Before coming to the Northvale restaurant three years ago, Lindemann worked for the Ship Lantern Inn and the Tuxedo Club — both in New York State — for about two years apiece, and was also contracted to work on Norwegian Cruise Line for five months.
Here he talks about lobster, French knives and how to cook the perfect duck.
Toughest dish to cook at my restaurant: Sake-marinated Goffle Road Farms duck breast ($26). It’s about getting the temperature right — a lot of cooks have difficulty with doneness with a duck because it has a different texture than, say, a steak. If somebody wants duck medium-rare, it might feel a little softer than the chef is used to.
Favorite kitchen tool: A French knife. It’s very versatile, and if you don’t have a boning knife or a paring knife, you can use that. It really should be attached to the chef’s hand. I use a Shun Classic because it’s very lightweight and it holds its edge for a long time, which is very important.
Favorite dish to cook: Plum-braised short rib with foie gras fried rice ($25). I’ve never eaten at a restaurant that had something like that, and the final product is awesome. The sweetness of the plum compliments the foie gras very well, as well as the short rib.
The secret to being a good Irish restaurant: The hospitality. It’s always very welcoming, very warm, it seems like people don’t have any choice but to come back.
Most overrated food: Lobster. Oftentimes it’s very expensive, but I don’t think it has a ton of flavor. I’d rather have a diver scallop over lobster any day.
Simplest tip to improve home cooking: Less is more. If you put too much of something, like a spice, into your dish, you can’t take it out. But you can always add more.
How I keep my weight down: It definitely is difficult, and I’m a big guy. And one thing that I was always taught: You have to try everything you put out. I stand by that.
My pet peeve: When cooks feel the need to add their own twist on one of my recipes. That’s a big no-no. I always encourage them to be creative, but let me try it first before we go with it.
Biggest misconception about chefs: That we’re all angry all the time. And I don’t think that Gordon Ramsay helped us with that one. This can be a very stressful job if you let it, and I have stressful times, but there’s no need to get that hyped. Even if they paid me the money they pay him, I don’t think I could do it. I wouldn’t want to be angry all the time.
My guilty pleasure: Foie gras. I love it. It’s very rich and full of flavor.
Next food fad: Fermented foods, like kimchi. There are so many restaurants that are going farm-to-table, and because chefs are becoming more involved in farms, they don’t want to see food go in the garbage, so I think they’d rather ferment or pickle it so you can use it all winter.
What I’d never pay for at a restaurant: Bottled water, like Pellegrino. I would rather have a glass of wine with a meal.
More info: Biddy O’Malley’s Irish Bistro and Bar, 191 Paris Ave., Northvale, 201-564-7893, biddyomalleys.com. Appetizers: $8 to $13; entrées: $11 to $25. Monday to Friday 11 a.m. to 2 a.m., Saturday 11 a.m. to 3 a.m., Sunday noon to 2 a.m.
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http://www.northjersey.com/food-and-dining-news/restaurant-reviews/chef-wilson-lindemann-of-biddy-o-malley-s-in-northvale-on-lobster-french-knives-and-how-to-cook-duck-perfectly-1.1109465
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