Michael Slavin
VP Culinary & Menu Innovation
Houlihan’s | Bristol Seafood | J. Gilbert’s

Kitchen Collaborative is a recipe-development initiative formed by Summit F&B and Flavor & The Menu. To fuel flavor innovation, a group of talented chefs partnered with sponsor brands and commodity boards to create recipes that showcase the passion and potential of our industry.

“Anyone can read a recipe, and most can follow one relatively well. But there are only so many words you can put in print to guide someone on how to execute a recipe or plate build. I like teaching the ‘whys,’” says Michael Slavin, VP of Culinary & Menu Innovation at Houlihan’s, Bristol Seafood Group and J. Gilbert’s. His favorite part of being a professional chef is “teaching others who are younger and greener to respect food and cook with love.”

With age and experience, Slavin has embraced such opportunities with ever-greater fervor. “Early in my career, I was somewhat guarded with what I shared openly,” he admits, initially wary about divulging the secrets of his culinary success. “Now, I realize that imitation is the finest form of flattery!” he laughs. Here, Slavin makes no secret of his flavor-forward recipes for Kitchen Collaborative: Individual Meatloaf with Tangy Tomato Glaze, BBQ Demi and Kimchi; White Bean Hummus with Aussie Select Tikka Masala Lamb Ham; and Queso Fresco and Short Rib Birria Sopes with Roasted Artichoke and Warm White Bean Dip.

Individual Meatloaf with Tangy Tomato Glaze, BBQ Demi and Kimchi

Photo: Carlos Garcia // Food Styling: Peg Blackley

Any top 10 list of classic comfort entrées is virtually guaranteed to include meatloaf at or very near the top. It remains a standby at scores of American family dining concepts, with demand refusing to wane or be relegated only to Boomers. “When meatloaf is executed properly, it’s truly delicious. And even when it’s not, it’s still pretty damn good,” asserts Slavin. While today’s chefs may seek a contemporary translation—one that applies subtle tweaks without compromising its core characteristics—success can be elusive. Still the quest itself compels ongoing trial and error. “Rarely do you get the same flavor experience from modern meatloaf iterations—and that’s partly why there continues to be excitement and intrigue for ideating around the venerable dish.”

Seeking to spotlight Tyson Beef Crumbles, Slavin was determined to contribute a worthy entry into the modern meatloaf canon. “I thought of it as a secret ingredient cooking challenge,” he says. “I was inspired to develop something new, yet broadly appealing.” The result, Individual Meatloaf with Tangy Tomato Glaze, BBQ Demi and Kimchi, is undeniably elevated, yet features many familiar components of the classic recipe.

“I like to follow sound culinary principles related to the functions of ingredients: What acts as the binder? What ingredients are solely palate stimulators? What can be omitted or reduced by as much as half?” Slavin asks himself. “There are very specific reasons why the core group of ingredients are found in most classic meatloaf mixes: egg, salt, onion, bread crumbs, ground beef, etc.” The biggest adjustment, he discovered, was compensating for the low moisture and fat of the pre-cooked beef crumbles. “Those elements were noticeably missing, so I introduced heavy cream into the recipe.” Other enhancements come in the final build. Barbecue sauce and demi-glace are combined and then ladled onto the center of the plate. The meatloaf, with its tomato glaze, is positioned on top, with kimchi piled to the side. Reconstituted dried pasilla chiles are minced and crown the meatloaf. Micro greens and turmeric are final touches.

“The visual appeal and cozy aroma will certainly prepare the taste buds for what’s about to go down,” says Slavin. “My food is flavor-forward, so diners don’t wait long to recognize the pleasant smokiness of the chipotle purée in the tomato glaze or the bold beef notes from the meatloaf and the barbecue demi-glace combination.” The Tyson Beef Crumbles bring a nice savory flavor with black pepper notes, he explains, while the kimchi adds a refreshing sour pungency, along with acid, for balance on the palate. “This lets them appreciate the delicate but resilient texture, along with the pleasant mouthfeel.”

