When I originally started on this adventure I had a creative process that is very different from the one I have today. I would say that historically my creative process had been uninformed and chaotic. Not that that’s a bad thing but I’ve come to realize as I studied many of the worlds greatest Chefs that there is a much more detailed and rewarding way to create new dishes.
As a writer I am stream of consciousness and for a long time before joining a professional kitchen I applied the same process to cooking. I would go to the store or market as an open slate with little or no idea what I would be cooking that night. C has always loved shopping with me on these excursions because, I believe anyway, that there is a thrill to the uncertainty. It was exciting for me as well. I no longer, by necessity of experience, ‘fly by the seat of my pants.’ I apply a methodology which is heavily influenced by the worlds greatest Chefs. Adria, Achatz, Blumenthal, Alice Waters, Ripert and so many more. I have studied their methods with great interest and hopefully a better creative result.
I have to admit that much of my creative process is taken directly from Adria and Ripert. At the moment these are my two favorite Chefs and though their methods are different the result, on a high level, is the same, delicious and interesting food. For a great insight into Chef Adria's process look at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pTuSZHO3GU8 .
The first step in my creative process is to look at (direct influence of Adria and Ripert);
Traditional Cuisine
Local Cuisine
Techniques
To date I have studied the following cuisines both experientially and through books and videos;
Classical French, Nouvelle Cuisine, Classical Italian, New Italian, Mediterranean, Cajun, Indian, Thai, Mexican, Chilean, Peruvian, Brazilian, Caribbean, Spanish, Californian, Moroccan, Irish, Scottish, Soul and Southern, German and some Chinese. I have studied as much as I can get on each of these cuisines and further have broken much of these cuisines down to the local level that is as varied as there are people on this planet. In total I would say that I have read approximately 150 books just on world cuisines making copious amounts of notes.
Thus the first thing I look at is the ingredient with which I want to play. After all, even though your parents always told you at the table not to play with your food, as a cook, I can say they were wrong. PLAY WITH YOUR FOOD. Once I have isolated the main ingredient I want to create with I then turn to traditional and local cuisines to identify the type of dish I would like to create. That is to say do I want to create a dish similar in style to Michael Guerard, meaning Nouvelle, or do I want to create a home style German Dish? Or do I want to create a spin on Pad Thai? These are but examples of a nearly inexhaustible list of dishes I have looked at.
Once I have identified the ingredient and the type of cuisine I would like to cook it in I then turn to the local cuisine or regional varieties of that dish and see how I can best use the ingredient. How I can accentuate the natural flavours of the ingredient without overpowering it? Within each cuisine there is an endless list of possibilities that you can play with.
The final step in the initial component of my creative process is to ask myself what techniques I would like to the ingredient and dish. It would take forever to illustrate all the techniques that could be applied but here is a partial list for illustration; Frying, Sautéing, Poaching, Steaming, Broiling, Baking, Roasting, Sous Vide and Confit.
Next in the process is to start looking at the traditional accompaniments. Do I want to make a traditional dish? Do I want to be adventurous and try something new? Do I want to use various components in different ways to arrive at a new result? Food is so glorious that there is an endless supply of inspirations that you can draw from.
Personally I have been exploring inspiration a lot recently. There is no end to where you can draw inspiration. I draw a lot of inspiration from my endless travels and my innate curiosity when confronted by something new. I also draw a lot of inspiration from nature, writing, music, art and architecture and culture. Recently art and architecture have been big influences on me. I do not want to be a purveyor of ‘haute cuisine’ in the vain of Alain Ducasse or Michael Guerard but that does not mean that I do not want to compose plates that are artistic in nature. I know that as I get closer to opening my own restaurant I will take some time to explore inspiration and innovation as a means of advancing my own personal culinary philosophy. This will entail lots of reading, travel and well LIVING!
When I was at Reservation I had numerous conversations with Executive Chef 1 and 2 (1 now being Director of Operations) and Sous Chef A about the creation of a new dish. With Executive Chef 1 I began to learn that there are a number of different considerations when creating a dish. From his description (and later Adria’s) I came to know that you need to consider flavours but also senses and the way that they receive the dish that you are creating. How does it smell? How does smell affect the dish? I remember seeing a show once about Achatz use of a Lavender scented pillow at Alinea and then having to send an email to him because I thought it was such a wild concept. One that was at the time out of my breadth of knowledge or experience. But it caused me to start thinking.
