Working Culinary School Graduate

Five Year Anniversary

2011-06-11T16:20:00.003-06:00

Yesterday, My Wife and I celebrated our five year wedding anniversary. We have had a tradition of going to Frasca Food and Wine in Boulder for our dinner. This year, we went to their new establishment, Pizzeria Locale. It is a modern take on a great Italian tradition, pizza. I had worked with the GM there at NoBo. Of course the service was wonderful, as is to be expected. All the food was simple, clean and tasty. I had ordered the Foccacia Storico - parmigiano reggiano, mortadella, black pepper, garlic and oregano and My Wife ordered the Margherita - mozzarella di buffala, san marazano tomatoes (sauce) and basil. We shared their seafood salad, the cured meat plate and some olives. For dessert I had the butterscotch pudding and My Wife had the decadent nutella filled pizza dough. We had a great time just being able to hang out and talk. We realized this is a place we could easily bring our friends to and enjoy wonderful service and clean, simple and tasty food.

May

2011-05-13T16:04:00.004-06:00

Where did April go? As I sit in Barns and Noble at my laptop, I started to realize that this is something I need to more often. I will admit, I have it easy compared to most sous chefs out there in the world. Stach is not the type to let anyone work more than he does, at the same time he is pretty understanding of situations and gives everyone a pretty long leash. With that said, I leave when I need to go pick up my son. I come in early to make up hours and then when I plan on a weekend adventure I can leave as soon as I can get all of my stuff done. It is pretty awesome.

As for some specials,

Wild boar shanks braised in hoisin, jasmine "dirty rice" and ginger glazed carrots.

Beef tongue torta, house pickled jalapenos, tomatoes and cheese

Roasted chicken, Fontina and mushroom cream sauce, whipped Yukon potatoes and broccolette

Mushroom crusted rack of lamb, sauce chausseur and risotto

Barbecue two ways - Texas style Kobe beef ribs with potato salad and Asian rubbed baby back ribs with slaw

Edamame crusted cod, ponzu sauce and nori dusted chips

Crab stuffed lemon sole and haricot verts

and that was just a few specials we featured over the past six weeks.

As for the next few days back at work, Stach is off and we have a few in-house catering parties, on Monday over 40 for breakfast and then almost 60 for lunch as well. We have a great staff that always steps up and meets the challenge though, so I don't worry too much about them all. We have been pretty lucky that we seem to get the bodies that we need at the right time.

Is it really April already?

2011-03-31T19:30:00.004-06:00

Sorry for my lack of effort in posting here folks. I'll try a little better to post something more often than once a quarter.

Tonight, My Wife and I enjoyed some fresh red grouper. One of the benefits at iCorp, on occasion, we get to take home some really good products to cook at home. I seared the grouper in my cast iron skillet, crispy skin and all. I heated up some butter beans with smoked pulled pork and red onions and sauted some diced asparagus. As a sauce for the grouper, I sizzled some chunks of the pork in the pan and topped the fish with it.

At iCorp, we have been undergoing quite a bit of turn over. In August, a cook who had been there quite awhile and thought Stach would hire him as a sous chef was caught scratching himself with a glove on over his apron and pants and continued with making sandwiches for everyone. This is when Tex was hired. Tex used to work with Stach and I at NoBo. Another guy, who had owned a sandwich shoppe, took a position in another department that he was better qualified for. This was when we hired AMBP. She was an outside candidate that both Stach and our boss picked from three or four resumes. At the same time, we brought in a long time friend of mine who had staged with me at Upstairs/Downstairs and worked at NoBo after I had left. He recently left to pursue a position at a fine dining restaurant. Then there was Sloth, she could have been better if she would quit doing illicit drugs combined with medication for her depression Sloth was on 30 day probation and basically was terminated after her husband decided to do doughnuts in the parking lot after opening a can of Keystone Light. Just minutes after our ER (employee relations) department accepted her two week notice. We brought in one other guy, Lance, who is currently a night student at Culinary School of the Rockies.

