Kindergarten cooks: Zov's Grandkids Carry on Tradition

Original post

Karamardian kids take over kitchen to prepare panini and French toast.

Cathy Thomas
Food editor
The Orange County Register

From generation to generation, a passion for cooking is a character trait in the Karamardian family. Zov Karamardian, chef-owner of Zov's Bistro in Tustin and Zov's Cafes in Irvine and Newport Coast, crafted her culinary skills in her early teens. Her beloved mother, the late Araxi Soghomonian, was a gifted home cook and played a big part in nurturing Zov's palate and talent. So when Zov's son Armen told me that his young children are budding cooks, I didn't doubt it for a moment. Slicing and stirring, breading and egg-cracking - not bad for kids in kindergarten.

So I stopped by Armen and Mikelle's Tustin home to watch the three children in action. Daughter Morgan, 5, and her twin brother, Nicholas, were raring to go. Not only were they eager to cook, they were hungry. Wearing pristine white chef jackets and bright blue aprons, they stood at the island countertop waiting for instructions from Armen, their culinary coach. Their 9-month-old sister, Gia, makes sure she is in the limelight, too. She sits atop the counter and holds a whisk as if it is an orchestra conductor's baton, happily singing her own set of culinary demands. "The kids love to touch, mix, cut and feel the food," Armen says. "If they feel and cook, they are more likely to eat it. They feel involved; it is fun and they like the action."

Armen has had his own share of kitchen action. In college he had no intention of being a restaurateur, but in his senior year when his father was temporarily sidelined after surgery, he took the winter quarter off at school and pitched in at Zov's Bistro. He learned the back of the house duties that had been his father's domain. He says he realized that everything he'd been studying in school was applicable at the restaurant.

But when he asked to come into the family business, Zov laid down the law. She said he had to know how to cook before she would approve. "I spent two years in the kitchen working on the hot line," Armen said, a proud smile erupting in the corners of his mouth. "I love it and I still jump back there when they get in the weeds. I have great respect for what the chefs do." As for at-home chef activity, within minutes he has Morgan and Nicholas involved in making Breakfast Panini Sandwiches, layered and grilled treats with Black Forrest ham, sliced fresh mozzarella, sliced tomatoes and eggs. The two children brush slices of sheepherder's bread with extra-virgin olive oil and start to layer on the goods, while Armen cooks six beaten eggs unfolded-omelet-style-firm on the stove behind them. Morgan is very precise. Her ingredients are arranged just so, and she casts a critical eye at her brother's version in a see-how-perfect-mine-is way. No words are exchanged - just a sibling-stare and a gentle smile. Armen instructs them to press down their sandwiches, and before long their creations are grilled to crispy brown perfection in a hot panini press on the other side of the countertop.

Zov's Oven-Fried Parmesan Chicken fingers are next on the menu, but preparation doesn't begin until Armen reminds the kids about the raw chicken rules. His voice takes on a serious tone as he talks about how important it is to wash hands thoroughly in hot water and soap after touching raw chicken. Keep your fingers away from your mouth he says, making eye contact with each child before turning over the boneless, skinless poultry.

What joy it is for these kindergarteners to pound chicken breasts. The meat is housed in sturdy, zipper-style plastic bags. Morgan uses a meat pounder, but Nicholas uses his fist. Gia pounds approvingly, rapping a metal mixing bowl with a measuring cup in rhythm with her siblings' pummeling.

Cut into strips, they dip the chicken into a butter mixture, then into a mixture of panko (Japanese bread crumbs) and grated Parmesan cheese. Armen pops the breaded fingers into the oven and the children disappear to wash their hands. "I love you, Dad," Nicholas says adoringly when he returns and eyes the browned chicken fingers arranged on a plate with raw vegetables and a side of ranch dressing.

They look like the best chicken fingers I've ever seen, and it's no wonder that the children take time out to eat, before launching into the final dish, Banana Foster French Toast. It's another one of their grandmother's recipes and uses sliced brioche bread from Zov's Bakery. They use dull butter knives to slice the bananas and revel in cracking several eggs. Armen praises them for their patience and expertise, helping them assemble the ingredients in a 9-by-13-inch baking dish.

The Karamardian kids look jubilant as they pose for the camera. They know they've done a top-notch job. They know great food when they taste it.

Zov's Oven-Fried Parmesan Chicken Fingers
Yield: 5 (4-ounce) servings

1 1/4 pound skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, melted, plus butter for greasing pans
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
2 cups panko (Japanese bread crumbs) or Ritz crackers, crushed
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Procedure:

Place oven racks in upper and lower thirds of oven and preheat oven to 425 degrees. Butter two 1-inch deep baking pans.
Gently pound chicken between sheets of plastic wrap with flat side of a meat pounder or with a rolling pin until 1/3 inch thick. Cut chicken lengthwise into 1/2-inch wide strips.
Stir together butter, salt, and pepper in a shallow dish. Put panko and Parmesan cheese in another shallow dish. Working with 1 strip at a time, dip in butter, and then dredge in panko mixture, pressing panko mixture firmly to help adhere. Transfer to prepared baking pans, leaving space between strips..
Bake, switching position of pans halfway through baking, until chicken is golden and cooked through, about 15 minutes total. Cool chicken in pans on cooling racks; crust will firm up as it cools.

Source: Zov Karamardian, Zov's Bistro and Bakery, Tustin and Zov's Cafes in Newport Coast and Irvine

Zov's Bananas Foster French Toast
Yield: 8 servings

Custard:
- Butter for greasing pan
- 3 egg yolks
- 3 large whole eggs
- 1 1/4 cups whole milk
- 3/4 cup whipping cream
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 6 (3/4-inch thick) slices egg bread or brioche loaf
Garnish: 1 cup whipped cream
Banana sauce:
- 8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter
- 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
- 4 each peeled bananas

Source: Zov Karamardian, Zov's Bistro and Bakery, Tustin and Zov's Cafes in Newport Coast and Irvine Contact the writer: cathythomascooks@gmail.com

go back