Weston Ludeke, Executive Chef at The Compound in Sante Fe talks pâté, favorite restaurants, and a dream meal at restaurant that no longer exists as part of our Proust Questionnaire series.
Proust Questionnaire with Weston Ludeke
Red, green, or Christmas?
Green.
What qualities make for a great restaurant?
Culture and History. I think the best restaurants are those founded upon being a part of the community for decades.
What qualities make for a great chef?
Willingness to teach, mentor, and impact an individual.
What makes you a great chef?
I don’t stop learning, and that includes from my staff, which I think sets us apart.
What makes your restaurant special?
It is timeless. It is grateful, and it gives back. That is the backbone of a restaurant that has impact.
What inspired you to become a chef?
At first, it was fun. Now, it is important.
What is your favorite ingredient?
Salt.
What is your favorite dish you make?
Pâté, terrine, etc. Charcuterie is a lost skill and one I pride myself on knowing.
When you’re not working, where can we find you?
It’s cold now, so in my home, building a fire and grilling on the Egg.
What is your guilty pleasure?
Too much of anything.
If you weren’t a chef, what would you be?
A cook.
What’s the best meal you ever had?
L’Ambroisie Paris. Tradition, family, recipes that defined an era. Closest second is St. John in London.
If you could make a dinner reservation anywhere in the world…?
Can it not exist? Harveys in 1987 while Marco Pierre White was still cooking. Or Charlie Trotters, if he was alive and still cooking.
Story by Julia Platt Leonard
Photo by Gabriella Marks
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