Our entire front of the house staff has completely turned over. It started with one woman thought she could boss people around when our boss wasn't present and would deny doing so when confronted. She also complained about: the guys changing in the locker room, that the boxes were stacked to high, the boxes were in the way when they weren't stacked, we were using hot water from the hot water machine to "cook with," etc. Fortunately, she gave notice and left. At the same time, a girl up and quit the next day the first woman left. Then there was a mainstay who pretty much couldn't handle driving in the snow for over 45 miles to get to work. We turned over everyone in the FOH within six weeks.

As for fun menu items: Braised beef hearts with beets and smashed potatoes on Valentines day; pull wild boar sandwiches; wild boar osso bucco creamy polenta; venison chops with green chili demi glace roasted red potatoes; Colorado Bison barbecue with green chili barbecue sauce, mountain biscuit and corn casserole; and 50's comfort food chow line which included buttered peas and wild mushrooms, Texas style brisket, Bison chili, sherry cream of mushroom soup, layered jello cups, German chocolate cake, Key lime pie and various small dessert bites.

Upcoming events will include another menu change, more scratch items, excessively large parties (400+ people) and fine tuning our catering offerings. Next week we have an employee event that will include an all you can eat salad bar with some basic offerings that will test our fellow employees patience with healthier food options.

So that is it. Congrats to Richard Blais on winning Top Chef All Stars. I still think Jen Carrol should not have been eliminated in the second round, but that is how things go.

Happy New Year

2011-01-22T19:12:00.003-07:00

One of the greatest joys that I have enjoyed since the birth of my son is coming home in the afternoon and spending about 5 hours with him in my arms. One of the things that I have seen in some of the fathers at church is how much time they spend with their children. This is something I have chosen to imitate with my son.

Today, after spending some time at a church day retreat, we came home, and My Wife fed him. Afterwards, he was a little fussy and I was trying to lay down and sleep off a headache. My Wife offered for me to hold him, which I did and he quickly calmed down. From there he squeaked and squirmed some and then he fell a sleep. This all happened around the same time of the day I usually come home and he spends time in my arms. I think that is the coolest thing ever.

It's moments like this I realized that working at iCorp is what my family needs. Having been born a rabbit, and this year being my third year of the rabbit; I realize that I have found my job. I have always dreamed of being able to wear my whites and work bankers hours. I also work with a cool chef and we are surrounded by a talented staff. Of the eight of us who work in our kitchen, six of us have been line cooks in fine dining restaurants, five of us worked at NoBo at the same time, and the chef and I have been working together for about two years now.

We are proud of the work we do. I've mentioned it before, people see what I do as a huge step down from where I have worked. This week, we have a 35 person four course dinner which also includes and entree duo. Following that for the week we will have 70 people in the building which we will be feeding breakfast and lunch three times and also a military themed dinner. Even though some the food we are asked to make are things a half way good home cook could make, we choose to refine it more than a caterer would. We want our fellow employees at iCorp to see the food they eat is real food. The chef before and during the interim before Stach was there the food was bought pre-made/boil in a bag they served as if it were made in house.

They let us take him home with us

2010-12-29T19:25:00.003-07:00

So as you know, we have had our baby.

Daniel Yi-Fei, born December 12, 2010 11:24 am 7 lbs. 6oz 19" long. My Wife is doing well. I have been able to take his first week off and this week. My Wife's mother was out last week with her father coming out for Christmas. My Mother is comes out on New Year's Day and I'll be returning to work.

As for Christmas dinner.

Salad

Cuyahoga beet salad
Lavender gelee
Sides
Sourdough and liguica sausage stuffing
French beans and mushrooms
Duchess potato two ways
Meat and Sauces
Prime rib
Red wine jus
Horseradish cream
Dessert
Apple pie
Cherry wine ice cream

Supper

Apricot and pistachio garnished country pate

Dried Spanish chorizo

Oven roasted grape tomatoes

Olive cured Provencal olives

Castlevetrano Olive

Cranberry mostarda

Whole grain Dijon

English cheddar

Fresh mozzarella

Shaved parmesan

Brie

Apricot and pistachio butter cookies

Five Years From Now...

