Who doesn’t remember the fabulous episode with the Soup Nazi on Seinfeld. If you haven’t seen it or need a refresher go to; http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WZ3AOmZ2fps . I think that most people think that soup is relatively easy and truthfully it is. Once you have the basic composition you can make soup out of just about anything.
I have to credit my talented, wonderfully intelligent and divinely beautiful fiancé for getting me into soup. I was never a fan. I thought that soup was well SOUP. Not much to it other than its hearty goodness. But man was I wrong and she was the first to teach me that. Both Executive Chef and now Director of Operations built upon that initial love affair for me and have taught me much with regard to soup.
However, now that I am in a professional kitchen I have been making soups more and more frequently. And when I say soup I mean I am making anything from twenty to eighty litres of it.
The basic process is the same. You start with a mirepoix which is dependant on the type of soup you are making. Most of those that I have been making have either carrot, celery, onion and leek or no carrot. Just this past week I have made ninety litres of Cauliflower and aged cheddar Veloute and Tomato Vodka bisque. A couple of weeks ago I made an especially velvety mushroom bisque and right now as I prepare to go to work I know that I have to make both a butternut squash and a mushroom bisque.
At first when I was making soups on such a large scale I was making them too watery. Finding the perfect balance was incredibly hard. But as I have made them more frequently I have become better at it.
Each day when the service staff is getting ready to start their service they each taste the soup so that they can sell it. Twice in the past few weeks I have been congratulated on making such a good soup. It feels good. But I know that there is so much more to learn. And I can only get better as time goes on.
There is no limit to what you can do with soup. It can be hearty or merely a broth. But it is one of the critical elements of what we do. Soups, stocks, sauces, etc.
So, now I go off to work. Into soup land. Into another day of trying to be better than the last. To improve constantly on this journey which is never ending. So should you ever feel the need to have a great soup. You know where to find me. And it is my humble honour to make one for you.
Moliere once wrote; “I live on good soup, not on fine words.”
Are you dreaming big and inspired?
A la prochaine
SDM
Thursday, October 2, 2008
The Art of the Brûlée (file under so sweet it hurts)
As I write this my right hand is in intense amounts of pain. I know Chef, man up. But it does. I have a burn blister that is throbbing and is probably about the size of half a dime. Okay maybe a quarter the size but nonetheless it kills.
I was asking Executive Chef last night if he could recall the number of Brûlées that he has done in his career. He thought about it for a moment and said; “If I thought about it it would probably make me sick.”
At any rate in order to brûlée properly you need an intense heat source and some sugar. You sprinkle a generous amount of sugar on top of it and then bring a heat source to it which starts the sugar caramelizing to give the perfect topping to the intensely delicious custard which rests just underneath its shell. We serve our brûlées in individual ramekins so the process is as follows.
1) Sprinkle sugar on top
2) introduce heat source
3) on about a 30 degree angle slowly rotate ramekin with thumb, fore and middle fingers
4) remove heat as needed to be able to make sugar do what you want
5) continue process until a nice layer of caramel is formed on top
Sounds easy enough right? Well there are so many variables in doing this that lots can go wrong. If the heat is not controlled enough you will notice that you cause the custard to burn and create little burn circles. Should you not work with the sugar properly you will have the case that I had last night (not the first time either just the first time I am writing about it). If your angle is off, or you forget momentarily what you are doing you have the glorious opportunity to burn yourself twice, once with the blow torch, which is not as painful as you would think because your brain registers the pain rather quickly and commands your hand to move the flame away. The other opportunity is if the sugar starts to run away from you and a small but insanely hot globule of bubbling molten sugar drops onto your hand.
At first the pain is almost non existent. But once the molten sugar adheres like plastic to your hand your initial reaction is to jump as high as you can and squeal either like pig heading to slaughter or a little girl at the sight of a mouse. Once the searing sugar embeds itself in your hand you immediately remove it which causes the pain to become even more intense.
