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
Showing posts with label Culinary Institute of America. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Culinary Institute of America. Show all posts
Thursday, October 2, 2008
Tuesday, August 12, 2008
The Soul of a Chef (file under Michael Ruhlman)
Hello all! I hope this finds you wings spread in flight towards your dreams. As has become my custom in the past couple of months I picked up a couple of books last week. The first is written by Michael Ruhlman called “The Soul of a Chef… The Journey Toward Perfection.”
Michael Ruhlman (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Ruhlman or http://ruhlman.com/) is a true original. As I sat at the bookstore looking through the various books that I could get I kept on coming back to the one I ended up getting. Something about the title intrigued me as I am not entirely sure that there can be “the” soul of a chef. Nonetheless I picked it up and immediately began reading it.
Ruhlman chose to write about the Certified Master Chef test which is put on by the Culinary Institute of America. The CIA is the preeminent school on this side of the Atlantic for the culinary world. From its grounds on the Hudson River, students from all over North America come, to begin the wonderful journey to becoming or improving as a Chef. However, the rare breed that chooses to do the CMC come from far and wide to prove something not to their teachers but to themselves.
The CMC is a grueling ten day adventure which causes the candidates to the rigorous standards of the CIA. To put this in context sine the test was created in the early 1980’s fewer than 100 people have become CMC’s. Ruhlman, as a writer, traveled through the testing following as 7 candidates tried to become the newest CMC’s. What follows is an interesting tale of perseverance, success and failure. It is an interesting expose of how detailed one has to be in order to become a CMC. I must admit that the read is fascinating. Moreover, that it causes one (i.e. ME) to look at what it is I really want.
If anyone out there is interested in professional cooking I do strongly suggest reading this book as it illuminates quite clearly the dedication and force of will that one requires to enter this world.
On a personal note I had a conversation with Head Chef about the CMC resultant from reading this book. I asked him whether or not it was relevant to go after your CMC or note. Thoughtfully he explored both sides of the equation for me. As Ruhlman explains in the book, those who adhere to the principles of the CMC think that it is an extremely valuable test which vaults those above. However, Head Chef did point out to me that most Chefs look at the CMC as less than ideal. It tests classical cooking such that Escoffier might produce and in fact the test (the classical portion) is heavily rooted in Escoffier philosophy.
Head Chef told me that it is an extremely personal decision to take the CMC. It is a standard by which others are measured but that measure may or may not be respected by those Chefs that are in the trenches of the hot line every day. Day in and day out, toiling, sweating, creating and pushing through the demands of every day kitchen life. Many that take the CMC end up running large industrial (read Hotel or cruise ship) kitchens and many do not cook at all and when they do it is in ‘competition.’
Reading Ruhlman I thought about whether or not I found the test relevant for myself. I asked myself the tough questions but none more important than what is the soul of a chef.
Not yet a Chef I explored my own personal biases as to what I thought the soul of a chef was and how that related to my own personal experience. What I came up with is what follows;
The Soul of a Chef is composed of the following things;
A desire for personal greatness
A solid foundation of creativity from which to express the inherent qualities of an ingredient with an adherence to integrity and honesty
A belief that you can always do better
An understanding that perfection is unattainable but its pursuit is gloriously hard and rewarding
A personal honesty that extends beyond the kitchen and in fact touches all areas of your life
A desire to learn everyday
A passion for relating to others what you have learned on your own journey thus aiding others personal odyssey
The understanding that each day offers new and exciting possibilities
The knowledge and firmly held belief that tomorrow is another day
The knowledge that mistakes happen and that they are the most rewarding because they inform your future
A desire to help others
A desire to inform
A desire to get better each and every day
The ability to play just as hard as you work
This is what I believe the Soul of a Chef is today. I think that as my personal experience continues this list will expand to include much much more and it has caused me to start working on my own personal manifesto.
Ruhlman also spends a lot of time with Michael Symon (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Symon) who is the Chef Patron of Cleveland’s Lola (http://www.lolabistro.com/) his personal blog can be found at (http://www.symonsays.typepad.com/). I like Michael Symon. A LOT! If I could spend some time with any one Chef right now it would probably be Michael Symon because I believe that I fit into his model of the world. I believe that his food is honest. That he doesn’t try to be or represent something other than he is. If I could spend time working with him I feel like I could learn a lot. And who knows maybe someday I will.
