Chef Steven Fretz on Leaving Big Cities for Michelin's New Southwest Frontier

A California steakhouse veteran heads home to Utah right as Michelin comes calling. I love it when a chef gives me the honest version of a big accolade instead of the polished one, and that is exactly what happened this week. My guest got the email that every chef dreams about, and his first thought was not pride, it was suspicion. Is this spam. That is the real reaction, and I am obsessed with it. This episode is about what happens after two decades of cooking in some of the best kitchens in the country finally catches up with you, right as Michelin decides Utah is worth a look for the first time. If you have ever wondered whether awards like Michelin, James Beard, and World’s 50 Best actually mean anything beyond ego, this conversation gets into it honestly, no spin. Chef Steven Fretz has spent more than two decades in some of the country’s most respected kitchens, from San Francisco’s Fifth Floor to the Michael Mina Group, with stops working alongside David Burke and running his own restaurant, Church Key, in LA. He co-founded Coast Range, a Michelin recognized steakhouse in Solvang, California, and now he is home in Utah as culinary director and partner at South Hill, opening two new restaurants, Montbleu and Charlay, on the Wasatch Back. This is a DC food podcast that goes wherever the best chefs are, and this week that is Midway, Utah, talking Michelin Guide Utah steakhouse with Chef Steven Fretz. Key Takeaways Steven Fretz got the email announcing his Michelin recognition and assumed it was spam before he believed it was real. He calls himself a resting chef, searing and resting a steak up to ten times before it ever reaches the plate. Cooking is the easy part for Steven, hospitality is what actually separates a good restaurant from a great one. His new steakhouse at South Hill in Midway, Utah will use one hundred percent locally sourced product from ranchers and farmers he has met since moving there in February. Steven sees Michelin’s first Southwest guide as validation for a hospitality industry that is more educated and more skeptical of accolades than ever. Steven Fretz said, “Cooking’s easy. Hospitality is the hardest part.” Steven Fretz said, “Your steak’s not supposed to be hot. I’m a resting chef.” Timestamps 00:00 Nycci opens with the Roasted series and this week’s guest 03:20 Chef Steven Fretz joins the show 03:31 From skiing in Park City to his first kitchen job 06:32 Learning the standard of perfection under George Morone 10:23 Working with Michael Mina and the Mina family of chefs 13:06 How Coast Range in Solvang came together during Covid 16:03 The move back home to Utah and the South Hill project 19:56 Inside Montbleu and Charlay, opening at South Hill 21:03 Sourcing locally on a three month Wasatch Back growing season 23:50 What kind of steakhouse Charlay will actually be 26:47 Why Steven calls himself a resting chef 31:52 What Michelin, James Beard, and World’s 50 Best really mean to chefs 39:35 Cooking is easy, hospitality is hard 41:53 Where to find Montbleu and rapid fire questions Connect with Steven Fretz Website: montbleu.com Instagram: instagram.com/montbleu.com