Chef Stephen Window

STEPHEN B. WINDOW

Executive Chef - La Jolla’s Roppongi

British-born Stephen B. Window attended culinary school near his hometown of Manchester and embarked on a career that would take him to acclaimed restaurants around the world. His extensive travels give him an impressive expertise in many diverse cuisines—from the cooking of exotic Pacific islands to the classic recipes of Escoffier—all of which are embodied in his kitchen at Roppongi.

Following graduation, Window cooked at a number of prestigious properties throughout Great Britain, including a stint at the venerable Stanneylands Hotel. It was there that Window developed his own culinary style, winning Young Chef of the Year honors for the region, and an impressive top five finish.

Recruited by Westin Hotels, Window accepted an assignment at the Westin Maui, where he was Chef de Cuisine at its upscale seafood restaurant. While chef there he purchased his seafood directly from fishing boats and became acquainted with previously exotic Asian ingredients. The experience would ultimately be the genesis of the Pacific Rim cuisine he now serves at Roppongi. Window’s tenure with Westin took him to Ottawa, Kauai, and Palm Springs, all of which helped him develop his inventive signature style.

With a foundation of classic French technique and a knowledge of Asian ingredients and culinary traditions, Window was selected to run the kitchen at the luxurious Mandarin Oriental Hotel in Manila. In addition to working at the hotel’s elegant Tivoli Restaurant, he took time out to coach the Philippine National Culinary Team, which brought home 29 medals from the International Culinary Olympics. Window found the firsthand exposure to authentic Asian cuisine invaluable, but a longing to return to America led to a position as Chef de Cuisine at Roy’s Seattle, a venture of celebrity chef Roy Yamaguchi at the Westin Seattle.

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In 1998 Window joined the Ladeki Restaurant Group and opened La Jolla’s Roppongi, where both his love of classic culinary traditions and his appreciation for the diverse flavors of the Pacific have been allowed to flourish. During Window’s tenure at Roppongi, the restaurant has won many awards and he has received top honors, including the Institute of the Americas’ Chef of the Year (2001) and Critics’ Choice for Best Chef of 2003 by San Diego Magazine. Window served as a featured chef at the James Beard House—an honor all chefs dream of—not once but twice, in October 2002 and March 2004.

Recipes by Chef Stephen Window

Polynesian Crab Stack with Ginger Lime Dressing

Ingredients (1 serving)

2 oz pea shoots

2 oz mango diced

2 oz cucumber sliced

2 oz red onion diced

2 oz avocado diced

2 oz Dungeness crab

2 tbs chopped peanuts

1 tsp  cilantro

Preparation Instructions:

Place ingredients in mold in order on ingredient list and pack tightly. Sprinkle plates with chopped peanuts and cilantro. Drizzle with ginger lime sauce.

Ginger Lime Sauce (use 3 oz per crab stack):

3 oz fresh ginger

3 oz lime juice

2 oz sugar

1 oz garlic

4 oz water

Peel and finely chop ginger. Combine with sugar, lime juice, garlic and water. Let sit overnight for flavor to come through.

Roppongi serves the crab stack with ciabatta bread.

Nutrition information:

420 calories

18 grams of fat

45 mg cholesterol

380 mg. sodium

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