5@5 – Chef Daniel Holzman – Eatocracy

July 21st, 2010

05:00 PM ET

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5@5 - Chef Daniel Holzman

5@5 is a daily, food-related list from chefs, writers, political pundits, musicians, actors, and all manner of opinionated people from around the globe.

As we previously mentioned, we're having an absolute ball on Eatocracy this afternoon. Keeping up with this spherical spirit, we called on Daniel Holzman, co-owner and executive chef, of The Meatball Shop (where else?) in New York City for a well-rounded 5@5 listing.

Prior to opening The Meatball Shop in February 2010, Holzman spent time in some of the country's best kitchens, including Eric Ripert's Le Bernardin, Traci des Jardins' Jardinière and Michael Mina's temporarily closed Aqua, among others. Most recently, he was the executive chef at SPQR in San Francisco, California.

In the event you should find yourself on a deserted island with just some twigs and berries, Holzman offers up his survival kitchen essentials.

Five Cooking Tools to Bring to a Deserted Island: Daniel Holzman

1. Fishing pole
“This is almost a given, not that I'm some great fisherman or anything, but it seems appropriate. Anyway, I’d probably have plenty of time to learn to fish."

2. Desalinization equipment
"Sorry to be a nerd, but it kills two birds: I'm going to have to drink and this way I won't have to bring a ton of salt with me."

3. Pot still
"Assuming I’d be here for a while, I'm fairly certain I'll be able to find something worth fermenting. It could also double as a crab pot. Worse case scenario, I could seal my memoirs in there and float them home.”

4. 10-inch Wüsthof chef's knife
"There are far fancier knives out there, we could do that list another time. For the desert island, I need something durable, something I can tie to the end of a branch and use to slay wild boar, go spearfishing or crack open a coconut with."

5. A rondeau (shallow, wide cooking pot) with a tight fitting lid
"By far the most versatile shape. You can make anything with it: sauté, braise, steam, boil, make a soup or stew, bake in a sand pit oven - the options are endless."

What kitchen essential would you take on a deserted island? Be sure to let us know in the comments.

Is there someone you'd like to see in the hot seat? Let us know in the comments below and if we agree, we'll do our best to chase 'em down.

Posted by: Eatocracy Editors
Filed under: 5@5 • Think

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soundoff (32 Responses)

you wish!

everyone in here is so boring. none of you have the love for food. instead, you guys comment on the wording of others. like if you guys were all perfect. get a life! if you love food, talk food! leave the idiocracy in your toilet. who cares if someone misspelles.or if someone wants to use matches, who really uses two sticks to light fire now adays??? go prepared, think before you act and especially before you open your mouth.
sicerely,
client.

July 22, 2010 at 3:07 pm |
Captain Obvious

Matches are for whimps. You can start a fire without matches. Two sticks, and a piece of string are all you need, also it looks like he has thick glasses so you can start a fire with that. Also you can likely find a bit of flint combined with the steel in the knife you can start a fire pretty easily.

July 22, 2010 at 9:09 am |
janet

How about matches?

July 22, 2010 at 8:26 am |
Rootbeer

Interesting, he forgot the most important thing.. A Lighter.

July 22, 2010 at 6:51 am |
toothpick

What about a bag of heroin and a hooker?

July 21, 2010 at 9:21 pm |
uDumb

I'd bring a boat and a satellite phone

July 21, 2010 at 8:08 pm |
jbhawaii

I would bring a really hot chick who owns a restaurant that delivers.

July 21, 2010 at 8:06 pm |
Really now

A deserted island, not desert.

July 21, 2010 at 8:00 pm |
Rob

1. My best cast iron skillet
2. A small hibachi, mounted on a boat.

July 21, 2010 at 7:56 pm |
Eric

I agree with the net and a versitile Kbar. I'm pretty sure you could very effectively combine the pot and skillet ideas into just one good sized, deep pan with a lid. I'd only vote for the fishing pole if you were allowed to bring like 3000 feet of line (which can be bought on one spool) and a ton of stainless steel hooks, but I think that stretches the rules. I would bring a mangesium fire starter, because rain makes starting a fire ten times harder. Lastly (assuming I skip the fishing pole) I'd bring a canteen or similar container to store clean, fresh water in, because water has a multitude of basic uses. I do applaud the satellite phone with GPS idea, but I assume the origional idea was that you were actually going to be stuck there for a while

July 21, 2010 at 7:48 pm |
- Mr. Beige
  
  How are you going to charge the phone?
  
