Q&A with Chef Luke Venner of Elm Restaurant, Celebrating 10 Years

As Elm Restaurant successfully slides into their 10th year in New Canaan, we sat down with Chef Luke Venner to discuss this impressive milestone in a challenging industry. Elm is known for its friendly, local atmosphere, globally-inspired menu, and focus on fresh ingredients. Venner always has something new up his sleeve to keep diners engaged. Aside from seasonal menu updates, he introduced afternoon tea service in 2021, and navigated the pandemic with innovative to-go boxes. Side note: If you haven’t had his “Animal Style Burger,” you’re really missing out. Here are a few things you may not know about one of CT’s top chefs.

What made you want to be a chef? 

It was somewhat accidental. I started working in a Steakhouse kitchen my freshman year in high school to earn extra cash for gas, the cool shoes, music, etc.. I began washing dishes and before long decided to quit sports to work full time after class. I quickly became one of the top cooks and by my senior year in high school I graduated as the sous chef at only 18 years old. 

Prior to that, I had always thought I wanted to do something in the biology field and drew most of my inspiration from the outdoors. Back then, food still didn't have much presence on television and I had never picked up a cookbook, but I was drawn to the restaurant energy and I was sure much better ones than I had experienced existed. Ultimately, competitive drive got the best of me and I decided I would push myself as far as I could go in the business I was already in. I applied to a small European style apprenticeship program in Colorado 600 miles from my hometown and, much to my surprise, was accepted. I immediately began training for the next four years under an old world French chef and my life would change forever.  

Is today’s Elm what you had envisioned it to be when you opened? 

No. When I arrived here and began to change things it needed to happen quickly and I still wasn't sure what the identity of the restaurant was. I was coming from Manhattan and couldn't immediately find the right balance between the neighborhood place I wanted and upscale dining. There were some stumbles and some things we were not able to execute properly, but slowly I started adding dishes and techniques that I felt were really grounded and sensible-I began to see a really positive response. Over the years, we have compiled so many dishes that developed a following we could probably open a whole other restaurant.

How has Elm changed in its 10 years? 

I think we've definitely matured. We have a loyal client base and an incredible staff-most of whom have been with us for several years which I am immensely grateful for. We have learned how to operate at a much higher level now and consistency is so important and often overlooked. I've always admired places like Union Square Cafe and Spago that have continued to evolve over decades without ever losing touch of the style that defined them.

How has the restaurant industry changed in 10 years? 

It has certainly changed the most in the last two to three years. Trends seem to have recalibrated over the last decade, with many chefs leaning into a simple, wholesome approach to cooking. Also, chefs from many different cultures are embracing the cuisine from their origins and telling their stories through food as opposed to trying to adapt to what is popular. Now there are so many great restaurants in every part of our country. When I started you had to go to one of three places to cut your teeth; New York, San Francisco, Chicago. You can find outstanding restaurants in every region now.

Historically, what dishes have you most enjoyed creating? And what have the customers loved most? 

 The answer to both is probably simple Italian. There is a joke in our industry that when you start to grow old as a chef you open an Italian restaurant. But, it's actually a masterful cuisine that relies heavily on the best ingredients combined with perfect execution-it either shines brilliantly or immediately shows its flaw. It's flattering to impress a guest with just two or three ingredients that they would not necessarily prepare at home. 

What challenges have you faced in restaurant ownership? 

It's more expensive than ever to operate and I don't think we have ever seen the staffing challenges so many are currently experiencing. We were extremely lucky to retain our entire core team during the pandemic closure, and ultimately add to it. I think you have to stay open minded and be prepared to wear many different hats to find success these days. 

5 Chefs you admire most and why? 

Alice Waters-She pioneered the ingredient driven, less is more, farm to table approach that so many chefs and cookbook authors have adopted as common practice without ever probably knowing. I cannot think of one individual who is more responsible for the current trajectory of the food culture in America.

Daniel Boulud-My training has deep roots in France and Restaurant Daniel was the first NYC kitchen I ever worked in. I'll never forget the night he leaped onto the bar at an awards after party and sprayed everyone (myself included) in the face with a magnum of champagne. I try to eat there at least once a year...to me, he will always epitomize the gold standard of french cuisine in the United States.

Missy Robbins- Many people are surprised to learn that throughout my entire career I have never worked in an Italian restaurant. When I moved to New York I tried her cooking for the first time at A Voce and immediately became obsessed; it felt like I was eating pasta for the very first time. Whenever we are in the city and my wife asks me what I'm in the mood for, my answer is all too often "let's go to one of Missy's restaurants".

Francis Mallmann- In 2018 I decided to take an extended journey into Argentina and Uruguay with one main objective- I would visit every one of Francis's restaurants throughout the continent to witness firsthand his primal, live-fire method of cooking. What I discovered along the way would be a mystical experience that changed my perspective on food & wine forever.

Wolfgang Puck- Early on in my career I was lucky to work under some very talented California chefs that really molded what kind of cook I would eventually become and they all had one thing in common-they were products of Wolf's vast west coast empire. He fostered a culture of personality, leadership, finesse, organization and a deep knowledge of working with ingredients that I had never been exposed to before. His influence on restaurants has spanned my lifetime and he was the first to establish the chef as both a celebrity and entrepreneur. 

What “Family Meal” is most often made by the staff in your kitchen? 

Arroz con Pollo. As with many kitchens on the East Coast we have a melting pot of talented cooks from countries in Latin America and by my observation this seems to be the dish that is equally easy and inexpensive, but deeply satisfying. One of our chefs in particular pours her heart into it and the result is something I would compare to the finest risotto. It's so good I've considered adding it to the menu on many occasions.

If you could do it all over again, what would you change? 

I would have taken Spanish in High School instead of Latin.

What is your go-to meal when you're low on time? 

I usually always keep burrata in our fridge at home. I have found limitless things to marry it with over the years; everything from fruits, vegetables and raw fish to chocolate. It requires such little preparation to be perfect.

What dish/food gets the most likes on your Instagram? 

Without consulting the analytics I would imagine the Animal Style burger. It was created on a whim for a California themed pop-up dinner we did many years ago as an homage to the famous fast food chain In-N-Out Burger. I had no intentions of serving it beyond that night, but woke up to several texts/emails the next morning urging me to serve it for one more service. I had to make a quick decision and the rest is history!