Daniel Lopez: Soup(er) Chef
Soup is the ultimate comfort food, and the Einstein Café typically serves a choice of three tasty, nourishing soups daily, ranging from basic lentil to classics like minestrone and pasta badan. You may have even noticed that there’s a new soup every Friday. That’s because Friday is “experiment day” for Chef Daniel Lopez, who prepares all of the food available in the café.
![Chef Daniel stirring up something good]()
Chef Daniel stirring up something good
Born and raised in New York, Chef Daniel served as a cook in the Army for four years, stationed at Fort Leavenworth, in Kansas, where he supervised and cooked in the kitchen of the facility’s disciplinary barracks. He later worked his way up from a prep chef in a restaurant kitchen to catering manager for Aramark Corporation, and later at CBS-TV in New York. He began working at Einstein in 2011.
With no formal culinary training, Chef Daniel first learned about cheese and meat by working at a deli. He considers Julia Child, Jeffrey Smith, and Jacques Pépin his heroes. “I’m used to cooking a large volume of food,” he said. “Leavenworth had close to 1,400 inmates, with each dining facility serving up to 700.”
He added, “At Einstein, my biggest challenge is following Kosher guidelines, and I’ve modified recipes to fit those standards.”
Chef Daniel also enjoys experimenting with his soups. Over the years, he has created 35 different vegetarian offerings, ranging from seasonal favorites like pumpkin spice and gazpacho to chowders, gumbo, and chili.
He observed, “Sales are brisker when it’s cold or rainy outside. When that happens, I have to send 19 pots—each containing five quarts of soup—instead of my daily average of 16.”
Artistic Outlet
![The day’s selection: Red Bean & Rice, Mushroom Barley, and Lentil]()
The day’s selection: Red Bean & Rice, Mushroom Barley, and Lentil
Chef Daniel considers cooking an art, and he relies on instinct and taste rather than measurements when working with ingredients. His soups are low in fat and made without cream or nuts. With the exception of his corn chowder and cream of broccoli, none of his soups are made using flour.
He improvises on traditional soup recipes based on suggestions from his co-workers or sometimes simply by accident. His Moroccan chickpea soup is an example. To make it, Chef Daniel combined sweet potato soup with curry bean soup, and added more tomato and spices. Lentil soups are the most popular in the cafeteria, followed by one called farmer’s wife and chili.
Farmer’s wife was originally created using surplus, and is now so popular that he has to make it from scratch.
Finding Joy in Cooking
“I believe in cooking for others like I would cook for myself,” he said. He also aims to provide food at a low cost.
“Daniel is calm and easygoing, and he ensures his kitchen is a fun place even when it gets stressful,” said James Cohen, manager of food services, whose personal favorites are Chef Daniel’s lentil, chili, and vegetable noodle soups. “He takes pride in the soups he makes and wants to satisfy his customers.”
Chef Daniel also is open to feedback. He invites staff and customers to contact him with their suggestions for improvements. “If someone’s feedback can help improve our soups, I want to hear from them,” he said.
![Chef Daniel with his kitchen colleagues, from left: Jasmin McFadden, Francine Vanzo, and Lena Spina]()
Chef Daniel with his kitchen colleagues, from left: Jasmin McFadden, Francine Vanzo, and Lena Spina
He has already incorporated numerous suggestions, such as one he received about his mushroom barley soup, which used to employ a tomato base. Acting on the suggestion, he stopped adding tomatoes, and now his mushroom barley soup is among the more popular soups served in the café.
Home Kitchen
While he has worked in many kitchens, Chef Daniel feels most at home at Einstein. “I’ve had great support, both with my cooking and personally. The people here are extremely caring and helpful,” he said.
Editor’s Note: While many at Einstein enjoy Chef Daniel’s soups, his delicious concoctions are not his only art form. When not in the kitchen, he is an aspiring artist who often puts pen to paper to craft skillful sketches. He especially enjoys drawing superheroes, manga, and portraits. You can check out his handiwork by visiting his Instagram handle @chefdad55.
Posted on: Wednesday, February 19, 2020