The Two Traditional Cooking Methods Richard Blais Combines For A 'Grill Fusion' - Exclusive

Richard Blais knows a thing or two about grilling — he has three grills, after all, and enjoys playing around with each and every one of them. As a successful chef and restaurateur based in San Diego, he especially loves cooking up a mean Santa Maria cut (or tri-tip) for diners in his local restaurants, including Ember & Rye and Juniper & Ivy.

When it comes to grilling, Blais is all about having fun and experimenting to see what he can do, and he loves a big open-fire grill to do it all in. He likes to mix things up and create his own way of cooking — we've seen that in his peanut butter chili — taking the more traditional techniques and making them his own. 

During an exclusive interview with Tasting Table, Richard Blais explained what it is he calls "grill fusion" and why it's not as obscure as one might think.

With his twists on traditional grilling methods, Richard Blais is all about cooking "in a pan on the grill grates," and not just to shock his many beloved social media followers (which he does anyway). Rather, Blais is after something much more important: the flavor of the dish. 

"I get the flavor of the grill, but I get the sear of the pan," he said. "If you cook something directly on the grill grates, all the juices fall into the grill. I like to keep those juices in the pan. I like to baste in the pan and throw some herbs in there."

Blais admits he's surprised when people question this way of cooking, as he doesn't really see it as unconventional. "It's combining two classic methods: cooking on the stove-top, a very traditional restaurant way, but then doing it outside on a grill, which is a traditional grill method," he said. "I combine two traditional methods to come up with one untraditional method: grill fusion."

See what else chef Richard Blais is up to by following him on Instagram.