Raised in Hawaii and San Diego, Troy spent his youth in either the ocean or the kitchen. “I was a fish,” Troy says, “and when I wasn’t in the water, I was cooking — grilling and barbecuing — mostly with my Dad who cooked kalua pigs at luaus.”
Brought up as he was, it’s fitting that Troy worked is way through college and into the restaurant scene at San Diego’s Lo Costa Resort, training at all five of the resort's prestigious restaurants. After college he returned to his native Hawaii, a path which brought him to the door of famed fusion chef Roy Yamaguchi – who positioned Troy within the year as sous chef at Roy’s Kahana Bar and Grill in Maui.
Of the experience, Troy remembers, “I was learning about fresh fish
such as Hamachi and Hawaiian Pink Snapper (opakapaka), and Pacific Rim ingredients
like soy, cilantro, ginger, and yuzu – ingredients I've grown to love.
And with guest chefs stopping by – Nobu, Bradley Ogden, Wolfgang Puck,
Michael Mina, Douglas Rodriguez – I learned new things all the time."
Troy followed Yamaguchi on his next culinary adventure, this time to Hong
Kong where he helped launch Roy’s New China Max. By age 25, Troy was
responsible for ten Roy’s outposts throughout Asia.
After eight years with Chef Yamaguchi, Troy broke out on his own and in 2000 became Executive Chef of the New York City hot-spot Tao. Overseeing the high volume and managing a large kitchen staff prepared him for his next calling at The Raffles Hotel in Singapore, where as Chef de Cuisine at Doc Cheng's he developed his own unique Pacific Rim style.
Troy was eventually wooed back to the states, helping to lead Denver’s first Latin-Asian fusion eatery, Zengo, to a wildly successful first year of operation. Seeking a new challenge, he then set out to design his own restaurant with his own innovative style, joining forces with Denver developer/restaurateur Jim Sullivan to open nine75.
Troy’s menu at nine75 reflects classic American recipes enhanced by his vast knowledge of international ingredients and methods. As the motto goes, it’s “comfort food with a rock n’ roll twist.” Knowing a good thing when they see it, he and Sullivan soon thereafter opened Ocean – uniting the freshest seafood with provocative flavors and preparations – and are planning additional nine75 locations and other restaurants in the near future.
Troy was recently honored as one of the “Great Regional Chefs of America” by the renowned James Beard Foundation, delighting a packed Beard House on a Wednesday night with a range of personal favorites. He currently resides in Denver with his wife and step-daughter.
Grilled
Colorado Red Trout
Ingredients:red trout filets at 6oz each (pin bone removed) nine75 seasoning (celery salt, sugar, chili powder, onion & garlic powder, paparika ) grape seed oil chopped Italian parsley lemons (cut half, grilled) Fresh black pepper |
Portion/Unit: 6 1 T 2 T 1 T 3 |
Lay trout out on sheet tray, rub each trout filet with nine75 seasoning, grape seed oil, then fresh cracked black pepper add a sprinkle of Italian parsley. (Grill the lemons for garnish.) . When grill is hot, coat grill with oil then place trout flesh side down, cook about three minutes and then turn slightly to make “grill marks”, another three minutes. Take the trout off the grill, and set on CLEAN sheet tray.
Ingredients:Anaheim chiles (roasted and peeled)shiitake mushrooms (sliced and sautéed with butter, salt, black pepper & honey) soft goat cheese Salt & pepper |
Portion/Unit: 6 pc
|
Place goat cheese and cooked shiitakes in a bowl, mix lightly then place about 2 T of mixture into roasted Anaheim chile, mold the chile around the filling. Cook in the oven on a sheet tray for about 4 minutes at 350 degrees. Take chiles out of oven for plating.
Ingredients:resh Colorado corn kernelswater heavy cream honey Salt & pepper |
Portion/Unit: 6 c
|
Place corn and water in pot and cook on medium heat for about 15 minutes, then strain corn and place into a pot with heavy cream, cook about 15 minutes on medium heat. Place corn and cream in blender and then strain through china cap. Add salt, pepper and honey to taste. Set aside for plating.
Ingredients:Colorado peaches (cut in half, take pit out,cut in five slices per half peach) brown sugar butter lemon juice Tahitian vanilla bean (scrape the pods out into melted butter/sugar) macadamia nut oil |
Portion/Unit: 3 |
Heat skillet, cook at medium heat add macadamia nut oil, place peaches inside skillet and caramelize on one side, then turn peaches, caramelize and add butter, sugar, vanilla bean and lemon at the end. (watch carefully when adding sugar and butter as the flame is too hot it may burn or splatter, ouch!) set aside for plating when done caramelizing.
Ingredients:baby mache (cut off end root)Squeeze lemon juice Touch of olive oil Salt & pepper |
Portion/Unit: 1 head |
Place all together in bowl, toss as final step in making your dish.
a) place 11⁄2 oz ladle of corn puree in middle of plate
b) place one anaheim chile on top of puree
c) place a little baby mache on top of chile
d) place red trout on top of baby mache
e) place peaches on top of trout and around plate
f) place grilled lemon on side for added BANG!
g) Enjoy…