I think so far this year I have probably done about 1000 brûlée, if not more, and I am yet to master the finer points of making the crust perfect and ensuring that the sugar does not burn you. But it is one of the things that I do that each and every time I do it I can see my mistake immediately and adjust going forward.
Erma Bombeck once said; “Just think of all those women on the Titanic who said, "No, thank you," to dessert that night. And for what!”
Are you dreaming big and inspired?
A la prochaine
SDM
I was asking Executive Chef last night if he could recall the number of Brûlées that he has done in his career. He thought about it for a moment and said; “If I thought about it it would probably make me sick.”
At any rate in order to brûlée properly you need an intense heat source and some sugar. You sprinkle a generous amount of sugar on top of it and then bring a heat source to it which starts the sugar caramelizing to give the perfect topping to the intensely delicious custard which rests just underneath its shell. We serve our brûlées in individual ramekins so the process is as follows.
1) Sprinkle sugar on top
2) introduce heat source
3) on about a 30 degree angle slowly rotate ramekin with thumb, fore and middle fingers
4) remove heat as needed to be able to make sugar do what you want
5) continue process until a nice layer of caramel is formed on top
Sounds easy enough right? Well there are so many variables in doing this that lots can go wrong. If the heat is not controlled enough you will notice that you cause the custard to burn and create little burn circles. Should you not work with the sugar properly you will have the case that I had last night (not the first time either just the first time I am writing about it). If your angle is off, or you forget momentarily what you are doing you have the glorious opportunity to burn yourself twice, once with the blow torch, which is not as painful as you would think because your brain registers the pain rather quickly and commands your hand to move the flame away. The other opportunity is if the sugar starts to run away from you and a small but insanely hot globule of bubbling molten sugar drops onto your hand.
At first the pain is almost non existent. But once the molten sugar adheres like plastic to your hand your initial reaction is to jump as high as you can and squeal either like pig heading to slaughter or a little girl at the sight of a mouse. Once the searing sugar embeds itself in your hand you immediately remove it which causes the pain to become even more intense.
I think so far this year I have probably done about 1000 brûlée, if not more, and I am yet to master the finer points of making the crust perfect and ensuring that the sugar does not burn you. But it is one of the things that I do that each and every time I do it I can see my mistake immediately and adjust going forward.
Erma Bombeck once said; “Just think of all those women on the Titanic who said, "No, thank you," to dessert that night. And for what!”
Are you dreaming big and inspired?
A la prochaine
SDM
Newbie 2.0 (file under always improving)
I firmly hold to the belief that you absolutely can teach an old dog new tricks. Given certain conversations I have had with both colleagues and friends over the past few months I have learned that there is always room to grow and to become something more. Recently I wrote a post about Us and Them (http://newbieintheweeds.blogspot.com/2008/09/us-and-them-file-under-inherently.html ). One of the reasons that this post came to light is because of such conversations but also reading Michael Ruhlman.
When Ruhlman started doing his in depth research that inserted him in to the CIA’s program I think that he was viewed as a them. Until that is that he had an aha moment in which he could chose to be an Us or a Them.
I chose to be an Us on January 18, 2008. During the past nine months there have been ups and downs. Struggles and Challenges. Obstacles and successes. During this time there have been countless conversations about the way the kitchen operates. The way the work is. The impact it has on your life, etc.
For my whole life I have always been that kid with the big mouth. The one that rarely knew when (or cared to anyway) shut my mouth. This has caused problems and at times has been a good thing (but very rarely). In the past week I have had some conversations that have caused me to see that the goals that I have and my desire to get there as efficiently and effectively as possible is being impacted (was) by the way that I spoke in the kitchen. You see, the kitchen is a funny place. A sort of demilitarized zone where almost anything goes. I picked up on this dynamic and thought that it was okay to try to fit in with the ever going dialogue and banter. And to be sure, it is, to a point. However, as has often been my downfall I could not or would not (not sure which) recognize the limits of that truth. The fitting in was a big part of my modus operandi for the first nine months of this year. But that has to change…
I have a goal. I have a deeply entrenched desire to become a great chef. It is in my blood. It flows through my veins as easily as the words that I write on these pages. I have a desire that burns in me as brightly as the sun. I tirelessly (well that’s almost true) continue working towards this goal and will continue working on it until I am dead. For what I am becoming is not a destination but a journey. It is the pursuit of something more, everyday and in ever changing and glorious ways. So in tribute to the goal and who I am becoming I wanted to present what Newbie 2.0 looks like. Some of these are things that I already adhere to and others are things that I am working on. One day at a time. And every day is a new opportunity to become more.
