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Interview with Chef Heather Joy Morrison

  • Blanca Valbuena
  • January 23, 2011

Conscious convenience has come a long way at Locali. Chef Heather Joy Morrison heads the culinary team at Locali Yours along with Melissa Rosen and Greg Horos (who are co-owners). Together, they focus on natural, healthy snacks that are also satisfying. The restaurant serves organic foods and also participates in reducing community waste and supporting local merchants. You can go there no matter who you are, if you are vegetarian, vegan or even if you have gluten intolerance you will find something delicious.  Locali makes it easy to please your palate and your soul.

Chef Morrison (winner of the Grilled Cheese Invitational) took a few minutes to chat with us to divulge her culinary secrets and why Locali is a success in this growing market.

FE:  Tell me a bit about your work experience:

HJM: I was the original chef for Town Square Market (a natural foods market in Carbondale, Illinois), Dar Salaam (Middle Eastern cuisine, also in Carbondale Illinois) and most of my other work has been private work for people in their homes, events, parties, and catering for various independent film sets.

FE:  Did you cook growing up?

HJM: Yes, my passion for cooking developed at a very young age.  From as early on as I can recall I have been experimenting in the kitchen.

FE:  Who in your life has influenced your cooking the most?

HJM: I don’t know that I have one person who has influenced me most.  If anything I would say that my passion comes from my increasing need for sound nutrition, having grown up in a poor family, eating basically flavorless crap, my love of herbs and spices, which have stemmed from my deep interest in herbology and alternative medicine, my artistic eye, which allows me the vision to create aesthetically pleasing dishes that also taste good, and my interest in various cultures from around the world. The warm feeling I get when people eat my food and have a sudden change of mood is the force that continues to drive me.

FE:  What made you decide you would become a kitchen professional?

HJM: It was something I always had a knack for and something that I always loved experimenting with.  Taking raw foods through the whole process of transformation is like a meditation for me.  It is literally alchemy, and it is such a powerful tool.  There is so much garbage food that is pushed on people to eat.  One of my favorite things is watching somebody enjoy foods they never thought they would eat, or told themselves they couldn’t stand.  Changing people’s mind is a pretty wild feeling.  And having the ability to create something that bridges the gap between foods that people hate and foods that people love, helps people ease into a world of food and nutrition that very well may have remained unknown to them until that bridge was presented to them.

FE:  What misconceptions do people have coming into the field?

HJM: I think many people feel that in order for something to taste amazing or to be gourmet, it has to be extremely complicated.  But I also feel that there is a lot of times when people think that skimming over details will go unnoticeable.  I think it is in that detail that people find comfort when they are eating.  That is where the love is.  I believe that you can make foods simple AND detailed at the same time.  That is the art of it all.  Knowing how to put the simple pieces together 🙂

FE:  Best cooking tip for a novice?

HJM: Experiment, Experiment, experiment.  Experiment with herbs, spices, juices, and oils. Make some rice and get a little assembly line of rice bowls to practice pairing flavors and aromas with.  This way you can learn what compliments what.  Flavor is essential, and knowing how to put flavors together will send you spiraling out into a vast world of dee-lish!  Once you get the flavor down, you can apply that to the rest of the world of cooking. And remember to start out with small amounts when working with different flavors. You can always add more flavor, but getting rid of flavor when you don’t want it can get tricky.

FE:  Which three cooking tools or gadgets are your favorites?

HJM: Food processor, Cleaver, Stainless steel stock pot

FE:  Funniest kitchen incident?

HJM: I once spilled a gallon of olive oil on the floor, and in turn, all over my feet.  I had to work the rest of the day sliding around inside my shoes.  But my feet were soft as silk that night!

FE:  Favorite food to cook with?

HJM: Oh, garlic, how I love thee!

FE:  When at home, what do you like to eat?

HJM: I love pasta.  Too much.

FE:  Your favorite cookbook?

HJM: I don’t use cookbooks.

FE: Is there a specific etiquette in your kitchen that you pride yourself in?

HJM: The ability to multi-task.  A vital skill in any good kitchen.

FE:  Can you Share a Recipe?

HJM: Well, most of my recipes are in my head, but I will give it a shot:)  This is one of my favorite wacky creations.  It’s totally vegan, totally raw, totally delicious, and totally good for you!

The Purple People Eater

One large, or two medium sized beets, peeled and shredded

4 carrots, washed and shredded

1/4 cup raisins (you can try experimenting with apples, other dried fruits if you like)

1/2 cup dry arame seaweed, re-hydrated (re-hydrate by soaking in water. drain.)

1 small garlic clove, minced

2 TBSP raw apple cider vinegar

2 TBSP balsamic vinegar

3-4 TBSP unrefined extra virgin olive oil, or any other healthy oil of your choice, just as long as it does not have too potent of a flavor.  Flax oil works great and ups the already crazy high nutritional value of this salad.

Combine all ingredients in a bowl and toss together until vinegar and oil coats the entire salad.  Eat alone, or toss with greens.  Yummy!

Locali is located at 5825 Franklin Ave in Los Angeles, Ca 90028. 323-466-1360

Locali made the list of Top 100 Restaurants on Twitter for 2010

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