Ruhlman also speaks of how he became the cowriter of Thomas Keller’s “The French Laundry Cookbook.” Believe me sometimes truth is stranger than fiction. But I will leave you to discover that story on your own.
At any rate, I think that Ruhlman’s “The Soul of a Chef” is a great read. So much so that I went out and bought his other book “The Making of a Chef” which naturally I will tell you all about in a future post.
Mario Batali once said; “When I was a cook and 24 years old... I read the kinds of books that were the inspiration to understanding the value of simplicity in cooking.” Funny, that’s what I’m doing 9 years later.
Dream big and inspired.
A la prochaine
SDM
Michael Ruhlman (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Ruhlman or http://ruhlman.com/) is a true original. As I sat at the bookstore looking through the various books that I could get I kept on coming back to the one I ended up getting. Something about the title intrigued me as I am not entirely sure that there can be “the” soul of a chef. Nonetheless I picked it up and immediately began reading it.
Ruhlman chose to write about the Certified Master Chef test which is put on by the Culinary Institute of America. The CIA is the preeminent school on this side of the Atlantic for the culinary world. From its grounds on the Hudson River, students from all over North America come, to begin the wonderful journey to becoming or improving as a Chef. However, the rare breed that chooses to do the CMC come from far and wide to prove something not to their teachers but to themselves.
The CMC is a grueling ten day adventure which causes the candidates to the rigorous standards of the CIA. To put this in context sine the test was created in the early 1980’s fewer than 100 people have become CMC’s. Ruhlman, as a writer, traveled through the testing following as 7 candidates tried to become the newest CMC’s. What follows is an interesting tale of perseverance, success and failure. It is an interesting expose of how detailed one has to be in order to become a CMC. I must admit that the read is fascinating. Moreover, that it causes one (i.e. ME) to look at what it is I really want.
If anyone out there is interested in professional cooking I do strongly suggest reading this book as it illuminates quite clearly the dedication and force of will that one requires to enter this world.
On a personal note I had a conversation with Head Chef about the CMC resultant from reading this book. I asked him whether or not it was relevant to go after your CMC or note. Thoughtfully he explored both sides of the equation for me. As Ruhlman explains in the book, those who adhere to the principles of the CMC think that it is an extremely valuable test which vaults those above. However, Head Chef did point out to me that most Chefs look at the CMC as less than ideal. It tests classical cooking such that Escoffier might produce and in fact the test (the classical portion) is heavily rooted in Escoffier philosophy.
Head Chef told me that it is an extremely personal decision to take the CMC. It is a standard by which others are measured but that measure may or may not be respected by those Chefs that are in the trenches of the hot line every day. Day in and day out, toiling, sweating, creating and pushing through the demands of every day kitchen life. Many that take the CMC end up running large industrial (read Hotel or cruise ship) kitchens and many do not cook at all and when they do it is in ‘competition.’
Reading Ruhlman I thought about whether or not I found the test relevant for myself. I asked myself the tough questions but none more important than what is the soul of a chef.
Not yet a Chef I explored my own personal biases as to what I thought the soul of a chef was and how that related to my own personal experience. What I came up with is what follows;
The Soul of a Chef is composed of the following things;
A desire for personal greatness
A solid foundation of creativity from which to express the inherent qualities of an ingredient with an adherence to integrity and honesty
A belief that you can always do better
An understanding that perfection is unattainable but its pursuit is gloriously hard and rewarding
A personal honesty that extends beyond the kitchen and in fact touches all areas of your life
A desire to learn everyday
A passion for relating to others what you have learned on your own journey thus aiding others personal odyssey
The understanding that each day offers new and exciting possibilities
The knowledge and firmly held belief that tomorrow is another day
The knowledge that mistakes happen and that they are the most rewarding because they inform your future
A desire to help others
A desire to inform
A desire to get better each and every day
The ability to play just as hard as you work
This is what I believe the Soul of a Chef is today. I think that as my personal experience continues this list will expand to include much much more and it has caused me to start working on my own personal manifesto.
Ruhlman also spends a lot of time with Michael Symon (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Symon) who is the Chef Patron of Cleveland’s Lola (http://www.lolabistro.com/) his personal blog can be found at (http://www.symonsays.typepad.com/). I like Michael Symon. A LOT! If I could spend some time with any one Chef right now it would probably be Michael Symon because I believe that I fit into his model of the world. I believe that his food is honest. That he doesn’t try to be or represent something other than he is. If I could spend time working with him I feel like I could learn a lot. And who knows maybe someday I will.