You also want to consider the way the dish looks. After all food is first a feast for the eyes. It is possible to just slap food on the plate and make it taste good but if you can visually impress the person eating the dish you will be able to exponentially increase the joy and wow factor of the dish for the consumer. You can play with shapes and sizes, plating, different plates, levels, colours, etc. The end result being a dish that really does awaken the senses through the initial impact of sight.
Taste is of course of utmost importance and trumps everything else. But taste is more than just umami, sweet, sour, bitter and salty. Taste can and does include the texture of what you are serving. Moreover you have to consider how the texture plays into the flavours. As well as texture (Soft, hard, crunchy, etc.) so too does the temperature affect taste and the way that the mouth receives the various tastes. It is a delicate balance of these considerations that really imparts the wow factor in a dishes taste component.
Chef Adria also illustrates that there is a sixth sense to food. It is that intangible that can not be measured. This involves as he points out the intellectual enjoyment of the food, the knowledge of where it came from, how it was prepared, the various elements, etc. It is truly intangible and possibly difficult to explain even for the consumer.
So now that I have explained the considerations I put into my creative process I want to illustrate with an example. Lets use a dish that I have started conceptualizing in the past year. It is about juxtaposition and utilizing technique and various ingredients that would not otherwise be put together. I am yet to try it but might at The Club this summer.
Smoked Salmon is one of my great pleasures. It has an awesome oily texture and a sweetness that is evocative of joy, at least in my experience. Knowing that I want to use Smoked Salmon I then ask myself; what do I want to do with it?
Due to the considerations of timing, organization, space, prep and all the other things I need to consider I thought about the various uses for it and how people most enjoy it. Commonly in Toronto Smoked Salmon is served on a bagel with cream cheese. At The Club with do Smoked Salmon sandwich, Eggs Benjamin (Eggs Benedict but instead of Peameal you use Smoked Salmon) and a Smoked Salmon Scramble Eggs. All of which are delicious incidentally. But because I am beginning to branch out in my creativity I started asking myself; what can I do that is different?
I started to consider natural pairings for Smoked Salmon which obviously are dill and cream cheese. Knowing these as the natural pairings I wanted to discover conceptually how I could use them in a new and different way without turning them on their head. Thus I thought about making a quesadilla. Instead of cream cheese I started to think about the texture of cream cheese and what cheeses I could use to replace it. Obviously the creamy cheeses are the mot natural fit because of their texture. This meant that I started to look at Brie, Camembert and Taleggio as obvious choices. Each imparts a different flavour and a moderately different texture. Personally I would like to have it with a nice double cream Brie. Though I will try all three. The next question was how to incorporate dill while not being traditional. Usually quesadillas are served with Salsa and Sour Cream. Knowing this I thought about either an avocado sour cream or a dill crème fraiche. Again I will try both.
The whole process of this conceptualization took about five minutes from beginning to end. But the concept is easy. Ideas are as the expression goes a dime a dozen. Next comes the real work. The experimentation. Trial and Error. PLAYING WITH MY FOOD. It may be that I get a better result with one Brie over another. Or Camembert. Or Taleggio. There are so many different varieties of those cheeses that it could take me months, years even, before I find the right texture and flavour that I want to impart on the dish. Moreover, I need to ask myself; how big do I want it to be? At what point do the flavours fall out of synchronicity? How do I want it to look, taste, feel?
As I start to play with the different variations I take notes as to the flavours, the way they interrelate, the effect no the senses, etc. These notes then become the way that I refine and fine tune the dish until ultimately I am happy with the result.
So this then is the way that I utilize a creative process to create new dishes and flavours. To date I have a repertoire of approximately 300 of my own recipes which are unique and will someday make it to my own menu in various forms. For the time being I continue to tweak and enhance them.
I hope this is somewhat useful to you in understanding my process.
As Chef Adria says; “Creativity means changing your mind everyday.”
Are you dreaming big and inspired?
