Modern Cooking

What's next?

Wed, 25 Apr 2012 01:44:38 -0400

My internship here at my dad’s is coming to an end soon. It actually ends early may but I’ll be here until June. It’s been a great experience overall so far. Lots of caterings and bantering in the kitchen. Even though I haven’t been serving foie gras torchon I feel I’ve learned a lot. A lot about front of the house and all around restaurant business tips. I work with a great sense of urgency and always being productive. I already have my classes set up at IPFW for hospitality management. I’m so glad I finished my associates degree in culinary arts in 1 year rather than 1. I Know it didn’t teach me everything, but it has helped tremendously. Meeting master chefs and hearing stories of the trade were awesome. I have experience from attending Anthis Culinary arts, working at Vince’s, and working at the Orchard Ride Country Club. I want to take an internship at a restaurant that I highly respect, but I have to choose between a Job that I really need or an experience of a lifetime. Maybe I could have both, but I don’t know what prerequisites a great restaurant like that requires. I know I have the passion and the mindset needed. I already have a job offer where I used to work, but I don’t know if it’s what I want. Only time can tell what is to come.

Progressive cooking

Sun, 22 Apr 2012 01:22:22 -0400

Read an article today concerning the foundation of a signature dish. Stressing on points of being creative for the sake of being creative. Why try to be creative when sometimes the ingredient’s purpose is lost? It also pointed out that some young chefs are more concerned about spherification than carving a chicken. I feel that both are things to know and be educated on how it works. Although carving a chicken seems simple it may not be when it comes actually doing it. That is just a small example. On a larger scale I feel the chef was making a point towards young chefs forgetting about where food really began. Not using sodium alginate baths, soy lecithin, agar, Methylcell and other various new ingredients in modern applications. That there are more important things to know like how to roast a juicy chicken or how to prepare a great beef stock. Personally, I feel that cooks today have to be well rounded and on to the new thing while still being grounded to tradition. I used to think it was badass whenever I was making these mother sauces in my high school kitchen, but then I started learning of these crazy innovations in modern kitchens, which we as Americans are extremely late on. I felt that what I had learned was inferior to what was going on today. But I look back and think of the roux coming together and how good it felt to see the sauce thickened and full of flavor. At
Some point in time these were the techniques seen as modern and applied to all commercial kitchens. I started thinking and I realized that cooking is a lot like cars. Even though that 2012 Audi is freaking sick and has all these cool gadgets there’s still a 1970 cheville that even in 2012 is still highly regarded. Classic vs modern. There’s no true winner there. But if you familiarize yourself with both then you gain respect for the past and the present. I have recently been experimenting with various techniques like spherification and I’m not ashamed to admit it because with that I’m still tied deeply to traditional
Cooking and extracting the best possible flavor. In high school and even college they never taught us how to do these new techniques so its up to me to learn about them on my own and use traditional techniques to produce good food. Ill still respect the buerre Blancs, rouxs, and mother sauces forever, but if there’s a better way to get a cleaner flavor then I’m all for it.

Last Week Report

Wed, 21 Mar 2012 23:46:19 -0400

Fresh tarts might sound good and look really simple to make, but when you’re busting out a bunch of minatiaure ones….not so fun. It’s like trying to get quaddruplets dressed when they have just learned how to use their legs. It’s all worth it in the end. I’ve slowly made my way onto the line due to making new dishes to soon future. I’m not only involved in the kitchen, but many aspects like closing and opening. We have caterings almost everyday for Pharm. Reps and also a few random caterings for funerals…weddings. It’s all great fast paced experience. I’m also helping develop the new website by taking pictures and learnign how to run the site which is pretty cool. I’m getting so much out of this internship. Not just food, but restaurant business. More to come.

These little guys take some time, but it’s worth it in the...