Ruhlman also speaks of how he became the cowriter of Thomas Keller’s “The French Laundry Cookbook.” Believe me sometimes truth is stranger than fiction. But I will leave you to discover that story on your own.
At any rate, I think that Ruhlman’s “The Soul of a Chef” is a great read. So much so that I went out and bought his other book “The Making of a Chef” which naturally I will tell you all about in a future post.
Mario Batali once said; “When I was a cook and 24 years old... I read the kinds of books that were the inspiration to understanding the value of simplicity in cooking.” Funny, that’s what I’m doing 9 years later.
Dream big and inspired.
A la prochaine
SDM
Wednesday, July 16, 2008
Kitchen Confidential (file under Kitchen Truisms for 2000 please Alex)
Anthony Bourdain. The name itself conjures surrealistic images of wild orgies tempered by ounces of Cocaine and Heroin delight. Cerebrums of coked out models, the ivory tower captains of industry and glorious food.
What can I say about the man that he hasn’t already said. I became a big fan of Anthony Bourdain when I found out that despite his prep school upbringing (similar to a fault of my own) he found that he didn’t belong in the hallowed halls of some ivory league dream. Instead he was, perhaps by some unclear default, driven to where all of us who don’t belong elsewhere end up, the hallowed and narrow halls of an inferno that rages not just in the kitchen but also in our souls.
Sure I had read Bourdain before. I had seen him on TV. But now, as I regal you with my tales from the kitchen and I am rereading his irreverent classic “Kitchen Confidential” I can see my own experience coming to life.
It is hard not to like a guy who decides that he is going to be a lifer in the kitchen. Perhaps at times a dreaming dilettante but time has shown that Bourdain is a survivor. A rare bread akin to those that Hunter S. Thompson speaks about when referring to his good fried and lawyer Lazlo. They broke the mould with Tony. A CIA (the other one that is… The Culinary Institute of America) trained, foul mouthed, chain smoking, unabashed drinker who made sense of his own life the same way that I am, with food. And not just any food.
Tony, like any good cook can quote from Larousse, stole from some of the best Chefs in the world and has the same problem with the European Chefs that most North American gourmands do. That is to say that just because we were not (or in my case currently are not) being trained in Europe that we are somehow less valuable or good than they are.
I strongly urge anyone who is truly interested in understanding the kitchen, its nuances and subtle truths, to pick up Bourdain’s “Kitchen Confidential” and treat it like it is a confessional because that is what it is.
The people he describes, the experiences, the food, are all things that I am currently going through. Rereading with fresh eyes and perspective this book has made me laugh out loud hysterically in a crowded subway car and streetcar. It has made me cringe when I think back to my own injuries, burns and events of getting chewed out by my Chefs. It is an accurate, if not detailed account which is eerily reminiscent for anyone that has aspired to greatness in a kitchen.
I will give you two quotes that I think best represent the kitchen as expressed by Bourdain;
“Are they young, ambitious culinary school grads, putting in their time on the line until they get their shot at the Big Job? Probably not. If the chef is anything like me, the cooks are dysfunctional, mercenary lot, fringe-dwellers motivated by money, the peculiar lifestyle of cooking and a grim pride… Line cooking done well is a beautiful thing to watch. It’s a high speed collaboration resembling at its best, ballet or modern dance… The job requires character – and endurance. A good line cook never shows up late, never calls in sick, and works through pain and injury.”
“The ability to ‘work well with others’ is a must… So who the hell, exactly, are these guys, the boys and girls in the trenches? You might get the impression from the specifics of my less than stellar career that all line cooks are whacked out moral degenerates, dope fiends, refugees, a thuggish assortment of drunks, sneak thieves, sluts and psychopaths. You wouldn’t be too far off base.”
I admire Bourdain. His strength. His conviction. His courage in the face of crippling addiction and his perseverance. Most of all I admire his consistency. His showing up for work. His getting the job done. His putting his truth on every plate that he puts out to the pass with a little bit of English. It is something that I aspire to and know will get to in the next seven years before opening my own building. Maybe sooner. But that’s another post.
