By Deborah Dasch

“Too often chefs pay more attention to the adjectives that describe their cooking, instead of the good ingredients that go into it,” observes Terry Shuster, the chef de cuisine for Fox Run, a campus-style community built by Erickson that is celebrating its grand opening this month.

While Terry appreciates a delicious description of an entrée, he doesn’t let language, or anything else, take precedence over the ingredients. “There’s nothing more important than what goes in the dish you’re creating,” he says.

How does this seasoned chef feel about the challenges of operating a restaurant and café in a brand new community? “It’s exciting because I get to create a certain image from the start,” he says, “but at the same time I need to find out what people’s food likes and dislikes are.”

A Michigan native, Terry worked in Detroit’s landmark French restaurant, The Money Tree, and spent 16 years at the famous Fox and Hounds Restaurant.

Who was his early role model in food and cooking? You guessed it: his mother (this seems to be a trend among Erickson chefs)!

Terry Shuster’s Braised Beef (serves 8)

3 pounds top butt, cut ½ -inch pieces
1 ounce vegetable oil
2 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons black pepper
1 cup flour
1 teaspoon thyme
2 bay leaves
3 cloves of fresh garlic, minced
1 orange, juiced and zested
12 ounces beer (dark preferred)
5 ounces beef base (or broth)
3 ounces tomato paste
1 quart water
1 onion, rough cut
1 carrot, rough cut