2010-12-11T07:34:00.003-07:00

Mrs. Mom, "Peanut, would you like a cookie?"

Peanut replies, "did my Mommy make it?"

Mrs. Mom, "No?"

Peanut inquires further, "Did my Grandma, Nana or Grandmere make it?"

Mrs. Mom, "no I made the cookies, would you like one?"

Peanut, with out flinching at Mrs. Mom's response, "did Mrs. Kathy make it?"

Mrs. Mom, not knowing who Mrs. Kathy is, "no, but here have the cookie, I'm sure your mommy will let you."

Peanut, "I'd better not, I don't think my daddy wouldn't want me to have that cookie then."

All About Peanut

2010-12-04T12:05:00.000-07:00

As you all know My Wife and I are expecting our first child around Christmas. As the count down started, 30+ weeks ago, we first thought the end would never come. We would laugh about things, dream about things, I talk into her belly, and often I would just smile when I see a brand new family. I am a bit of a sentimental sap for a guy. I find that it comes from being a protective older brother and a pretty loyal person.

Tuesday, My Wife and I headed into the Denver, as we have done so often, for her 36/37 week check up. The Midwife was excited to see us, and was right away concerned about the fact My Wife's blood pressure was high. So as we went through with the check up, periodically her blood pressure was checked, to see if we got a false reading, not so much. When it came time to see the sonogram, the Midwife first pressed on My Wife's belly to confirm that Peanut was head down and assuming the position. The sonogram gave us shocking news, BREECH! Yep that silly little kid of ours has both of our genes to want to do things his/her way. So this brings about concern from the Midwife, because of the fact we are at 37 weeks and My Wife's blood pressure is high. Right away we were scheduled for a procedure to actually turn Peanut around so the head is down and we could go on our merry way. At the same time the Midwife suggested to get some acupuncture done, and I had read that there is also a chiropractic technique to help inspire Peanut to turn over.

All these events changed our view/plan of how we wanted to bring Peanut into the world. We always thought Peanut's birthday would be text book, some time on Saturday, contractions would start to build, we would labor for 5-6 hours at home and when Amy felt it was time, we would dash off to hospital, labor for 4-6 hours more and out would come Peanut, no drugs, no emergency procedure, no need for stress, just a beautiful kid ready to play in with the rest of our friends children. After that, we would be in the hospital for a few days, making sure we have all bonded to one another and the medical staff gave us our last bit of instructions for our new journey with Peanut out side the womb.

Later on Tuesday, we attended our last baby class before Peanut was born. We had already planned on this, so God who knew how to quickly encourage us. I believe that God is control of what is going on inside the womb. Reasons for babies coming up breech could be so many different things, the head doesn't fit in the birth canal, the placenta is in the way, the cord could be wrapped around some something, etc. We will not be able to tell exactly what is going on in there, but God knows and He is protecting Peanut.

Wednesday and Thursday have been some stressful days on my part. Getting the news; learning about the procedures and alternatives; and knowing that My Wife has to go through so much doesn't sit well with me. Fortunately, My Wife was able to get an acupuncture appointment on Wednesday, and a chiropractor appointment Thursday. Also on Wednesday, we met with our Doula, who is a wonderful woman, and has seen her fair share of birthing complications. All that time I was on the phone with family, giving them updates, trying to figure out how to best communicate what is going on consistently.

Yesterday, Friday, I went to work, knowing that I had permission to leave very quickly after my Manager's arrival. I did what I could around the kitchen. I made sure loose ends were taken care of, and that I could leave as many notes to the guys about projects I had started. After all, if complications occurred during the procedure, the doctors could prescribe an emergency cesarean section and we could have Peanut's birthday. Or if the procedure was successful and My Wife's health was of concern they could want us to induce labor and then start laboring right there and then. Either way, I needed to be prepared to be gone for two weeks, since that was all I was allowed from our Employee Relations departmet.

