Chef Talk: Lesley Harb of Fast N Fresh

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Lesley Harb of Fast N Fresh.

Lesley Harb of Fast N Fresh.

Lesley Harb, a chef and restaurateur behind the Fast N Fresh (32 S. Osprey Ave., Sarasota, 702-2900; 8105 Cooper Creek Boulevard, University Park, 315-4500; and 8138 Lakewood Main St., Bradenton, 462-2650; eatfastnfresh.com) concept, has been whipping up refreshingly healthy meals since her first eatery opened in Sarasota in 2009. She sources seasonal, and often local, ingredients for her salads and wraps, and delights in serving handcrafted dressings and in-house grilled meats.

Q: Your former career was as a nurse. How did you shift into the culinary industry?

A: Everything I know is self-taught, with the exception of an amazing week I spent taking a course at the Culinary Institute of America in New York for my 40th birthday. The restaurant business is quite a leap from my previous life as a registered nurse, though those skills do come in handy on occasion. Growing up, my rural Alabaman grandmother was probably my biggest culinary influence. She loved it when her family was home for the holidays and it was her mission to make sure we were fed well. There is something innately satisfying that comes from creating a meal and having the people you love devour it. To this day, I get a kick out of seeing bowls come back to the kitchen as clean as a whistle.

Q: What was your initial vision for Fast N Fresh and how has it evolved?

A: Fast N Fresh opened in The Shoppes at UTC in April 2009. Our vision has always been the same: to offer fresh food fast. These days, everyone is on the go. We wanted our place to be a place where people could create their own meal exactly how they wanted it. Face it, we are all a little picky and that is okay. You can come to one of our restaurants and never have the same meal twice, unless you want to. Over the last seven years, Fast N Fresh has grown and evolved to include three locations and a new menu with Grain Bowls.

Q: What are three of your signature items and what makes them unique?

A: Our Summer Pecan Salad blends the sweet, crunchy and chewy. It has spinach, Gorgonzola cheese, freshly sliced strawberries, glazed pecans, dried cranberries and our house-made raspberry vinaigrette. The Turkey Bacon Ranch Wrap is a low-fat, whole wheat wrap with romaine lettuce, shredded cheddar, tomatoes, bacon crumbles, Boar’s Head Ovengold turkey, freshly sliced avocados and ranch dressing. And the Bali Bowl is made with Basmati rice, spinach, purple cabbage, mango, sliced red peppers, green onions, carrots and our house-made coconut-peanut sauce.

Q: What makes your restaurant stand out in the local dining scene, in your opinion?

A: Fast N Fresh has been, from the beginning, an original. To this day, people come in and are blown away by the fact that they can be the chef and design a salad, wrap or grain bowl how they like it. Whether they like just a little dressing, or want freshly squeezed lemon and olive oil, we will happily do that. We also have our produce delivered daily. We use local produce, when seasonally available, and we slice, dice and chop almost all of our toppings. The meats are grilled in-house and we also make most of our dressings.

Q: What is one of your passions outside of work?

A: Because food is so photogenic and what we do is so visually appealing, I have been teaching myself food photography. It started with a Nikon D7000 camera and an inexpensive lens. But, much like an addict, it has evolved into the acquisition of a macro lens that makes my heart go pitter-patter every time I take it out of my camera bag. Now I have a permanent studio setup next to our kitchen at home so I can quickly shoot menu items as I create them.

CHICKEN SATAY AND SPICY THAI KALE SALAD

Ingredients: 

For the Chicken Satay -

1 pound chicken breast, cut into 1-inch-wide strips

2 tablespoons Penzeys Sate Seasoning

2 tablespoons canola oil

 

For the Spicy Thai Kale Salad -

1 head Romaine lettuce, cut into 1-inch pieces

6 ounces kale, torn into small pieces

¼ head purple cabbage, cut into thin strips

2 medium carrots, peeled and grated

1 large red pepper, cut into thin strips

2 green onions, cut crosswise into thin rings (white and light green parts only)

4 ounces crispy wonton strips

4 ounces crushed peanuts

2 ounces toasted sesame seeds

6-8 ounces spicy Thai peanut dressing (see recipe below)

Method:

For the chicken satay, toss the chicken strips, seasoning and oil in a bowl to coat. Skewer and grill.

For the salad: toss the ingredients in a large bowl. Reserve some peanuts, sesame seeds and wontons to use as garnish on top of the dressing.

SPICY THAI PEANUT DRESSING

Ingredients:

½ cup smooth peanut butter

4 tablespoons unseasoned rice vinegar

4 tablespoons fresh lime juice

6 tablespoons canola oil

2 tablespoons soy sauce or tamari

4 tablespoons honey

4 garlic gloves, roughly chopped

5 tablespoons sugar

1 2-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and grated

2 teaspoons salt

½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

 

Method:

Place the ingredients in a blender and mix. Refrigerate the mixture until it is ready to serve with the salad and skewers.

 

Last modified: April 11, 2016
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