Mon, 19 Mar 2012 00:09:18 -0400

These little guys take some time, but it’s worth it in the end. Gnocchi…the cool name and pleasing pasta is a treat to make and eat. There’s more than one way to skin a cat they say just like there are a couple ways to cook and make gnocchi . Some say to boil with skin on or some to bake. I’ve tried peeled and diced potatoes and taking them out before being water logged and also boiling whole skin on potatoes. I have experienced little difference. I then rice the potatoes to incorporate air. I ad various seasonings and some Parmesan cheese. For the restaurant I parboil them and then shock. I portion some out for the restaurant and the rest I freeze. We use them
Pretty fast so they dont really last. We let the guests choose what sauce to bake it in, but I like it with a Gorgonzola cream sauce and a nice crispy topping. Very simple, feel good food. I’m getting ready to start doing more experimental things and I’ll post that later. I like the idea of simplistic food like we have at my dad’s restaurant. A few ingredients go a long way.

Progress

Sun, 18 Mar 2012 03:24:21 -0400

Got my specials selling pretty quick now. Simple stuff like Creme brûlées, fresh fruit tarts, and tiramisu really sell. Our gnocchi is also getting well known now. My molecular gastronomy supplies is finally coming in as well. This has been a hell of a work
Week. Not slowing down though just speeding up. I need to
Post more in depth posts and and really explains what I’m doing. With time.

Phew

Tue, 13 Mar 2012 00:51:24 -0400

More desserts and entrees on the way for Marcello’s. Feeling like I’m not really part of the kitchen team since I’m mainly just testing out recipes, but soon testing will become entrees. I need to increase my kitchen endurance. I also want to get more creative.

Update

Fri, 09 Mar 2012 22:40:38 -0500

Alright…Finally my dishes for my Dad’s restaurant have been making their way to guests. I already ordered a little kit that will help me build a foundation for experimental cuisine. I hope to make some trippy stuff to show my dad and family. More pics will be up soon! I know I barely have followers,but thank you for following me. I’ve been working a lot, but mainly I’ve been doing caterings and forming simple recipes. I’m happy to be surrounded by clanking pans and sizzling food. I havent talked to my girlfriend all week! She’s been on a mission trip in Nicaragua….I miss her. She gives me inspiration to be more and do more.

Update

Wed, 29 Feb 2012 00:57:54 -0500

I have just been here a few days in Cali. Still settling in. I have been testing out various simple recipes with my
Dad to add to his menu. The food we have tested so far is just some calamari, caprese salad, and Arancini. I’m ready for more which is why I’m heading our to Sacramento tomorrow. New ingredients.

"Maximum seriousness, in order to have a good time."

Sat, 25 Feb 2012 05:32:49 -0500

“Maximum seriousness, in order to have a good time.”

- Ferran Adrià

Last School Day at Johnson & Wales

Thu, 23 Feb 2012 10:36:21 -0500

Phew! All finals are done now. I feel good about all of them except for leadership. I’m sure I didn’t do that hot at all. All in all I’m happy to have gotten the pleasure of attending one of the most highly respected Culinary schools in U.S, and even the world. I learned so much from the chefs here who are extremely talented. Culinary school is sometimes laughed at or looked and deemed as unnecessary. Although I’m not gonna remember every single thing
Mentioned here I will take what I do know and apply it to the real world. Culinary school is entirely different from working in professional kitchens. The
Food waste is the owners money in the trash, but here it was your own ha. Culinary school has exposed me to different cultures and foods. People feel that by going to culinary school you’re able to cook things perfectly every time, but it’s not true at all. Real work experience is what’s gonna set you apart. I feel I have a better grasp now in understanding food, but Im relying on working to expose me to more. I’ll never stop learning. I’ll continue to read and cook. My next step in the near future is to purchase Modernist Cuisine. Until then….”Welcome to the real world, homie; School’s finished.” - k. West

My garde manger platter. This was my group’s first try at...

Thu, 23 Feb 2012 10:21:34 -0500

My garde manger platter. This was my
group’s first try at laying out aspic and preparing pâtés. The second platter we did turned out much better, but those pictures are on my camera and not my
Phone. This was a salmon platter with just a mixed vegetable salad.

This dish was my practical for desserts class. I loved the...