After getting home, we napped for a bit enjoying what could be the last day we have to ourselves. I packed up the car with overnight bags, a cooler, a case of bottled water, and some other odds and ends we might need while in the hospital. My Wife had to fast for at least 8 hours before the procedure, so she had been hungry, thirsty and had a headache coming on as well. When we got to the hospital, we knew exactly where to go, 3rd floor - Labor and Delivery. Because earlier in the week we had been up there to tour the entire floor, we already knew the procedure and where exactly to go. After getting admitted and final registration, My Wife was strapped in and they started monitoring her and Peanut as well as prepped her for the procedure, getting an IV just in case. In and out the nurses and doctor came. It was exciting at first to sit there in the room with My Wife and Doula talking and trying figure out if Peanut turned or not.

Unfortunately, My Wife, like her mother and grandmother, has veins that are not friendly to taking an IV. After three tries, the anesthetist was called in and he got the IV in with some trouble. The Doctor on duty apparently was one of the better obstetricians on staff and Doula was excited to have him attending us. He came in and reviewed with My Wife what has happend over the entire pregnancy and specifically over the week. He took some pictures of Peanut and confirmed that Peanut was still breech and was wanting to monitor My Wife a bit more. A few minutes later, in came in Doctor, spoke to the Nurse and they were ready to attempt to turn Peanut right then. Nurse administered the drug necessary to relax the uterus, not through the IV that took 4 attempts to get in, but rather in her arm. Doctor tried about 5 or 6 times to turn Peanut and was able to get Peanut turned about 20 dergees, but this still wasn't enough for Peanut to get keep moving by her/himself.

After all these events, standard procedure is to keep mom there about an hour longer to monitor both she and baby. Because of her high blood pressure, they sent off My Wife's blood to the lab and to see if she is coming down with Pre-Eclampsia. Some of those symptoms she was showing again. I believe that her head ache and some of the high blood presure was linked to the fact she had nothing to eat for well over 10 hours, so she was given permission to eat and drink water. About half way through eating Doctor came, ordered her back to fasting because if My Wife's blood pressure didn't come down we were looking at an emergency cesarean section with in 6-9 hours. Nurse did what she could to relax My Wife, get her in a position to ease her blood pressure so we could finally go home and have Peanut's birthday a little later in the week with a scheduled cesarean section.

Because of we have an HMO for our medical insurance, we were starting to see the changing of shifts between doctors and nurses. We had anticipated this anyway, so we were not too worried. The Charge Nurse is friends with Doula and so they both had talked about who would be on the day we were going to schedule the cesarean. Doctor was getting ready to leave for the day and the New Doctor was just starting to catch up with what was happening in Labor and Delivery. The nurses were going to change about two hours after the doctor, so we still had Nurse, who was recently recognized by the hospital as an exemplary staff member. It was three hours after the procedure that we saw New Doctor who noticed My Wife's blood pressure was low and steadying out, she prescribed a mild blood pressure medication, and told us they wanted run another 24 hour test on my wife. New Nurse came in with discharge instructions and we were discharged about seven hours since we had first arrived.

To some things up, Peanut's birthday will most likely be next weekend, My Wife is on mild blood pressure medication, she is on moderate bed rest, and I'm doing all I can to keep it together. Please pray for us, Peanut will turn and be head down, My Wife's blood pressure can stay low, that she can avoid the onset of Pre-Eclampsia, and that Peanut is doing well in the womb.

Virus, Mole, Trojan, Computer Dying

2010-11-28T11:10:00.004-07:00

Yes it is true, my laptop I have so dearly cherished has finally fallen victim to some thing awful.

As a quick recap:

We're a few weeks away from our first child being born. We decided not to find out what the gender is until the birthday.
I've cooked up a storm this weekend with anticipation of the arrival of our early Christmas gift. Spaghetti Squash Apple Soup, Short Ribs, Chili, Beef Borscht, and canning all sorts of goodies.
At iCorp, we've cooked a Thanksgiving banquet to feed the entire staff of760+.
I didn't go to Wyoming as I did last year for Thanksgiving, I was needed this year.
I have been doing yard work, I don't find any joy in this, but I need to get things done around here.
We just bought a camera for our little Peanut's arrival. Super fancy and spendy, but it really allows for us to take the pictures we have always wanted to do.

