Friday, May 31, 2013

More and more restaurants have been increasing their use of fresh herbs since the 1990’s. During that era, growing interest on the ecological state of our planet started to pick up and a significant paradigm shift was formed. More and more individuals moved from the excess of the 80’s to learning the ropes of eco-activism, buying organic and sourcing local.

Given that eating is a daily routine, this grassroots shift affected restaurateurs in the city considerably more than any other lifestyle element. Restaurants caught on and later became forerunners in what others may have thought to be just a trend.

When the advantages significantly surpass the disadvantages, why not?

• Growing your own herbs and produce cuts costs and ensures quality ingredients for your customers.
• For those restaurateurs who have already been into the hobby of gardening, this definitely fulfills a passion, as well as cuts costs. Some have even expanded to selling herbs to the diners themselves, as well as being suppliers to neighboring restaurants.
• The Chefs who are able to grow their own herbs find that their customers are enthused by the quality of the produce on their plates!
• Many upscale restaurants develop their menus around the available produce in their garden. Hence, creativity is exercised while the menu remains interesting and never stagnant.
• With the economy these days, people are spending wisely when it comes to dining out. Therefore, diners aim for the best and freshest culinary experience for their money’s worth.

If you are ready to take on such measures, these are a few essentials you’ll need to keep in mind, according to the AICA culinary school.  

Which Herbs?

• To begin with, restaurants need herbs first and foremost for their distinct flavor. Second, for their aroma and third for garnishing. Depending on the type of restaurant you have, you’ll need to know which ones and how much you’ll need daily.
• Yields range between 70% to 100% for each kind. The typical herbs a regular 50-seat restaurant may need include Basil, Thyme, Parsley, Rosemary and Chives.
• The number one herb used in most, if not all restaurant types is Sweet Basil, followed by Thyme and Cilantro. Mint is relatively indispensable to Asian restaurants while Rosemary to Mediterranean ones. Parsley is commonly used for garnishing.
• Since you are doing this for the first time, start with the easy ones. Known to be easiest to grow are Parsley, Chives, Basil and Oregano. The hardest being Thyme and Rosemary.

The Importance of Space

• To yield a pound of each herb, a space approximately 1x1 meters is enough, for each kind. However, for you to constantly yield a pound each week, make sure you have 3x3 meters set up. 

Keep Them Organic

• Grow them organic. Don't skimp on soil quality. Use organic soil. Boost their health by keeping them fertilized with natural additives. If your restaurant serves coffee, don’t throw away your grounds. Mix them with an organic compost.
• Keep close watch for insect infestation. Inspect leaves and stems closely and wash them daily with an organic soapy mixture. Use a spray bottle to spray the soapy solution onto the leaves; this will prevent pests from settling in. If you do find yourself infested, don’t worry. There are all-natural, inexpensive and organic solutions. Namely; Neem Oil, Salt Spray, Mineral Oil, Eucalyptus Oil.

Getting Through Winter

While ideally you’ll want to grow them all year round, the winter season can be tricky. Here are a few factors to keep in mind.

• Sunlight: Plants generally thrive best with lots of light. So make sure they get 6 hours of natural light or at least 14 hours of artificial light.
• Temperature: Keep them where the temperature stays mildly cool to warm. 60 degrees at night to 70 degrees during the day is ideal for budding herbs.
• Soil: Keep an eye on the soil. Keep it moist, and remember not to over water. If you are growing them in pots, clay terra-cotta ones with holes for drainage, are best. Garden soil is a no-no when growing indoor plants, as it often contains fungi, bacteria, insects and nematodes that promote disease. Use an appropriate organic potting soil.
• Choose: Some herbs naturally thrive better indoors. Herbs that are known to hold up longer inside are Parsley, Basil, Sage and Thyme.

Doing this yourself may not be an easy feat and will require added responsibility to your already full plate. However, if you see yourself equipped and ready, the benefits and satisfaction you may reap are exceedingly more than you can cook up!

• Guide to Growing Herbs
• Top 10 Ways to Avoid Pests & Problems
• Top 10 Must Haves Gardening Items

Samantha Samonte is a writer for Culinary One, a website about culinary careers, cuisines and food. Helping aspiring chefs to find the best cooking schools. She spends the rest of her time living life to the fullest in the company of her laptop and creative writing prowess.

