Interview with Doug Flicker

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Interview with Doug Flicker

Posted by: Rick Nelson under Restaurant news Updated: November 19, 2009 - 7:40 AM

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Chef Doug Flicker, in a 2006 Star Tribune file photo.

When foodie favorite Auriga closed in 2007, a shock wave ran through the Minneapolis dining scene. Where would diners go for a dose of chef Doug Flicker’s imaginative cooking? After lending his talents to others — Mission American Kitchen, Porter & Frye and, lately, D’Amico Kitchen — Flicker is on the verge of becoming his own boss once again, taking up residence at what is soon to be the former Cafe Agri at 43rd and Bryant in south Minneapolis. (By the way, Cafe Agri is offering $1 glasses of wine during its last three nights, Nov. 27th through 29th).

Q: So you’re taking over the Cafe Agri space, eh? That’s one of the smallest venues in town.

A: It’s super-tiny. It’s going to allow me to take chances that I wouldn’t feel comfortable taking in a larger restaurant.

Q: Such as? A: I want to redefine how we eat. The way we eat is so silly. There’s so much waste. It’s the military-industrial complex with food. I don’t ever want to have to come up with another menu with a first course, soup or salad and an entree. It’s such a sham. As chefs we make entrees big so we can justify the price, we throw all kinds of bells and whistles on it, and, realistically, you get three or four bites into it before you politely ask for a to-go box, and three or four days later you’ll throw it out. That’s not just wrong; it’s destructive. We all consume too much. That shouldn’t be the norm. I don’t want this to be a normal restaurant.

Q: How will the menu work?

A: The idea is to promote eating multiple dishes and get exposure to multiple flavors. I think it’s kind of like combining two or three tasting menus and serving it a la carte. People will be able order seven courses if they want, or come in with a table of four and share a few plates. People like to split things. Why not offer half the portion at half the price? I hate to use the words “small plates,” because it sounds like shrinking something down. This is what I do best, cooking-wise. We’ll start with 12 savory [dishes] and three desserts, and as we get the hang of everything we’ll expand it a bit.

Q: It reminds me of that great small-bites menu you had at Auriga. I always loved that. A: In a way it’s an extension of that. Q: Care to share a few examples?

A: Scrambled eggs with pickled pigs feet. Salt cod brandade with cauliflower tortellini and artichoke puree. Beef shin with cipollinis. Black cod with bitter oranges and Belgian endive. It goes without saying that we’ll try to be as local as possible. At this point, that should be a given. We don’t need to get up on a soapbox and preach about it.

Q: At $6 to $13, the prices look manageable.

A: It might go higher for foie or truffles, but that’s the idea. It’s appropriate sizes at appropriate prices.

Q: I like the name, Piccolo. Like the musical instrument?

A: Yes. It’s Italian for small. The space is small. The rent is cheap. To a certain extent, it reminds me of Auriga.

Q: The use of Italian isn’t exactly an accident, right?

A: My first restaurant job was [D’Amico] Cucina, and my last, hopefully, was — is —the Kitchen. It’s hard to ignore the reality that I like Italian food, but I don’t intend to box myself into having an Italian restaurant.

Q: You said “we” earlier. Who?

A: He’s Jim Andrus. He was also a partner in Auriga. He’s going to do the wine list and run the wine program and aid me in the running of the restaurant. We’re going to have a very small staff. We’re going to do tip pooling, and every member of the experience will be tipped. It’s time to make the divide between the front and the back of the house smaller. It will never be equal, and it shouldn’t be, but there is a way to get it closer. I want my cooks to see what it’s like on the floor, and I want my servers to know what it’s like to grill a vegetable. They can walk in one another’s shoes. There’s no reason that servers can’t help with staff chow, and there’s no reason that cooks can’t polish glassware. We need to blur those lines to create respect.

Q: When are you opening?

A: We’ll be taking the space over in December, and we’re shooting to open in the first week or two in January.

Q: What’s the liquor situation?

A: Beer and wine. We’re next to a school, so we can’t have a bar. We’re going to do a little painting, and install some new fixtures and artwork, but again the idea is to keep things simple, and as soon as you start to remodel you get into all kinds of zoning and licensing issues. We’re going to make due with what we have, although we’ll have new tabletops and plates and glassware. Just not many physical changes. It’s a little makeover.

Q: A piccolo makeover. You’re currently working at D’Amico Kitchen, right?

A: Yes. My last day is right in the middle of December. I’m trying to get to part time, and not pull away from the productivity of opening a restaurant, but I also need money to live on. When we opened Auriga, I worked at the Loring Cafe full time. It’s what you have to do. I got to spend the last week at the Cucina. John [Occhiato, D’Amico Kitchen executive chef and former D’Amico Cucina executive chef] was great and everyone was super-supportive. It was like walking back in time 15 years.

Q: Does it feel good to be working for yourself again?

A: Of course, but it’s also scary. There’s no safety net. Last year I had it really good. I’d come in at 2 [p.m.], prep my station, enjoy cooking and go home. Now I go to sleep thinking about the restaurant, and when I wake up I’m thinking about the restaurant. But at the end of the day I don’t really have a choice. This is what I have to do. I look forward to building something up again, and giving back. Serving people is such an honor.

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