There you go in a nutshell.

Chili

2010-10-23T17:17:00.002-06:00

One of the things that I can over think is cooking when there is some sort of judgment involved. I say this because last weekend, My Wife and I went to one of her co-workers house for a "chili cook-off" get together. So I just gather some of the vegetarian green chili I make at work, toss a few more bits of things like pancetta, diced whole roasted pork loin, white wine and some chili powder. I entered it knowing it wasn't great, but I knew it would be better than what was there. Sure enough the winner had like maple syrup, sausage and bourbon in it. Novelty wins, not the fact that there is complexity or mouth feel in my green chili.

This week, with all the happenings around, again I am faced with making chili for a cook off. Knowing novelty wins, we went ahead and went about it differently than the way do for the chili that is regularly on the menu. Grass fed Bison, black beans, kidney beans, house made liquid smoke, smoked tomatoes, bourbon, house made chili powder, yellow peppers, scallions, yellow onion and of course the most important piece time. The thing I have learned about making chili is actually letting it stew 4-6 hours then add the beans and let it sit over night before serving it. This allows for the body to develop, the beans to stay in tack and allow the chili powder to calm down. So on Monday our little pot of love and goodness gets entered in a cook off where the top three entries will receive a monetary incentive.

My worry is it novel enough? have we thought about the judges pallets? Will they appreciate body and depth of flavor? Have we sealed out fate at work and just made stewed bison and beans? All of this runs through your brain and you get to second guessing every step along the way.

Scoopers

2010-10-02T11:44:00.003-06:00

I guess it is about time to think about how to describe my job at iCorp. One of the things the company believes in is We save lives everyday. This pretty much comes right out of one of those wonderful professional self-help management books. Personally, I love the co/author of many of these books, and I have used them in my training in becoming a restaurant manager. In one of these books there are three approaches to getting a more productive staff and the first is to "convince them that they are doing work worth doing."

I have to ask myself everyday, "how did I save a life today?" I wonder how making nine quarts of small diced mire poix saved some one's life? Or how smoke roasting a whole beef tenderloin really prevented a loss of a family member? Or when I make 25 quarts of chicken tortilla soup really allows some one to see their kids that night? It all does, some how?

My day starts with the breakfast special. I move on to one of the weekly projects like chili, refried beans, pepper gravy or green chili. Then there are the three different soups of the day we make from scratch. Depending on what it is, the daily lunch special is started either first thing in the day or really close to 11:30 service time and the occasional hot lunch catering for 10-20 people. From there the day can go in many different directions, usually it is mise en place for the next day's adventures or start a braising or long smoking project. If the next day is a fish special, Stach will start fabricating fish. We'll share some of the meat fabricating projects, but in all honesty we like whole roasting loins and cutting them for service, but we'll cure/marinate for over a day when it's beef, and 6-8 hours to brine pork and chicken.

From there we starting getting into service time, so we'll fire batches of the special so we can serve well made hot food. We try our best to serve food as if we were still in a restaurant, but the trick is cooking food that well hold up to sitting in a steam table. The moment I tell other professional cooks about holding food in a steam table they tend to disrespect what I do. I'd like to challenge them to making caramelized brussel sprouts that will still be tasty after sitting in a steam for half an hour to forty-five minutes; or figure out how to hold a buerre rouge hot for over two hours and not have it break, or how to time serving whole roasted leg of lamb and ensure that ever serving is perfectly moist and delicious. There is a way to cook food made to order and there is a way to cook food that tastes like it was made to order.

Alot of chefs who work in places like I do took a wrong turn somewhere. They had learned the basics techniques, they learned what the components of certain dishes are and they buy it all pre-made. Stach and I will spend a week figuring out how to make our specials from scratch. We love the challenge of holding our food in the steam table. I mean caters do it all the time and their food is pretty good, when they decide not to serve roasted potatoes on an offsite gig.