A la prochaine
SDM
Showing posts with label Ferran Adria. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Ferran Adria. Show all posts
Thursday, May 21, 2009
Tuesday, March 31, 2009
My Last Supper (file under Interesting Question)
One of the nice things of having a little time to myself before starting at The Club is that I can catch up on posts and projects that I have been meaning to do for a while.
Melanie Dunea created a marvelous book called “My Last Supper.” In it she asks some of the most famous Chefs in the world what their last supper would be. In the introduction Anthony Bourdain says;
“If cooking professionally is about control – about manipulating the people, the ingredients and the strange, physical forces of the kitchen universe to do one’s bidding always anticipating always preparing, always dominating one’s environment – then eating well is about submission. About letting go.”
I’ve read this quote over and over again. I’ve thought about it quite extensively since I first read it because I agree with the sentiment completely. I think that cooking is about control of chaos or rather order from chaos. Whereas eating is about submitting to the dish, the person that made it and the environment that surrounds you.
One of the things that shocked me most about the book was the number of Chefs that said that they would prepare their own meal. Moreover, in most of the cases, the meals were something that you would not suspect, while in some, it was exactly what you would expect. So then, how exactly would these Chefs let go and submit.
The questions that were asked were; what would you want for your last supper? Where would you want to have it? Who would you want to be there? Who would you have prepare it for you? What kind of music accompaniment would you have? Along with their answers are beautiful pictures which also say something elemental about the Chef.
Each of these questions and ultimately their answers reveal an intimate portrait of the Chefs that answered them. Some of my favorite responses are as follows;
Daniel Boulud would have his last meal in the Hall of Mirrors in the Palace of Versailles with his dinner guests being Apicius, Bacchus, Careme, Escoffier, Bocuse and Ducasse with Ducasse as the Chef.
Ferran Adria, the worlds number one Chef from El Bulli would eat his meal in Tokyo, at Kiccho and have Escoffier cook it.
Eric Ripert would have a simple meal of toasted bread, olive oil, truffles, rock salt and pepper. And naturally he would prepare it himself.
Masa Takayama would have blowfish on a boat with Mozart playing live while they sipped on Bowmore Scotch over glacier ice.
Dan Barber; would eat his pig Boris; “If I’m going so is Boris.” Barber would cook the meal himself; “I’d have one finally chance to get it right.”
Thomas Keller would have Osetera caviar, Otoro, a quesadilla, roast chicken and Brie with truffles.
Gordon Ramsay would have a classic roast with Yorkshire pudding and red wine gravy naturally preparing it himself.
Nobu interestingly enough would have Kenny G while eating Sushi prepared by his Sous Chef.
Mario Batali, ever the great eater would have an Italian feast of eight or ten courses including seafood, pasta and vegetables.
Jacques Pepin would have an eclectic, relaxed and informal meal of Brittany butter, Oysters, Iberico ham, eggs and roast squab.
Lydia Shire would make herself a 14 to 16 ounce Sirloin with fried parsnips ended by a Carlos Fuente Cigar (a woman after my own heart).
Raymond Blanc would have something humble and simple prepared by Bocuse.
Charlie Trotter would have many courses, raw, tiny and delicate seafoods. Miles Davis would play with Bob Dylan while Dostoevsky, Hemingway, Bukowski, Miller, Wolfe, Hunter S. Thompson along with F. Scott and Zelda Fitzgerald. His Chef Matthias Merges would prepare it.
Jean – Georges Vongerichten would have a Royal Banquet such as they have at the Grand Palace in Bangkok prepared by the Royal Chef.
Martin Picard (a great Canadian Chef) would have a multi course feast which would start with a kilogram of Caviar, butter and vodka. 2 one hundred gram truffles, one black and one white. It would be served in a forest with Bach as played by Glenn Gould. LOVED THIS ANSWER!
Ducasse would eat on Mars. He currently prepares special celebratory meals for the European Space Agency for astronauts on board the International Space Station.
Guy Savoy’s exact response was as follows;
“Dear Madam,
I thank you for your note and am touched by your admiration. Nevertheless, I have a phobic rapport with death and because of this, will never discuss my last meal. This returns me to my life’s philosophy: I talk about openings not closings.
Receive, dear Madam, my best wishes.”