Newbie 2.0 (a work in progress)
Shows up for work and gets the job done no matter what.
Is respectful and courteous in the kitchen.
Is quiet and speaks less. Only when it is necessary.
Ask more questions.
Will learn something new EVERYDAY.
Allows work product to do the talking.
Is detail oriented.
Will make lists.
Will continue to diligently record everything in notebooks and on this blog.
Will become more kind not just in the kitchen but also in life.
Will look at challenges and obstacles as opportunities for greatness.
Will not ever quit.
Will show even more initiative.
Will foster team.
These are just some of the things that I have come to realize I need to do in order to make the transition from Newbie to master of my own destiny. Yesterday was the first day that I really kept to myself. Sure I spoke a little but I was happy keeping my mouth shut. Doing my job. I didn’t need anything else than that. That was success in and of itself for me yesterday. And going forward that will be true.
I knew that I had already started off on a good foot when Executive Chef P came into the kitchen in the morning, walked by me and as he trailed away said; “Mr. M it is a pleasure not to hear your voice this morning.” It both stung and felt good. Stung because I recognized that I had actually done myself a disservice by trying to “fit in.” Felt good because I recognized that fact and that I am on this journey for myself and as the master of my own destiny I can choose how I operate within my reality.
So that said I think that the coming months are going to be very interesting for me and for the restaurant. I am anxious, excited, nervous, willing, able and ready. Bring it on. Newbie 2.0 has emerged and is ready for more.
George Gurdjieff once said; “Self-observation brings man to the realization of the necessity of self-change. And in observing himself a man notices that self-observation itself brings about certain changes in his inner processes. He begins to understand that self-observation is an instrument of self-change, a means of awakening.”
Hold onto your hats people. This is going to be my critical path. Are you dreaming big and inspired?
A la prochaine
SDM
When Ruhlman started doing his in depth research that inserted him in to the CIA’s program I think that he was viewed as a them. Until that is that he had an aha moment in which he could chose to be an Us or a Them.
I chose to be an Us on January 18, 2008. During the past nine months there have been ups and downs. Struggles and Challenges. Obstacles and successes. During this time there have been countless conversations about the way the kitchen operates. The way the work is. The impact it has on your life, etc.
For my whole life I have always been that kid with the big mouth. The one that rarely knew when (or cared to anyway) shut my mouth. This has caused problems and at times has been a good thing (but very rarely). In the past week I have had some conversations that have caused me to see that the goals that I have and my desire to get there as efficiently and effectively as possible is being impacted (was) by the way that I spoke in the kitchen. You see, the kitchen is a funny place. A sort of demilitarized zone where almost anything goes. I picked up on this dynamic and thought that it was okay to try to fit in with the ever going dialogue and banter. And to be sure, it is, to a point. However, as has often been my downfall I could not or would not (not sure which) recognize the limits of that truth. The fitting in was a big part of my modus operandi for the first nine months of this year. But that has to change…
I have a goal. I have a deeply entrenched desire to become a great chef. It is in my blood. It flows through my veins as easily as the words that I write on these pages. I have a desire that burns in me as brightly as the sun. I tirelessly (well that’s almost true) continue working towards this goal and will continue working on it until I am dead. For what I am becoming is not a destination but a journey. It is the pursuit of something more, everyday and in ever changing and glorious ways. So in tribute to the goal and who I am becoming I wanted to present what Newbie 2.0 looks like. Some of these are things that I already adhere to and others are things that I am working on. One day at a time. And every day is a new opportunity to become more.