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Street Food Extravaganza at Monterey Bay Aquarium

Saturday, May 18, 2013

The Street Food Extravaganza event at the Monterey Bay Aquarium's Cooking for Solutions 2013 was an awesome adventure. The foods, plates and utensils all featured sustainable products. Lots of well known chefs were there, including many from Top Chef. And although I tend to have a low opinion of "groupies", celebrity stalkers, and celebrity magazines, I must say that I was a bit in awe of some of the chefs here. Carla Hall was the MC (she does such a great job! She also was a host at Taste of Tulalip 2011). She interviewed various chefs and maintained an interesting & entertaining dialogue throughout the evening.

All of the food was Fabulous, and even though I had a few favorites the caliber of these street food creations was such that I would cheerfully return for seconds on any of the dishes served. The chefs included: Hawaii's Sam Choy, Maine's Michele Ragussis, San Francisco's Emily Luchetti and John Fink, L.A.'s Susan Feniger and Mary Sue Milliken, Chicago's Art Smith, Atlanta's Richard Blais, Earthbound Farm's Sarah LaCasse and Monterey's James Waller. Although I took pics of everyone's food, some of them didn't turn out so the missing images are due to Murphy's Law and not due to lack of interest in the chef's food.

Sam Choy
Char Siu Pork with Firecracker Fried Rice

This dish had a great bouquet of flavors and despite the "firecracker" name it wasn't too spicy. The Firecracker Rice ingredients included: corn, peas, carrot, brown rice (I think), cilantro, red onion, black sesame seeds, and rose petal as garnishes. The pork was tender and delicious. According to wikipedia: ""Char siu" literally means "fork burn/roast" (char being fork (both noun and verb) and siu being burn/roast) after the traditional cooking method for the dish: long strips of seasoned boneless pork are skewered with long forks and placed in a covered oven or over a fire". It was one of my favorites at the event.
Sam Choy's Kai Lanai
Kailua-Kona, Hawaii

Michele Ragussis
Arancini

Arancini is a Sicilian fried rice ball usually flavored with a tomato-based meat sauce and mozzarella. Michele's upscale version uses arborio rice, beef, tomato sauce, onions, garlic, Parmesan, and parsley. She fried it golden brown then finished it a nappe of Tomato and Béchamel sauces. It looked large and filling, but biting into it revealed a delicious, savory morsel with a lighter texture than I had assumed...very nice! I had seconds and contemplated thirds.

Chef Michele struck me as a "no none sense" chef..."Please enjoy the food...f__k you very much if you don't like it!" Chefs like this know they create great food and don't really care too much about the media or public scrutiny.  They cook with passion, prepare great food, and don't get their feelings hurt (too badly) if you don't care for their preparation. They are passionate, honest, have just enough ego to excel but not so much as to become arrogant. I don't really know chef Michele but this is the impression she gave me, and as chef I like and appreciate these traits.
The Pearl Seafood Restaurant & Raw Bar
Rockland, Maine

Susan Feniger and Kajsa Alger
Korean Mung Bean Pancakes with Shiitake Mushrooms and Kimchee

Susan Feniger is always smiling, and its not one of those fake politician/car salesman smiles, but a genuine smile from the soul. Her food is unpretentious and flavorful. The mung bean pancake was very light and tender, the kimchee spicy (as it should be!), and the shiitakes added that touch of umami. Flavorful and a great vegetarian option as well.

My lovely wife is Korean so I had to ask for a "side" of kimchee when they served me this dish!
Susan Feniger's STREET
Los Angeles, CA

Richard Blais
Crispy Clam Roll with Geoduck Sashimi and Uni Tartar Sauce

I like Chef Blais. He plays on the edge and isn't afraid to fail a number of times if it garners him a culinary win in the end. Trial and error...a scientist's approach. He pushes the limit but has an innate understanding of flavor combinations so his "failures" are probably more along the lines of "good" but not "great". And true to his culinary style of accentuating flavor while down playing presentation, his dish looked like it had simply "fallen from the sky" and landed neatly on the plate...looks plain but tastes great!