As I said earlier the responses to these questions reveals quite a bit about these Chefs.
What would your last meal be? Who would be there? What would be playing? Where would it be?
I plan on answering these questions in the next blog post.
Are you dreaming big and inspired?
A la prochaine
SDM
Melanie Dunea created a marvelous book called “My Last Supper.” In it she asks some of the most famous Chefs in the world what their last supper would be. In the introduction Anthony Bourdain says;
“If cooking professionally is about control – about manipulating the people, the ingredients and the strange, physical forces of the kitchen universe to do one’s bidding always anticipating always preparing, always dominating one’s environment – then eating well is about submission. About letting go.”
I’ve read this quote over and over again. I’ve thought about it quite extensively since I first read it because I agree with the sentiment completely. I think that cooking is about control of chaos or rather order from chaos. Whereas eating is about submitting to the dish, the person that made it and the environment that surrounds you.
One of the things that shocked me most about the book was the number of Chefs that said that they would prepare their own meal. Moreover, in most of the cases, the meals were something that you would not suspect, while in some, it was exactly what you would expect. So then, how exactly would these Chefs let go and submit.
The questions that were asked were; what would you want for your last supper? Where would you want to have it? Who would you want to be there? Who would you have prepare it for you? What kind of music accompaniment would you have? Along with their answers are beautiful pictures which also say something elemental about the Chef.
Each of these questions and ultimately their answers reveal an intimate portrait of the Chefs that answered them. Some of my favorite responses are as follows;
Daniel Boulud would have his last meal in the Hall of Mirrors in the Palace of Versailles with his dinner guests being Apicius, Bacchus, Careme, Escoffier, Bocuse and Ducasse with Ducasse as the Chef.
Ferran Adria, the worlds number one Chef from El Bulli would eat his meal in Tokyo, at Kiccho and have Escoffier cook it.
Eric Ripert would have a simple meal of toasted bread, olive oil, truffles, rock salt and pepper. And naturally he would prepare it himself.
Masa Takayama would have blowfish on a boat with Mozart playing live while they sipped on Bowmore Scotch over glacier ice.
Dan Barber; would eat his pig Boris; “If I’m going so is Boris.” Barber would cook the meal himself; “I’d have one finally chance to get it right.”
Thomas Keller would have Osetera caviar, Otoro, a quesadilla, roast chicken and Brie with truffles.
Gordon Ramsay would have a classic roast with Yorkshire pudding and red wine gravy naturally preparing it himself.
Nobu interestingly enough would have Kenny G while eating Sushi prepared by his Sous Chef.
Mario Batali, ever the great eater would have an Italian feast of eight or ten courses including seafood, pasta and vegetables.
Jacques Pepin would have an eclectic, relaxed and informal meal of Brittany butter, Oysters, Iberico ham, eggs and roast squab.
Lydia Shire would make herself a 14 to 16 ounce Sirloin with fried parsnips ended by a Carlos Fuente Cigar (a woman after my own heart).
Raymond Blanc would have something humble and simple prepared by Bocuse.
Charlie Trotter would have many courses, raw, tiny and delicate seafoods. Miles Davis would play with Bob Dylan while Dostoevsky, Hemingway, Bukowski, Miller, Wolfe, Hunter S. Thompson along with F. Scott and Zelda Fitzgerald. His Chef Matthias Merges would prepare it.
Jean – Georges Vongerichten would have a Royal Banquet such as they have at the Grand Palace in Bangkok prepared by the Royal Chef.
Martin Picard (a great Canadian Chef) would have a multi course feast which would start with a kilogram of Caviar, butter and vodka. 2 one hundred gram truffles, one black and one white. It would be served in a forest with Bach as played by Glenn Gould. LOVED THIS ANSWER!
Ducasse would eat on Mars. He currently prepares special celebratory meals for the European Space Agency for astronauts on board the International Space Station.
Guy Savoy’s exact response was as follows;
“Dear Madam,
I thank you for your note and am touched by your admiration. Nevertheless, I have a phobic rapport with death and because of this, will never discuss my last meal. This returns me to my life’s philosophy: I talk about openings not closings.
Receive, dear Madam, my best wishes.”
