“Jack of all trades is a master of none,” is what Chef Venoy Rogers III imagined his competitors thought of him when he entered the arena to compete on The Roku Channel’s Morimoto’s Sushi Master. But to him, the metaphor was unfinished.
“Jack of all trades is a master of none, but oftentimes better than a master of one,” says Chef Venoy.
At Certified Angus Beef, Chef Venoy is the Executive Chef of the Culinary Center, where he spends his days creating new and innovative beef dishes for visiting partners. Prior to joining Certified Angus Beef, he spent 15 years sharpening his beef and culinary knowledge at numerous 5-star hotels.
Despite his career serving the best beef, Chef Venoy pursued the opportunity to compete on Morimoto’s Sushi Master to expand his culinary horizons and bring new inspiration back to Certified Angus Beef’s Culinary Center.
“I’m always on a mission to explore new cuisines and learn as much as possible. And, I think that desire to continue improving is what led me to compete on this show. I saw how truly dedicated my competition was to Japanese cuisine and that led me to better appreciate the culture and techniques behind the dishes I created.”
While competing, Chef Venoy quickly realized that using three basic ingredients – sugar, soy sauce and rice vinegar – created a base for any type of flavor profile he was creating. By incorporating these simple ingredients, he was able to diversify the plates he served and, in some challenges, stay true to his American cuisine roots while incorporating Japanese flavors.
“This experience really opened my eyes to the possibilities within Japanese cuisine. I have realized that there are so many creative dishes we wouldn’t normally think of when it comes to sushi, and I’m looking forward to bringing what I’ve learned and new inspiration back to the Culinary Center and our partners.”
Combining his new inspiration with his passion for versatility, Chef Venoy continues to bring culinary innovation to the Culinary Center—namely in the form of a new top sirloin spicy sushi roll.
“Food should be an adventure. It’s been fun to see Culinary Center guests embrace this sushi roll. I think it’s the perfect example of finding a creative use for an often times underutilized cut.”
It takes years to become a master of something but that’s not the goal for this chef. By exploring different cuisines and challenging himself to learn, Chef Venoy really is a “Jack of all trades.”
To watch Chef Venoy compete amongst the best, watch the inaugural season of Morimoto’s Sushi Master on The Roku Channel streaming June 16.