Newbie 2.0 (a work in progress)
Shows up for work and gets the job done no matter what.
Is respectful and courteous in the kitchen.
Is quiet and speaks less. Only when it is necessary.
Ask more questions.
Will learn something new EVERYDAY.
Allows work product to do the talking.
Is detail oriented.
Will make lists.
Will continue to diligently record everything in notebooks and on this blog.
Will become more kind not just in the kitchen but also in life.
Will look at challenges and obstacles as opportunities for greatness.
Will not ever quit.
Will show even more initiative.
Will foster team.
These are just some of the things that I have come to realize I need to do in order to make the transition from Newbie to master of my own destiny. Yesterday was the first day that I really kept to myself. Sure I spoke a little but I was happy keeping my mouth shut. Doing my job. I didn’t need anything else than that. That was success in and of itself for me yesterday. And going forward that will be true.
I knew that I had already started off on a good foot when Executive Chef P came into the kitchen in the morning, walked by me and as he trailed away said; “Mr. M it is a pleasure not to hear your voice this morning.” It both stung and felt good. Stung because I recognized that I had actually done myself a disservice by trying to “fit in.” Felt good because I recognized that fact and that I am on this journey for myself and as the master of my own destiny I can choose how I operate within my reality.
So that said I think that the coming months are going to be very interesting for me and for the restaurant. I am anxious, excited, nervous, willing, able and ready. Bring it on. Newbie 2.0 has emerged and is ready for more.
George Gurdjieff once said; “Self-observation brings man to the realization of the necessity of self-change. And in observing himself a man notices that self-observation itself brings about certain changes in his inner processes. He begins to understand that self-observation is an instrument of self-change, a means of awakening.”
Hold onto your hats people. This is going to be my critical path. Are you dreaming big and inspired?
A la prochaine
SDM
Wednesday, October 1, 2008
Congrats to our new Sous (file under it was only a matter of time)
I would like to take this opportunity to express my great joy in the announcement that A has been named the Sous of two of our restaurants.
It was officially announced today but I had wondered about it since he got back from Chewton Glen. I could not be more happy or proud as A is one of the most talented people I have ever come across. Way to go bud. I look forward to learning much from you over the next year (s).
Tomorrow I plan on writing a post about Newbie 2.0
Samuel Smiles once wrote; “All experiences of life seems to prove that the impediments thrown in the way of the human advancement may for the most part be overcome by steady good conduct, honest zeal, activity, perseverance and above all, by a determined resolution to surmount”
Are you dreaming big and inspired?
A la prochaine
It was officially announced today but I had wondered about it since he got back from Chewton Glen. I could not be more happy or proud as A is one of the most talented people I have ever come across. Way to go bud. I look forward to learning much from you over the next year (s).
Tomorrow I plan on writing a post about Newbie 2.0
Samuel Smiles once wrote; “All experiences of life seems to prove that the impediments thrown in the way of the human advancement may for the most part be overcome by steady good conduct, honest zeal, activity, perseverance and above all, by a determined resolution to surmount”
Are you dreaming big and inspired?
A la prochaine
Tuesday, September 30, 2008
Unintended Consequences (file under always something to learn)
First off I want to congratulate my brother and his beautiful bride on their wedding. There could not have been a more perfect day if you had ordered it. The setting was gorgeous. The people great. The celebration wonderful and I am shocked that you could pull it off in such a short time. I’m proud of you both and wish you all the love, joy and success you both deserve.
Over the past few days I have had a lot of time to think. Prior to leaving I got into a conversation with A and Chef. The details of which are going to stay with them and I. But it did get me to thinking. And I haven’t stopped.
I made a decision to do what I am doing late last year. I was disgruntled. Unhappy. Unsure and in large measure unaware. Unaware of what I was. What I was becoming. And where I was going.
