Sean Sinclair of Level 5 in Albuquerque talks persimmons, dream meals, and the memory of a baguette in a Parisian park that led him to chase both his personal and professional dreams.
Proust Questionnaire with Sean Sinclair
Red, green, or Christmas?
Always red! I like green chile on burgers but when I eat New Mexican it’s always red.
What qualities make for a great restaurant?
Consistency is everything both in food and service. Great food brings people in. Great service brings them back.
What qualities make for a great chef?
To be a great chef requires that a lot of skills to be linked together. Being just a great cook does not make one a great chef. When you can link great cooking with excellent leadership, top notch organizational skills, deep knowledge of food products and sourcing, labor and cost control management expertise, and a level head…that makes a great chef.
What makes your restaurant special?
Level 5 is special because we have a high level of attention to detail. The restaurant is gorgeous, the food is simple yet focused, and the service is impeccable.
What inspired you to become a chef?
I have always loved the response of people when you feed them well. I loved that feeling as a young man and I chase that still to this day.
What do you appreciate most/look for in your sous chefs?
Our Sous Chef, Todd, is a silent assassin. He’s humble, hard-working, kind, and extremely knowledgeable about food. Sous Chef is the hardest job in every restaurant and ours is top notch.
What is your favorite ingredient?
My favorite ingredient is always changing with season. This year the persimmons have been particularly delicious.
What is your favorite dish you make?
Currently, my favorite dish on our menu is our Foie Gras Pasta.
When you’re not working, where can we find you?
When I am not working, I am at home with my family. I have two kids River (3.5) and Sonny (1). I I try to spend as much time with them as possible.
What is your guilty pleasure?
A basket of Fish & Chips from Hook It Up Fish & Chips in Sawmill Market.
If you weren’t a chef, what would you be?
I don’t really consider what else I would be because I love what I do so much.
What’s the best meal you ever had?
The best meal I’ve ever had was shared with my wife in Paris in a random park. We had a fresh baguette, some charcuterie and some cheese. We watched as a group of kids played in the park and we talked about our future and how maybe someday we’d have a little family. Today I look back on that meal with a feeling of accomplishment that we set out to do something and we did it together.
If you could make a dinner reservation anywhere in the world…?
Hard pick. Frog by Adam Handling in London or Atomix by Chef Junghyum ‘JP’ Park in NYC.
What is your first food memory? Happy? Not?
My first food memory is making pico de gallo in a slap chopper for my family. There was a recipe on the side of the box the machine came in and I followed it closely. I served the salsa to my family and I remember them being very surprised and happy. They said they liked it, I doubt they did. I think that was the moment I wanted to pursue cooking and I was 6 or 7 years old.
Story by Julia Platt Leonard
Photo by Emily Okamoto
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