As I said earlier the responses to these questions reveals quite a bit about these Chefs.
What would your last meal be? Who would be there? What would be playing? Where would it be?
I plan on answering these questions in the next blog post.
Are you dreaming big and inspired?
A la prochaine
SDM
Wednesday, March 11, 2009
The Fat Duck (file under Worst Nightmare)
As many of you will recall I am a huge fan of molecular gastronomers the world over. I came to know of molecular gastronomy first through Heston Blumenthal which then inevitably led to both Ferran Adria and Grant Achatz.
Well, long story short, The Fat Duck which is widely considered the second best restaurant in the world (behind Adria’s El Bulli) has been forced to close because of some mysterious illness that has been affecting people that ate there between last week and the beginning of the year.
When I first heard about this story I was surprised. Surprised because in order to do what Chefs like Blumenthal and Adria do there has to be a precise attention to the highest quality of ingredients as well as rigorous testing. In Blumenthal’s case I know that he tests ingredients at every step of their preparation. As such I immediately thought that it had to be resultant from some other factor.
The jury is still out and there are many tests ongoing to figure out the mystery culprit. But I do hope, earnestly, that everything turns around soon and that the world is no longer deprived of Chef Blumenthal’s wonderful creations at The Fat Duck. Ironically I just found out that as of an hour ago The Fat Duck is set to reopen.
For more information check out;
http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/wordofmouth/2009/mar/11/fat-duck-reopen
http://www.emaxhealth.com/2/75/29710/hpa-investigates-fat-duck-restaurant.html
Blumenthal is once quote as saying; “I have this desire to keep improving, so I find fault.”
I’m glad that the Fat Duck will once again be playing with its food. Congratulations Heston.
Are you dreaming big and inspired?
A la prochaine
SDM
Well, long story short, The Fat Duck which is widely considered the second best restaurant in the world (behind Adria’s El Bulli) has been forced to close because of some mysterious illness that has been affecting people that ate there between last week and the beginning of the year.
When I first heard about this story I was surprised. Surprised because in order to do what Chefs like Blumenthal and Adria do there has to be a precise attention to the highest quality of ingredients as well as rigorous testing. In Blumenthal’s case I know that he tests ingredients at every step of their preparation. As such I immediately thought that it had to be resultant from some other factor.
The jury is still out and there are many tests ongoing to figure out the mystery culprit. But I do hope, earnestly, that everything turns around soon and that the world is no longer deprived of Chef Blumenthal’s wonderful creations at The Fat Duck. Ironically I just found out that as of an hour ago The Fat Duck is set to reopen.
For more information check out;
http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/wordofmouth/2009/mar/11/fat-duck-reopen
http://www.emaxhealth.com/2/75/29710/hpa-investigates-fat-duck-restaurant.html
Blumenthal is once quote as saying; “I have this desire to keep improving, so I find fault.”
I’m glad that the Fat Duck will once again be playing with its food. Congratulations Heston.
Are you dreaming big and inspired?
A la prochaine
SDM
Saturday, January 24, 2009
Ferran Adria and A Day at El Bulli (file under WOW PROFESSOR!)
For Christmas my old (and still to come) business partner gave me the trifecta gift that I had wanted, Ferran Adria’s book “A Day at El Bulli.” And I could not have been more thrilled. In fact I jumped up and gave her a huge hug after tearing just enough of the paper to reveal what it was. I was and am ecstatic.
What does it take to be referred to as the best Chef in the world? This book gives you an inkling into what it takes. Chef Adria receives 2,000,000 requests for only 8,000 seats a year. He is an originator who does for food the same thing that NASA does for space. He is a true pioneer who is shaping and reshaping the way that food is tasted and experienced. He is a master of his craft and it is very clear through the pages of this book that his primary drive is to create an “experience” for his patrons that will stay with them a lifetime.
Apparently his drive for excellence came out of the definition of creativity that he heard from French Chef (and vanguard in his own right) Jacques Maximin; “Creativity means not copying.”
While flipping the gorgeous pages of the book I was left pondering exactly how to incorporate that statement into my own food philosophy. Into my own drive for excellence and the very real mission that I believe I am on. That being to change the culture of food in North America.
