Montrio’s new chef, Kurt Boucher, defines an “ingredient-driven” menu.

There is a side dish on the revamped menu at Montrio that clearly runs counter to the chef’s principles. At the same time, however, it is an example of the finesse he brings to the kitchen.

“I like to use the best products,” explains Kurt Boucher, who took the reins at the venerable downtown Monterey restaurant five months ago and just revealed his original dishes. “You start with something good, you’re more likely to end up with something good.”

The pork is from a heritage breed. Lamb comes from the pastures of Colorado. Snake River Farms provides slabs of Wagyu beef, while the venison was raised naturally in New Zealand. Boucher refers to this as an “ingredient-driven” menu, drawing from the finest products to be found both in Monterey County and around the world.

Which is why the Sriracha risotto catches your eye. There is nothing wrong with the ubiquitous sauce. Among a list including fennel confit, huckleberry demi-glace and the like, however, Sriracha seems rather commonplace – and the chef admits that it tends to be abused. But a caveat comes when you pick up a fork.

Somehow Boucher has untangled the fractious elements that make up Sriracha, leaving instead a sensation of roasted red peppers and cured pimento. A plush duvet of cream obscures a sneaky flicker of heat so that its source becomes difficult to trace. Black peppercorns? Chile japones? Anything but Sriracha. Yet there is no actual alchemy involved, just ingredients and a whisk.

With Boucher’s nimble touch, bold spices can become phantoms, appearing as ethereal wisps. The brittle crust on a robust, double-cut pork chop seems to vanish, leaving just a frail smoky cackle. A tingle of rosemary appears seemingly out of nowhere, its essence awakening the nutty, meadow grass savor of the meat.

This particular preparation was named best pork dish in Denver about 12 years ago, and it represents the chef’s approach when creating the menu. “I want people to taste the food I love to cook – where I’ve been and what I’ve done,” he says.

Boucher completed his culinary education at the prestigious Johnson & Wales University in Rhode Island. He was a chef at restaurants in Aspen and Denver for 26 years before heading further west. Along the way he earned a spot on Iron Chef America, where he challenged Bobby Flay.

“I didn’t beat Bobby Flay,” Boucher says with a smile. “It was the fastest hour of my life.”

The chef credits his time at Aspen’s The Pine Creek Cookhouse, with its emphasis on wild game and tendency to be cut off from all but sleigh traffic during heavy snow, for honing his skills. Winter isolation often meant the pantry and cooler could not be easily restocked.

“That’s where a lot of my cooking comes from,” Boucher explains. “‘We’re out of this, so let’s try… ’ You have to think quickly sometimes.”

The wild mushroom torte resulted from such improvisation. It’s another dish from the past, one that came about when Boucher contemplated a delivery of mushrooms and the makings of puff pastry. It’s presented in a red pepper coulis that provides a gentle, piquant sweetness that gives the calm, earthy funk of mushrooms a resounding depth.

It’s as if the coulis and medley of fungi were meant to be together, even if the pairing is not readily intuitive. And it’s that way with many of his plates. Deft seasoning and thoughtful arrangement bring an uncommon eloquence. If there are tendencies, it’s in his appreciation for the homespun appeal that a waft of smoke or the opulent sheen that duck fat can lend a dish.

Montrio’s new chef took his time before putting his own stamp on the restaurant’s menu, which he intends to update a couple of times a year, with specials and a few seasonal items. He spent the first few months learning.

“I got a feel for my kitchen and a feel for the team,” Boucher says. “You’re only as good as your team.”

It was, he adds, time well spent: “We’re hitting our stride right now.”

MONTRIO is at 414 Calle Principal, Monterey. 648-8880, montrio.com