Cooking is in Chef Brian Luscher’s blood. This son of a Midwestern butcher (who was, in turn, the son of a restaurant owner) was washing dishes professionally by age 12, and set out for his culinary destiny by age 14. Summers were spent at a Wisconsin cattle and produce farm, and by his mid-twenties—after stints opening and running neighborhood restaurants—he landed at The Culinary Institute of America at Hyde Park. The rest, as they say, is history: upon graduating, he was promptly recruited by Dallas restaurant maestro Anne Greer McCann.

At The Grape Restaurant, a classic bistro with a Texan twist, Luscher’s calling card is simplicity. It’s a little bit French, a little bit Southern (grilled artichokes and steak frites exist happily alongside hushpuppies and ribs). He’s living his dream, he says; and just like many chefs at the top of their game, that dream now includes helping the cooks who work for him do the same.

He’s got a love for motorcycles, and for continuing to discover Texas all these years later. Dance halls, festivals, old forgotten neighborhoods, State Parks. “There is always something new to find,” he says. “It inspires me to continue exploring.”

City: DALLAS
Restaurants: THE GRAPE, LUSCHER’S

Serves four

Dry Rubbed Flank Steak

Ingredients

• 1 ½-2 pound flank steak
• ½ cup Dry Rub [recipe follows]
• ½ cup olive oil

1. Preheat the grill medium-high. Clean and oil cooking surface.
2. Rub steak with dry rub. Drizzle with oil.
3. Place steak on hot grill.
4. Turn steak once char has developed, 4-6 minutes.
5. Cook to medium rare. Test for doneness by pressing the center of the steak with your finger; it should be firm, but should indent slightly (or measures 125° internal temp).
6. Remove the steak to a platter or a wire rack, and allow to rest for 8-12 minutes.
7. Place back on hot grill for no more than a minute or two to sizzle up the outside.
8. Transfer the flank steak to a cutting board. Slice thinly, against grain. Serve immediately.

Dry Rub

Ingredients

• ½ cup brown sugar
• ¼ cup paprika
• ¼ cup kosher salt
• 2 tablespoons Ancho chile powder
• 1 tablespoon ground black pepper
• 1 tablespoon garlic powder
• 1 tablespoon dry mustard
• 1 tablespoon cayenne pepper
• 1 ½ teaspoon ground coriander
• 1 ½ teaspoon ground cumin
• ¾ teaspoon ground white pepper.

Mix all ingredients together in a clean dry bowl.

Roasted Corn Salsa

Ingredients

• 3 ears of corn, peeled, shucked, grilled, cut from cob
• 1 pint heirloom cherry tomatoes, washed and quartered
• 1 small red onion, peeled and small diced
• 1-2 jalapenos, washed, seeded, fine diced
• ½ bunch cilantro leaves, washed, stemmed, chopped
• Juice of 2 limes
• Salt and pepper to taste.

Combine all ingredients and mix until incorporated. Allow to stand for 10-20 minutes. I like to serve chilled!

Roasted Sweet Potatoes

Ingredients

• 4 medium-sized sweet potatoes, peeled and quartered lengthwise
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 3 green onions, shaved
• ¼ cup cotija cheese, crumbled
• Salt and pepper to taste.

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees
2. Toss sweet potatoes in oil, and season with salt and pepper
3. Line a cookie sheet with aluminum foil, and evenly spread out potatoes
4. Roast for 15-25 minutes, until tender and lightly browned
5. Remove from oven and toss with green onions and goat cheese.