7 Questions with Chef Dan Lane
Name: Chef Dan Lane
Restaurant: Union Straw
Town: Foxboro Ma
Background:
Craig Kimberly and I started a Competition BBQ Team Called Grand Smoke Railroad. Craig hosts the BBQ-it show on You Tube. You all should definitely check that out. We have competed in the World Food Championships, World BBQ Championships during Memphis in May, as well as many other competitions that bring us all over the country and where we have met so many amazing people. We look forward to many more of these opportunities and competitions when this is all over. You can check out what we are doing at Chefdanlane.com or bbqitshow.com.
Q1 What is your first or best memory of cooking and who was it with?
I would say that my best and first memory of cooking would be cooking with my grandfather. He would always have me help him in the kitchen at a young age. He would let me help out with the big holiday meals for the family and also have me come out to help him and my father grill and smoke meats when we went to visit him. I really enjoyed this time with him and learned a lot from him during that time.
Q2 What is your most popular dish?
The most popular dish would probably be my 2018 Culinary Fight Club “Here’s the beef” winning rib eye steak. It is served with pee wee potatoes shiitake mushrooms ,duck confit, wilted arugula and topped with a balsamic glaze.
Q3 What is your favorite dish to make?
I always have a difficult time answering this question. The best thing about being a chef is that with the right group backing you, you have the ability to do what you feel that day. On any given day, you may feel like challenging yourself to a dish you never made or one you have thought about making and finally pull the trigger to make it. My favorite dish comes from whatever mood I am in that day.
Q4 Do you have any pet peeves about the industry?
I do not have any real pet peeves with the industry. It is always fun to be able to do what we love to do every day.
Q5 Person you would most like to cook for?
I would say my Grandfather again. I never had the chance to cook a meal for him on my own. He recently passed away a week ago. I would have loved to cook a meal for him as he was one of the biggest inspirations for me to become the chef I am today.
Q6 If you weren’t cooking, what would you do for a living?
I had always had a dream of traveling and doing ski demos for Rossignol so I can just go ski all over the world and work at the same time.
Q7 Not your own spot, what is your favorite restaurant?
I love Prohibition Pig in Waterbury VT. I have never had a bad meal there and the vibe is perfect.
The MUST TRY items according to Taste of Massachusetts:
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