Too many cooks may spoil the broth. But two cooks — actually, two talented executive chefs — can perfect such dishes as roasted local quail with foie gras and pan-seared duck breast with Yukon gold potato confit. In this case, the two partnering chefs — Jonathan Krinn and Jon Mathieson — are presiding over a new sleek, slick kitchen in the recently opened Inox, a Tysons Corner restaurant keeping company with such high-end neighbors as The Ritz-Carlton Hotel, Saks Fifth Avenue and Neiman-Marcus.
Fortunately, Krinn and Mathieson are no strangers to each other’s work habits. Indeed, they have been colleagues for several years.
They formerly teamed as chefs at Falls Church’s swanky 2941, a restaurant catering to sophisticated patrons with educated palates.
And to enhance this new partnership, Krinn has enrolled his father — he of the noteworthy breads and baked goods that graced 2941’s tables — as Inox’s bread baker.
“He’s been baking for more than 30 years,” says Krinn. “He didn’t want to retire, so he joined us. He just loves it.”
Both chefs come to the kitchen table with a lifelong passion for kitchen craft. For Mathieson, as one of four children in a busy household, he pitched in with the family’s cooking, even playing hooky on occasion to bake brownies and cakes.
“At the end of high school,” he says, “I wandered around until I decided to go to culinary school.”
Upon graduating from the Culinary Institute of America, Mathieson set out to enhance his skills by working with various high-profile chefs, such as Seppi Renggli at New York’s Four Seasons and Gray Kunz at New York’s Lespinasse Restaurant, where during his five-year tenure, Mathieson saw the restaurant gain four stars from The New York Times, among other awards.
As for Krinn, with his baker father at his side, he rushed into the kitchen early in life.
“Dad was always baking breads and making fresh pasta, which he used to hang to dry over a broomstick,” he says. “We were really into good food, and we really like to go out to eat. I [still] love eating. I love restaurants.”
A graduate of L’Academie de Cuisine in Gaithersburg, Krinn sharpened his skills by working for such chefs as Gerard Pangaud at the now-closed Gerard’s Place in D.C., Alain Ducasse at Le Louis XV in Monte Carlo and Tom Colicchio at Gramercy Tavern in New York.
So how do these two make it all work in this new kitchen?
“Well,” says Mathieson, “it’s teamwork. We work collaboratively on the menu. And we play off each other.”
Krinn says the kitchen environment is “electric,” with daily challenges and a fast-paced routine. “Jon’s an incredible leader,” he adds.
As the two dish out compliments, the listener gets the sense these guys really get it: They know how to swap ideas, trade kitchen duties and rally the crew without stepping on the other’s toes.
“The philosophy is to have two chefs who can spell each other on days off and vacations,” Mathieson says. “It also help keep up the creative influences. … We both have strengths and weaknesses, so this is a balance.”
But don’t they clash over recipe development, as tempting dishes are the cornerstone of any great menu? Apparently, not at all.
“Jon (Mathieson) is adept at looking at the same ingredient and coming up with something new, fast,” says Krinn of Mathieson’s strong culinary background, “Mathieson is the ultimate technician.”
As the chefs rally and inspire the staff, chat with guests and dream up new dishes for a constantly evolving menu, clearly they intend for Inox to bring a whole different meaning to the phrase “casual dining.”
If you go
Inox Restaurant
800 Tysons Blvd., Suite 70, McLean
703-790-4669
Hours: Lunch — 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Monday-Friday; Dinner — 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday-Friday; 5 p.m. to 11 p.m. Saturday
Q&A with Chef Jonathan Krinn and Chef Jon Mathieson
What is your signature dish?
Mathieson: We are not at that point yet, but we are working towards that. We have a few dishes that could work in the future. Right now, we have snail tortellini with garlic and parsley. It has the same feel of escargot in pasta. … We use ingredients from around the world to make great American cuisine. … The U.S. is a melting pot, and it shows in our food.
What is your comfort food?
Mathieson: Oatmeal, as it helps lower cholesterol. People are very fond of clean eating right now, and it is the chef’s responsibility to self, and to the public, to realize some of these issues: … olive oil, herbs and a lightening up of cooking with a citrusy approach.
Krinn: Pasta late at night is the perfect thing. … A loaf of dad’s bread, which I eat in the car [after work].
Where do you eat out?
Mathieson: Restaurant Eve, CityZen, but with the family, we cook at home. With a 2- and a 4-year-old it’s hard to eat out.
Krinn: Tastee Diner. We love their pancakes.
Which is your favorite cuisine?
Mathieson: American, progressive American. Or French bistro.
Krinn: French brasserie. I just like all of it.
What’s in your fridge?
Mathieson: Wow! Lots of brown rice, whole grains, beans, eggs, skirt steak, chicken and a lot of fruit.
Krinn: Yogurt, flax seeds, chocolate chip pancakes, meatloaf, salami, lettuce and chicken.
From the Chefs’ Kitchen
Slow-Cooked Beef Short Ribs
Serves 4
6 pieces beef short ribs, about 4 pounds
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
2 Tablespoons canola oil
1 large carrot, diced
1 small onion, diced
1 stalk celery, diced
3 sprigs fresh thyme
1 bay leaf
1 cup red wine
1 quart beef stock
1/2 cup butter
1 cup lentils
1/2 cup cream, heated
Preheat the oven to 250 degrees.
Sprinkle the short ribs with salt and pepper to taste. Heat the canola oil in a large pot over high heat, and sear the short ribs until brown on all sides. Remove the ribs from the pot, reduce the heat to medium, and add the carrot, onion and celery, cooking until caramelized. Add the thyme and deglaze with the red wine, cooking until the pot is almost dry. Put the short ribs back in. Add the beef stock, cover and cook in the oven until the ribs are fork tender. Remove the ribs from the pot and skim off any excess fat. Reduce the stock by three-quarters, or until almost syrupy. Season with salt and pepper and stir in the butter.
Meanwhile, to make the lentil purée, cook the lentils in water to cover until soft. Spoon the lentils into a blender with some cooking liquid and the hot cream and purée until smooth; add the cream slowly, just until the mixture is smooth. Season with salt and pepper.
To serve, spoon some lentils onto a plate and place a short rib on top of the lentils. Spoon some pan juices around the lentils.
Repeat until all the ingredients are used up.