Much of the book focuses on creative inspiration and method. Some of the salient points he has regarding creativity are as follows;
“New, creative and unique are not the same thing.”
“With creativity it is not what you look for that matters, but what you find.”
“Wanting to be creative is not enough.”
“A creative spirit does not necessarily lead to a creative result.”
“Ideas are easy – you just need to have some.”
Think about these past five quotes for a minute. They all are the result of Chef Adria’s contemplation of Jacques Maximin’s definition of creativity. I believe that he is correct in his assertion that creative means not copying. Especially as it relates to food. The question begs though, in an ever increasing globalized world, where true originality is harder to come by, where can this creativity lead us next?
I found this book extremely inspirational. I know that I will turn its pages when I find myself needing an inspirational kick in the ass. Another thing he wrote which has stuck in my mind since reading it is; “Let what you like to eat tell you how you should cook.” This is akin to the great advice for writers, write about what you know.
What happens at El Bulli is a true convergence of the creative spirit and the practical application of knowledge. In order to achieve this (in my mind) perfect symbiosis El Bulli employs 30 to 40 full time chefs. 13 of which are full time. Stages are chosen from among 5000 applicants who are chosen from different countries so that El Bulli can benefit from their knowledge and experience.
I have not fully internalized the way that Chef Adria’s creative method works and as such I don’t feel that I can have an informed discussion of it here now, but in the coming months, as I become more comfortable with it I will express my feelings about it.
What I can say is that he and his team complete 4000 hours of creative work a year. That is not a small number and when I consider that a top lawyer bills approximately 1800 hours a year I am taken aback at his drive for creative excellence.
Many questions came out of my reading of this book. And several answers too. The one thing I can say is that I am inspired and find myself reaching for ways to improve upon the legacy that he has created. Not necessarily for the world at large, but for myself.
One thing is certain. While in the last year I have gotten a great base from which to build and expand. That foundation needs to be expanded to include a wider knowledge of ingredients and complimentary pairings before I can fully utilize my creative method.
I strongly recommend this book for anyone who is interested in the future of food service. Ferran Adria is on the cutting edge of food and I am grateful for his example and willingness to share his method.
James Beard once said; “Food is our common ground, a universal experience.”
One which I hope to improve as I continue my journey.
Are you dreaming big and inspired?
A la prochaine
SDM
What does it take to be referred to as the best Chef in the world? This book gives you an inkling into what it takes. Chef Adria receives 2,000,000 requests for only 8,000 seats a year. He is an originator who does for food the same thing that NASA does for space. He is a true pioneer who is shaping and reshaping the way that food is tasted and experienced. He is a master of his craft and it is very clear through the pages of this book that his primary drive is to create an “experience” for his patrons that will stay with them a lifetime.
Apparently his drive for excellence came out of the definition of creativity that he heard from French Chef (and vanguard in his own right) Jacques Maximin; “Creativity means not copying.”
While flipping the gorgeous pages of the book I was left pondering exactly how to incorporate that statement into my own food philosophy. Into my own drive for excellence and the very real mission that I believe I am on. That being to change the culture of food in North America.
Much of the book focuses on creative inspiration and method. Some of the salient points he has regarding creativity are as follows;
“New, creative and unique are not the same thing.”
“With creativity it is not what you look for that matters, but what you find.”
“Wanting to be creative is not enough.”
“A creative spirit does not necessarily lead to a creative result.”
“Ideas are easy – you just need to have some.”
Think about these past five quotes for a minute. They all are the result of Chef Adria’s contemplation of Jacques Maximin’s definition of creativity. I believe that he is correct in his assertion that creative means not copying. Especially as it relates to food. The question begs though, in an ever increasing globalized world, where true originality is harder to come by, where can this creativity lead us next?
I found this book extremely inspirational. I know that I will turn its pages when I find myself needing an inspirational kick in the ass. Another thing he wrote which has stuck in my mind since reading it is; “Let what you like to eat tell you how you should cook.” This is akin to the great advice for writers, write about what you know.
What happens at El Bulli is a true convergence of the creative spirit and the practical application of knowledge. In order to achieve this (in my mind) perfect symbiosis El Bulli employs 30 to 40 full time chefs. 13 of which are full time. Stages are chosen from among 5000 applicants who are chosen from different countries so that El Bulli can benefit from their knowledge and experience.