One of my favorite quotes from Bourdain is this; “Context and memory play powerful roles in all the truly great meals in one's life.” I hope to be able to play upon and master the art of both for my patrons.
Dream big and inspired.
A la prochaine
SDM
What can I say about the man that he hasn’t already said. I became a big fan of Anthony Bourdain when I found out that despite his prep school upbringing (similar to a fault of my own) he found that he didn’t belong in the hallowed halls of some ivory league dream. Instead he was, perhaps by some unclear default, driven to where all of us who don’t belong elsewhere end up, the hallowed and narrow halls of an inferno that rages not just in the kitchen but also in our souls.
Sure I had read Bourdain before. I had seen him on TV. But now, as I regal you with my tales from the kitchen and I am rereading his irreverent classic “Kitchen Confidential” I can see my own experience coming to life.
It is hard not to like a guy who decides that he is going to be a lifer in the kitchen. Perhaps at times a dreaming dilettante but time has shown that Bourdain is a survivor. A rare bread akin to those that Hunter S. Thompson speaks about when referring to his good fried and lawyer Lazlo. They broke the mould with Tony. A CIA (the other one that is… The Culinary Institute of America) trained, foul mouthed, chain smoking, unabashed drinker who made sense of his own life the same way that I am, with food. And not just any food.
Tony, like any good cook can quote from Larousse, stole from some of the best Chefs in the world and has the same problem with the European Chefs that most North American gourmands do. That is to say that just because we were not (or in my case currently are not) being trained in Europe that we are somehow less valuable or good than they are.
I strongly urge anyone who is truly interested in understanding the kitchen, its nuances and subtle truths, to pick up Bourdain’s “Kitchen Confidential” and treat it like it is a confessional because that is what it is.
The people he describes, the experiences, the food, are all things that I am currently going through. Rereading with fresh eyes and perspective this book has made me laugh out loud hysterically in a crowded subway car and streetcar. It has made me cringe when I think back to my own injuries, burns and events of getting chewed out by my Chefs. It is an accurate, if not detailed account which is eerily reminiscent for anyone that has aspired to greatness in a kitchen.
I will give you two quotes that I think best represent the kitchen as expressed by Bourdain;
“Are they young, ambitious culinary school grads, putting in their time on the line until they get their shot at the Big Job? Probably not. If the chef is anything like me, the cooks are dysfunctional, mercenary lot, fringe-dwellers motivated by money, the peculiar lifestyle of cooking and a grim pride… Line cooking done well is a beautiful thing to watch. It’s a high speed collaboration resembling at its best, ballet or modern dance… The job requires character – and endurance. A good line cook never shows up late, never calls in sick, and works through pain and injury.”
“The ability to ‘work well with others’ is a must… So who the hell, exactly, are these guys, the boys and girls in the trenches? You might get the impression from the specifics of my less than stellar career that all line cooks are whacked out moral degenerates, dope fiends, refugees, a thuggish assortment of drunks, sneak thieves, sluts and psychopaths. You wouldn’t be too far off base.”
I admire Bourdain. His strength. His conviction. His courage in the face of crippling addiction and his perseverance. Most of all I admire his consistency. His showing up for work. His getting the job done. His putting his truth on every plate that he puts out to the pass with a little bit of English. It is something that I aspire to and know will get to in the next seven years before opening my own building. Maybe sooner. But that’s another post.
One of my favorite quotes from Bourdain is this; “Context and memory play powerful roles in all the truly great meals in one's life.” I hope to be able to play upon and master the art of both for my patrons.
Dream big and inspired.
A la prochaine
SDM
Wednesday, April 2, 2008
The Professional Chef final notes (file under a Must Read for anyone serious about food)
As I wrote the other day I’ve finished reading the Professional Chef by the Culinary Institute of America. This post is going to deal with the rest of what I learned (well some of it anyway) and then I am going to write another post about the various cuts and sizes and yet another about my experiences this past week at Reservation as well as some containing more pictures of my food made with love and for love.
The Professional Chef instructs you on all the things that you need to know whether you want to be an incredible home hobby chef or as the title suggests a professional chef. It has endless recipes which are a great base from which to jump in the kitchen and create your own masterpieces. It teaches you how to buy the right equipment, use the equipment and prepare your mise en place for just about anything.