His dish was my favorite at the event. The outside of the bread was cooked golden brown in butter like a grilled cheese sandwich and had a fabulous buttery crunch, the geoduck nicely shaved, the uni tartar added a wonderful richness, and the fried clam (geoduck?) added additional crunch.
Flip Burger Boutique, HD1, The Spence
Birmingham, AL; Atlanta, GA

Mary Sue Milliken and Mike Minor
Churro Tots with Chocolate and Caramel

I loved this! I think I went back three times and would have continued to return for more if I had had room to stuff more of these puppies in! Warm and crunchy on the outside, tender and soooo moist on the inside. Coupled with chocolate and caramel...ahhhhh.
Border Grill Restaurants and Truck
Las Vegas, Nevada; Los Angeles & Santa Monica, CA

Art Smith
Shrimp and Grits

The shrimp were nice with a mildly spicy sauce. But I really liked the grits. I spoke with the sous chef about hot holding the grits for service because I am thinking of adding them to a menu item which one of my staff (Jeff Johnson) is bringing forward. He explained that grits are easy to hot hold during service and simply finish during plate-up with stock and whatever final touches you want to add.
Table Fifty-Two, Art & Soul, LYFE Kitchen, Southern Art & Bourbon Bar
Chicago, IL; Washington, D.C.

John Fink
Scallop and Pork Belly Taco with Cilantro Mango Slaw

Beautiful tempura Weathervane scallops! And who can go wrong with pork belly?! The slaw added a nice refreshing "lightness" to cut through the salty protein of the pork belly and scallop. I really enjoyed this dish as well, it was in my top 3-4 favorites.
The Whole Beast
San Francisco, CA

Omissions (sorry)!!

Emily Luchetti, Sarah LaCasse and James Waller also presented their creations at this event, but my pictures failed and all I can remember is that Sarah LaCasse had a wonderful lightly smoked Sturgeon. If anyone has their dishes please leave a comment.

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Chilean Sea Bass gets “Best Choice” from the Seafood Watch Program!

Tuesday, April 9, 2013

 
Image from Wikipidia-click for licensing

Great news for the culinary world! After a year long re-evaluation of the Chilean Sea Bass (aka Pantagonian Toothfish) fishery, the Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch Program has updated the status of this fish from “Avoid” to include both a “Best Choice” and “Good Alternative” selection, while keeping the “Avoid” rating for fish from certain areas.

In 2006 Seafood Watch first added Chilean Sea Bass to their list, with the rating of “Avoid”. It listed multiple concerns with the fishery including: over fishing, bycatch of sea birds, illegal fishing, and poor management. But over the past 7 years many of those concerns have been adequately addressed by the fishery with help from the fishermen, conservation groups and scientists.

Specifically, Seafood Watch states, “When buying Chilean seabass look for options from Heard and McDonald, the Falklands or Macquarie as a "Best Choice," and Ross Sea, South Georgia or Kerguelen as "Good Alternatives." Or look for the blue eco-label of the MSC for certified sustainable products.”

Additional Reading

Undercurrent News
National Geographic

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Lunch with Chef Graham Kerr

Wednesday, February 27, 2013

I recently had the great pleasure of participating in a lunch with Chef Graham Kerr. Tulalip Resort’s Executive Chef Perry Mascitti had held Chef Kerr as an inspirational figure who helped move him into the culinary arts. What Chef Perry remembered most about The Galloping Gourmet series with Graham Kerr was the passion that Chef Graham had for food, and the pleasure he obtained from cooking.

Turns out Chef Graham Kerr lives close by, so they talked on the phone and set-up a meet & greet luncheon with Graham Kerr and the Tulalip Chefs, which includes me! I had watched his shows some as a kid, and remember his big smile and English accent. But meeting the man in person left a much bigger impression upon me than his TV shows ever did. He is a genuinely gracious and humble person with a palpable passion for food. I very much enjoyed the person I met in Chef Kerr.  And he wore his classic suspenders in case we wanted to take photos! (which you can tell we did!)

So, a little history: about 20 years ago he changed his culinary focus from “everything French” to using “plant foods”, and now he spends time promoting the inclusion of more fruits and vegetables into our diets. This change was the result of health concerns both for his wife and himself, and the proof of how well these dietary changes have affected him is evident by his robust energy and enthusiasm at the golden young age of 79! True story…he’s 79, but he seemed soooo much younger than that!

He shared stories and examples of how important “plant foods” are, especially to off-set the typically poor American diet and intake of free radicals in our diet. The average American eats less than half of the quality fruits and vegetables that they should for a healthy lifestyle. “I’m not saying that everyone should become a vegetarian. I’m saying that we should eat more of this (vegetables and fruit) and less of that (proteins and processed foods).” It’s a matter of incorporating more fruits and vegetables into our diets, which in turn will help counter the effects of the free-radicals we consume in the normal American diet.

