Foodie Chap Probes Chef Banks White For His "Secret" Sauce

Chef Banks White and Liam
"Being a chef to me is about making people happy through food"- Chef Banks White, The Brixton San Francisco 

SAN FRANCISCO (KCBS RADIO) — Meet Executive Chef Banks White at the helm at The Brixton, formerly Paragon, a hop,  skip and a jump from Oracle Park in SOMA, San Francisco.His cuisine here showcases comfort food with a twist using the best of California’s bounty, locally sourced. His family’s Southern culinary influences are also sprinkled throughout his menu. Chef’s Grandma was his early inspiration.

Banks White got his culinary start in Texas but was quickly drawn to California. One of the first kitchens that taught him how to become a better chef, Alice Waters famed Chez Panisse. This was enough toinspire him to work hard and move on up the culinary chain.

His fine-dining chops were honed at Etoille at Domaine Chandon and Auberge du Soleil in Rutherford.

He also works alongside the great Roland Passot at San Francisco's La Folie.

The title Executive Chef came to this young chef when he was asked to helm the kitchen at Hotel Shattuck Plaza, Berkeley.

He left the Bay Area for a stint in New York and then a year of travel to South East Asia where he found much culinary inspiration. But then came the pullback to the Bay finding Chef at the helm of the Hat Trick Culinary team opening the Brixton in Cow Hollow and now the larger 5900 square foot Brixton in SOMA SF. The Rambler is also a part of this diverse restaurant group.

Chef Banks White cooks with soul and hits all the right notes at The Brixton. Menu items that are a must-have are aplenty:*Brixton deluxe burger w/pimento cheese, chili, pickled chow chow*gulf shrimp ala plancha *pappardelle pasta*short rib grilled cheese sandwiches*fried adobo style baby back ribs

The Brixton on 2nd Street is open daily for lunch and dinner is a great spot for a pre or postgame bite but also good for groups and parties or for an intimate lunch or dinner for two.  The two private rooms are a nod to SF GIANTS #24 Willie Mays and #48 Willie McCovey.  Go for the killer cocktails, tasty pub grub and soak up the Rock N’Roll Art while there - a nice nod to the London music venue and namesake The Brixton.

Enjoy the tasty conversation with Chef Bank White and try his knockout adobo ribs recipe below. We met at The Brixton for our Foodie Chap chat.

Cheers and #GoGIANTS

Ingredients:
  • 1 slab of baby back ribs (cleaned) 
  • Rib marinade let ribs sit covered for 24 hours 
  • 3 TBSP Garlic mince
  • 3 TBSP Ginger mince
  • 2 cups soy sauce 
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar
  • 3 TBSP fish sauce 
  • 2 TBSP Sambal 

Instructions:

  • Scrape off marinade 
  • In a deep dish pan, cover the ribs in chicken stock cover with foil and let bake for 1 hour and 30 min convection fan or until the ribs are tender.
  • Slice individual ribs and fry at 350 degrees until golden brown.

Adobo Sauce Ingredients:

  • 2 TBSP Ginger Mince 
  • 2 TBSP Garlic Mince
  • 1 cup Soy Sauce lite
  • 1 cup of water 
  • 1 TBS Fish Sauce 
  • 2 TBSP Palm Sugar 
  • 4 TBSP Rice Wine Vinegar
  • 3 TBSP Mae ploy
  • 1/4 cup Slurry equal parts cornstarch/water
  • 1 stalk Lemongrass 

Instructions:

  • Sweat ginger, garlic, until translucent add sugar, deglaze with soy sauce, water, vinegar, Mae ploy, lemongrass.
  • Let simmer on medium, add slurry to thicken sauce. 
  • Fry ribs add sauce to pan until they stick to the ribs.
______________________________________________________