Domani with Veronica Rogov and Sam Clonts talk orange food
The theme of the collection is orange and if you think of orange foods, there are some obvious choices like Cheetos, carrots and of course oranges. What was the first that came to mind when conceptualizing the menu for the event?
Sam and I are big fans of caviar. Seeking out fun and approachable combinations to luxury ingredients that open up creativity. One of our favorite ways to enjoy caviar is to eat it with Lays potato chips. So Doritos and Ikura (Salmon roe) made sense to us.
When thinking about orange foods, what are some standouts that are nostalgic for both of you?
Definitely Cheetos!
If you were an orange food what would you be and why?
Sam would be Sea Urchin. Its rich and deep umami profile has incredible versatility in expressing umami. I would be a mango. Exotic, tropical and refreshing.
Tell us a little bit about your culinary backgrounds?
We both started in the restaurant industry in our teenage years. Sam grew up in Tuscan, AZ where he began cooking while still in high school. At 17, he was already working at the Ritz Carlton. By 18, he had moved to New York City and spent 5 years working at 3 Michelin starred Chefs Table at Brooklyn Fare. From there, opening up a 9 seat Kaiseki tasting menu at Uchu where he received 1 Michelin star as the executive chef.
Although I started working in restaurants when I was 15, I did not really fall in love with food and wine until I lived and worked in San Francisco at 20 years old. It became an incredible journey in California working with chefs and wine superstars like Michael Mina, Rajat Parr and Nancy Silverton. In 2015 I moved to NYC and very quickly ended up at Chef’s Table at Brooklyn Fare. While he went on to open Uchu, I became the General Manager and Wine Director at Aska, a 2 Michelin star restaurant.
Sam and I have been best friends since we met at Chef’s Table at Brooklyn Fare. We continue to work together and collaborate on events and projects. We are both also currently working on brick and mortar spots here in NYC.
What are your impressions of the relationship of food, in-store experiences and menswear?
It’s quite a natural evolution actually. I believe the creator and audience dynamic is multidimensional. Food, fashion, music etc. are creative forces that are meant to collaborate and play on the same platform. The audience desires to have more of these experiences and the creators are engaged to have fun with what is possible!
Photos by Kelsey Campbell