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White Bean Hummus with Aussie Select Tikka Masala Lamb Ham

Photo: Carlos Garcia // Food Styling: Peg Blackley

For this White Bean Hummus with Aussie Select Tikka Masala Lamb Ham, it’s fun to follow Slavin’s cross-cultural recipe ideation process. Lamb ham with an Indian flavor profile serves as a topper for a more traditional Mediterranean-inspired hummus, with tortilla chips rounding out the dish. “I’ve had several opportunities to ideate with the Aussie Select line of lamb charcuterie,” says Slavin. “It’s remarkably versatile, refined, balanced, approachable and really delicious.”

While a sandwich build might have been a more expected approach for the fully cooked roast, Slavin was reminded of his love for making “prosciutto chips.” That led to his idea to crisp the lamb ham and use it in the hummus application. “When I imagine hummus builds, I go through a series of influences, ranging from Turkish to Middle Eastern to Greek. Indian cuisine has seen Middle Eastern and Arabian flavor fusions throughout its history.” Thus, he didn’t see the tikka masala flavor profile paired with hummus as a particularly big leap. The seared “ham” pieces “give the hummus a robust flavor pop and the necessary textural element to contrast with the creamy hummus—kind of like a gastronomic mutual symbiosis, if you will,” he says, claiming credit for this “Slavin Original” terminology.

Now, the flour tortilla chips? Those were a leap, Slavin concedes. “But they are the perfect vehicle for this dish. Frying flour tortilla chips just right produces a toasty flavor in a super crunchy chip that you just can’t achieve with naan, pita or paratha—as much as I adore all of those.”

The complete build sees the white bean hummus supported not only by the bits of crispy lamb ham, but also halloumi- and gherkin-stuffed olives, crumbled feta, basil oil and fresh cracked black pepper. “Its complementary characteristics are compounded,” says Slavin, who describes the ingredient contributions to three fundamental flavor elements. “Brininess comes from the halloumi, feta and olives. Astringency is produced by the turmeric and beans and satiation is delivered by the lamb and tahini.”

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Queso Fresco and Short Rib Birria Sopes with Roasted Artichoke and Warm White Bean Dip

Photo: Carlos Garcia // Food Styling: Peg Blackley

Presented with a wide array of Real California cheese options, Slavin selected queso fresco, one of the most popular Hispanic-style cheeses, as the variety to spotlight. He was attracted to its bright-white appearance and mild, tangy flavor. The chef would go on to apply those visual and flavor characteristics in the Queso Fresco and Short Rib Birria Sopes with Roasted Artichoke and Warm White Bean Dip. “Birria is still growing in popularity among American consumers,” says Slavin. “I think it will continue to be utilized much more broadly than simply with tacos.”

The queso fresco brings in the crave. “I wanted to isolate a nice wedge of the cheese to grill and serve warm with the birria braising liquid in a crock,” Slavin explains. “As you break away forkfuls, the warm cheese soaks up the ‘sauce’ and creates an undeniable addiction.” Grilling the queso fresco was an intriguing tactic. “It brings out the saltiness, while creating a nice outer crust that holds its shape for service.”

While the photo above features just one flavor build for the sopes, Slavin’s recipe is a multi-component feast of flavors and textures: There are the birria-braised short ribs, two fried sopes, the white bean dip featuring roasted garlic purée and roasted artichoke hearts, pickled red onions and the crock layered with the dip, the grilled wedge of queso fresco, the birria liquid, hot sauce, cilantro oil and more queso fresco, this time in crumbles.

“The crispy, fried sopes needed a warm, smooth spread to coat the inside, so I made a simple but delicious roasted artichoke and bean spread. I suggest two slightly different builds for the sopes, so the diner gets multiple flavor experiences. One focuses on the tender birria short rib and the other is more subtle with a reserved artichoke heart,” says Slavin. “The crock is its own headliner, as much the hero as the short ribs.”

All told, sums up the chef, “Three different stars shine on one plate in harmony: the birria short rib on one sope, the artichoke heart and roasted garlic on the other sope and the grilled queso fresco in the crock. It really shows how queso fresco can be so much more than crumbles on a salad or taco.”

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Project Management: Summit F&B
Photography: Carlos Garcia // Food Styling: Peg Blackley