We discussed how, as chefs, we promote to our customers, and the public at large, what to eat. We establish the trends and support their continued trendiness by what we put on our menus and on our plates. Chef Kerr explained how he was on a Harley, racing down the road at full throttle, life and cuisine flying by him at a rapid pace, enjoying every second. Until he came to the end of the road, locked up the brakes, and came to a careening stop at the edge of the cliff, half over the edge and staring the 1000 foot drop in the face.

Now he is following his course backwards, saying to friends, colleagues, people in general…”slow down! There’s a cliff up ahead!” But like most chefs, and indeed most people, we think we will blaze down the road enjoying life all the way, eating whatever we want, doing whatever we will, and have a sudden end at the last moment. But the reality is that sicknesses set in which are a result of our diet or lifestyle, and our end may not be as fast and glorious as we had imagined. Chef Kerr’s passion of the past years is to educate people how to live and enjoy life longer with better health through the consumption of flavorful “plant food” recipes.

So, for the lunch I selected a smorgasbord of fresh vegetables to lay out in a farmer’s market fashion so that he could choose what he wanted and start playing. I had red and gold beets, sea beans, assorted mushrooms, chicory, chard, snap peas, squashes, heirloom tomatoes, shallots, salsify, and many other “basic” items available, plus an assortment of fresh herbs. Six of the Tulalip Chefs (including Chef Perry and myself) gathered in the Blackfish kitchen with Chef Kerr. He looked at the assorted produce (smiled), decided what to make, and asked us to dice a variety of specific vegetables while he and Chef Perry hit the stove to start preparing the dish which he referred to as a Skagit Skillet, a play on an old French recipe.

Food and Beverage Director Lisa Severn attended the lunch and presented Chef Kerr with a Tribal blanket, and "raised her hands" to him, which is a symbol of friendship and welcoming.  And the dish, although "simple" (chefs classify most vegetarian dishes as "simple" because they lack protein preparation), was complex in flavor and perfectly prepared...very enjoyable and satisfying.

Basic Recipe:
Beets
Sugar Snap Peas
Garlic
Shallots
Carrots
Brussels Sprouts
Napa Cabbage
Fresh Basil, torn
Sea Beans (garnish)
Vegetable Stock

Then we sat down and enjoyed good company and good food!

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Proper Seating and Flow of Restaurant Customers

Sunday, February 10, 2013

If you work in a restaurant then you are familiar with this question.  How many customers are too many in one seating?  There are two clear perspectives of thought regarding this subject: the Front of the House (FOH) perspective and the Back of the House (BOH) perspective.  Speaking from the Back of the House, it seems that the Front of the House perspective often is to simply seat as many people as possible, regardless of the outcome.  Got 100,000 seats open?...seat them all!!  The kitchen's perspective is to seat as many people as the kitchen (and Waitstaff for that matter) can execute in a timely, professional manner with a focus on quality and successful execution leading to happy customers. F6CHGCXDX579

What often seems to happen, however, is that many guests will show up all at once, the restaurant will be seated all at once, the waitstaff scurry around and take all of their orders from all of their new tables, and then turn in all of their new orders and tables at the same time.  This results in slamming the kitchen and giving them more plates than they can possibly produce in a timely fashion (we have 10 burners but suddenly are slammed with 25 sauté items!).  The result is that customers will wait for their food, while the kitchen tries to dig itself out of the hole and waitstaff stand around asking, “What's taking my food so long?”  And when waitstaff go back to their tables and respond to customer comments about why it's taking so long, the most frequent answer to the customer is that “the kitchen is behind”.  Wrong!  The Front of the House failed to manage the seating!

What often happens next is that the kitchen will hit high gear, food slams into the “window”, and now the waitstaff cannot pick-up food fast enough.  The cooks yell, “take this food out!  Get it out of the window!”  Then the kitchen comes to a halt while they wait for the servers to deliver food.

From the kitchen perspective, noNe of this is a kitchen problem.  The fact that the kitchen was buried is because the Front of the House failed to manage the customer seating.  It is the responsibility of the FOH to manage the flow of customers, to speed up one table and slow down another, to drag a few tables for 10 minutes rather than seat everyone at once.  If the kitchen where to put up 40 plates all at once for one waiter and then complain about taking so long to get the food out, that would be unjust.  The same goes for the Front of the House when they slam the kitchen.  It’s about planning and controlling the flow.