I have not fully internalized the way that Chef Adria’s creative method works and as such I don’t feel that I can have an informed discussion of it here now, but in the coming months, as I become more comfortable with it I will express my feelings about it.
What I can say is that he and his team complete 4000 hours of creative work a year. That is not a small number and when I consider that a top lawyer bills approximately 1800 hours a year I am taken aback at his drive for creative excellence.
Many questions came out of my reading of this book. And several answers too. The one thing I can say is that I am inspired and find myself reaching for ways to improve upon the legacy that he has created. Not necessarily for the world at large, but for myself.
One thing is certain. While in the last year I have gotten a great base from which to build and expand. That foundation needs to be expanded to include a wider knowledge of ingredients and complimentary pairings before I can fully utilize my creative method.
I strongly recommend this book for anyone who is interested in the future of food service. Ferran Adria is on the cutting edge of food and I am grateful for his example and willingness to share his method.
James Beard once said; “Food is our common ground, a universal experience.”
One which I hope to improve as I continue my journey.
Are you dreaming big and inspired?
A la prochaine
SDM
Saturday, January 10, 2009
I Love $5,000,000 (file under Especially Thoughtful)
For Christmas my old business partner and my soon to be mother in law gave me about $5,000,000. No, not in real dollars, but certainly in the knowledge that I am going to acquire and put into action when I have my own restaurant.
From C’s Mom I got a book by Joel Robuchon (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joël_Robuchon) called “The Complete Robuchon.” I also (because I ordered online which saves you a lot of money) received Grant Achatz restaurant entitled book; “Alinea” You should check out his site at http://www.alinea-restaurant.com/.
Robuchon as you can see from the Wikipedia page is one of the heavies in the culinary world. Check out Chef Achatz at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grant_Achatz.
Robuchon is a book that I can work with right away. Alinea is one which I can look at now but am probably a couple years away from being able to use in any meaningful way other than to spur creativity.
Finally my old business partner came over the other day bearing a big wrapped Christmas present. I knew right away it was a book. As I opened the paper it took me about two pulls on the wrapping to realize that she got me the third book that I wanted for Christmas. Ferran Adria’s “A Day At El Bulli.” Check out Chef Adria at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ferran_Adria. He is the number one chef in the world and as it says on the cover of his book each year they receive 2,000,000 requests for reservation for only 8,000 spots.
Needless to say I am excited to dive into my new books and to expand my ever growing knowledge base. What are you doing today in pursuit of your dreams?
As Chef Adria says in the book; “ A creative person tries to do what they don’t know how to do.”
Are you dreaming big and inspired?
A la prochaine
SDM
From C’s Mom I got a book by Joel Robuchon (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joël_Robuchon) called “The Complete Robuchon.” I also (because I ordered online which saves you a lot of money) received Grant Achatz restaurant entitled book; “Alinea” You should check out his site at http://www.alinea-restaurant.com/.
Robuchon as you can see from the Wikipedia page is one of the heavies in the culinary world. Check out Chef Achatz at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grant_Achatz.
Robuchon is a book that I can work with right away. Alinea is one which I can look at now but am probably a couple years away from being able to use in any meaningful way other than to spur creativity.
Finally my old business partner came over the other day bearing a big wrapped Christmas present. I knew right away it was a book. As I opened the paper it took me about two pulls on the wrapping to realize that she got me the third book that I wanted for Christmas. Ferran Adria’s “A Day At El Bulli.” Check out Chef Adria at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ferran_Adria. He is the number one chef in the world and as it says on the cover of his book each year they receive 2,000,000 requests for reservation for only 8,000 spots.
Needless to say I am excited to dive into my new books and to expand my ever growing knowledge base. What are you doing today in pursuit of your dreams?
As Chef Adria says in the book; “ A creative person tries to do what they don’t know how to do.”
Are you dreaming big and inspired?
A la prochaine
SDM
Wednesday, August 20, 2008
Books I’m Reading (file under Knowledge, Knowledge, Knowledge)
Care of my weekend I haven’t read more than a paragraph since Friday. But I have been reading, as I alluded to, in one of my weekend update posts, I have been reading a few books at the same time.