What am I getting at here? What I do is work worth doing. How many professional cooks you know can sell Rocky Mountain Surf and Turf (a half rack of lamb and a side of trout) for $5.75? Because my food comes out of a steam table, doesn't mean what I do should be completely discredited. I'm making a difference, I'm introducing John Q. Public to the wonderfulness that is brussel sprouts in brown butter and sage. I am creating vegetarian dishes that an omnivore will want to eat over a meat dish. I will keep doing it, I will show the people out there that what I do is more than just spooned mashed potatoes and steamed vegetables with a chicken breast on a plate. I make things like Cashew and Sweet Garlic Crusted Alaskan True Cod with White Truffled Gaufrette Potatoes or Veal Osso Bucco over Saffron Risotto or Speck Wrapped Halibut with Porcini Cream Sauce and Garlic Sautéed Broccolini. So what if it comes out of a steam table, it takes time, knowledge, skill and creativity to feed my fellow employees at iCorp the food we love to make.

I can do it

2010-09-12T14:43:00.006-06:00

This morning wrapped up the long awaited chicken stock project that I needed to get done. Because I have such a large freezer and I have a reaction to MonoSodiumGlutamate (MSG) I will try my hardest to always make my own stocks. This batch started yesterday morning with making a remoulage from the bones and mire poix of the last batch. After the all day session of simmering, I then rolled in fresh bones to start the actual stock. After about an hour of low boil I skimmed the scum off the top and added fresh mire poix and bouquet garnis let it run through the night on super low (the advantage of an electric stove). At four o'clock this morning, I turned it off to let carry over finish the extraction process and at seven I used four pots, two colanders and mesh strainer to yield the four gallons of liquid gold.

I giggle some when I think of the remoulage, because at NoBo one of the cooks that came in to replace Stach, was pretty adamant about only using the remoulage for the next stock, as oppose to what I had to do and use it on the line as the stock. Anyway, I think Nino learned why I did it that way after I left.

In the freezer at the moment I have many different types of stocks: chicken, duck, beef and shrimp. A healthy assortment of them because I never know what I am going to make from time to time. I also have a good stash of mire poix ends that I use to make a vegetable stock, for those times I don't want to use the liquid gold and still want to add some depth to the dish. When I make vegetable soups, I'll spend the extra hour to steep the bits and pieces to make vegetable stock. I also like vegetable stock for making risottos or cooking actual vegetables, this is one of those old habbits from NoBo that will take me a while to break.

Anyway, I also found I had an abundance of beets from our Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) share. So I decided to go a head and make a beet and parm garatan. At NoBo we became infamous for these things using an wide assortment of root vegetables: sweet potato, Yukon gold potato, rutabaga, beet, carrot, turnip and parsnip. I'll never forget the time we had dueling gratans one was a potato gratan and the other was a local root vegetable gratan which included beets, radishes and onions. I can not wait to pull the loaf pan worth of my beet gratan.

August 21st

2010-08-21T17:01:00.003-06:00

With nine days to my ##th birthday, I would like to impart a few things I know as absolutes.

Chefs are people who have learned many things. They are people who do what they do well and some one can not seem to find anyone else better than them. Most importantly they are pretty prideful people. I say this because the other day I found some food in the fridge I know I could make, and it might even taste better. The trick is not to get caught up in this mess. In James 1:9 it says, "The brother in humble circumstances ought to take pride in his high position." What should be said of the prideful one?
Good food really takes time. Braises and dry roasts are the beneficiaries of low and slow cooking methods. Cures and pickles are also wonderful things to eat when time is taken. And of course when a meal takes a long time to prepare or consume, it is always a good thing. Luke 15:22-24:
But the father said to his servants, 'Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let's have a feast and celebrate. For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.' So they began to celebrate.
Wives are an amazing creatures. They are the ones who will save you when you say something really stupid, they laugh with you to encourage you. They are the greatest helper ever and the greatest gift from God. Psalm 128:2-4:
You will eat the fruit of your labor; blessings and prosperity will be yours. Your wife will be like a fruitful vine within your house; your sons will be like olive shoots around your table. Thus is the man blessed who fears the LORD.
I truly believe my wife the best thing that has happened to me.

