Last week we introduced you to Hope Kisinger, a senior at Westerly High School who will be graduating this year.  This week we would like you to meet Zachary Zarkowski. A part of the culinary program for the last four years, Zach will be attending Johnson & Wales in the fall.

Zach became interested in cooking at age fourteen and has a dream job of becoming an executive chef or owning his own restaurant.  We sat down with Zach to talk about food and quickly realized that this is a young man who knows himself very well- knows what he hopes to accomplish and what he needs to do to get there.

WF: Do you watch any cooking shows on TV?

ZZ: Hell’s Kitchen, Master Chef, Halloween Wars, Diners Drive-Ins and Dives.

WF: Which is your favorite and why?

ZZ: Hell’s Kitchen because of what goes on in there and the challenges.  I like that it shows the progression of the cooks.

WF: Which chefs/ cooks inspire you?

ZZ: Gordon Ramsay.  I like how much he has accomplished while remaining a family guy.

WF: Do you have a favorite food?

ZZ: Prime Rib.

WF: Have you worked in kitchens outside the Highland Grille?

ZZ: Yes, Paddy’s, Amanda’s Pantry, and McDonalds.

WF: What is the best thing you’ve ever eaten?

ZZ: Prime rib with garlic and herbs.  I made it myself.

WF: What is the strangest thing you’ve ever eaten?

ZZ: I don’t venture out much but I’d like to try snails.

WF: What is the most disgusting thing you’ve ever eaten?

ZZ: Brussels sprouts. (Here at WF we hope Zach gives these another try! Roast them in olive oil and sea salt or puree them for an entirely different taste).

WF: What is your favorite thing to cook?

ZZ: Filet Minion.  It is easy too cook- a temperamental type of dish- not hard to make but you have to know what you are doing to get temperature right.

WF: Did you help out in your kitchen growing up?

ZZ:  Yes- only started at about fourteen because my mom wouldn’t let me touch oven as kid.  Now she lets me cook all the time- and now I grill too.

WF: Where do you hope to be in five years?

ZZ: I hope to be working as a sous chef or on a line because you do have to work your way up- start as a line cook- you aren’t going to be on dish- you are going to be learning and working your way up.

WF: If you could meet one chef who would it be?

ZZ: Wolfgang Puck because of how excellent he has done and because of how much he has done in the culinary field.  Spago  is a well known restaurant.

WF: What did you eat for breakfast?

ZZ: A bowl of Honey Nut Cherios.

WF: What is your favorite junk food?

ZZ: Ice Cream.

WF: How do you feel about people taking photographs in restaurants?

ZZ: I think it can become helpful as long as the restaurant is kept well, neat and organized.   If you use photos you can take pictures of food and people can be inspired to come there.

WF: Do you have a favorite restaurant?

ZZ: The Roast House in Blackstone, MA.

WF: What was your senior project about?

ZZ: Burger night.  I selected burger night because burgers are simple – they are my favorite thing- I can eat a burger every day.

WF: What was the process for the project? Who did you present it to?

ZZ: I wrote a paper about PTSD- which is why I donated the proceeds from Burger Night to the Wounded Warrior Project. I know a lot of veterans-  my friend was in the Marines and he did a lot and I heard about a lot of it- I was embraced by that and I feel for the vets- PTSD, injuries, mental and physical- we should be helping with that.

WF: Give us a kitchen tip.

ZZ: The less you flip a burger the better it will taste, the juicer it will be- don’t mess with the meat.

WF: What is your favorite family recipe?

ZZ: My great grandmother’s cherry cheesecake.  It is a secret family recipe that we still make today.

WF: Where is your favorite pizza place in Westerly?

ZZ: Midway. It is a sheet pizza- not as crusty- not frozen crust- baked fresh.

WF: What is your favorite spice to cook with?

ZZ: Chili or Old Bay.

WF: Do you have a favorite culinary movie?

ZZ: Ratatouille.

WF: What is your favorite school subject besides cooking?

ZZ:  Gym . I love it because you get to show your strength, work on it, work on weakness, talk to friends in all grades mixed together.  I like moving around and not sitting.

WF: Do you read food blogs?

ZZ: Yes, Westerly Food.  I started reading it after our Ocean House Gingerbread competition.  (Great answer, Zach!)

WF: Do you remember your first culinary class at WHS?

ZZ: Yes. We sat down and were awed by the room.  We took it all in and Chef gave us paperwork to sign.  It was a lecture. I took it all in. I knew it was what I wanted to do.

WF: What has been your greatest achievement in the culinary program?

ZZ: Hospitality with Future Business Leaders of America.  It helped me by using these skills- I took first place in the state.

WF: What will you take away from your culinary education at WHS?

ZZ: To be patient, to know what you are doing. Never rush. Put proper planning in place. Be prepared for the worst. The best might happen.