Thu, 23 Feb 2012 10:18:08 -0500

This dish was my practical for desserts class. I loved the entire concept except for the lava cake that was just awkward. I feel the dish has a modern look with complementing flavors and textures. The crust underneath the ice cream has ancho chile powder which I thought went great together. The sugar garnish is a hazelnut dipped and then left hanging to get the pointed look. I ended up getting a good grade on this dish which I was proud of because I feel it represented me in the simplistic, but playful preparation.

The fruit tart. Traditional preparation. The sugar garnish was...

Thu, 23 Feb 2012 10:11:22 -0500

The fruit tart. Traditional preparation. The sugar garnish was made using a ring mold. I risked getting burned trying to get it right. It’s an excessive garnish, but I liked the fact of just testing out the many uses of sugar. I hope to be posting more pics of actual savory foods soon.

Front view

Wed, 22 Feb 2012 23:33:00 -0500

Front view

Ah, my caprese salad served on a bed of lettuce drizzled with a...

Wed, 22 Feb 2012 23:22:41 -0500

Ah, my caprese salad served on a bed of lettuce drizzled with a sweet and acidic balsamic vinaigrette. My group and I made the mozzarella cheese from scratch and rolled it in this mixture of various dried herbs and spices which included thyme, rosemary, and pepper flakes. The spice mixture was cooked in olive oil which helped the flavors set and also made it much easier to adhere to The cheese. Rather than whole leaves of basil we opted to Chiffonade it. Our basil was too crappy to leave whole, but I feel it gives the dish a modern look in its presentation. I love the white rectangular plate that helps the colors pop out. This dish was made in my international cuisine class taught by Chef Heinerwadel who is a certified German master chef, the highest title any chef can earn. I’m not sure if I would ever try for it.

I hadn’t posted anything I’ve made while here at...

Wed, 22 Feb 2012 23:10:51 -0500

I hadn’t posted anything I’ve made while here at J&W, but here is a white chocolate mouse garnished with tuile. The two dessert sauces or coulis are mango and raspberry. I have to admit I lacked purpose in the use of the sauce flavors.I used them more for color rather than what complimented the dish. I am slowly learning to cook with purpose. What I like about the dish is the height given by the tuiles, but the downfall is that they are too big compared to the actual mousse The main components of a dessert as we are taught are the main item, sauce, crunch factor, and garnish.

Leaving Soon...

Tue, 21 Feb 2012 18:06:39 -0500

I’m heading to Sacramento,California this Saturday! I’ll be attending a Gala that my Dad was invited to because of his restaurant. I hope to get straight to cooking the next day! This whole trimester I’ve only been taking my academic classes, so I have been deprived of my cooking labs :(. I want my hands to get tougher and used to the heat of the pans once again. I feel like I’m going to Disney Land, but this time Disney Land consists of sweating over fire ranges, and pulling pizzas out of a hot oven. MMmmm…just like the commercials. I haven’t really spread word of my blog yet, but I hope to start posting it on my FaceBook and hopefully attracting a few followers once I’m officially back in the kitchen.

WHERE WOULD YOU MOST LIKE TO VISIT ON YOUR PLANET?

Fri, 17 Feb 2012 23:44:33 -0500

The French Laundry in Yountville, CA

"Cooking is not about convenience and it’s not about shortcuts."

Fri, 17 Feb 2012 23:38:46 -0500

“Cooking is not about convenience and it’s not about shortcuts.”

- The French Laundry Cookbook

My first Picture is this dish I made my Junior summer in High...

Fri, 17 Feb 2012 23:33:00 -0500

My first Picture is this dish I made my Junior summer in High School. I was one year into my vocational school where I took cooking classes. I felt accomplished. I look back at this dish just to see how much I’ve grown mentally in my perception and understanding of food. It consists of a veloute sauce (too dark), grilled chicken, rice pilaf, and asparagus. Let’s just say I was only a beginner and felt these were awesome accompaniments. The ever so famous garnish of a sprig of thyme or even rosemary seemed “cool” to my class and I. The molded rice also seem to give the dish a modern flair. By the standards even in that time…my dish was the ” culinary equivalent of flared trousers” as Gordon Ramsay would say. Yikes! That asparagus stem on the rim of the plate.