Artisan Spotlight: Simon Davies

Feb 5

I’ve had to go through a mental shift since entering the food world, to embrace the fact that folks in hospitality are helpful and generous in countless ways, including their time. What a foreign concept for someone like myself who has worked in some pretty cutthroat corporate work environments! A recent example of this is my friend and former boss at Roister, chef Andrew Brochu connecting me with chef Simon Davies because he observed how much we are both drawn to food and world cultures.

And he was onto something. Getting to know Simon has been a silver lining in the unprecedented times we are living in. He was at Alinea, a three star Michelin restaurant in Chicago, for nearly 11 years, starting as an intern and rising the ranks to Executive Chef in 2018. He left in 2020 to pursue his own interests and create ilixr Creative “to bridge the culinary and creative worlds”. Do yourself a massive favor and follow him on Instagram (don’t miss his Insta story highlight reels) where he shares his creative culinary brilliance via breathtakingly beautiful videos and photography replete with recipes that are somehow feasible for us home cooks (he’s an innate teacher.)

We are similar when it comes to food in that we are curious and care about its heritage, view it as medicine, and value how powerful a connector it can be. I’ve observed how respectfully Simon approaches food cultures, is a sponge, and then is inspired to add his personal touch to dishes. Check out this video from his trip to India with Krug champagne, where chefs from 9 countries gathered in Jaipur to explore one ingredient: the onion. Watching this makes me simultaneously thirsty, hungry, and eager to travel (perhaps the most ideal of trifectas?!?)

Simon is a conscientious, mindful, and thoughtful chef and human, with the cherry on top being that he is talented beyond measure. He vibrates from a place of calm that is downright enviable. I’m excited to follow his journey and I know I am not the only one.

Enjoy getting to know Simon and reliving his travels to Thailand in our Q&A:

Where did you grow up?

I grew up in California. Mainly in a town in northern California called Redding, with easy access to lakes, mountains, woods, the ocean, and just about everything you could want for outdoor adventure. I miss having that access to nature very much.

Do you have a philosophy or guiding principles in the kitchen?

I view food through a lens of culture and community. I see it as a means to explore history and humanity and in doing so bring people from different backgrounds together through commonalities or differences in the kitchen and around the table.

What feeds your creativity these days?

For me, creativity has always been about opening new doors and trying new things. I grew up surrounded by the arts and that has definitely had a major impact on the way that I cook. Now, I am more focused on learning more about film and photography, of which I was very interested in prior to deciding to cook as a profession. I am finding ways to combine the world of food with that of photography and film, and in doing so it allows me more creative freedom in life.

Your food photography and filming are stunning! Is food your favorite thing to capture?

Thank you very much! I wouldn’t say it is my favorite thing to capture. It’s just that recently, with travel restricted and the world essentially closed down, food has just been the most available subject for me to feature. Photography and film allow me to tell more impactful stories through my lens, whether it involves food or not.

Cooking, photography, film: what’s your favorite?

It’s not about having a favorite. It is about having the freedom to choose the one that I want to be doing in that moment.

Do you ever eat anything that isn’t beautiful?

I think beautiful is so subjective, so it depends on what you mean by that. I don’t know if I ever eat anything that isn’t beautiful because beyond aesthetics I find beauty in the flavors, history, and people behind the food. I’ve had cicadas and their larva in the streets of Bangkok and while it was not pretty, learning about why they are used, how they are prepared, and the flavors involved was beautiful.

Follow Simon’s Insta to see what prompted my question!

How did you develop an interest in world food cultures?

Since I can remember I have been fascinated by different cultures so I feel that it just came naturally as food is such a big part of my life and plays a huge part of cultures around the world.

As a chef, what’s your approach to exploring another country’s food culture (when you are physically in that country)?

I like to connect and meet with locals to hear their stories and explore their communities alongside them. I don’t plan much and find that being spontaneous in travel allows the space for the most profound experiences.

When and why did you fall in love with Thai cuisine?

I have always gravitated toward Thai flavors. There is something so special and refined about the balance of sweet, salty, spicy, and sour in the cuisine. But I really fell in love with it after traveling there.

What did traveling throughout Thailand teach you about its food culture?

That it is a diverse melting pot of neighboring cultures and local ingredients.

Did it have a lasting impact?

Yes, absolutely. I find myself cooking with those flavors often.

What’d you learn from the Thai chefs you met while there?

I learned an immense amount but I’ll distill it down to a couple of highlights. On my first visit there in 2016 I met chef ThiTid Tassanakajohn of LeDu and Baan. After lunch at Baan which is his more casual restaurant he taught me how to make Pad Kra Pao. A simple holy basil stir fry that makes for a perfect lunch. It is now a favorite at home. On my visit there in 2018, with my now fiancé Shelby, we again joined ThiTid and this time went to Jai Fay for lunch. Jai Fay, the ‘queen of Thai street food’, has been cooking over a flame for over 40 years in Bangkok and is now 75 years old. Later that night we all went to dinner together and I learned a valuable lesson just by conversing and being with her and her family. Her energy and spirit, even after a long week and day of work, at her age was deeply inspiring.

Favorite Thai ingredient?

Thai fish sauce. I use it in a lot of my recipes. And I mean A LOT! For example, my classic ‘secret’ burger sauce uses fish sauce in place of Worcestershire.

Where do you buy Thai ingredients in Chicago?

Fortunately, diverse ingredients are pretty readily available at most grocery stores in Chicago. For the more hard to find ingredients Talard Market is great!

Any countries you have yet to visit that are high on your list?

Peru and many countries in South America are top of my list right now but Shelby and I want to see as much of the world as we possibly can once it is relatively safe to travel again.

How do we support the hospitality industry?

There are many answers to this question and it depends greatly on who the ‘we’ is. I think right now the average consumer can and should order what they can from their favorite restaurants but with the current state of things this will only help them keep their heads above water. Big picture, the model of hospitality as it stands today needs to be examined and structured in a way that is more sustainable for all. This will take a huge push, commitment, and effort from all of those involved. For people that want to get involved, evaluate what you are good at and what needs to get done against what motivates you, and you will find an answer for what you can be doing.

Any advice for those working in restaurants?

Find things outside of the restaurant that can help balance and sustain yourself. For me it is finding other creative outlets, working out, and meditation.

What advice would you give to a young Simon Davies?

Be more empathetic in the kitchen, even though that’s not the way you were taught.

What do you love about the Chicago food scene?

It is the same as anywhere. The community, friendships, and bonds that are formed through food.

Any recs of inspirational Instagram accounts to follow?

A few of many favorites are: @ayanaeliza, @paulnicklen, @curtismorgan, @david_zilber.

Where can we find you on the world wide web?

My Instagram is @Simon.A.Davies and my website is ilixrcreative.com.

Media by Simon Davies

Shilpa Noronha