Mauro Martina

Brunch is not a daypart when butternut squash tends to shine. If it makes an appearance at all, it’s likely to be relegated to a component in a hash. But at OEB Breakfast Co., the Canadian chain with locations in Arizona and California, Mauro Martina, Chef/Founder, gives butternut squash a deserved spotlight in the Truffle Squash Benedict. “When braised right, it has the perfect melt-in-your mouth texture and the perfect sweetness when in season. Now add truffle mushrooms, and the Benedict becomes a whole new experience. It’s rich, but not heavy. It’s sweet, but also salty and creamy,” he says. “It’s just perfect!”

Martina was driven to create a new take on a familiar brunch classic. “I wanted to create something special, something that involved a cooking technique that would take time and precision,” he says. “When a dish becomes your vegetarian best seller, you know you’ve done something right.”