2015-12-15 00:30:18
When Benjamin Meyer joined Iridescence as its chef de cuisine, he brought a wealth of experience and innovation to the 2011 winner of the Hour Detroit Restaurant of the Year. Meyer earned his bachelor’s degree in culinary arts summa cum laude from Johnson & Wales University, and received an associate’s degree in business management from Washtenaw Community College. Additionally, Meyer studied at both the Suan Dusit International Culinary School in Bangkok and the At-Sunrice Culinary Academy in Singapore, where he specialized in Thai and Pan Asian cuisine. Having worked in several of the Detroit area’s finest restaurants, Meyer knows what his patrons desire, and he provides the perfect accompaniment to the MotorCity Casino Hotel experience. Meyer, along with Executive Chef Don Yamauchi, developed and debuted the restaurant’s fall menu. It includes new takes on tradition, and appealing dishes inspired from a medley of sources. Both a pragmatist and an innovator, Meyer is also a strong supporter of various charitable initiatives throughout metro Detroit.
Iridescence, MotorCity Casino Hotel 2901 Grand River Ave., Detroit, MI 48201 313-237-6732
Chef Patricia Nash is the executive pastry chef for all of the restaurants owned and operated by MotorCity Casino Hotel in Detroit, including the four-diamond gem Iridescence. Chef Patricia is a graduate of the Academy of Culinary Arts and spent eight years as a pastry chef at Trump Plaza in Atlantic City.
She also was a member of Team USA, a culinary team that represents the United States at the Culinary Olympics in Germany and as part of other global events.
Chef Patricia loves the creativity afforded in her job. “I had a great opportunity to open up several new venues (at MotorCity) and we seek to create high-quality products at each of our properties,” she says. “I like to create a wow factor, so [that] when a customer sees a dessert they’ll want to try it. From there, what they’ll remember is the strong flavor profile.”
One of her most unique and delectable creations is the hazelnut cake with pear jelly, pumpkin custard, vanilla bean mousse, caramel glaze, and cranberry orange sauce — a menu item known as the Fall Slice.
MotorCity Casino Hotel 2901 Grand River Ave., Detroit, MI 48201 313-237-6732
Everything does happen for a reason, says Joel Neirynck-Coon, banquet chef at MGM Grand Detroit. Several years ago, he was introduced to a manager at Bourbon Steak who offered him a chance to put together a tasting for him and other staff at the steakhouse. While he didn’t get a job at the restaurant, he wasn’t forgotten.
Neirynck-Coon started his career in high school as a dishwasher and cook at a National Coney Island. He quickly realized he wanted to cook more sophisticated food and left to join Oak Management, where he received exposure to numerous facilities and great talent.
“I was fortunate to have great mentors who took the time to train me the right way,” Neirynck-Coon says.
He later moved to a la carte dining while studying for a degree in business administration and management at Wayne State University. His plan was to attend the Culinary Institute of America after graduating from business school at Wayne State University, but Joel Neirynck-Coon decided to take a more “hands-on” approach to learning the culinary arts. He worked nearly every job there was in the kitchen at several different restaurants, bakeries, and caterers. In 2011, not long after his tasting at Bourbon Steak, Neirynck- Coon was asked to join MGM Grand Detroit as a sous chef at Breeze Dining Court. A hard worker, he was invited to help open Chef Joel Neirynck-Coon TAP at MGM Grand Detroit and, in spring 2013, he was named banquet chef for the entire property.
In his new role, Neirynck-Coon has been tasked with turning dreams into reality in MGM Grand Detroit’s conference rooms and ballrooms, and in its Ignite venue. It has been a busy season, with many large corporate galas and fundraisers.
Neirynck-Coon has been given a lot of creative freedom to present what he wants.
“Our clients love the banquet menu. However, in the interest of being unique and standing out from the crowd, they ask me to create custom, one-of-a-kind dishes to showcase at their event. They want colorful, seasonal, and innovative presentations,” he says. “My favorite menu recently was for 800 guests. Our team served five courses, including a roasted butternut bisque soup, an entrée of beef filet stuffed with smoked dates and Maytag blue cheese, lemon sole stuffed with a vegetable duxelle, Dauphinoise potatoes, haricot vert, and butter-poached French baby carrots. Every time my team and I face a challenge, it’s a wonderful day.”
MGM Grand Detroit Banquets, Meetings and Events 1777 Third St., Detroit, MI 48226 313-465-8773 mgmgranddetroit.com
Dallas and Detroit have something in common beyond a fondness for being referred to as “The D.” Like Dallas, Detroit is a town that loves hearty, classic meat-and-potatoes dishes, says Chef Jacob Williamson, executive chef of the Wolfgang Puck restaurants at MGM Grand Detroit.
Williamson worked as chef de cusine at Wolfgang Puck Pizzeria and Cucina before being named executive chef of both that restaurant and Wolfgang Puck Steak earlier this year. He says he enjoys the creative challenges of presenting familiar dishes, done far better than anywhere else.
Having the Wolfgang Puck name behind him means he’s able to try some things he wouldn’t be able to elsewhere, such as a roasted bone marrow appetizer or an entrée of Waygu beef or lobster ravioli. “It allows me to be creative and play with the food — that’s what keeps me going,” he says. “There’s always something to improve on, and it’s different every day.”
Wolfgang Puck Pizzeria & Cucina Wolfgang Puck Steak MGM Grand Detroit 1777 Third St., Detroit, MI 48226 877-888-2121 mgmgranddetroit.com
When Chef Fershone Steen says he started his latest venture from scratch, he’s talking about TAP at MGM Grand Detroit, a sports pub that opened in September 2012. Steen, a former chef for Marriott and Macaroni Grill, and a prodigy of Chuck Muer’s, says he spent four months creating a menu, hiring employees, and selecting more than 50 bottled and draught beers for TAP. His carefully chosen menu items include pub classics and comfort foods, but with a twist. “We created a fried macaroni and cheese that is cooked, then chilled, then combined with bread crumbs and deep-fried,” Steen says. “Since we opened, we’ve had a crazy amount ordered.”
Steen says bar burgers also have a signature something — like the Downtown burger, which is garnished with seared salami and coleslaw, and the spicy mayhem wings, which are known to bring devotees to tears. Local brews and wines and spirits are also available, and patrons will not miss the big game when they’re surrounded by 40 flat-screen HDTVs.
TAP at MGM Grand Detroit 1777 Third St., Detroit, MI 48226 877-888-2121 mgmgranddetroit.com
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