Jack Friedlander has always felt most at home in the kitchen, experimenting, mixing, tasting, challenging himself.
Globe-trotting family excursions inspired the Bridgewater-Raritan Regional High School junior into questioning the limits of food—and how far he could take it. “We travel a lot, which gave Jack a worldly experience that led to his interest in exotic foods,” says his mother, Stacey.
Friedlander recalls a trip to the Bahamas, where he ate conch salad for the first time and fresh catches from fishermen right off the boat. “Experiences like this made me realize that food is more varied than we eat at home,” he says. “Since then, I have been to countries like France and England, which have sophisticated flavors, and Hawaii, which has its own island sense of culinary experiences.”
To inspire and hone his skills, Friedlander follows celebrity chefs like Gordon Ramsay, hobby chefs and Michelin Star restaurants, like Girl and the Goat in Chicago. (Friedlander has dined there, of course.) He credits his uncle, Justin Katz, with helping him better understand cooking meat and seafood. “I want to learn and perfect new techniques and discover more about the science behind food,” he says.
In the kitchen, Friedlander loves mixing spices—especially those used in Mexico and South America—with a mortar and pestle. He recently started bottling his own hot sauces.
“He’s always experimenting,” his mother says. “When he was younger, he would jazz up an egg with different sauces and seasonings. He also would pick out what he wanted to grow in our vegetable garden. One year, he wanted to grow Carolina Reapers, and that pepper plant has a home in my living room because we refuse to let it die.”
Although he is taking a culinary class in school, Friedlander wants to keep cooking as a passion rather than a career. “For a career, I’m looking at business or marketing but cooking will always be a part of my life,” he says.
He loves sharing his knowledge, either with his classmates or the community. As a member of the teen board at the Shimon and Sara Birnbaum Jewish Community Center in Bridgewater, he hopes to plan a youth activity that centers around cooking.
When not cooking at home, the young foodie gravitates to favorite establishments like Ryujin Sushi and Kurry and Naan in Bridgewater, Ai Sushi and Kuay Tiew in Somerville and Ninety Acres in Peapack for special occasions.
But his favorite table is the one in his Bridgwater home. And the Friedlander family, which includes his father Michael and younger brother, Max, are the beneficiaries of his exceptional home-cooked meals.
“We have always trusted him in the kitchen,” his mother says. “When he was young, we taught him kitchen safety, then just walked away and let him go for it. Then, when we came back 45 minutes later, there were these incredible creations.”
Skirt Steak with Chimichurri Sauce
Purchase an “outside skirt steak” from your local butcher or supermarket. Choosing the outside skirt steak instead of the tougher inside skirt steak helps ensure tender meat.
Chimichurri Sauce
1 shallot, finely chopped
1 chili or red jalapeño, finely chopped
3-4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced or finely chopped
1 c. red wine vinegar
1 tsp. kosher salt, plus more
1/2 c. finely chopped cilantro
1/4 c. finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
2 tbsp. finely chopped oregano
3/4 c. extra-virgin olive oil
Combine shallot, chili, garlic, vinegar and 1 tsp. salt in a medium bowl. Let sit 10 minutes.
Stir in cilantro, parsley and oregano. Using a fork, whisk in oil.
Transfer ½ c. chimichurri to a small bowl; season with salt and reserve as sauce.
Place meat in a glass, stainless-steel or ceramic dish. Toss with remaining chimichurri. Cover and chill at least 3 hours or up to overnight.
Remove meat from marinade, pat dry and grill.
Tip: Rub the steaks with baking soda after the marinade, which encourages browning, and then grill them over high heat to ensure that they cook to medium and brown nicely in the same amount of time.
Spoon reserved chimichurri over grilled meat.
Suggestion: Serve alongside grilled vegetables or potatoes with a side of guacamole and chips.