Of course reading this book has been a massive undertaking. Think of it as reading the kitchens bible and it really did put a fire in my belly to become even more than I already have. So as a final note on The Professional Chef I include the following information for your perusal.
How do you know when you’ve cooked the perfect steak? Or pork tenderloin? Or fish? Of course the obvious answer is to use a meat thermometer to check for doneness. However, if you are really good and have tuned all of your senses you can tell doneness by touch, smell and sight. The following is both the temperature guidelines and the visual signal for doneness.
Fresh Beef, Lamb and Veal
Rare should be 135 degrees Fahrenheit and have a shiny interior.
Medium Rare should be 145 degree Fahrenheit and look deep red to pink.
Medium should be 160 degrees Fahrenheit and look pink to light pink.
Well Done should be 170 degrees Fahrenheit and have no pink
Fresh Pork
Medium should be 160 degree Fahrenheit should appear opaque and have juices that are faintly blushed.
Well Done should be 170 degrees Fahrenheit, when touching it there should be a slight give and the juices will run clear.
Ham
Fresh Ham should be cooked to 160 degree Fahrenheit and should have a slight give while the juices are faintly blushed.
Poultry
Whole birds should be cooked to 180 degrees Fahrenheit and the leg should move easily in the socket while the juices run faintly blushed.
Poultry breasts should be done to 170 degrees Fahrenheit and should appear firm and opaque.
Thighs, legs and wings should be done to 180 degrees Fahrenheit and the meat should release easily from the bone.
Stuffing should be cooked to 165 degrees Fahrenheit.
Seafood
Fish should be cooked to 145 degrees Fahrenheit and should still be moist and easy to separate.
My next post is going to be on the proper sizes of the various cuts that I’ve learned.
Karen Rivn reminds me constantly that; “Only as high as I reach can I grow, only as far as I seek can I go, only as deep as I look can I see, only as much as I dream can I be.” Are you reaching for your personal stars?
Dream inspired! Grow. Be and discover that life is not the abstract you think. It is determined purpose and the daily steps toward your own desires.
A la prochaine
SDM
The Professional Chef instructs you on all the things that you need to know whether you want to be an incredible home hobby chef or as the title suggests a professional chef. It has endless recipes which are a great base from which to jump in the kitchen and create your own masterpieces. It teaches you how to buy the right equipment, use the equipment and prepare your mise en place for just about anything.
Of course reading this book has been a massive undertaking. Think of it as reading the kitchens bible and it really did put a fire in my belly to become even more than I already have. So as a final note on The Professional Chef I include the following information for your perusal.
How do you know when you’ve cooked the perfect steak? Or pork tenderloin? Or fish? Of course the obvious answer is to use a meat thermometer to check for doneness. However, if you are really good and have tuned all of your senses you can tell doneness by touch, smell and sight. The following is both the temperature guidelines and the visual signal for doneness.
Fresh Beef, Lamb and Veal
Rare should be 135 degrees Fahrenheit and have a shiny interior.
Medium Rare should be 145 degree Fahrenheit and look deep red to pink.
Medium should be 160 degrees Fahrenheit and look pink to light pink.
Well Done should be 170 degrees Fahrenheit and have no pink
Fresh Pork
Medium should be 160 degree Fahrenheit should appear opaque and have juices that are faintly blushed.
Well Done should be 170 degrees Fahrenheit, when touching it there should be a slight give and the juices will run clear.
Ham
Fresh Ham should be cooked to 160 degree Fahrenheit and should have a slight give while the juices are faintly blushed.
Poultry
Whole birds should be cooked to 180 degrees Fahrenheit and the leg should move easily in the socket while the juices run faintly blushed.
Poultry breasts should be done to 170 degrees Fahrenheit and should appear firm and opaque.
Thighs, legs and wings should be done to 180 degrees Fahrenheit and the meat should release easily from the bone.
Stuffing should be cooked to 165 degrees Fahrenheit.
Seafood
Fish should be cooked to 145 degrees Fahrenheit and should still be moist and easy to separate.
My next post is going to be on the proper sizes of the various cuts that I’ve learned.
Karen Rivn reminds me constantly that; “Only as high as I reach can I grow, only as far as I seek can I go, only as deep as I look can I see, only as much as I dream can I be.” Are you reaching for your personal stars?
Dream inspired! Grow. Be and discover that life is not the abstract you think. It is determined purpose and the daily steps toward your own desires.
