Food for Thought: What I Learned From 6 Weeks in Noma's Kitchen - Thomas Madrecki - Life - The Atlantic

Food for Thought: What I Learned From 6 Weeks in Noma's Kitchen - Thomas Madrecki - Life - The Atlantic:

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Chocolate, pumpkin pie - YouTube

Food is an art form! In so many ways! Thank you Alinea.Chocolate, pumpkin pie - YouTube:

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What's the Next Big Restaurant? - WSJ.com

What's the Next Big Restaurant? - WSJ.com:

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10 Stubborn Food Myths That Just Won't Die, Debunked by Science

Very interesting article!! 10 Stubborn Food Myths That Just Won't Die, Debunked by Science:

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The French Laundry at Harrods Opens | Haute Living Magazine

The French Laundry at Harrods Opens | Haute Living Magazine:

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USAM over!!!

It has been so long since my last update and there is so much to talk about... Most importantly the United States Amateur golf championship and all of its planning went off without any problems!! In fact it went better than I could have ever planned!! Its late now but i will update with more when I get a chance!

Sorry for the long time no blog...

Hey everyone or should I say the 4 to 5 people who follow this blog. I have been so so so so very busy and I hope to be able update with some new menu items and pics that I have been doing!

See you soon!

Amazon.com: Amuse-Bouche: Little Bites Of Delight Before the Meal Begins (9780375507601): Rick Tramonto, Mary Goodbody, Tim Turner: Books

Amazon.com: Amuse-Bouche: Little Bites Of Delight Before the Meal Begins (9780375507601): Rick Tramonto, Mary Goodbody, Tim Turner: Books

Just a wonderful book of fun little apps and amuses for the palate!

Menu for the week of 1/18/2010

Ok so here we go! I had most of the stuff I planned last week, so lets try this again...

Monday- Papusas with red chile sauce

Tuesday- Lobster bisque with grilled sourdough

Wednesday- Grilled chicken salad with satsuma orange vinaigrette, 5 spice wonton strips and grape tomatoes

Thursday- A variety of popcorns and dips

Friday- (chivetalker special) Slow roasted chicken noodle soup

Saturday- Wild mushroom raviolis with sun dried tomato pesto, fresh buffalo mozz. and grilled broccoili florets

Sunday- Leftovers!!!

Harmon Beer Dinner Menu

Chambers Bay Grill & Harmon Brewery team up to bring you a four course dinner prepared by Executive Chef Dustin Joseph, perfectly paired with four great brews from the local favorite Harmon Brewery! Join us for an evening of great food and great beer. Space is limited, so make your reservations today by calling the Chambers Bay Grill at (253) 460-4653 ext. 112.

$45 per person plus gratuity

1st Course

Grilled ancho chile rubbed chicken skewers

Spanish roasted Marcona almonds

(paired with Point Defiance IPA)

2nd Course

Beer battered Painted Hills Burnin German corn dogs with house made dipping sauces

(paired with Brown’s Point ESB)

3rd Course

Grilled St. Helens hangar steak with basil pesto mashed potatoes and smoked tomato relish

(paired with Pinnacle Peak Pale Ale)

4th Course

Apple cider “doughnut” beignets with brown sugar caramel sauce

(paired with Puget Sound Porter)

Executive Chef Dustin Joseph

Menu for the week of 1-11-2010

Here's what I have planned for my week! (some are for my next menu at the restaurant that I want to try out)

Monday: Pulled pork shredded tacos with satsuma orange, napa cabbage slaw
(I might be putting this on my lunch menu??)

Tuesday: Spinach salad with caramelized chanterelle mushrooms, Washington apples, and warm bacon vinaigrette

Wednesday: Oven roasted turkey sandwich with chipotle aioli, lettuce, tomato, Carlton Farms bacon, avocado on oat wheat bread

Thursday: Washington field green salad with Oregonzola blue cheese, candied walnuts, dried bing cherries and cava wine vinaigrette

Friday: Chile rubbed skirt steak with tempura fried scallion and topped with a local farm egg cooked over easy (possible steak and egg for breakfast menu)

Saturday: Grilled Cheese with roasted tomato soup! (Using goat, blue and aged cheddar cheese on sourdough)

Sunday: Leftovers of some sort!!!

I am hoping to take some pics of the food this week and hopefully I can post them with the days I am preparing them!!

Working, working, working

Sorry for no update after I said I was going to more often! Argh!!! Have been busy at work, but now I am on to the fun stuff... Planning the spring menu for Chambers Bay! More to come shortly! Stay tuned.

New Years Eve

This is the first New Years eve that I have off in about 14 years and I am debating what to do with my evening? Lots of restaurants have tasting menus, evenings where you enjoy company, eat and drink. I am just not sure that I want to do that... The other option is to go to a night club and pay too much for cover and too much for drinks all night. Oh these options I have! I am leaning to getting together with friends and just hanging out (isn't that what most people do anyways?)

Some of my favortie books

All of these are from Ferran Adria if you haven't guessed! He is an amazing chef and El Bulli has been voted the best restaurant many times over. Not just great gift ideas, but for the serious foodies a must buy.

Check them out and let me know what you think!!

