613 Beaver Street, Sewickley; 412.741.2459, slipperymermaid.com

Summer 2018

On the Menu:
Authentic concept of sushi with inventive menu items. The cuisine has a Western flair to an age-old tradition by including non-traditional items that would not be found or paired with sushi normally, using both cooked and raw items. From signature rolls, such as the Psycho Mermaid (shrimp tempura roll stacked with baked surimi blend and eel sauce), the Angry Pirate (raider roll with bacon, yellowfin tuna, baked surimi blend, garlic sauce and eel sauce), and the Sexy Mermaid (steamed shrimp, cream cheese, bacon and fried jalapenos inside, topped with yellowfin tuna, house spicy garlic sauce, sriracha, fresh cilantro and thin lime slices), to handcrafted cocktails, artisan wine and craft beers—the fare is a delicacy with abundant flavor.

Describe the moment you found a passion for food.
I’ve had a passion and a knack for cooking for as long as I can remember. I was always encouraged by my family to be in the kitchen and I learned the basic skills and ingredients. From there I developed my own style and fell in love preparing food for people and watching their eyes light up. I have always wanted to be a chef either professionally or leisurely since I was 9 years old.

How did you start in the restaurant business?
At 18, I started working during my summer breaks at the original Slippery Mermaid in Navarre, Florida—which my mother created and opened in 2008 and is now managed by my older sister, Ricki. At first, I started out dishwashing and serving but I knew instantly after observing the chefs, including my sister, that making sushi was right up my alley. From there I would work during every school break, and after finishing college at West Virginia University I made the decision to pursue the opportunity to open a Slippery Mermaid of my own with the help of my family.

Who has influenced your cooking?
I have several people who have influenced my cooking. I learned a lot from my grandmother and her Southern style of cooking. I learned from both my parents and their skills from owning a couple of seafood restaurants before I was born. Most of all, though, I learned from Ricki. She has twice the love for food than I do. Ricki and I often clash, but with her knowledge and skills paired together with my competitive nature and passion—this combination has always pushed me to make myself better, especially with sushi.

What kitchen tools can’t you live without?
My most valuable tools in the kitchen are my Shun Premier Knives and my nose. I have always been able to smell ingredients separately or together to create the flavor I want to accomplish. For my knives, I have an 8-inch chef knife that’s my workhorse. It handles everything I throw at it. It’s perfect for cutting the sushi rolls and mastering my prep work. My 11-inch slicing knife I use mainly for sashimi and thin-cut garnishes.

What’s your go-to ingredient?
Salt, pepper and garlic—also known as “SPG” to the chefs at The Slipp. You can’t go wrong with these ingredients if used in the proper amounts. I also use a lot of extra virgin olive oil and fresh herbs.

What is your favorite quick meal to prepare at home?
I am a sucker for cheese and charcuterie plates with all the fixings like pickled veggies, mustards, honey and hot sauces. However, if I’m making a dish for friends or family it’s probably going to be something on the grill. You can’t go wrong with a good steak dinner. Filet mignon, mid-rare, topped with garlic and herb butter served with asparagus and fingerling potatoes. Another go-to dish are pork chops marinated in soy sauce and orange juice chargrilled to perfection and served with a grilled pineapple chutney and roasted veggies.

Best advice for a novice?
My best advice for any level of chef is you can always add ingredients but most of the time you can’t take them out. So add ingredients in moderation until you achieve the taste you want, to avoid overdoing it. Another piece of advice is never stop experimenting and always be eager to get out there, learn from others and experience all the different flavors and cuisines the world has to offer.

What’s the next big food or dining trend?
One of the up-and-coming trends I’m seeing is the concept of a ghost restaurant—opening a satellite unit that complements our full-service restaurant and taking advantage of metropolitan delivery services such as GrubHub and Uber Eats. This way, the customer doesn’t have to come in for the full ceremony of a sit-down meal, but can get their sushi fix on the fly and have it delivered at their door.

—Reese Randall