A la prochaine
SDM
Monday, March 10, 2008
The Professional Chef by the Culinary Institute of America
I spent a few hours yesterday reading “The Professional Chef” by the Culinary Institute of America (CIA). It opened my eyes a bit to the mathematics behind the culinary industry.
Reading through it I started thinking to myself how much I hated math as a child. It wasn’t so much that I hated math as I hated the way that it was taught. The numbers themselves were meaningless to me. I had always said that if they somehow related to money that maybe it would be easier. I understood math. I could do quick calculations. I just, plain and simple, did not like the way I was taught it.
So as I read yesterday about Recipe Conversion Factors (RCF), converting weight to volume, As Purchased Cost (APC), Edible Portion Quantity (EPQ), Yield Percentages, number of servings, Edible Portion Cost (EPC) and total costs.
It is good for me to be exposing myself to this at such an early stage. It gives an appreciation of the business of the industry. At this current time though I’m less interested in the math of it and more interested in the creative aspects. However, a year from now I can see how the financial aspects of the industry will play into what I am thinking, experimenting, trying, doing and becoming.
Nonetheless I felt it important to let you all know that for anyone serious about the kitchen and the restaurant industry in general, the CIA’s “Professional Chef” is a must read.
A la prochaine
SDM
Reading through it I started thinking to myself how much I hated math as a child. It wasn’t so much that I hated math as I hated the way that it was taught. The numbers themselves were meaningless to me. I had always said that if they somehow related to money that maybe it would be easier. I understood math. I could do quick calculations. I just, plain and simple, did not like the way I was taught it.
So as I read yesterday about Recipe Conversion Factors (RCF), converting weight to volume, As Purchased Cost (APC), Edible Portion Quantity (EPQ), Yield Percentages, number of servings, Edible Portion Cost (EPC) and total costs.
It is good for me to be exposing myself to this at such an early stage. It gives an appreciation of the business of the industry. At this current time though I’m less interested in the math of it and more interested in the creative aspects. However, a year from now I can see how the financial aspects of the industry will play into what I am thinking, experimenting, trying, doing and becoming.
Nonetheless I felt it important to let you all know that for anyone serious about the kitchen and the restaurant industry in general, the CIA’s “Professional Chef” is a must read.
A la prochaine
SDM
Tuesday, February 26, 2008
Weekly Review (file under WOW moments)
This past week was filled with the ups and downs that you would expect when one jumps head first into his dream. What follows are some of the many things that I learned this week. Not only that but I learned the value of days off. I went to bed last night around 6:30 pm and slept until ten am. I fell asleep with my clothes on.
When making my berry compote I learned that the term to “hull” a berry means to remove the green and the white area as well. It means to remove from the fruit those parts that you deem unusable.
I also learned that the Gotham Street Bar & Grill is amazing and that Alfred Portale is truly gifted. According to Exec Chef this is one of the few cookbooks out there that represents the plate they serve at the restaurant for the home in an exact way. Reading through the various techniques and skills that are required for Portale’s dishes brings a huge smile to my face. The look of each plate (though beautiful) takes more function over form. In that I mean that the food is the real star. After all you cannot eat with your eyes… YET!
Portale also taught me that I should get good at making timing lists. This will make your Mise en Place better and allow you to function with a better grasp of time in the kitchen. Portale also breaks down the various ingredients that you should use, from where and what the best is. Naturally each Chef will have their own interpretation as to what is best, but he is pretty spot on in my opinion.
On the recommendation of Head Chef I also bought (pricey but necessary. I had to think about feeding myself versus the book and decided that the book would lead to more food so I bought the book) it is called “The Professional Chef” by the Culinary Institute of America. It is amazing and a must read for anyone that wants to work in a professional kitchen. I’ve spent most of the past two days (when not catching up on sleep or writing an essay) studying this book and I’m glad I bought it.
I also learned a bit about the front of house operations (keep in mind that I am immersing myself in the whole gamut of restaurant operations as the end goal is to have at least two myself).
Maitre d’Hotel is the dining room manager. They are in charge of training, overseeing wine selection, working with the chef to determine what goes on the menu and organizes the seatings on the floor.
You then have the Chef de Vin, Sommelier or Wine Steward. Their responsibility is wine service including purchasing, wine list and assisting guests with their wine selections.
