Earlier this 12 months, the oceanfront 3030 Ocean on the Fort Lauderdale Marriott Harbor Seaside Resort & Spa applauded the appointment of Chef Damoriae Graham. Initially hailing from Los Angeles, he made the transfer to South Florida to be nearer to his spouse’s household, who reside in Miami. Following within the footsteps of lauded cooks like Dean Max, Paula DaSilva, Adrienne Grenier and LaTasha McCutchen, he’s confirmed he can take a bringing his personal culinary spin with Caribbean, Italian and North African flavors to the menu.
What taste notes did you need to deliver to the 3030 Ocean menu?
My type is Mediterranean pushed; it’s one thing that I’ve all the time cherished. I grew up with a buddy who was from Sicily, in order that entire background plus my very own Jamaican heritage, plus my love of the massive span of Mediterranean cooking. I knew that after I got here to the restaurant, it could be very simple as a result of I knew I’d have the ability to herald recent fish day by day after which the purveyors that we’ve in Marriott are superb.
And this area may be very acquainted and cozy with Caribbean delicacies.
It’s not solely my very own influences with the realm, but additionally plenty of my cooks being from Jamaica, being from Haiti, we’re doing full fish with pikliz from Haiti. And really, our smoked hen proper now has a really conventional, not-too-spicy jerk with a tamarind glaze, one thing that form of represented one in all my line cooks as properly, as a result of that’s a mixture that his grandmother would make at dwelling. So actually fostering my guys within the again and all of their creativity as properly.
I used to be studying that you simply began cooking as a child together with your grandmother. What are some smells or dishes that take you again to that point?
Everybody all the time talks about cooking onions and garlic. And that’s actually that’s the factor for me….In case you actually need to cheat at dwelling with whoever you’re cooking for — onions and garlic for actually something, they’ll be like “oh my god it smells superb.” It’s actually the fundamentals of cooking.
What’s one thing you’re particularly happy with on this menu?
The octopus is completely superb, however then additionally my delight and pleasure is definitely our roasted carrots. So the heirloom carrots might be harissa with honey, one thing that, for me, stems from the Center East and likewise North Africa with the harissa and the honey supplying you with a candy and spicy play and the goat cheese on the underside may be very tart, and likewise form of wealthy with out being too indulgent. After which we’ll toast the pine nuts and the chermoula, which is like Iranian type chimichurri sauce.
What can we sit up for?
We’ve a few issues within the works. Proper now we’re redeveloping our pastry program, we simply employed an incredible pastry chef, and she or he has been form of serving to us with the very gradual strikes.
We’re truly reaching out to native farms and native ranches to simply see what’s new, see what’s on the market. I’m comparatively new to the realm; I’ve solely been right here for a couple of 12 months. So I’m making it some extent myself to go right down to Homestead to locations like Robert Is Right here and simply hit up the native markets, driving out to Lakeland — there’s a few ranchers on the market which can be doing a little actually good issues. Actually simply form of like discovering my grounds and like actually, actually settling myself into the realm.