  July 21, 2010 at 11:09 pm |
  - Captain Obvious
    
    With it's sloar powered charger of course.
    
    July 22, 2010 at 9:06 am |
Uhm...

A 'desert' island ? What's that ?

July 21, 2010 at 7:45 pm |
- uDumb
  
  Oh I read the whole article wrong. I thought it was a "dessert" island and a dessert cart came around every few hours.
  
  July 21, 2010 at 8:07 pm |
- Derrrr
  
  Considering that the word 'desert' refers not only to arid climate, but also to areas which are largely uninhabited, wild or uncultivated, a desert island is one that is just that. Both desert island and deserted island refer to the same thing.
  
  July 21, 2010 at 9:51 pm |
Kelly

1. My favorite knife
2. steamer basket
3. salt
4. fishing pole
5. my husband

July 21, 2010 at 7:41 pm |
joel

The fork is kind of funny to mention, In "The Complete Walker III", I believe it is mentioned that it is one of the most useless things ever, waste of weight, and I agree. A spoon is useful.

July 21, 2010 at 7:23 pm |
billy

How about a fork? I'd trade one for the pot still. Then I could eat my food; stir or turn with it, and clean my fingernails.

Substitute chopsticks, if that's your gig. Or a spork?

July 21, 2010 at 7:05 pm |
colin in Florida

Satellite phone with built-in GPS.

July 21, 2010 at 6:57 pm |
Kirk

I'd bring a dutch oven.

July 21, 2010 at 6:55 pm |
mike

I'd bring Lou... every party has a pooper....

July 21, 2010 at 6:20 pm |
- uDumb
  
  I'd bet he'd taste good
  
  July 21, 2010 at 8:05 pm |
- Arglebargle
  
  Make sure he's REALLY well done.
  
  "Cannibalism: Just because you don't doesn't mean you won't."
  
  July 21, 2010 at 11:08 pm |
Lou

what a stupid piece – was it supposed to be cute?

July 21, 2010 at 6:08 pm |
- oopsforgotopackthe...
  
  Yippee for Lou! Yes, we would like to pack the "perfect" kit for an island stranded wonderful. Yessh! It's not like we all travel with our perfect cooking kits/ingredients. Story based on a true story: Robinson Cruisoe. Read it and learn how to make DO! Forget the fantasy....
  
  July 21, 2010 at 6:55 pm |
  - KKO
    
    No, try reading 'Hatchet' or watching Survivorman. Robinson Crusoe had it WAY too easy.
    
    July 21, 2010 at 7:29 pm |
- jack hassle
  
  Better then your stupid comment .
  
  July 21, 2010 at 7:19 pm |
- uDumb
  
  your comment was stupid
  
  July 21, 2010 at 8:04 pm |
Rick in McKinney, Tx

Cast Net- Much easy to net then fish
KBar Knife – Wusthof and Henkels are great but Kbar has great durable
The Egg (Barbecue Pit)
The Pot Still and Rondeau are great.

No need for the desalination equipment. It is too big and you can destill water in the Pot still and add the Egg for something to barbecue on!

July 21, 2010 at 6:07 pm |
james

How about a Dominoes... That'd be handy.

July 21, 2010 at 5:54 pm |
- guyin
  
  He spelled Desalination wrong.
  
  July 21, 2010 at 8:28 pm |
  - Arglebargle
    
    No he didn't.
    
    desalinization
    
    1. Main Entry: de·sa·li·nize
    Pronunciation: \(ˌ)dē-ˈsa-lə-ˌnīz also -ˈsā-\
    Function: transitive verb
    Inflected Form(s): de·sa·li·nized; de·sa·li·niz·ing
    Date: 1934
    
    : desalt
    
    — de·sa·li·ni·za·tion \(ˌ)dē-ˌsa-lə-nə-ˈzā-shən also -ˌsā-\ noun
    
    July 21, 2010 at 10:55 pm |