Chef de Salle or Head Waiter. Naturally responsible for all the waiters.
Chef d’Etage (Captain) deals with the guests once seated. Explains the menu and answers any questions as well as taking orders.
Chef de Rang (Front Waiter) ensures proper settings for each course.
Demi, Chef de Rang or Commis De Rang is responsible for running, bussing, etc!
As I have started my journey I have discovered much about myself. The Professional Chef has a line in it that states; “ Deciding where to begin your journey s just as important as the process of learning.” I made a great decision, I am living my dream and am happier than I’ve ever been in my life.
I hope that all of you can dream big, can live your dreams,, and can know true joy. So tonight as you ready to go to bed, ask yourself; What do I want from MY life? Where do I want to be? How do I get there? The universe will answer all questions you have if only you have the balls to ask them. I did and now answers unfurl each day majestically before me, lighting my path and guiding my soul.
Be inspired. Live. Laugh. Love and Be YOU!
Woodrow Wilson once said; “We grow great by dreams. All big men are dreamers. They see things in the soft haze of a spring day or in the red fire of a long winter's evening. Some of us let these great dreams die, but others nourish and protect them; nurse them through bad days till they bring them to the sunshine and light which comes always to those who sincerely hope that their dreams will come true. “
Look for sunshine to guide your way…
A la prochaine
SDM
When making my berry compote I learned that the term to “hull” a berry means to remove the green and the white area as well. It means to remove from the fruit those parts that you deem unusable.
I also learned that the Gotham Street Bar & Grill is amazing and that Alfred Portale is truly gifted. According to Exec Chef this is one of the few cookbooks out there that represents the plate they serve at the restaurant for the home in an exact way. Reading through the various techniques and skills that are required for Portale’s dishes brings a huge smile to my face. The look of each plate (though beautiful) takes more function over form. In that I mean that the food is the real star. After all you cannot eat with your eyes… YET!
Portale also taught me that I should get good at making timing lists. This will make your Mise en Place better and allow you to function with a better grasp of time in the kitchen. Portale also breaks down the various ingredients that you should use, from where and what the best is. Naturally each Chef will have their own interpretation as to what is best, but he is pretty spot on in my opinion.
On the recommendation of Head Chef I also bought (pricey but necessary. I had to think about feeding myself versus the book and decided that the book would lead to more food so I bought the book) it is called “The Professional Chef” by the Culinary Institute of America. It is amazing and a must read for anyone that wants to work in a professional kitchen. I’ve spent most of the past two days (when not catching up on sleep or writing an essay) studying this book and I’m glad I bought it.
I also learned a bit about the front of house operations (keep in mind that I am immersing myself in the whole gamut of restaurant operations as the end goal is to have at least two myself).
Maitre d’Hotel is the dining room manager. They are in charge of training, overseeing wine selection, working with the chef to determine what goes on the menu and organizes the seatings on the floor.
You then have the Chef de Vin, Sommelier or Wine Steward. Their responsibility is wine service including purchasing, wine list and assisting guests with their wine selections.
Chef de Salle or Head Waiter. Naturally responsible for all the waiters.
Chef d’Etage (Captain) deals with the guests once seated. Explains the menu and answers any questions as well as taking orders.
Chef de Rang (Front Waiter) ensures proper settings for each course.
Demi, Chef de Rang or Commis De Rang is responsible for running, bussing, etc!
As I have started my journey I have discovered much about myself. The Professional Chef has a line in it that states; “ Deciding where to begin your journey s just as important as the process of learning.” I made a great decision, I am living my dream and am happier than I’ve ever been in my life.
I hope that all of you can dream big, can live your dreams,, and can know true joy. So tonight as you ready to go to bed, ask yourself; What do I want from MY life? Where do I want to be? How do I get there? The universe will answer all questions you have if only you have the balls to ask them. I did and now answers unfurl each day majestically before me, lighting my path and guiding my soul.
Be inspired. Live. Laugh. Love and Be YOU!
Woodrow Wilson once said; “We grow great by dreams. All big men are dreamers. They see things in the soft haze of a spring day or in the red fire of a long winter's evening. Some of us let these great dreams die, but others nourish and protect them; nurse them through bad days till they bring them to the sunshine and light which comes always to those who sincerely hope that their dreams will come true. “
Look for sunshine to guide your way…
A la prochaine
SDM
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