Dominic Iannarelli didn't grow up dreaming about becoming a chef, but he did know he liked to be in the kitchen. When he was 15, he took his first job at his friend's father's restaurant, doing dishes before moving up to other positions. He earned a degree in hotel and restaurant management from Iowa State University, working in various kitchens and country clubs throughout college.
Now he is the executive chef at Splash, Des Moines' well-known seafood bar and grill, and the managing partner of Jethro's BBQ in the Drake neighborhood. "It's really neat to have a career where you can be creative and still look at things from a business point of view," he said. "There aren't many jobs out there where you get to do both."
Home kitchen: He doesn't have a whole lot of time to spend cooking for himself, but when he does, he loves Cajun-inspired food. "I love to make gumbos, red beans and rice and Cajun shrimp. I also love to roast whole turkeys," Iannarelli said.
Favorite menu item: "I love to eat our king crab legs," said Iannarelli, an avid lover of all shellfish. "I most like to make our mussels in saffron wine broth and goat cheese crouton. Everything works together well and it looks great. You don't have to do a whole lot to it for it to look great."
Tools of the trade: In the kitchen, he can't live without three knives: a boning knife, a paring knife and a French knife. He also appreciates a great pair of tongs, and quality large spoons to help plate food.
Where he eats in D.M.: "Centro for great pizza, Django for their late-night menu, Proof for lunch, and Lucca anytime."
Favorite ingredients: He loves to incorporate pork into his dishes, and always buys heirloom tomatoes and good goat cheese at the farmers market. He also likes to use shellfish in unexpected ways, such as in potato cakes.
On Des Moines diners: "It can be difficult to get people in Des Moines to branch out and try different things. I take great pleasure in creating something unexpected or using an unexpected ingredient and hearing that the people love it. It's great when people go out on a limb and try something new - there are a lot of neat things to try."
