What did you eat last night for dinner?

[itsstillmatt]



or you could just buy a bottle of soy lecithin granules for like $5 from your local grocer and make enough foam to last you a life time.

the fish and mushroom dish does indeed look nice. it looks really similar to something eric ripert said he made as one of the first dishes he ever created when he took the helm at le bernardin.

Lecithin foam isn't better, it is just different. For what he is looking to do, it isn't right.

 

[ToruOkada]

I've never tried it before, but I would think that adding a really small amount of soy lecithin to the cream mixture he was trying could help him achieve a more stable version of the lightly-frothed cream sauce he was aiming for. feel free to correct me if i'm wrong...or i guess i could just give it a shot myself.

 

[edinatlanta]

Made some lamahjoun. Holy balls lamb is so much better than beef, it seems.

 

[KJT]



Portabello, chicken, pickled red onions, aioli, chives? Or is that on a crisp or tortilla or something? Is there hummus? Wtf is that?

 

[bBoy JEe]

This looks like deconstructed shawarma :0

 

[kwilkinson]

Pork belly tostada, bean puree, chihuahua, orange/jalapeno crema, pickled red o.

 

[Manton]



second one is excellent, mm.

Agreed. I often do a dish like that, learned at the FCI. I like maitake, FWIW.

mm, assuming you are who you say you are (nothing personal; just this is the I-net so who knows) you should forget about being a private chef. Just drop everything and either go to culinary school (you can afford it) or get a stage at the swankest Manhattan restaurant that will take you and work your way up from there. Even if you don't want to make a career of it you will learn a ton and shake out a lot of your bad habits.

 

[mgm9128]



mm, assuming you are who you say you are (nothing personal; just this is the I-net so who knows) you should forget about being a private chef. Just drop everything and either go to culinary school (you can afford it) or get a stage at the swankest Manhattan restaurant that will take you and work your way up from there. Even if you don't want to make a career of it you will learn a ton and shake out a lot of your bad habits.

It's funny you mention this. Just the other day I dropped by Thomas Henkelmann (a restaurant here in Connecticut) with the intention of asking if I could stage there, as I greatly respect and admire Chef Henkelmann, and his food is great, as well. Unfortunately, he wasn't there at the time, but I was told to try back later this week. I do wish to learn more about cooking, and how things are done in a professional kitchen, and I believe this is the best way to learn.

Private cheffing would be fun just for the experience and opportunity of it all. It's been crazy how many people want to hire me based on my pictures alone. It's like, wouldn't you like to taste my food before you pay me to serve you and your guests? Though, in Manhattan, it seems people care more about image than anything else. So, while I continue to improve as a cook, I'll just keep taking nice pictures, because it seems to be working.

 

[gomestar]



Though, in Manhattan, it seems people care more about image than anything else.

that must be why Babbo is so successful

 

[Manton]



It's funny you mention this. Just the other day I dropped by Thomas Henkelmann (a restaurant here in Connecticut) with the intention of asking if I could stage there, as I greatly respect and admire Chef Henkelmann, and his food is great, as well. Unfortunately, he wasn't there at the time, but I was told to try back later this week. I do wish to learn more about cooking, and how things are done in a professional kitchen, and I believe this is the best way to learn.

Private cheffing would be fun just for the experience and opportunity of it all. It's been crazy how many people want to hire me based on my pictures alone. It's like, wouldn't you like to taste my food before you pay me to serve you and your guests? Though, in Manhattan, it seems people care more about image than anything else. So, while I continue to improve as a cook, I'll just keep taking nice pictures, because it seems to be working.

Private cheffing wil not make you better. Or, at least, not nearly to the extent that working with pros will. The best, most effective, most long-lasting way to improve is to work many hours for and around people who know more than you, are better than you, and who simply will not accept substandard work. They don't have to be a-holes but they have to have high standards and they have to be honest enough not to always want to be "nice" and say "oh, that's wonderful" just beause your plates look OK and you are trying really hard.

Plating is a weak (maybe the weakest) link in my skillset. You have a huge advantage here but you need to refine it and you won't do that working alone. You also seem not to have the requisite foundational skillset. But technique you can learn, easily, with coaching and practice. You have started with the roof but it's not too late to add the foundation. You will one day have a very nice house when I am still in a shack.

You remind me somewhat of a talented musician who never really learned fingering or tonality who comes a music teacher for the first time at age 21. Except you are in a better position because starting to cook at a high level at 21 is plenty young enough whereas for a musician it's already too late.

 

[kwilkinson]



They don't have to be a-holes but they ...

... will be.

 

[itsstillmatt]

You should bring them a picture of La Turd when you apply.

 

[Manton]



... will be.

My guys are not. Only one even comes close.

However, it's possible that they go easy on me because there's nothing in it for them to abuse a vol and anyway they may have concluded that I am hopeless. Then again, they don't really yell at anyone. The will apply pressure, sometimes severe pressure when things are crazy, but no one seems to take it hard or personally.

 

[itsstillmatt]



My guys are not. Only one even comes close.

However, it's possible that they go easy on me because there's nothing in it for them to abuse a vol and anyway they may have concluded that I am hopeless. Then again, they don't really yell at anyone. The will apply pressure, sometimes severe pressure when things are crazy, but no one seems to take it hard or personally.

Kyle worked for two assholes. He is heavily scarred.

 

[Manton]

My restaurant is much more low level/low stakes so my experience may be atypical.

However, I have been reading quite a lot of restaurant/chef books and there seems to be a consensus that the industry as a whole has moved away from the a-hole model and more toward a more humane way of treating staff.