I know that the customer is going to have to wait, one way or the other.  They will either have to wait to get a table, or they'll have to wait for their food.  The kitchen believes that it is better to tell the customer (customers with no reservation) that it's going to be 30 - 60 minutes before you can be seated rather than to seat the customer quickly and then have them wait a long time to get their food.  It is a better customer perception to have to wait to get a table (unless they have a reservation of course) and then once they have arrived at their table to have a quality experience.  Rather than be quickly seated, and then sit and wait and wait and wait and wonder what is going on before they can get their meal.

I would like to propose two questions to two different groups of people.  First question is for people who are in the industry FOH and BOH.  What are your thoughts on this topic?  Is it better to have the customer wait to be seated, or is it better to get them seated and make them wait for service and food?  In which situation do customers leave happier?  In which situation do you spend more time and money trying to recover the table?

Second question.  When you go out to eat, would you rather sit at the bar or in the waiting area for 15 minutes before being seated?  Or would you prefer to be quickly seated and then have to wait a prolonged period of time for your meal, wondering what is taking so long?

I understand that the perspective of the House is to capture as many customers as possible.  Even if that means making them wait for their meal.  At least they will end up paying a check and contributing funds to the House.  The kitchen contends that a quality customer experience will cause that customer to return again and again.  While a negative customer experience may cause the customer to never return.  Therefore, slamming as many people into the restaurant as possible may not necessarily generate you more funds in the long run.  If the House believes that filling the restaurant with as many customers as possible is the best way to capture revenue and promote their business, I would suggest giving the matter more thought.

Every restaurant has disputes between the FOH and the BOH.  These disputes revolve around the difference in perspective between them, as well as their different priorities, tensions and challenges.  To properly assess and navigate through this minefield there are two guiding principles.  Number one: what is best for the business.  Number two: what is best for the customer.  Pretty much any issue between the front of the house and back of the house can be resolved by applying these two principles.  The highest priority is what is good for the business.  But that is very closely followed by what is good for the guest.  For instance, it is good for the guest to receive an extra pound of king crab for free.  The guests would love that and the waitstaff's tip would probably go up because of it.  But that is bad for business, and therefore it is an improper decision.  On the other side of the coin, is it good for the business to advertise a pound of king crab, but only present the customer with half a pound?  That saves the business money, but it creates a very negative perspective in the eyes of the guests and will negatively impact the future revenue of the restaurant.

So let's get down to the nitty-gritty application of these two principles.  You have a customer who is dissatisfied with their meal.  Is it better to buy their meal, or simply apologize and hope that they'll return again.  In this situation it is better to lose money in the short term, i.e. offer them another entree option, a free dessert, buy them a drink, or pay for their entire meal, whatever seems appropriate to recover the guest.  You may lose money on this one meal, but you will probably recover that guest so that they will come back again and hopefully with more people.  It makes better business sense to lose money in the short run and gain future revenue.  Of course, you need to evaluate the customer and then decide whether or not they are someone you want to return again.  Are they sincere in their complaint, or are they someone who simply complains in order to get something for free?  If you recognize a trend with certain customers who always come in and complain in order to get something for free, in that situation you are better to cut them off and lose their business because they're costing you money every time they come in.  They are freeloaders and not worth your time or the money you spend on them.

Habitual complainers.  Every restaurant will have habitual complainers.  You should keep a list of these people.  Keep track of their phone numbers, the names they use (some use various names), credit card numbers, etc.  These people are parasites upon your business.  You need to evaluate whether or not they are worth compensating every time they come in to dine.  If they contribute in some way to your business, then it may be worth keeping them.  But if they contribute nothing, but only come in to get some type of free discount every time, then you need to cut them off and ask them to take their business elsewhere.  You can do this in a polite fashion by saying something like.  " I'm sorry, it appears that we can not meet your needs.  We would appreciate it if you would take your business elsewhere."

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The Professional Chef and Stress Management

Tuesday, January 8, 2013

As professional chefs we work in an inherently stressful environment. Our daily routine is a constant grind to meet deadlines and reach for perfectly prepared & presented cuisine. For the restaurant chef it is the grind of meeting that 15 minute ticket time over and over again for hundreds of customers in a shift. For the banquet chef it's putting out multiple events for hundreds or thousands of people all scheduled at virtually the same time. And for the catering chef it's the ability to prepare food off-site for a multitude of people, with the realization that the off-site equipment will probably not work.

