Style Magazine Folsom and El Dorado Hills November 2018

Christine Ondrus-Lykos
Farmer’s Delicatessen and Bakery, 3952 Cambridge
Road, Cameron Park, 530-672-6800, farmersdeli.net
John Sanders
Old Town Grill, 444 Main Street, Placerville, 530-622-
2631, otgplacerville.com
John Sanders always
knew he wanted his own
restaurant. He’s clocked 41
years as a chef (18 at the
grill) and while food will
always be his first passion,
his other passion is helping
folks develop a solid work
foundation right in his own
kitchen.
First memory of food:
Coming from a family of
nine children—yes, nine—my
dear mother would prepare
a meal for the family and
we’d all share the day and
enjoy it together.
Food philosophy: Take
advantage of the local
resources and bounty that
our area has to offer.
If I wasn’t a chef, I’d be:
I’m living my dream job.
Top cooking tip: The three
“T”s ensure a finished
product—time, temperature,
and taste.
The best thing I ever ate:
A perfectly seared and
seasoned chuck-end, bonein
ribeye.
One food I’ll never get
behind: Mushrooms—I like
the earthy profile, but I can’t
handle the texture.
Guilty pleasure food: My 10
p.m. snack!
Favorite ingredient to
work with: Walking through
our farmers’ markets and
utilizing whatever came out
of the farms that day.
For dinner last night, I
ate: Shrimp fajitas in a cast
iron skillet cooked on an
open fire alongside zucchini
stuffed with crab, salmon,
scallops, and lobster.
Favorite food pairing: Wild
game with a deep, earthy
sauce and fresh herbs.
Favorite restaurant
and dish: Cioppino with
sourdough bread at Scoma’s
in San Francisco.
You’d never know it, but:
I have more than 30 years
being clean and sober, and
my passion through food
is to help others who just
need a break or a chance.
Christine Ondrus-Lykos thought she might attend the
Culinary Institute of America some 20 years ago, but
instead, the self-taught chef blazed a trail all on her own
by traveling through Europe and gaining an immense
appreciation of what other countries and cultures bring
to the American palate—and plate. Now the native New
Yorker is doing the same at her beloved bakery and deli in
Cameron Park.
First memory of food: I visited Hungary and Romania
when I was four. I remember playing with pigs and chickens
on a remote farm, and I vividly recall seeing a whole animal
being cooked on top of a spit in an open field.
Food philosophy: Keep it simple, take your time, and mind
your energy in the kitchen—energy is an ingredient!
If I wasn’t a chef, I’d be: A rally sports car driver.
The best thing I ever ate: Crème caramel in Barcelona.
One food I’ll never get behind: Escargot.
Guilty pleasure food: Pizza.
Favorite ingredient to work with: Garlic—yum!
For dinner last night, I ate: Chicken salad with avocado.
Favorite food pairing: Clarified butter and garlic.
Favorite restaurant and dish: The Cashew Chicken at Thai
House.
You’d never know it, but: When I was younger, I wanted to
be a dancer.
NOVEMBER 2018 // stylefedh.com 55