At the Table With Chef Forman from Deadhorse Hill

WORCESTER, MA—Getting his culinary degree from Johnson & Wales University, Jared Forman got his professional start by externing at Per Se in New York City. He worked as a line cook at Momofuku Ssam Bar, Marea and Gramercy Tavern. Most recently, he was chef at Strip T's in Watertown.

Forman is now the chef and owner of Deadhorse Hill, an American seasonal restaurant with "kickass coffee and daytime sandwiches."

Most important chef’s tool: Just saying a knife is too easy right? How about a clipboard? You can control a Saturday night service by what food you order, how your menu is organized, which dishes are coming off what station, and who is on the schedule for the night. Psychology plays a huge role in running a restaurant. Keeping people fresh and happy, considering chemistry between a particular combination of people, and giving an individual the freedom and time to experiment and take ownership over things are all very important to me.

In your fridge at home? Pretty much nothing. Hopefully some ice cream and a full pitcher of water.

Ever cooked for anyone famous? Tons. Bill and Chelsea Clinton once. That was cool, with secret service filling the restaurant. Michael Keaton twice in one week. Jimmy Fallon was a regular, as well as Keith Hernandez. Go Mets!

Best music to cook by: I like to prep without tunes. Lots going on in my head, new menu items, what to order, what needs to be fixed, no distractions. During service I can loosen up a bit. I like to hear what's playing in the dining room, and hear a boisterous crowd having a good time and enjoying their experience.

Favorite dish to make: Basting a ribeye is one of the more enjoyable things to do in this world. Butter browning, thyme leaves crackling, and the scent of garlic and shallots filling the kitchen. Everyone stops to watch that, even during the busiest service. Great, now i'm hungry. I love zoning out and cutting chives, peeling turnips, or making spaghetti. Not a whole lot of shit going wrong in the world when your pasta dough is perfect.

Favorite dish on the menu: The mussels dish is one of my favs. Been making it for years and I can't make a better one, so it stays. Making a killer veggie dish is very satisfying for me. Our grilled asparagus is doing it for me right now. It's a take on Indian street food. Local asparagus combined with a South Indian garlic pickle, candied white asparagus and finished with crunchy lentil flour boondi. Sweet, sour and spicy, it is a complete dish that is pretty simple and at the same time shows some fun tech(nique)s that you might not normally think of all together.

Cooking shows you watch? Cooking shows are getting out of hand for me. They are all over the map trying to be more and more absurd than the last. I'm more of a cookbook kind of guy. I want to hear about people's stories in their own words and I want to learn something when I read one.

Deadhorse Hill is located at 281 Main St., Worcester.