Our stress comes from the drive to meet these deadlines while delivering plates which we are proud of. Every hour of every service we are either praised or criticized by every dining guest...over and over again. Add to this the business stress factors of budgets, food cost, staffing, and all the “joys of being a manager”…it’s a wonder that so many of us thrive under the duress.

As we mature in the industry, we learn the skills/tricks which help to minimize our stress. Here are a few things I have learned. Please use the comments section at the bottom of the page to add your own experience to the list.

After Hours Stress Relief

In our industry we can have good, bad, and downright bloody ugly days. We've all experienced a shift after which we simply wanted to go home, crawl under a rock, and @#%$! die. Everyone, especially chefs, need a way to unwind outside of work. And although alcohol may help us unwind, it is not a legitimate pastime! Scheduling time to relax is just as important as scheduling time to do your inventory. It is a necessity for your continued success.

Anything you enjoy doing which takes your mind off work is a worthwhile stress relief. It could be an outdoor activity, watching movies, karaoke, video games, enjoying good conversation, reading, working in the yard, chess, working out, or anything else which you enjoy doing. For me, playing World Championship Poker or Halo4 is an excellent outlet. I can hook up with friends across the globe at any hour for gaming and social interaction.

Mise en Place is Everything

The better your mise en place is organized the better your day will be. Training our crews to be properly prepped increases their speed during service, decreases their stress, and results in consistently more successful service periods.

Hope for the Best, Plan for the Worst

Many of my best laid plans have been dismantled by Murphy's Law. It's never enough to make a plan solely based upon what you need to accomplish. Your typical plan of action covers what needs to be done on a normal day...here’s my menu, here’s my prep list, and this is who’s responsible for each station. Your next step should always be to evaluate how that bastard Murphy could show his face and screw everything up. Always have a “plan B” to cover the things which could go wrong. Plan B provides a solution for things such as when ovens go down, guests arrive late/early, being short staffed, and the hundred other things which could go wrong. This is especially necessary for banquets/catering and off-site events. Hope for the best, plan for the worst.

Seconds Save Minutes

This is related to mise en place, yet different in that it helps define some things which should be part of your mise en place. If you can shave five seconds off the service time of every dish on your menu your speed of service increases while the stress level on the Line decreases. Saving five seconds on 300 covers eliminates 25 minutes of time during service. That's 25 minutes less work that your crew needs to do in order to produce the same number of covers. Seconds save minutes

For instance, a burger restaurant can do this by simply pre-making all their burger sets. By pre-assembling the lettuce, onion, tomato, and pickle into one unit the Line saves a few seconds on every single order during service because they only have to touch the plate once instead of 4 times.

Manage Them Up or Out

The single most important ingredient for managing your stress is to have a well-trained, reliable crew. Knowing that your crew have both the ability and professionalism to reproduce your menu according to the recipe, standards, and presentation which you have established goes a long ways to reducing a chef’s stress.

If your staff does not prepare food according to your standards, you need to first train and educate them how to do it correctly. But then, if they are either unwilling or unable to perform, it’s time to swing the ax. Get rid of the non-performers because they are like a cancer in your crew, causing strife, apathy, and resentment among the rest of your staff. The same principle applies to those good cooks who are constantly calling in. No matter how good their skills are, they are of no use to you if they don’t show up for work…get rid of them. The rest of your staff will love you for it.

Only Work for Management Whom You Like and Respect

All of us have worked for that imbecile manager or corporation who sets unachievable budgets or goals and then tears you up for not being able to achieve it. Endure them only as long as you have to because their arrogance and stupidity will not change.

There are other types of poor management as well. The bottom line is, if you are unhappy in your current position because of those in authority over you then it’s time to move on. Put in your year (for resume history purposes), do your job to the best of your ability, don’t burn bridges, and get out.

Deal with Problems... In a Constructive Way

Do not ignore problems... they rarely go away and usually only get bigger. Every chef has their own challenges based upon their own unique personality and operation. If you see a problem, deal with it immediately. Decide what needs to be done, when you will do it, and what type of follow-up is required.

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Taste of Tulalip 2012

Sunday, November 18, 2012

If you live in the Pacific Northwest then you have probably heard of the four diamond Tulalip Resort Casino.  This year was the 4^th year of the now regionally acclaimed Taste of Tulalip, a two day food and wine experience which surpasses many such events on the West Coast.  Each year we try to do something just a little bit “bigger or better” than the year before.  Friday November 9^th featured the 7-course Celebration Dinner for 400 people (tickets sold out about 2 months before the event, so plan ahead for next year!).  And Saturday November 10^th was the Grand Taste event, featuring 135 wineries and a plethora of tasty bites, all prepared by the talented Tulalip chefs.

