Gluten-free (GF) eating is something we’re hearing about so much these days, but unless you’re living this way, chances are you may not know the details. For me, I’ve long been curious: Does a gluten-free diet mean you’re consistently looking for adequate substitutions, or do you take efforts to avoid gluten-centric foods (pasta, sandwiches, breads) altogether? Enter talented chef Waldemar “Val” Stryjewski of Rittenhouse’s a. kitchen and his sumptuous multi-course gluten-free menu, and you’ve got a memorable evening dedicated to learning about the GF lifestyle — all while drinking good wine and eating great food!
Val, a longtime Philly restaurant veteran who is currently the sous chef at a.kitchen, has been eating a semi-GF lifestyle for the past few years, which means he’s spent so much time developing thoughtful recipes that even the pickiest palate would appreciate. There was no one better to throw down at COOK to showcase next-level culinary innovation that exemplifies how good cooking and GF cooking can be one and the same.
Along with his fellow a.kitchen comrade Jake, Val prepared a meal reflective of his own personal eating style. We started with a simple yet delicious salad of Castlevetrano olives, boquerones and raw sliced fennel finished with a smoked paprika vinaigrette — so crisp and refreshing yet so straightforward, everyone felt confident they could recreate such a great dish at home. After that, Val and Jake schooled us how to sear filets of black bass so the skin stays crispy (always start skin side down in the pan!), serving the fish alongside a homey, flavorful stack of kale, butternut squash and cream cheese — it was soft, tangy and cheesy like an amazing vegetarian lasagna, but completely gluten-free. Just one example of Val’s creativity in reinventing familiar dishes for gluten-free eaters.
Next was a course that most who practice a GF lifestyle have filed under their “goodbye old friend” column: pasta! Val treated the room to two servings of homemade spaghetti crafted with a gluten-free flour alternative. Served with julienne vegetables and a rich saffron nage (a flavorful, buttery poaching liquid), the pasta felt like a real indulgence — you would never know it was a 100 percent GF dish!
Jake took charge of dessert for the evening, and it was important to him to present something those who eat a GF diet miss every day. For him, this meant the ultimate childhood treat: cookies! He took this idea and went crazy with a trio of amazing homemade ice cream “cookie-wiches” — double chocolate with espresso, ginger and banana and peanut butter. The GF eaters in the crowd were incredibly excited to actually eat real cookies, let alone amazing ice cream sandwiches, and many were sure to get Val and Jake’s email addresses for GF cooking tips. Bravo, chefs — you guys killed it!
Check out Val’s full menu from the evening below, and visit him soon at a.kitchen at 135 S. 18th Street. I hear he may be introducing some gluten-free items to the brunch menu soon!
