Photography by Leo Bieber
Founder of New York’s Comal, Gaz Herbert shares his life in food
Gaz Herbert shares his life in food, from his earliest memories to his favourite flavours and culinary inspirations.
Gaz Herbert is at the helm of Comal, a restaurant on the Lower East Side of Manhattan, New York, which opened only last summer. The restaurant melds the contemporary spirit of Mexico City’s adventurous dining scene with New York’s resilience. Menus are built around local peak-season produce from America’s Northeast, thoughtfully grown and sourced from small farms, alongside sustainably caught seafood and heritage meats, blended with chiles, spices and ingredients from across Mexico.
Born in Cuernavaca, Mexico, his time there and in Mexico City has given Gaz a strong sense of connection to the city’s welcoming hospitality and culinary creativity. Comal is a culmination of these experiences in Mexico, as well as his exposure to cooking in London’s diverse dining scene.
Here, he shares his life in food.
What are your earliest memories of food?
I remember sitting on the kitchen counter at our family house in Colombia when I was about three or four, smelling the amazing cooking that was going on, watching the ingredients get broken down, and having the pleasure of patience paying off once it was time to eat.
How would you describe your relationship with food?
My life certainly revolves around it! I am always thinking about recipes and techniques, whether I am sleeping or awake. I wouldn’t classify it as obsessive per se, more like a consistent, deep love and desire to learn more about food.
What was the first meal you learned to cook?
My father was always a big fan of Madhur Jaffrey and had all of her books, so growing up, we would always cook chicken curry together.
How did working with food become your career?
I knew after my GCSEs that although academia was interesting to me, being a chef was really what I wanted to do. So I went to the Cordon Bleu and worked at Jamie Oliver’s restaurant when I was 18. Both the school and cooking at the restaurant cemented that decision.
What’s your go-to breakfast?
I usually skip breakfast, but will quite often get a healthy smoothie to kickstart my day. That and a coffee!
If you’re impressing friends and family at a dinner party, what are you serving up?
Usually, whatever inspires me at the market! I love doing tacos because it’s interactive and fun, making the tortillas from scratch and having everyone help out.
Who is your culinary inspiration?
I grew up watching a lot of Rick Stein and Anthony Bourdain. I love their shared hunger for travel and discovery, and passion for different cultures. For my 12th birthday, my father took me to Padstow, where we spent a day cooking with Mr. Stein and eating at his fabulous restaurant. I was so in awe of the businesses he had built and the huge respect he carried in the industry.
What would your last meal on earth be?
For a starter, I would have a ribollita, with freshly pressed new season olive oil from Tuscany. I would follow that with some mariscos mixtos, Ensenada style, with tostadas. The most amazing fresh fish prepared like nowhere else! For dessert, something with hazelnut and chocolate.
What’s your go-to comfort food?
For me, pasta has always been a great comfort food. Quick to make and a huge variety of sauces that can be whipped up in minutes, and finished with a great Parmesan or pecorino.
What’s the go-to quick meal you cook when you’re tired and hungry?
I usually make a quick soup out of leftovers and bone broth or chicken stock, which is always in my fridge, made from the carcasses of all the chickens we go through at Comal!
What is one food or flavour you cannot stand?
For some reason, I have a real aversion to most goat’s cheeses. I find the flavour to be intense and difficult to pair with other foods. Other than that, I eat and enjoy almost everything, notwithstanding a hatred for ketchup!
Hangover cure?
A suero (typical Mexican hangover drink of sparkling water, lime, and salt).
Sweet or savoury?
Savoury.
Fine dining or pub grub?
Difficult to say here! These days, pub grub can be more fine dining than self-described fine dining restaurants! Plus, New York doesn’t really have pub grub.
Favourite restaurant in Ireland?
I have not yet had the chance to visit Ireland, but I have great respect for Irish food, and the iconic Ballymaloe, where many of my colleagues of the past have earned their stripes.
What are your thoughts on the Irish foodie scene?
Great local produce, with incredible fertile land and steeped in tradition.
What’s your favourite thing about cooking?
The process. From thinking about what you want to cook, to sourcing the ingredients, to breaking them all down and using chemistry and heat to change their texture, flavour and then revealing the final product to the (hopefully pleased) diners!
What does food — sitting down to a meal with friends, mindfully preparing a meal, nourishment, etc — mean to you?
I love that the one thing all humans have in common is food — everyone needs to eat. Bringing people around the dining table is the greatest form of hospitality and kindness.
Chef’s kiss — Tell us about one standout foodie experience you’ve had recently.
I found out about an amazing Thai restaurant about a 30-minute drive from Manhattan, and went with my fiancée. It was incredible food cooked thoughtfully, with no frills, punctual service and rekindled my love for Thai cuisine!
Compliments to the chef — Now’s your chance to sing the praises of a talented chef, beloved restaurant or particularly talented foodie family member.
My aunt, known as the queen of the AGA, has been a chef her whole life. She specialises in cooking and demonstrations on the infamous AGA and similar kitchen ranges. She has an amazing work ethic and goes to great lengths to teach and empower home cooks.
Secret ingredient — What, in your estimation, makes the perfect dining experience?
The moment you arrive, hospitality should be felt. A genuine smile and welcome, accommodating any needs or last-minute requirements, is paramount to a perfect dining experience.
Photography by Leo Bieber.
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