In addition to these two main events, there were numerous additional special features which made this year’s Taste of Tulalip one of the Pacific Northwest’s must attend events.  Special features included:

Taste of Tulalip Celebration Dinner - Go Big or Go Home!

The Celebration Dinner was a 7-course food & wine pairing with each of the seven Tulalip chefs (yes, Tulalip employs seven professional chefs, each to oversee a specific venue at Tulalip, with Executive Chef Perry Mascitti overseeing them all) preparing one of the courses and a team of about 45 kitchen staff helping to plate each course, and 30+ waitstaff to deliver plates.

As chefs we are by necessity creative thinkers. We are constantly in situations which require us to think outside of the box. For us there are no problems, there are only challenges for which we need to provide a solution.  Every chef has victory stories which are the result of a night from hell.  A very few of my challenges have included: “Two of the four ovens are down?!  Run the menu with plan B.” “The power is out but the gas still works…we cook by candlelight tonight!” “13 banquet functions within 30 minutes… WTF!?  OK, I’ll make it happen.” “Feed 30,000 people lunch?  We’ll get the plan in place.”

Our job as chefs constantly has us overcoming obstacles in order to produce something incredible for our guests.  To be honest, when other service providers (such as my cell phone company) tell me that they “can’t” help me, it pisses the hell out of me.  It means that they are too stupid, or too lazy, to offer proper customer service.  They don’t know customer service like we do.

Each of the Tulalip chefs had their own special problem to tackle this year.  Chef JP (John Pontichelli) had the unfortunate task of pairing a salad course with a red wine!  Good luck buddy!  His solution was a wonderful pairing (see below).

Banquet Chef Gerry Schultz’s challenge was to produce fine dining quality plates throughout a seven course dinner for 400 expecting guests with only 15 minutes to plate each course. He did this by setting up five serving lines and having around 45 kitchen staff cooking and plating. He drew upon staff from his own crew, from the various resort restaurants, and from the stewarding department.  Executive Chef Perry Mascitti also arranged for a number of volunteer culinary students from the Cordon Bleu culinary school to assist.

Chef Gerry was an organizational sage!  He had to instruct 40 people how to plate 7 courses they had never seen before, and each course had to be precisely presented & completed in about 15 minutes!  He had each chef photograph their dish a month earlier and provide a plating diagram so each of the five plating lines would know how to execute each dish.  He had diagrams, photos, and great communication so that nothing was left to chance.  All his preparation left minimal chance for that bastard “Murphy’s Law” to show up (I hate that guy!).

My challenge was to prepare 400 hundred portions of perfectly cooked king salmon using a new method in which the salmon is semi-poached from the bottom up leaving the top eighth of an inch raw. In the Pacific Northwest we like our salmon MR to M, and the idea behind this dish was to put the MR on top of the salmon rather than in the middle.  The dish was called “naked salmon” and it appears like sushi on the top, but is cooked on the bottom three quarters.   This method gives it a stunning presentation with the glistening red-orange raw flesh on top, and it retains the wonderful natural flavor of the salmon.

I mentally labored over the firing time as if it were my first soufflé.  Fire it too late and the entire event goes on hold while everyone waits for my dish to be ready, making for an awkward stall in the flow of service.  Fire it too early and the salmon dries out and turns to dog food, ruining the reputation of the entire event. (Damn it! We should have eaten at McDonald’s!).

To pull this off, I used multiple improvised poaching stations and had all my salmon staged in 2” perforated hotel pans.  One Tilt Skillet held 4 pans, four 6” hotel pans set over a flat-top griddle was my second station.  And finally, another 6” hotel set over a broiler created my last station.  All were set at about 190°.  This allowed me to cook 200 of the needed 400 portions, then quickly rotate and get the second batch of 200 fired, timing it so it was done as my course was being plated.

Of course, I had done a dry run with 8 portions… but not with 200 fired at a once!  Cooking time would certainly take longer.  In the end, I fired the first half of my salmon during the plating of the second course (I was the fourth course).  I stored it in a hot box set at 135° for 20 minutes and pulled the second batch of salmon as we started the plate-up for my course.  Whew!!!   Even though I’m a heathen I thank God for help on this one!  Perfectly cooked salmon is Awesome!  Overcooked salmon is dog shit.

