In true PVCL fashion, every month we play a game of 21 Questions with one of the Valley’s most esteemed chefs. This month, we sat down with Chef Jared Porter, Executive Chef of Cleaverman and the newly opened Uppercut.
1. What did the local food scene look like when you were a kid?
I grew up in the East Valley so my exposure to food was pizza shops and mom & pop Mexican restaurants. At the time, the Phoenix scene was made up of high end restaurants and resort dining. Now the scene has a pretty diverse palette of independent shops, chef driven one offs, and locally established restaurant groups all driving to keep Phoenix on the culinary map.
2. What was the first dish you ever made where you thought, “Okay… I might actually be good at this”?
Chicken chasseur. It’s the French version of chicken cacciatore. I made it in high school culinary and thought it was so comforting and simple. Then I made it for my family and getting a positive reaction started the ball rolling. Chasseur is still my “death row last meal.”
3. You started culinary training early through EVIT and the Art Institute. Was it always your path?
Admittedly, I didn’t do well in my freshman and sophomore years of high school, and I didn’t know exactly what I was going to do as a career. I wanted to be a lawyer, but I wasn’t committed enough to school. Going into culinary a whim between me and a buddy. One, to get out of high school for half the day, and two, to try and meet girls. Ultimately the culinary bug bit me.
4. What's one lesson from your time under Vincent Guerithault that has stayed with you?
Commitment and dedication. He was the first high level chef I ever worked for and it was during a formative time in my life. At the time, I was 19, and I remember him working around the clock sometimes and just grinding every day.
5. What separates a good chef from a great chef?
It’s not just one thing. Extreme ownership of the entire operation they oversee. Everything that happens, the good and the bad, should weigh equally. Curate your team and create a motivating environment for everyone to flourish. And don’t over delegate or shy away from getting your hands dirty. Keep a blue collar mentality so your team knows you’re always at the ready.
6. How would you describe Cleaverman's personality?
It has an intentional elegance without going over the top. Guests should feel comfortable and well taken care of without pretension. Enjoy a simple delicious meal before a basketball game or celebrate a milestone in life.
7. What’s the biggest misconception people have about steakhouses?
That everything is a show and that’s the only thing that matters. At the end of the day, no matter how much someone puts on a show, they still have to execute at a high level.
8. Which culinary experience has shaped you the most?
It’s a tough one. They have all shaped me differently. My top three are my time with Vincent, my stint at Michael’s at the Citadel where I worked with some current culinary icons learning high speed modern cuisine, and finally my time at Fiamma in the James Hotel with Michael White.
9. What’s one ingredient you refuse to compromise on?
Salt. You need to know how to season, otherwise pack it up.
10. What’s your personal steak order?
New York strip, medium rare, charred broccoli with lemon and maybe some grated parm, plus a baked potato with sour cream and butter or a baked sweet potato.
11. What’s the most underrated cut of beef?
A flat iron. It has great marbling without the exterior fat and a deep beef flavor.
12. What’s your favorite thing on the Cleaverman menu?
Prime rib. It’s 30-day dry aged and porcini crusted; a flavor bomb and gateway for guests to experience dry aged beef.
13. What dish are first time guests most surprised by?
Yorkshire pudding. It’s an old school English side dish that we ramp up with a truffle potato puree.
14. If someone only has one night at Cleaverman, what should they order?
Wagyu carpaccio, Duck Fries, Lobster Gratin, Prime Rib, and Yorkshire Pudding.
15. What kind of dining experience were you trying to create?
You should feel like you’re in a classic Chicago or Manhattan institution.
16. What’s something guests would never realize is happening behind the scenes?
We recently opened Uppercut, and all our beef omakase is tucked inside the dining room. It operates seven days a week simultaneously during regular service.
17. You helped shape Phoenix’s dining scene through Clever Koi. What makes you proudest about that chapter?
That I was able to bring to life a concept that only lived in my head at one moment and, through hard work and a creative dedicated team, a Phoenix staple was born.
18. What’s the hardest part about opening a restaurant?
The amount of mental and physical turbulence. High highs and low lows.
19. What’s your biggest pet peeve in the kitchen?
Lack of organization.
20. Outside of cooking, what are you passionate about?
Being a good dad and husband. And my health.
21. What still excites you most about cooking?
The idea that if my mind and my hands are still working, when connected they can create magic.
cleaverman.com
“The idea that if my mind and my hands are still working, when connected they can create magic.”