Taste

[Chef Talk]

Chef David Myers on knives, condiments and poisonous fish

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Comme Ça chef/owner David Myers.
Photo: Fran Collin

Inside chef David Myers’ French bistro at the Cosmopolitan you’ll find hip atmosphere, unpretentious food and cocktails that are simply killer. That word could also describe one of the LA-based chef’s favorite bites: fugubiki, or Japanese blowfish that’s poisonous if cut wrong. “It’s kind of like roulette. Is this my time or is this not my time? It’s exciting.”

Go-to condiment: yuzu kosho “It’s basically a paste made out of yuzu skin and shishito pepper. And it’s got a bit of spice note to it, a nice salt note to it and then that bright fresh flavor from yuzu. It’s ideal on any sort of grilled meats or fantastic to add to noodles, even.”

Essential kitchen tool: fugubiki knife “I’m a samurai. I’m just about my one Japanese knife. … It’s a sushi knife. It’s actually a fugubiki, which is specifically made to slice fugu, which is Japanese blowfish or puffer fish—one of the deadly fish in Japan.”

Cookbook he can’t live without: the original Charlie Trotter’s cookbook “It’s what has inspired me throughout my whole career—not only for just cooking but also his take on life and trying to do something really significant. He’s going to be closing the restaurant at the end of the summer and going into philosophy.”

Guilty pleasure food: “I don’t worry about that when it comes to eating, but if there is a guilty pleasure it’s Haribo gummy bears. They’re amazing.”

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