This is for personal, noncommercial use only.
Today's Front Page
Gas Buddy
Chef Profile: Rafael Campos
Print this Article- Font Size:
- Default font size
- Larger font size
Rafael Campos likes to let his food do the talking. The 33-year-old executive chef at Juliano's Pub & Grill in Egg Harbor Township is one of the most polite and soft-spoken guys you'd ever hope to meet, but that all changes when he gets in the kitchen.
"He's a dynamo, a really talented guy," says owner Michael Juliano. "Even though we've been doing quality food here for decades, a lot of people think we're a 'shot and a beer' kind of place like the old Ocean Heights Inn that was here before us. People need to know what Rafael can do. He's a tremendous cook."
Campos, a resident of Linwood, has been at Juliano's for five years. A self-taught chef, he previously worked at the Stafford Diner in Manahawkin. Campos came to the United States from Guadalajara, Mexico, as a 17-year-old and is now married to wife Stella. They have three daughters: Yerenia, 11; Jennifer, 7; and Brianna, who's eight months old. The bilingual Campos sat down to speak with us on Monday morning.
Question: What fueled your interest in cooking? Did you know you wanted to do this for a living when you were a child?
Answer: When I was little, I always liked to cook, but it wasn't until I came to America when I was a teenager that I really began to learn in kitchens. I tried to pick up a little bit every day as I went along.
Q: What do you like to eat at home? What do you make for your family?
A: We like to have tacos, tamales and other Mexican food. It's a big part of our culture. We cook a meal and we sit down, and I have a few beers and root for Chivas (Guadalajara's soccer team) on the television. My older daughters and I make a day out of it.
Q: Mexican food is very delicious and popular, but a lot of what diners get in the United States isn't really considered "authentic" Mexican. What are some of the ingredients that really define a dish as truly Mexican?
A: Hot peppers, green salsa and tomatillos are some ingredients that you should look for. Everyone has their preferences, but there is much more to Mexican food than places like Taco Bell.
Q: How much of a role do you have in determining the daily menu at Juliano's?
A: We choose the specials every day. We like to have a pasta special, a fish special and a steak special for lunch and dinner, and they change often. We like to give the customers a lot of variety.
Q: What gives you the most joy in the kitchen?
A: I like to saute a lot and be creative in the kitchen. That's what gives me the most happiness. Cooking is what I love.
Q: How does your workday usually play out?
A: I usually start at 4 o'clock, but there are a few days a week when I'm here all day. We have a staff of three, including myself, so I check to make sure all the ingredients are ready and then we just get down to it. We have a good relationship in the kitchen. We laugh and joke a lot, but it's a lot of hard work.
Q: On Sundays, there's NASCAR and NFL on the TVs here and there's a free buffet. Is there a lot of pressure to make sure there's enough food for everybody?
A: I enjoy the fast pace of the kitchen. If I were doing some other type of job, I would probably be bored.
Q: Do you watch shows like "The Next Iron Chef," and do you learn anything from them?
A: Yes. I learn a lot. One of the feelings I have when watching those competitive shows is that I put myself in their place. I wouldn't be nervous. I think I would do pretty well.
Q: Michael Juliano, the owner, says a lot of people may not know how good the food is here. Talk about that a little bit.
A: We make quality Italian food and pasta dishes. We do a lot of seafood. Our steaks are fresh cut and certified Angus meat. Sometimes I'm too busy, but I try to get out and speak to the customers and find out what they like.
Q: What should someone order if they're coming here for the first time?
A: The Pesce Posolippo is delicious. It has shrimp, scallops, mussels and clams seasoned with white wine and herbs. Or, there's the Cioppino, which is sauteed shrimp, scallops, clams, mussels and jumbo lump crabmeat served over a bed of pasta.
Q: What do you want to be doing in 10 years?
A: I want to be running a place called Juliano's II somewhere for Mike.
Q: If you were stuck on a desert island and could only have one meal, what would it be?
A: A steak done medium-rare, Miller Lite beer and carrot cake for dessert.
Contact James Clark:
609-272-7262
Serves 1
Ingredients:
n 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
n 2 cloves garlic, minced
n 4 fresh shrimp
n 5 fresh scallops
n 5 small clams in shell
n 5 mussels in shell
n 1 cup white wine
n Pinch of salt and pepper
n 2 tablespoons fresh, chopped shallots
n 2 tablespoons fresh, chopped parsley
n 2 tablespoons fresh, chopped basil
n 1 cup fresh marinara sauce
n 1/4 pound of thin spaghetti
Directions:
Add a drop of olive oil and a pinch of salt to a pot of water. Bring water to a boil and cook pasta al dente, according to package directions. While pasta is cooking, saute chopped garlic in olive oil. Add fresh seafood, white wine, a pinch of salt and pepper, 2 tablespoons each of fresh chopped shallots, parsley and basil.
Cover and simmer until shrimp and scallops are opaque, and the clam and mussel shells have opened. Add 1 cup fresh marinara sauce. Simmer until heated through. Drain pasta and place on plate. Remove seafood from pan to pasta and top with remaining sauce.
Posted in TASTE on Sunday, November 29, 2009 6:15 am Updated: 6:07 am.
Most Read Stories of the Week
31,000 without power in Cape May County as a new storm approaches
31,000 without power in Cape May County as a new storm approaches
Atlantic City supervisor charged with selling drugs while working on city property
Woman charged with stealing from local mayor is same woman who sued him alleging sexual harassment
No comments have been posted. Be the first poster!
Click here to report a comment as abusive.