Watching Chef Elias Ishida in the kitchen is like watching a jazz musician. His moves are smooth, decisive and intriguing.
“When I eat, I don’t like to eat boring,” he says, during an impromptu afternoon cooking session. “Simple is fine—it doesn’t have to be advanced—just not boring.”
Elias grates a potato and quickly transforms it into a hash brown atop a crackling skillet. It adds a crunch, he explains, to his improv meal of sous-vide codfish and fried potato adorned with pearled onions and other savory toppings. His process is simple: he attempts his culinary ideas in his head over and over again until it’s time to create. Then the magic begins.
“It’s fun to cook for fine dining,” he says, as plates a dainty serving of his sous vide codfish creation. He finishes the artful plate with creamy horseradish, shaved fennel and fresh dill.
As a child, Elias began cooking to feed himself and his little sister after school when their mother wasn’t home. Half Swedish and half Japanese, the chef draws culinary inspiration from both cultures. He loves using fermented Asian foods to boost flavors and prepares all of his own condiments from scratch. Elias spent more than 25 years in the food industry with most of his professional career in Sweden. His culinary experience spans years and continents. He was executive chef at the national sports arena in Sweden, ran his own restaurant and later became the executive chef at Houston’s upscale Five Central restaurant.
These days, Elias is the executive chef for On Metta’s Fork, a catering and meal prep service run by his wife Metta Archilla Ishida. Metta is widely known among local food lovers for her charity fundraising efforts with Cypress-area restaurants. She also runs a Facebook group with thousands of followers where she posts her own culinary creations alongside her husband’s work.
Elias was dousing a hefty steak with garlic and butter inside a skillet when Metta arrived to snap photos of his work for social media. Elias also offers in-come cooking lessons or private dining experiences where he’ll show up at your home and cook in front of you and your guests.
“It’s almost like you have your own restaurant in your home,” Elias says. “I want to give that whole experience.”
Elias completes the steak noting out loud his simple process. Use lots of butter, high heat and let the cooked meat takes a rest. Once done, he garnishes the steak with homemade sundried tomatoes, a slew of condiments and shredded cheese. A simple, yet detailed dressing for a chef who loves fusing unique flavors.
MettasLocalEats@aol.com 346-218-2526