Another challenging course was the Wagu Filet Mignon Pair.  Chef Perry wanted it served on a small metal plate so that it was still sizzling when it hit the table.  These little plates were at 750°!  As this course was served you could hear 400 sizzling steaks, and the aroma of the wagu coupled with the wine made your head spin with pleasure.

The evening involved hours of preparation followed by a 3 hour adrenaline rush during plating.  At the end... a great sense of relief and satisfaction of not only completing the challenge, but having done so with excellence.  Thank-you's and pats on the back all around, then I slammed an Upside-down Old Fashioned (made w/ Knob Creek Bourbon) and a double Absolute Cran to start the wind-down.

Taste of Tulalip Celebration Dinner Menu 2012

Holiday Lobster Wedding - Chef Gerry Schultz
Lobster Terrine, Chanterelle Mushrooms Peppadew Peppers, Vanilla Shallot Foam, and Micro Greens
Pumpkin Lobster Bake, Pear Chestnut Relish
Italy, Vignalta Pinot Bianco ‘Agno Casto’

Asian Soup Duet - Chef Brent Clarkson
Lime, Galangal, Daikon, Coconut, Tarragon, Thai Basil, Dungeness Crab, Miso, and Gyoza Ravioli Stuffed with Maitake, Porcini & Shitake Medley
Sesame Twill
France, Famille Perrin Chateau de Beaucastel Chateauneuf du Pape ‘Vielles Vin’ Blanc

Micro Green Salad With Duo Of Duck - Chef JP John Pontichelli
Smoked Duck Sausage- Stuffed Honey Crisp Apple Topped with Quail Egg
Pancetta-Wrapped Duck Sausage
Arugula Micro Beet Greens with Lavender-Balsamic Mist
Oregon, Penner-Ash Pinot Noir ‘Pas de Nom’, Willamette Valley

Salmon Two Ways - Chef David Buchanan
Orange-Tarragon Cured Sockeye with Lemon Oil
“Naked” King Salmon With Bellavitano Gold Pesto
Washington State, Woodinville Wine Cellars Cabernet Franc

Intermezzo - Chef John Jadamec
Hot and Cold Item, Fire and Ice if You Will, On One Plate
Grilled Fresh Pineapple with Touch of Chili Powder, Cayenne Pepper & Sugar
Green Apple Mint Swirl Sorbet

Snake River Farms Wagu Filet Mignon Pair - Chef Perry Mascitti
Cave Bleu Huckleberry Demi, Gremolata Gele’e, Chive-Red Peppercorn Aroma Drop
California, ZD Wines, Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon

The S’more - Chef Nikol Nakamura
Flourless Chocolate Cake, Honey-Vanilla Marshmallow and Graham Cracker Sticks
Liquid Chocolate

Parting Gift - Chef Nikol Nakamura
Milk Chocolate Covered Holmquist Hazelnuts
Washington State, Eroica Riesling Ice Wine ‘Chateau Ste. Michelle & Dr. Ernst Loosen’, Columbia Valley

Rock-n-Roll Challenge Cook-off

This is a fun mystery box style challenge which paired two teams of chefs against each other.  When they opened the mystery box they found Live Maine Lobsters!  They had 10 minutes to create a menu, then 30 minutes to compose a dish for the judges, followed by samples for the crowd.

Team Bun Jovi consisted of chefs Gerry Schultz (Tulalip's reigning Rock-n-Roll Challenge champion), Robin Leventhal from Top Chef season 6, and Jeff Euteneier from Seattle’s Le Cordon Bleu Culinary College.  Team Appetite for Destruction included chefs Brent Clarkson from Tulalip Resort’s Cedars Café, Brian McCracken and Dana Tough, both from the restaurant group of Sput, Tavern Law, and The Coterie Room.

Team Bun Jovi took the prize, giving Chef Gerry his third victory.  Although, I heard that the judges were hard-pressed to choose a winner and that the count was close.  The winning dish was a Saffron cous cous with lemongrass, herb and butter Main lobster Medallions, Micro green and Apple Salad, with Hazelnut vinaigrette & Holmquist Hazelnuts.

Other articles and blogs about the 2012 Taste of Tulalip:

Daily Blender
Within 4 Hour Reach
TasteOfTulalip.com
My Wine Pal
Ariane c Design - Celebration Dinner
Ariane c Design - Grand Taste
Washington Tasting Room

Posts from Previous Years

Taste of Tulalip 2011
Taste of Tulalip 2010

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