one of his keys to success because
he's not afraid to try anything. He can be like a mad-scientist sometimes.
but since we've had the menu that we're running with, uh we we've had some pretty unique dishes
that are signature dishes; we've got the Chesapeake cob, we've got the Santa Fe shrimp and grits,
a rack of lamb, and our Kobe sliders and they all have Russell's twist on them which are
all unique within themselves.
Victoria: My favorite dish is on he lunch menu, it's
the basil pesto penne .. um coming from an italian family I'm pretty particular about
my pasta dishes.
My favorite dish would be the Santa Fe Shrimp and Grits and I just.. I love the traditional
southern shrimp and grits idea, its something I would eat for breakfast at home by myself,
but then incorporating the uh the Santa Fe portion of it with the sausage and black beans
and a nice spice to it. He did an excellent job with it.
You always have to have a nice balance and a lot of our dishes are um they might come
across as being like rich and hardy but there- there's a lightness to them um and it probably
comes from the healthy background but uh I try to make things rich and flavorful without
being overbearing you know with calories and what not.
You know I-I'm responsible in that aspect for keeping you know making sure that food
is vibrant, fresh, healthy and uh... you know you feel good when you leave in uh a number
of different ways.
I think hotel restaurants are perceived you know a uh stereotyped as hotel restaurants.
And I'd like to think um you know with-with the talent we have with Chef Russ that we're
certainly not a hotel restaurant.
Next, we're moving from the Mangione's table to our table.. the Howard Community College
kitchen.. with Alexandra's Executive Chef.. Russell Svoboda.
Welcome back to Table to Table. I'm Vinnie Rege, Program Director of the Center for Hospitality
and Culinary Studies at Howard Community College.
We just paid a visit to Alexandra's, which serves a cuisine known as Modern American
fusion.
We're now joined by Alexandra's executive chef, Russell Svoboda. Welcome, Chef.
Thank you for having me.
So what is this Modern American Fusion?
American Fusion is combining different elements of regional American cuisine and we're able
to use influences from around the world. So there's basically no limitations to the experimentation.
Ok. So what are we going to be making today?
Today I'm doing a pan-roasted Sea Bass, its a Chilean Bass, and I'm going to be doing
a curry butter.
Ok.
Along with some roasted cauliflower, golden raisins, and cashews.
Is that one of your signature dishes at uh Alexandra's?
It is now, but they tend to change from time to time.
Ok. I look forward to tasting it.
Well thank you.
I'm going to start by roasting the Sea Bass. Seasoning it liberally.
I'm going to saute it in a little bit of Palmas olive oil.
Making sure the oil is just about at its smoking point, that ensures the right caramelization
and that it won't stick.
And when asked if you season the top or the bottom the correct answer is yes.
I have the oven turned up quite a bit. We're over 400 degrees.
Thats.. This fish will be cooked rather quickly but at high heat.
And while that's going I'm going to start the sauce.
The sauce is comprised of about 2 tablespoons of chopped garlic, rough chop is fine.
Next I'm going to be doing a dice of the onion, yellow or spanish onion works fine for this
recipe.
And I'm going to dice one red bell pepper. That just adds a little bitterness to the
sauce if thats incorporated.
I'm also going to be using some chopped parsley. My preference is Italian Flat-leaf Parsley.
Ok I'm going to flip the Sea Bass and let that finish on that side for about two minutes.
And now I can start my pan with the cashews and the cauliflower.
The cauliflower goes in first because this is essentially raw, I don't pre-blanch it.
So the vibrant color stays intact.
I'm going to finish the bass at about 450 degrees and now I can start the components
for my sauce.
I'm going to start by sweating the garlic and onion for about a minute.
To my pan, now I'm going to add the cashews and golden raisins.
These are already pre-toasted and seasoned.
And now for the sauce I'm going to add the, both the bell pepper and the chopped parsley.
Thank You.
As we let this go for about a minute or so I'm going to prepare to add the remaining
ingredients.
Next I'm going to add the crab stock, along with the curry powder, and lemon juice.
As well as two tablespoons of tomato paste.
I'm going to season this with our salt blend; its kosher salt, white pepper, paprika, and cayenne,
And then I'm going to allow this to come to a light simmer.
Next I'm going to add the cream to the sauce and I'm going to go ahead and put together
the slurry.
This is just cold water and corn starch. I will use this to thicken that sauce for plate up.
The Sea Bass should now be finished and its got a nice caramelization on that.
Return some heat to the pan with the cauliflower, cashews, and golden raisins.
And this sauce is just about ready to be thickened.
The reason the dish was constructed the way it was..
Sea Bass is always something that sells on the menu. We used to have a crab crusted Sea
Bass with braised leeks, artichokes, a uh Chardonnay sauce over risotto that dish stood
strong for years, but with experimentation if you take a an item such as filet or Sea
Bass. Its gonna sell so it gives you a little bit more flexibility with experimenting with
flavors and color contrast.
Ok now the sauce is ready to go.
I'm going to go ahead and add the.. add the curry sauce to the cauliflower cashews and
golden raisins.
This is gonna go on the plate first.
Followed by our roasted garlic and parmesan whipped potatoes.
Next you carefully place the sea bass right on the mashed potatoes.
And I'm going to garnish with our fire-roasted red pepper coolie and some local micro-sprouts.
And that would be our pan-roasted Chilean Sea Bass with the curry butter, carnival cauliflower,
and toasted cashews.
This looks delicious Chef. I'm just going to take a bite.
Oh well thank you.
Mm. Delicious. Uh can you tell me uh how you got started in the culinary field?
Well actually thats my mother's fault. I was always intrigued with uh what was going on
in the kitchen and the aromas that would just fill the house whenever she would bake or
cook. And she was a fantastic cook. And I spent a lot of time in the kitchen examining
and uh.. just my imagination ran wild. I figured you know, if she could do that with this ethnic
cuisine what could be done with all these other influences?
Mmhm.
So it wasn't long before I was putting together shopping list for her.
Ok. Any ideas that you would want to give to the students that are watching or anyone
that is watching the show in general?
Oh absolutely. The passion you have for cooking is going to take you every bit as far as you
uh have dreamt. Its one of those businesses where its long hours, its hard work, there
are times where you you know feel like hanging your head, but if you have a passion for doing
this you will be successful.
Uh coming back to this dish is there any particular type of wine or any other beverage that you'd recommend?
Actually I would suggest two and theres two different reasons. One I would go for a steely
version of a Sauvignon Blanc, a little bit of acidity is always nice to counter-balance
a rich fish like this. You could also argue that a Chardonnay would work because the oakiness
which would uh develop flavor. Usually a little buttery hazelnut possibly, you'll taste some
of that toasted oak. It'd be a nice balance to all the spice you have in the dish. So
I usually have a couple of choices.
This is excellent. Thank you so much for coming I appreciate it.
Thank you for having me.
Thank you for experiencing Alexandra's with us. For Table 2 Table I'm Vinnie Rege.
To learn more about the Center for Hospitality and Culinary Studies go to our website howardcc.edu/hospitality
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