I chose what I am doing because I wanted to be honest. With myself. With those that love me. And even those that I have not come across in any meaningfully way yet. I have written about the mistaken notion that some have about becoming a chef. The glamour and the glitz. Well, in the nine months that I have been at it I can tell you I have seen no glamour. NO GLITZ.
I have seen hard work. Endless hard work. Thankless work. Work that most quit because they can’t handle the grind.
One of the unintended consequences of the conversation that was had last Thursday is that I began to doubt myself. Really right up until the moment that I started writing this. I mean I really found myself questioning not just my decision but also my actions. However, as time has passed and I’ve had time to think I know that I am meant to be a Chef. I know at least in part some of the things that I have to do and I now pledge myself to redouble my efforts in my quest.
As I wrote last week before leaving for my brothers’ wedding I wrote a post which basically said that I need to keep my mouth shut. But in reality it is more than that. I need to pay attention to everything. Question what I have to and LET ACTIONS SPEAK.
I can say that I am happier than I have ever been in my life and I believe that the next few months are going to make me even more so. But I am also one hundred percent certain that to date my journey has been relatively easy. I think it begins anew and with greater difficulty tomorrow. And I welcome it with a smile. I came to learn, to work, to become and the future begins today, with every move I make and every decision I follow through with.
I am grateful for the days that I have had off. They cleansed me in more ways than I thought possible. But I can say, without equivocation, I am going to learn, to live my dream and to become even better as a human being every day. And while some of these are intended consequences it is the very real life changing unintended ones which are helping me to become the man that I always have believed I was meant to be. Growth is a funny thing and I thank A and Chef for taking the time to help me see.
Calvin Coolidge once said; “Nothing in this world can take the place of persistence. Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful people with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not; the world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent. The slogan "press on" has solved and always will solve the problems of the human race”
Are you dreaming big and inspired?
A la prochaine
SDM
Over the past few days I have had a lot of time to think. Prior to leaving I got into a conversation with A and Chef. The details of which are going to stay with them and I. But it did get me to thinking. And I haven’t stopped.
I made a decision to do what I am doing late last year. I was disgruntled. Unhappy. Unsure and in large measure unaware. Unaware of what I was. What I was becoming. And where I was going.
I chose what I am doing because I wanted to be honest. With myself. With those that love me. And even those that I have not come across in any meaningfully way yet. I have written about the mistaken notion that some have about becoming a chef. The glamour and the glitz. Well, in the nine months that I have been at it I can tell you I have seen no glamour. NO GLITZ.
I have seen hard work. Endless hard work. Thankless work. Work that most quit because they can’t handle the grind.
One of the unintended consequences of the conversation that was had last Thursday is that I began to doubt myself. Really right up until the moment that I started writing this. I mean I really found myself questioning not just my decision but also my actions. However, as time has passed and I’ve had time to think I know that I am meant to be a Chef. I know at least in part some of the things that I have to do and I now pledge myself to redouble my efforts in my quest.
As I wrote last week before leaving for my brothers’ wedding I wrote a post which basically said that I need to keep my mouth shut. But in reality it is more than that. I need to pay attention to everything. Question what I have to and LET ACTIONS SPEAK.
I can say that I am happier than I have ever been in my life and I believe that the next few months are going to make me even more so. But I am also one hundred percent certain that to date my journey has been relatively easy. I think it begins anew and with greater difficulty tomorrow. And I welcome it with a smile. I came to learn, to work, to become and the future begins today, with every move I make and every decision I follow through with.
I am grateful for the days that I have had off. They cleansed me in more ways than I thought possible. But I can say, without equivocation, I am going to learn, to live my dream and to become even better as a human being every day. And while some of these are intended consequences it is the very real life changing unintended ones which are helping me to become the man that I always have believed I was meant to be. Growth is a funny thing and I thank A and Chef for taking the time to help me see.
Calvin Coolidge once said; “Nothing in this world can take the place of persistence. Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful people with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not; the world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent. The slogan "press on" has solved and always will solve the problems of the human race”
Are you dreaming big and inspired?
A la prochaine
SDM
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