At just 7 years old, Lucas Trahan was already a regular presence in his mother’s kitchen, certain he was destined to become a chef. At that same curious age, he also dreamed of becoming an astronaut, which may have been a lofty ambition of his, but his cooking is still every bit as out of this world!
Now Chef de Cuisine at Ever Restaurant, Lucas is known for his particular passion for working with vegetables. “There really aren’t any rules when engaging with them,” he says. “They can be whatever shape you desire, and they have the ability to go savory or sweet. I like to explore the possibilities that each component can offer. They have such lateral reach, that it comes down to the creativity and skill of the chef. I see them as a challenge and a way to always keep pushing forward to create something that didn’t exist a day before.”
A Story of Innovation and Creativity in the Kitchen
Pushing culinary boundaries is second nature to Chef Lucas and the Ever Restaurant team. During recipe development for a new dish, they realized a key ingredient was missing: Strawberry Mint – an herb they couldn’t find anywhere on the market. Ever Restaurant came to our Research and Development team with a challenge to custom-grow this fruity, herbaceous mint. We were eager to take it on. At The Chef’s Garden, we’ve long encouraged chefs to bring us bold, new product ideas and we honor them for the trust they place in us to deliver products that are truly exceptional.
The dish they created is a dessert that brings together two unexpected counterparts; Salsify and Strawberry.
The result? A dessert featuring salsify ice cream and nixtamalized salsify candied in a strawberry juice. Surrounding it is a vibrant mix of fresh green and red strawberries, a rich strawberry sauce, strawberry chocolate, freeze dried strawberry, molasses pudding and a crisp salsify chip. Each and every detail of the dessert is crafted meticulously for perfection through intentional design that manipulates the organic shape and structure of each ingredient. In the hands of Chef Lucas, this pairing became a harmonious exploration of flavor.
But, there was an ingredient missing from the dish that tied all the elements together. Chef Lucas was searching for an herb that could “bridge the sweet and sour of the berry and the earthiness of the roots”.
The Strawberry Mint Blooms delivered what he sought out for. Their delicate astringency and bold flavor rounds the dessert off effortlessly as they are strategically placed to ensure each bite remains “exciting and interesting”.
Words that Give Him Forward Momentum
Both in and out of the kitchen Chef Lucas has embraced the lessons that have shaped who he is today. He shared with us a moment from his youth that sparked within him the drive to keep moving in a positive direction.
“How can you lose?” Those words were once spoken to him when he was young, but they struck a lasting chord. They made him realize that when you put your heart and soul into what you do, you can never truly lose. That mindset has become a guiding mantra he still lives by today.
“Failure is not losing,” he explains. “It’s part of the journey. Success is something we chase, but being great is something we actively do daily. As long as you never completely give up, you never lose.”
What’s Inspiring Chef Lucas Now
When asked what excites him most right now, his answer was top of mind: his team.
He reflects on a tough time the industry had gone through where many passions were “squashed out of situational distress”. However, lately the spark is starting to come back – and he’s excited to watch his team grow and reach the ambitious goals they’ve set.
Through hard work, dedication and a passion for putting his heart and soul into his craft, Chef Lucas Trahan continues to reach new heights and redefine traditional approaches to cuisine.