INGOOD TASTE
Reece Duncan , Executive Chef and GM The Slippery Mermaid Sushi Bar ( aka “ The Slipp ”)
The Slippery Mermaid Sushi Bar 613 Beaver Street , Sewickley ; 412.741.2459 , slipperymermaid . com
On the Menu : Authentic concept of sushi with inventive menu items . The cuisine has a Western flair to an age-old tradition by including non-traditional items that would not be found or paired with sushi normally , using both cooked and raw items . From signature rolls , such as the Psycho Mermaid ( shrimp tempura roll stacked with baked surimi blend and eel sauce ), the Angry Pirate ( raider roll with bacon , yellowfin tuna , baked surimi blend , garlic sauce and eel sauce ), and the Sexy Mermaid ( steamed shrimp , cream cheese , bacon and fried jalapenos inside , topped with yellowfin tuna , house spicy garlic sauce , sriracha , fresh cilantro and thin lime slices ), to handcrafted cocktails , artisan wine and craft beers — the fare is a delicacy with abundant flavor .
Q A Describe the moment you
found a passion for food . I ’ ve had a passion and a knack for cooking for as long as I can remember . I was always encouraged by my family to be in the kitchen and I learned the basic skills and ingredients . From there I developed my own style and fell in love preparing food for people and watching their eyes light up . I have always wanted to be a chef either professionally or leisurely since I was 9 years old .
How did you start in the restaurant business ? At 18 , I started working during my summer
Candid conversations with the dining scene ’ s most engaging chefs
breaks at the original Slippery Mermaid in Navarre , Florida — which my mother created and opened in 2008 and is now managed by my older sister , Ricki . At first , I started out dishwashing and serving but I knew instantly after observing the chefs , including my sister , that making sushi was right up my alley . From there I would work during every school break , and after finishing college at West Virginia University I made the decision to pursue the opportunity to open a Slippery Mermaid of my own with the help of my family .
Who has influenced your cooking ? I have several people who have influenced my cooking . I learned a lot from my grandmother and her Southern style of cooking . I learned from both my parents and their skills from owning a couple of seafood restaurants before I was born . Most of all , though , I learned from Ricki . She has twice the love for food than I do . Ricki and I often clash , but with her knowledge and skills paired together with my competitive nature and passion — this combination has always pushed me to make myself better , especially with sushi .
What kitchen tools can ’ t you live without ? My most valuable tools in the kitchen are my Shun Premier Knives and my nose . I have always been able to smell ingredients separately or together to create the flavor I want to accomplish . For my knives , I have an 8-inch chef knife that ’ s my workhorse . It handles everything I throw at it . It ’ s perfect for cutting the sushi rolls and mastering my prep work . My 11-inch slicing knife I use mainly for sashimi and thin-cut garnishes .
What ’ s your go-to ingredient ? Salt , pepper and garlic — also known as “ SPG ” to the chefs at The Slipp . You can ’ t go wrong
The Sexy Mermaid , made of cream cheese , steamed shrimp , bacon and fried jalapenos topped with house-made garlic sauce , fresh cilantro , lime slice and sriracha .
Reece Duncan , Executive Chef and GM of The Slippery Mermaid Sushi Bar .
with these ingredients if used in the proper amounts . I also use a lot of extra virgin olive oil and fresh herbs .
What is your favorite quick meal to prepare at home ? I am a sucker for cheese and charcuterie plates with all the fixings like pickled veggies , mustards , honey and hot sauces . However , if I ’ m making a dish for friends or family it ’ s probably going to be something on the grill . You can ’ t go wrong with a good steak dinner . Filet mignon , mid-rare , topped with garlic and herb butter served with asparagus and fingerling potatoes . Another go-to dish are pork chops marinated in soy sauce and orange juice chargrilled to perfection and served with a grilled pineapple chutney and roasted veggies .
Best advice for a novice ? My best advice for any level of chef is you can always add ingredients but most of the time you can ’ t take them out . So add ingredients in moderation until you achieve the taste you want , to avoid overdoing it . Another piece of advice is never stop experimenting and always be eager to get out there , learn from others and experience all the different flavors and cuisines the world has to offer .
What ’ s the next big food or dining trend ? One of the up-and-coming trends I ’ m seeing is the concept of a ghost restaurant — opening a satellite unit that complements our fullservice restaurant and taking advantage of metropolitan delivery services such as GrubHub and Uber Eats . This way , the customer doesn ’ t have to come in for the full ceremony of a sit-down meal , but can get their sushi fix on the fly and have it delivered at their door . n
— Reese Randall
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