Of course, care of Ruhlman’s; “The Soul of a Chef” I decided to pick up his “The Making of a Chef.” In it Ruhlman is going through the first year of classes at the Culinary Institute of America. It follows him as he goes through his classes and the subtle transformation from Writer to Cook. I say subtle though I don’t think that anyone else would say that it was subtle.
Over the weekend I alluded to the fact that there are those of us that get it done and those that don’t. For cooks, all the world over, failure is not an option. Hung over, we show up. Sick, we show up. Short of dead, we show up. In his exploration, Ruhlman tells a story about a vicious snowstorm that threatened to keep him from school for a test. When he called the examining Chef Instructor, Ruhlman became stung when the Chef alluded to the fact that it was okay because he was not a real cook or chef. Subtly the Chef made the point that it didn’t matter the circumstance, cooks showed up. With his pride stung, Ruhlman too showed up and by doing so learned a very valuable lesson. One that will stay with him for life.
I’m not done “The Making of a Chef” yet. In fact it is currently in my locker at work as I was too tired to be bothered to bring it home on Sunday. Next week I will write some more about it.
I have also been reading “How I Learned to Cook; Culinary Educations from the World’s Greatest Chefs,” edited by Kimberly Witherspoon and Peter Meehan. Reading how the likes of Ferran Adria, Mario Batali, Raymond Blanc, Heston Blumenthal, Daniel Boulud and others came to learn to cook is as illuminating for a young cook (i.e. me) as reading Aristotle’s; “The Politics” is for Political Science students.
What I gleaned from all these different Chefs is that there is no true set course that leads one to the kitchen. As I’m pounding out this entry before I have to go to work I will regal you with more next week when I have some time.
I came to this book through another that I picked up entitled; “ If You Can Stand the Heat; Tales from Chefs and Restaurateurs.”
And of course I’m still reading Bourdain’s; “A Cook’s Tour.” All of these will be covered next week when I have some more time.
Anton Chekhov once said; “Knowledge is of no value unless you put it into practice.”
Are you dreaming big and inspired?
A la prochaine
SDM
Of course, care of Ruhlman’s; “The Soul of a Chef” I decided to pick up his “The Making of a Chef.” In it Ruhlman is going through the first year of classes at the Culinary Institute of America. It follows him as he goes through his classes and the subtle transformation from Writer to Cook. I say subtle though I don’t think that anyone else would say that it was subtle.
Over the weekend I alluded to the fact that there are those of us that get it done and those that don’t. For cooks, all the world over, failure is not an option. Hung over, we show up. Sick, we show up. Short of dead, we show up. In his exploration, Ruhlman tells a story about a vicious snowstorm that threatened to keep him from school for a test. When he called the examining Chef Instructor, Ruhlman became stung when the Chef alluded to the fact that it was okay because he was not a real cook or chef. Subtly the Chef made the point that it didn’t matter the circumstance, cooks showed up. With his pride stung, Ruhlman too showed up and by doing so learned a very valuable lesson. One that will stay with him for life.
I’m not done “The Making of a Chef” yet. In fact it is currently in my locker at work as I was too tired to be bothered to bring it home on Sunday. Next week I will write some more about it.
I have also been reading “How I Learned to Cook; Culinary Educations from the World’s Greatest Chefs,” edited by Kimberly Witherspoon and Peter Meehan. Reading how the likes of Ferran Adria, Mario Batali, Raymond Blanc, Heston Blumenthal, Daniel Boulud and others came to learn to cook is as illuminating for a young cook (i.e. me) as reading Aristotle’s; “The Politics” is for Political Science students.
What I gleaned from all these different Chefs is that there is no true set course that leads one to the kitchen. As I’m pounding out this entry before I have to go to work I will regal you with more next week when I have some time.
I came to this book through another that I picked up entitled; “ If You Can Stand the Heat; Tales from Chefs and Restaurateurs.”
And of course I’m still reading Bourdain’s; “A Cook’s Tour.” All of these will be covered next week when I have some more time.
Anton Chekhov once said; “Knowledge is of no value unless you put it into practice.”
Are you dreaming big and inspired?
A la prochaine
SDM
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