SONIC DISH: CHEF COLIN MINER x H.B. MONTE
“If this dish were a track, what would it sound like?”
Chef Colin Miner is known for flavorful, creative plates as chef de cuisine at Park 26 at The Queensbury Hotel + at [farmacy restobar], both in Glens Falls. We paired Miner with area DJ, music producer, songwriter + entertainer, H.B. Monte.
In his 23-years in the industry, Chef Colin Miner has gone from The Inn at Erlowest and The Lake George Club to Grace, a Michelin-starred restaurant in Chicago. Miner returned to the area and oversaw the opening of Park 26 with upscale innovative small plates before joining Chef A.J. Richards at [farmacy restobar]. Earlier this summer, Chef Miner joined French restaurant, Bistro LeRoux, in Lake George.
We paired Chef Miner with DJ, producer, and JAMZ 96.3 daily radio host H.B. Monte known for seamlessly blending his signature style with diverse musical genres. With dynamic, raw energy, this multifaceted DJ, music producer, songwriter, entertainer and visual artist started to rap and perform at the age of 16, interned at Def Jam/Universal Records, and later toured with Mobb Deep/G-Unit. He has collaborated on tracks with artists Pitbull, T-Pain, Beenie Man, and Chingy. He appeared on America’s Got Talent in 2021 + Spain’s Got Talent in 2024.
Photo: Duck & Cure by Chef Colin Miner.
The Dish: The Duck and Cure.
Chef, can you describe the dish?
Sure! It’s Chinese 5 spice cured duck breast prosciutto, duck liver pate with local maple syrup, heart and kidney sausage fortified with confit duck leg, duck fat caramel, dehydrated ramp powder, ramp marmalade
What’s the backstory? The idea started with a case of Long Island duck and being sure I utilize the entire bird. (The bones were used for stock in other menu items.) I always love a good charcuterie board, a nice cured sausage. It’s a great start to a meal. There was something very special in getting a whole case of Long Island duck. Looking at that duck, it had led a life and even if it was farm-raised you should pay homage to the fact this was once a living thing. I was reminded of a time when all the way back when I was 14 years old and a chef I was working for hit a deer, brought it in and used everything -- he deboned it and used the brains, eyeballs, everything. A mastermind what a chef truly should be. I see so much cryo-vacced duck breast and I wonder what happened to the feet, to the rest of it?
The duck and cure is one of my carry-ons. It’s fun; you can alter the dish a lot of ways so it’s one of my favorites to reinvent. When I hear that's the best duck prosciutto I've ever had, I think, “well, fuck, yeah!” It means a lot.
I was inspired to make the duck breast prosciutto by Chef Jason Baker from The Black Watch (across from Bistro Talullah) who taught me how to make it by curing and hang drying. I know prosciutto, but not duck prosciutto. So then I thought about what else I could do. In every duck you get a bag of livers and kidneys – so liver paté. Kidney and heart? That was definitely the hardest part for me because it's so iron-y but when you fortify it with the confit duck leg you're basically making a rillette. The blend of heart and kidney with succulent duck leg was perfect. Throw the carcass into the stock, let it sit overnight and the fat separates. Then what can we do with the fat? I started out as a pastry chef so my mind immediately went to duck fat caramel. Replace the butter with duck fat. I was home and writing out the menu for Park 26 at The Queensbury Hotel and realized by using the whole duck we could make all of these dishes happen for a fraction of the cost. This is why I love what I do. So much opportunity for interpretation out there. You gotta be creative; have your own vision and style. It blows my mind when people don't put care into using whole animals like that.
H.B. Monte, you’ve seen the dish + heard the backstory. What does this dish sound like to you?
The track: J’Calm - “Tempted” (2023). J’Calm, a young singer from Kingston, Jamaica, is part of a new generation of Jamaican artists modernizing reggae sounds with modern beats and dancehall roots. Signed to Rose Gold records, this track was released in 2023 and was followed up with the 2024 album, Niche.
The sound: Pairing J’Calm - “Tempted” (2023) with The Duck and Cure just makes sense. The dish is all about indulgence and layers, and the track drips with the same sultry vibe.
The inspo: The duck fat caramel and ramp marmalade = pure temptation, just like the song’s sultry melody pulling you in. Every element on the plate gets used, flipped, and reimagined just like J’Calm layers his vocal harmonies with the full production. It’s smooth, bold, a little risky, and tempting to play loud. This dish is temptation on a plate, and “Tempted” is its soundtrack.
Listen to J’Calm - “Tempted” (2023)
H.B. MONTE (Fernando Bustamente) is a global force of talent and energy. DJ, producer, and on-air talent, Monte has appeared on America’s Got Talent, Got Talent España, ABC, FOX, NBC & Telecinco and goes live daily on JAMZ 96.3 FM. He’s worked with icons Pitbull, T-Pain, Beenie Man, Sting, Shaggy and more. Fueled by resilience in the face of health battles, and raw talent, H.B. MONTE is redefining entertainment. | IG: @hbmonte
CHEF COLIN MINER’s 23-years in the industry include The Inn at Erlowest, The Lake George Club, and Grace, a Michelin 3-star restaurant in Chicago. Post-pandemic, he returned to the Glens Falls area and joined Park 26 restaurant at The Queensbury Hotel, followed by [Farmacy restobar]. In 2025 he joined French restaurant, Bistro LeRoux in Lake George. Miner frequently hosts wine dinners at Galway Rock winery. | IG: @colinpancakes
Photos of Chef Colin Miner + DJ h.B. Monte: Provided.