Let's Eat: Southgate Grill welcomes 'Chef H'

His name is Hesham Khalil. But his famous name everywhere, he says, is "Chef H."

Raised in Egypt and graduated from culinary school in Germany, Chef H. made his way to the Valley a half dozen years ago. Since then, he worked at the Arizona Biltmore and Phoenician, opened his own restaurant, and is now the newest chef at the Radisson Hotel Phoenix/Chandler's Southgate Grill.

"I see my customer as a king, and I think of how we feed the king," he said.

The menu is changing at the Southgate Grill, located at 7475 W. Chandler Blvd. inside the Radisson Hotel. Chef H. is working to incorporate healthy, Mediterranean-style food with an American Southwest twist.

"What the market needs right now is to eat healthy. High fiber, high protein, light ingredients. Eliminate the butter, eliminate the oil," he said.

Some of the dishes he's created are a light alfredo penne pasta with grilled chicken and a chicken kabob with rice, portobello mushrooms, mixed greens and hummus.

Ted Trembath, general manager of the Radisson Hotel, said the Southgate Grill is in transition to be more of a restaurant for the community in addition to its regular hotel guests. He says Chef H. is the right man for that job.

"Someone with (Chef) H.'s background, a dietician as well as the great culinary passion that he has, we want to bring that more to the community."

Southgate Grill offers half-price appetizers and drink specials during happy hour, from 4 to 6 p.m. daily, and is positioning itself to begin offering Chef H's culinary creations for catering.

For a special Valentine's Day dinner, guests can order off a five-course menu. Cost is $40 per person, $70 per couple. For more information, call (480) 961-4444 or visit www.radisson.com/chandleraz.

Valentine's Day Menu
($40 per person, $70 per couple)

Appetizers
* Sashimi of smoked salmon and marinated tuna
* Golden tomato and goat cheese tart, black olive oil

Soups
* Hot: Onion broth, nappa cabbage and panetta
* Cold: Gazpacho with basil and goat cheese croutons

Salad
* Leek mix greens and roquefort salad with mimosa vinaigrette

Main courses
* Sesame seared ahi tuna, ginger sticky rice and sauteed arrugula
* Grilled lamb chops, scalloped blue potato, mint sauce
* Grilled filet mignon with scallion potato and crisp onion tower, asparagus, sauce bordelaise
* Grilled breast of chicken, wild mushrooms and roasted garlic fettuccine

Dessert
* Triple chocolate mousse
* Tiramisu