Around The Kitchen In 3 Questions: Chef Zachary Ladwig

The Daily Meal caught up with Washington, Texas, chef Zachary Ladwig to learn about how his travels influence his work. Ladwig is the chef at The Inn at Dos Brisas, Texas' only Forbes five-star restaurant that focuses on serving local and seasonal ingredients. His menus change daily and nearly all herbs and vegetables on chef Ladwig's menus come from a 24-acre organic farm and 8,000-square-foot greenhouses on the estate.

The Daily Meal: What has been your most inspirational food experience while traveling?

Zachary Ladwig: The first time I traveled to New York, I was looking for work and trailing at any restaurant I could. I had a rare opportunity to have a Friday night off, so one of the sous chefs at the restaurant I was trailing at recommended I check out wd~50. It turned out to be a really cool and unique experience, being that I had only read about that style of modernist cuisine. Everything was unique, thought-provoking, and made me start to look at food in a different way.

TDM: What's your favorite kitchen souvenir from your travels?

ZL: A small spoon from every single restaurant.

TDM: If you could eat your way through one country, which one would it be and why?

ZL: Japan. I think Japan's purity of ingredients and techniques will always be second to none! Japanese cuisine is clear and precise; the chefs show incredible restraint in not overcomplicating things and masking flavors — it is truly an ingredient-driven cuisine!