Cookin'

pdf print email

It was June of 1991 and Robin Stotter's girlfriend at the time was friendly with world-renowned chef Wolfgang Puck. Stotter was a Marine returning from the Persian Gulf War. "She kept telling Wolfgang about her poor Marine boyfriend," Stotter remembers. "So he promised her that when I returned home, he would personally cook a meal for me at his restaurant Eureka in West Los Angeles."

Unbeknownst to Puck, Stotter had grown up in the world of food. His mother owned a catering business called The Moveable Feast and young Robin had worked for her since he was 13. "My mother was very progressive," he remembers. "She really was one of the first caterers to create a number of different food stations at the same dinner party. There would be an Italian food station, a Mexican food station and a Chinese food station - and people loved the variety. It meant more work, more staff and more prep, but it was very successful and I really dug it."

Robin played lacrosse, football and baseball plus ran a little cross-country at Robert Louis Stevenson High School in Pebble Beach before enlisting in the Marines, where he stayed for six years. Why the military? Let's just say that it's a family tradition that goes WAY back.

His grandfather on his mother's side - Robin Hollie McGloghn, or Grandpa Mac - was a commander who flew in World War I with the Navy's first Air Corps. His grandfather on his father's side, Raymond Stotter, also fought in World War I. His father, James Stotter II, was a captain in the U.S. Air Force and a JAG officer, and his uncle Robin Hollie McGloghn Jr. graduated from Annapolis and flew in Vietnam. 

So it wasn't a surprise when Robin Stotter bypassed college to become a sergeant in the Marine Corps... which eventually led him to his private dinner with Wolfgang Puck. 

"During dinner, Wolfgang offered me a job working at Granita, his world-class seafood restaurant," Stotter says. "I started out cleaning vegetables and fish, and ended up staying with Wolfgang for almost 14 years. He had four restaurants when I started and 80 when I left. I learned so much about myself and Wolfgang became like a second dad to me."

During that time he became the Corporate Executive Chef for 45 Wolfgang Puck Food Company restaurants, and he opened Spago in Las Vegas as the Sous Chef. In 2003 he moved on to e-brands, which owns boutique restaurants, and became the Vice President of Purchasing and Corporate Executive Chef. 

Of course, he also learned that any dinner party can become the ultimate nightmare. "One year we had the Fire and Ice Ball at Barney's in Beverly Hills," he recalls. "We had 400 people there, the kitchen was on the roof, Wolfgang was catering the evening and Downtown Julie Brown from MTV was doing a live show. In the middle of the dinner all the stoves went out. Then Julie and Wolfgang came up with the live camera to show off the almond crusted salmon, which had just gone into the oven a minute before. I thought I was going to throw up."

Fortunately, those moments have been few and far between in Stotter's amazing career. He is now with P.F. Chang's China Bistro and is in charge of culinary research and development, which means he gets to do a ton of taste testing and create lots of amazing new dishes. He also has found the time to get into endurance sports and is training for the Ford Ironman Arizona Triathlon on November 23. 

Stotter has always been an athlete, and started surfing at the age of 5. He spent many a day with his buddies riding the bike path from Santa Monica to Huntington Beach, riding the Santa Monica Canyons on his mountain bike or running in the sand at the beach.

But he never really got into putting a number on and competing in running or cycling events. Until now.

"I started training for the Ironman in April," he says. "Swimming came pretty easily and I'm trying to get in two workouts a day when I can. I'm training on both my road and mountain bike and also doing a circuit endurance class at the gym." 

Living in Arizona means getting out on the roads early during the summer months and then trying to squeeze in another workout after leaving the kitchen. Stotter is 5'11" and weighs in at about 206 right now. The goal is to get down to 192 by race day, which can be tough when one of your responsibilities is to taste five different types of tiramisu or an entire collection of sorbet. "I've eaten through our menu a number of times," he laughs. "The great thing about the Chinese way of cooking is that you get lots of high-quality proteins and vegetables in every meal and there are easy ways to back off on the heavier elements without compromising taste. For lunch you can have the crispy chicken, but instead of having it fried, have it cooked in vegetable stock. You can also reduce the amount of calories you take in by having the sauce on the side rather than on the dish."

Stotter is used to working 16-19 hours a day in a restaurant, so he feels he can create the right balance between his work life and training for the toughest day in sports. "I'm a firm believer in drawing on your mental ability," he continues. "I'm turning 42 this year and feel this is the perfect time to test my limits. I am so pumped up and can't wait for November."

For a P.F. Chang's China Bistro near you, go to www.pfchangs.com.

The following are some ways to modify popular PF Chang's dishes to make them healthier:

CHANG'S SPICY CHICKEN
Ask to have stock velveted, light oil, light sauce, and add vegetables

MONGOLIAN BEEF
Ask to have it cooked with light oil, light sauce, and add vegetables

KUNG PAO
Stock velveted, light oil, light sauce, and add vegetables

CITRUS SOY SALMON
Light sauce, add vegetables, ask for brown rice instead of white

What does "Stock Velveted" mean?
Expect a tender, moist protein with less crunch than the original. This traditional style of Chinese cooking uses vegetable stock instead of oil. This method can reduce calories by 150 to 300, fat by 15 to 30 grams, and carbohydrates by 29 grams.

Light or no oil:
By lightening or eliminating the oil you can reduce calories by 150-250, and fat by 15-25 grams. Expect a slightly less crunchy version of the original.

Light sauce, no sauce or sauce on the side:
This allows greater control over certain nutritional aspects like sodium and sugar.

ADDITIONS & SUBSTITUTIONS ARE WELCOMED!
Add three of your favorite vegetables or substitute a protein or vegetable to suit your preference; for the guest who wants to increase the nutritional value of a dish, or for those with specific dietary needs.

Comments & Feedback

Leave a Comment

Name: Email:  do not notifynotify Title: Comment: Code: Please input the code from the image above (case sensitive). Click image to generate new code.

3.26 Copyright (C) 2008 Compojoom.com / Copyright (C) 2007 Alain Georgette / Copyright (C) 2006 Frantisek Hliva. All rights reserved."