Brad Wise, executive chef of TRUST Restaurant in Hillcrest, is all about keeping a dish simple. A lot of his ingredients in his recipes are made in-house such as the cheese, ricotta, hush puppies and more. Chef Brad shared his flavorful ricotta agnolotti dish with In the Kitchen.
Ricotta Agnolotti $19
What's the story behind the Ricotta Agnolotti dish?
Our ricotta agnolotti consist of sunchokes, black garlic streusel, black truffles, panna and basil. In this dish, I tried to capture a little bit of everything such as the texture of the fried sunchokes, the richness from the pasta, the filling, the basil scented panna (italian cream), the dehydrated black garlic, and of course, the truffles.
I wouldn't say there is a key component but the fillings on stuffed pastas are key.
What makes your ricotta agnolotti unique?
Everything including the cheese is made in-house. It's very simple, but packs a punch in flavor.
What's a good beer and/or cocktail to pair with this dish?
Wine may be the best choice to go with this dish.
Watch executive chef Brad Wise make this flavorful dish, Ricotta Agnolotti.
What kind of experience will a diner get at Trust Restaurant?
Experience is everything for us here at TRUST. We do as much as possible to deliver an experience that may be unexpected but you won't forget. We are a neighborhood restaurant that has friendly service and consistent food.
About Brad Wise
Are you from San Diego?
I've been in San Diego for about 10 years now. I'm originally from Cape May, New Jersey.
Did you always want to be a chef growing up?
I started working in kitchens at the age of 12. I've always wanted to be a chef. I thought it was the coolest thing in the world as I was growing up.
What has your journey been like leading up to your current position as executive chef for Trust Restaurant?
My journey has been amazing. I got to work with people who became some of my best friends. I traveled as much as possible and I became an inspiration to some of my peers.
What is your favorite dish on TRUST's menu? Why?
Hush puppies. Simplest dish on the menu, but it take us the longest to make, which is very unexpected. When you come to TRUST, it's a must-try. Ask your server about it.
What motivates you as a chef?
The people that are around me and being able to give people a different outlook on food.
What do you feel is the biggest challenge when it comes to creating new dishes?
The biggest challenge for me is keeping the dish simple. I say this because I have a tendency to get carried away on ingredients for one dish. Some cooks will make a dish that has nine ingredients and although it's a good dish, it would have been GREAT with five ingredients. I say to myself "keep it simple stupid." I know that sounds strange, but it works for me.
Are you planning on creating any new items for the menu?
YES, always. I had dinner with a chef friend the other night and he brought up something to me that was very intriguing. It has been five days now and I haven't stopped thinking about how I'm going to implement these techniques here at TRUST. Yes, I am not going to say what it is because it's still in the early thought process. :)
When you're not coming up with delicious dishes, what do you enjoy doing in your spare time?
Working around my house, hanging out with the wife, seeing friends and going out to dinner. What's next for you?
Sky is the limit. We take it one day at a time.
TRUST Restaurant
3752 Park Blvd., Hillcrest. (619) 795-6901 or trustrestaurantsd.com
Follow TRUST:
Click here for more 'In the Kitchen' articles.