Menu for what I plan to cook this week

Here's a quick Here is quick menu for the week of Christmas and what I am planning to cook (for home)

Monday: Spinach pasta lasagna with grilled zucchini, portabella mushrooms, tomatoes, red onions with pecorino romona cheese and a roasted tomato sauce

Tuesday: Slow roasted natural turkey sandwich with rosemary cream cheese, orange-cranberry chutney, candied bacon, aged white cheddar on bakery fresh sourdough bread

Wednesday: White wine poached natural egg with butter roasted fingerling potatoes, slab Carlton Farms bacon and chanterelle mushrooms

Thursday: Painted Hills Hamburger on a brioche bun with lettuce, onion and tomato chutney (fresh tomatoes aren’t that good this time of year) tortilla chips with salsa fresca

Friday: Some sort of Christmas dinner I am sure! (Will update with exact menu soon)

Saturday: Leftovers from Christmas

Sunday: Slow roasted Draper Valley chicken enchiladas (Christmas style for everyone who knows what that is)

There's what I have planned, going to make it happen!

First beer dinner in a while!

Here is a link for my first beer dinner! Let me know what everyone thinks!

http://tinyurl.com/yzj97zx

Been swamped

Sorry I haven't updated my blog in such a long time, but I promise I will do it much more often!

Precision vs. Taste cooking

I recently had a discussion with one of my cooks about precision cooking and using grams to measure and cook with. His argument was valid- that a chef is still a creator and alchemist (I agree with all my heart) I think that cooking for me now has changed a bit though. I enjoy making the best dish I can, and if measuring everything in grams allows me to do that, then I will gladly do that. Precision allows me to come as close to perfection as I possibly can. If you can change the stigma that “no recipe is ever perfect” and “a chef always tweaks this and that recipe” then for once your end result would come out just as planned. Would that be a letdown? Or a big relief? I used to feel that I always had to add more of this or that and just a pinch more of salt, but now I would love to follow a recipe that is as close to perfection and have the end result come out to just what I wanted in the first place, no matter who made the recipe. As of now, I am a mixture of both, but I know that as I grow older I want to get as close to perfection as I am able to get, and if it is the way of the gram than I will be happy to convert all my recipes and teach my staff how important consistent cooking is.

Creativity

Many times I wonder if I would enjoy all that I cook if I didn’t have a creative drive. Would I still enjoy “recipe” cooking? I use recipes every day at work, some I have created and some I read from old chefs of mine. Every time I think about food or about creating a new dish, I thank God that I am able to see the ingredients I want to use. It helps me tremendously for creating the perfect dish in that very moment and I feel even more blessed when I am able to serve it. Creativity to me is my drive! It spurs me to use different cooking techniques, ingredients, spices, herbs and so on. I love cooking for so many reasons but I know when I answer the question that I am so frequently asked “why did you start cooking?” My answer is always because it helps me be creative and I can’t draw!

A chefs crazy life

For all those kids or adults (for that matter) who think they have what it takes to become a successful chef. Please take a step back and look at how good your life is now. I say this not to discourage you but to enlighten you on how hard being a servant can be. Working long hours, dealing with staff and guest who have there own agendas, using every ounce of strength you have to not lose your mind and fall into one of the many dangers that plague kitchens and chef and not too mention it gets hot! There are three thing I know about being in a restaurant that a great chef must have;

1st: You better have one hell of a work ethic and habit. Long hours are no joke! I have pulled 3 all nighters (24 hours plus) in my career and I am sure there are more to follow. I rarely ever work for 8 hours in one day (it is usually 14-18 hours) and forget about just doing your paperwork or just being on the line supervising you staff on how to make the dishes consistently. No no my eager little chef friend. It is usually both and you have a deadline on the paperwork and the line needs to be watched all the time.

2nd: Creativity only gets you so far. I have always felt I have been very cutting edge and creative, but I would have been shown the door if I didn't have some sense of business, especially customer service business. Doing cutting edge food can only get you so far, playing with different textures, flavors, foams, ingredients and dishes maybe fun (lord knows I love to entertain guest with different styles and fun food) but if your service isn't there to show the guest a relaxing and attentive time then you are sunk! I am constantly telling my servers I can make the best food in the world but if you don't take care of the guest then my food may as well be the worst. You must anticipate what the guest wants and be able to relay it to your hourly server's and staff as to how important it truly is.

3rd: Check that ego. Every chef (heck every person) has an ego. Since I have cooked I have seen it and been very egotistical myself. What do you mean I can't rule the world and cook for it too! The truth of the matter is that the guest (notice how I don't call them customers) dictate what they like and if they want to frequent your establishment again. Sure I have done wine tastings, beer tasting, Scotch dinners, and new menu tastings and yes you dictate the food, time and how to eat your wonderful morsel, but they sign up for it. You have to cook for the masses in some aspect of it or be a great restaurant and have a buzz about you (even that doesn't usually last very long.) No one will come to your restaurant if you say NO!

In closing of this little glimpse into what it is like to be a chef, the only thing I ask is if you want to become a chef, you want it. Cooking for your fellow humans can be truly wonderful and satisfactory. There is no greater joy I know in life than making someone food and seeing there "wow" face. I will continue on this topic a bit later... till next time