A long-time fixture on the D.C. dining scene, Duane Keller has cooked around town at some of the area’s best restaurants, and has lived to tell the tale. Folks might remember him from Moon Bay Coastal Cuisine at National Harbor. He has garnered much attention and many awards in his career. In 2002, Keller helped Julia Child celebrate her 90th birthday with various gastronomic creations. He has cooked at the James Beard House in New York; and he was featured in the now-closed Gourmet Magazine when head chef at the 17th-century Ashby Inn in Paris, Virginia.
Today, Keller presides over the kitchen of the very upscale Boxwoods at George Mason University, where he serves everyone from conference attendees to GMU personnel to campus visitors looking for a primo meal: The menu is seasonal and he offers daily features. The menu is seasonal and the daily features are worth a visit.
| If you go |
| Boxwoods at Mason Inn |
| Where: 4352 Mason Pond Dr., Fairfax |
| Info: 703-865-4638 |
| Hours: Breakfast, 6:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m., daily; Lunch, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. daily; Dinner, 5 to 9 p.m. daily. |
When you understand his background, you will see why his food speaks for itself. Born in Canada and raised in Hershey, Penn., Keller was lured into the food world not only because both his parents were super home cooks and entertainers, but also because as a youngster, he worked at Alfred’s Victorian, one the finest and best known restaurants in Pennsylvania. There he found that his kitchen work turned out to shape his future: he loved working with food and people.
This passion was underscored after college, when Keller moved to Calgary to play professional hockey. To support himself, he took a job at a four-star hotel, with a chef who demanded perfection. “I learned that a chef must be proud of what you do, being in the kitchen,” he says. That early training in classical cooking techniques has shaped Keller’s cooking style, which is grounded in the classics but with the freedom to update his recipes, based on what is freshest locally. “I let the food speak for itself,” he said.
After 30 years in the hospitality business, Keller, dressed in his white toque and chef’s coat, talks about how he keeps on top of current food trends. “I go out to eat,” he said. “I am interested to see what serious restaurateurs are doing. The average ones don’t understand how much it takes to be successful….First impressions, how are guests greeted, seated, and served, to the overall value and warmth one receives.” These are as important to overall achievement as is the food, he says.
At the end of a working day, Keller can reflect on the day’s challenges and successes, because, in the end, he says, “I love what I do,” he said. “I jump out of bed every day, looking forward to wowing our guests.”
Q&A
What is your comfort food?
Chowders, bisques, seasonal hash, fresh fish, achiote chicken, veal chops, and lamb.
What is your signature dish?
Pan-seared Loch Duarte salmon on fingerling potato hash with fennel, asparagus, and oyster mushrooms.
What’s in your fridge?
It’s loaded with watermelon, goat cheese, 150 condiments, infused oils, fruits, and Greek yogurt.
Which chef do you admire most?
Patrick O’Connell from the Inn at Little Washington. He has 5 star – 5 Diamond Awards. Then Jos? Andr?s, but so many people deserve recognition.
Where is your favorite place in the world?
I really enjoy The Cove in the Bahamas. My favorite of anywhere is sitting o Lake Louise in British Columbia.
Recipe
Boxwood’s Pan Seared Loch Duarte Salmon
On Fingerling Potato Hash with a Balsamic Glaze
Serves 4
4 (7-ounce) Loch Duarte or other salmon fillets, preferably wild caught
2 tablespoons olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
The Glaze
6 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
6 tablespoons honey
3 tablespoon Pommery mustard
The Hash
2 cups sliced fingerling potatoes
4 large shallots, peeled and julienned
4 asparagus spears, cut on the bias
1 cup sliced oyster mushrooms
1/3 cup julienned red sweet peppers
1/3 cup julienned yellow sweet peppers
1/3 cup julienned green sweet peppers
? cup julienned fennel bulb
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
.
Rub Salmon with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Place saut? pan on medium heat and let heat for 2 minutes. Add all 4 salmon portions at once and let sear for 4 minutes. Turn over and sear for another 4 minutes. Remove from heat and let rest.
In the same pan add the butter, shallots and potatoes and cook over medium for 6 minutes or until potatoes are tender and are golden brown. Add the remaining Hash ingredients and saut? for 90 seconds. Remove from pan and plate hash with salmon on top and brush glaze on top of salmon.
