A TV show called “Chef Wanted” changed Chef Bryon Freeze’s life. He was the contestant whose winning performance propelled him to his current position as Executive Chef at Circa (formerly Mucho Ultima in downtown Manhattan Beach), but don’t ask him about the production values of the show, or his opinion of the way the program came out. He hasn’t seen it.
“I don’t own a TV. If I have the time I’ll run on the beach, go surf, or visit another restaurant. I’m not the type of person to sit and watch things,” Freeze said. “Doing the show was a great experience; it was life-changing in a good way. All summer after it aired people came in asking for me, people I didn’t know. They contacted me on Facebook, told me I was an inspiration. I still haven’t seen the whole episode, it’s a surreal experience. I grew up an average kid in Maryland and it’s weird having people I don’t know recognize me.”
The show accelerated a career that was already in progress. Freeze had been interested in all things culinary since he was a child.
“I got my start at 15 at a Burger King. I’d been cooking for quite a long time. I worked up to nice places in Maryland and Virginia, and it was quite a change to be in a place with white tablecloths and chef’s toques. I had some amazing mentors, chefs that you’ve never heard of out here, and they encouraged me to get out, travel and learn.”
Travel he did, to Phoenix where he worked with top local chef Mark Tarbell and then with celebrity chef and author Jean-Georges Vongerichten, helping to open Vongerichten’s first steakhouse. When that project was up and running an opportunity in California beckoned, and he went to Newport Beach to work for the Lawry’s Five Crowns.
“[Five Crowns] was one of those open seating, no reservations kinds of places where we were out at the farmers market all the time, changing things every day, using nettles, weird citrus and all kinds of crazy mushrooms and stuff,” Freeze said. “I was chef de cuisine there, and things were going well, but I felt like I had maxed out on everything I could do and was ready to be an executive chef. It was the right time, so I gave a month’s notice, finished up, and parted ways.”
Freeze had what he thought was a firm offer at a restaurant that was about to open, but the project was delayed and then fell through entirely. The promising chef was unemployed and had nothing better to do than browse Craigslist, which was where he found an ad looking for chefs for the food network. He applied, was picked as one of the contestants. It turned out to be the premiere of the “Chef Wanted.”
After winning, Freeze moved to the South Bay and a position at Mucho Ultima. He stayed on when the restaurant changed décor and concept to become Circa. Freeze worked with famed chef Octavio Becerra to develop the menu, a process he remembers with fondness.
“My favorite experiences when I was going out with Octavio to research this concept was when we were at Chinese places in the San Gabriel Valley, ordering a bunch of stuff we had never had before and just sharing it and having a good time. It was part of developing what we believe is the path forward, the way the industry is evolving. It’s no longer, let’s go to an Italian place, let’s go to an Asian place. You need to have offerings to keep everybody excited, whether it’s gluten-free, vegan, any diet or preference they might have.
“At Circa we have some items that are straight out of traditions from China and Italy, but some that put flavors from the south of France in an Asian item. You’re not going to find a ton of new ingredients these days because we all know what’s out there, so putting a new spin on what we already have is what lends excitement in going out to eat. It’s sharing those flavors with your friends and talking about them, the social aspect, that is important. It’s casual. I don’t know who goes out for a white-tablecloth dinner any more. I sure don’t.“
The usually fast-talking chef was flummoxed when asked about the process of developing a new cuisine and what he sees as his role.
“That’s a great question, and you’ve just put me on the spot. Tastemaker? Flavormaker? Exciter of people’s palates? That’s what I consider what I do, excite their palates, question what can be done to make people think about food in new ways. When the team here is talking about what to do next, we ask, ‘We all know this flavor, what if we do this with it? Let’s question what we know.’ Sometimes we find out that there’s a good reason nobody does some things, we say ‘That’s not going on the menu any time soon,’ but sometimes things work.”
It’s the modern attitude toward creating meals that are both adventurous and accessible, but for Freeze it’s an outgrowth of an attitude he has had for a long time.
“When I was a kid, dinner at my house was a well-done steak and Army-green vegetables. I love my parents but their ideas about food weren’t exciting. I kept trying out condiments, and my mother said ‘quit playing with your food and eat it.’ I’m still playing with my food.”
