A
Bite
of
Baltimore
Baltimore
Foodies
Interview
Series
Ted
Stelzenmuller
–
Executive
Chef
at
Red
Fish
Chef
Ted
Stelzenmuller’s
culinary
career
started
at
Baltimore
International
Culinary
College
in
1994.
During
his
time
at
BICC
(as
it
was
known
then)
he
traveled
to
Ireland
to
study
under
two
members
of
Ireland's
Olympic
Culinary
team,
Joseph
Clinton
and
Patrick
McGee.
At
the
age
of
twenty
five,
he
became
Executive
Chef
at
one
of
Maryland's
largest
seafood
restaurants,
Gibby’s,
in
Timonium.
In
May,
2002,
feeling
the
desire
to
join
the
downtown
culinary
scene,
he
accepted
the
position
of
Executive
Chef
at
Michael
Srraregareas'
soon
to
be
opened
Red
Fish.
Red
Fish
will
be
celebrating
its
fourth
anniversary
this
summer,
on
July
15th.
Chef
Ted
is
Co-President
of
the
BIC
(as
it
is
now
known)
Alumni
Association
with
Chef
Daniel
J.
Hill,
of
the
Main
Ingredient
in
Annapolis.
Ted
is
also
Assistant
Director
of
the
Fraternite
Gastronomique.
(see
the
About
Us
section)
Before
we
start,
could
you
please
give
a
short
history
of
yourself
and
a
snapshot
of
some
of
the
other
places
you’ve
worked?
I
started
cooking
at
the
age
of
twenty,
having
never
done
it
before
and
needing
to
do
something
with
my
life.
By
the
age
of
twenty-five
I
was
the
Executive
chef
of
Gibby’s,
one
of
Maryland’s
largest
privately
owned
seafood
restaurants.
By
twenty-eight
I
opened
Red
Fish,
for
better
or
worse.
I
absolutely
love
working
with
Mediterranean
cuisine
because
it’s
so
vast.
Many
chefs
find
themselves
bored
easily
because
of
the
constraints
of
the
cuisine
they’re
serving.
If I
get
bored
I
simply
change
regions
of
the
Mediterranean.
I
have
helped
start
an
organization
of
local
chefs
called
the
Fraternite
Gastronomique.
And
finally,
one
day
I
plan
to
rule
the
culinary
world.
What
and
where
did
you
eat
last
night?
I
ate
at
Red
Fish,
because
that
is
where
I
live,
and
had
hickory
smoked
bacon
wrapped
meat
loaf,
with
tomato
demi
glace.
Who
would
you
invite
to
your
fantasy
dinner
party?
All
of
my
friends,
the
2005
Steelers,
Damon
Albarn,
Mario
Lemieux,
Escoffier,
Winston
Churchill,
and
the
Swedes
I
met
in
Amsterdam.
What’s
always
in
your
fridge?
Condiments
and
beer
What
is
your
favorite
restaurant?
Nothing
will
ever
top
the
Ruby
Lounge,
it’s
a
shame
it’s
no
longer
around.
What
food
reminds
you
of
childhood?
Pretzels
What
food
makes
you
think
of
holidays?
My
mother’s
parker
house
rolls
What
is
your
favorite
foreign
cuisine?
Spanish
What
is
your
most
used
cookbook?
It
sounds
egotistical,
but
it’s
true,
my
head
Iced
tea
or
coffee?
Coffee
Scrapple:
love
it
or
hate
it?
LOVE
IT
Who’s
your
favorite
TV
chef?
Anthony
Bourdain
What
would
you
have
for
your
final
meal?
A
double
quarter
pounder
with
cheese,
French
fries,
and
a
coke.
What
food
do
you
dislike
most?
Nutmeg
Favorite
indulgence?
Everything,
you
don’t
get
my
waistline
without
over
indulging!
What’s
the
most
memorable
meal
you’ve
ever
had?
Pizza
on
the
steps
of a
church
on
the
Isle
of
Capri
