A Cozy Winter Meal for Four

Rosemary-Smoked Rack of Lamb

salsify silk, charred leeks, cranberry confit tarragon demiglace

By: Chef JC Rodriguez

A rosemary-smoked rack of lamb rests on a velvety salsify silk, anchored by charred leeks and a tart cranberry confit, all tied together with a delicate tarragon demi-glace. It’s refined yet grounded — a reflection of experience, evolution, and purpose.

For more than two decades, I cooked in some of New York City’s most respected kitchens — from The Brasserie in Midtown to Jefferson in the West Village — learning that precision, patience, and consistency are what turn good into great. When the COVID-19 pandemic

arrived, I stepped away from the kitchen and found a new calling in finance, drawn to the need for education around saving, investing, and protection.

After relocating to Syracuse, I made a brief but meaningful return to cooking at St. Urban Wine Bar and The Tasting Room — a nod to the craft that built me. Today, I’ve “retired” from the stove to focus fully on my role as a Financial Professional and Life Insurance Expert, specializing in financial education and guidance for those in the restaurant and hospitality industries.

Cooking remains my passion — an art form that taught me structure, taste, and resilience — but helping others achieve financial security is now my purpose. This, in many ways, is my second course.

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