Local Food

2010-08-16T18:02:00.001-06:00

This weekend My Wife and I spent some time getting after one of the things we said we'd do for fun. We went up to Boulder to visit the Farmers' Market. This worked out well, because I had to be in Boulder for the Boulder Asian Festival for a kung fu performance anyway. We walked around, stopped by the mushroom stand where the guy recognized me from NoBo and gave us a pound of various mushrooms, we also bought some eggplant and some squash blossoms. From there we bought some peaches for My Wife to jar/preserve. I headed off to the kung fu performances and she went home with our bounty.

When I go home I made mushroom and red wine risotto, with pan fried Gruyère stuffed squash blossoms. Then on Sunday, I made ratatouille, bacon collard greens and reheated the risotto for dinner. I almost went two days with vegetarian dinners, but a man needs his Sunday bacon, and the sun was setting when I was making dinner.

The Money Is In The Freezer?

2010-08-06T17:09:00.005-06:00

I can not help but park on the fact that I enjoy my job. I can not believe that a prayer like this has been answered. When I started on the journey to becoming a chef, I never thought I would be "wearing my whites and working bankers hours." My thought on getting a job like that was to either work some R&D position or becoming an instructor at some culinary school. When we had a lecture on the exact topic of what kinds of jobs are out there, a position like the one I have at iCorp was discussed because that was one of the jobs our chef instructor had.

As I thought about it, the more I thought it was like selling my soul. You know what I mean, chef's passing off boil in a bag soup as scratch, buying pre-portioned proteins, IQF breaded chicken breasts, etc. I will admit, there is a time and place for all of these things, but in all honesty, we haven't made that compromise when it comes to our specials. Stach and I are collaborate on our menus every week, we go through the steps of the dish and figure out how to make it as easy as possible to recreate a restaurant worthy dish, out of a steam table.

It is an art and a skill to figure out how to cook fish to the point that it will not dry out while it continues to cook on the table or how to keep Chinese broccoli from turning stinky and brown before it you actually run out. I will admit to using chicken, beef, shrimp, vegetable, and clam bases, but when you make two gallons of four different soups you know will thrown out at the end of everyday, there is no point to waste things like veal and chicken stocks. This isn't to say we don't make them.

Before I got there, Stach didn't have the time to spend a week making eight gallons of veal demi-glace or have the space to store it. With in the first month, we had our first batch in the freezer, and a second batch ready to start. Now we save things like the liquid from making Osso Bucco, duck carcasses, and even the stray vegetable scraps to make stocks, demi-glaces and "moneys." (Moneys are left over braising liquids or sauces from the process of making daily specials. The liquid left from making braising tequila marinated chicken is called tequila chicken money.)

Just today, we made a "smoke stock" from the ice we put in the smoker to ensure we would cold smoke four whole beef tenderloins. I took the ice and reduce it down to the point where in a spoonful of liquid your nostrils were perfumed by the hickory smoke, and the pallet wasn't destroyed by the taste of char. We'll keep trying this one out until it is perfected. I know it will take a bit on our parts to figure it out.

iCorp

2010-07-17T14:48:00.003-06:00

I love the fact last decade brought about a new way to alter words, "i" gives the new word a personal touch. At the same time, implied is some sort of electronic device associated to the rest f the word. I use iCorp, more along lines that the company I work for has some thing to electronics, and the anonymity is because of the nature of the work the company actually does.

With all this said, I just want to let you know I enjoy my job. 5:30 is early, but so is 3:30 and I like being home after that. I guess the chefs in the past were real hacks. The kitchen is just enormous, with the itty-bitty walk-in? Obviously the opening chef had no idea on how to build a scratch kitchen, and this is what we are dealing with. On a few visits to iCorp, before I was hired, I had a few ideas on how to alleviate the walk-in cooler problem, more reach in coolers. Stach was quick to resolve the problem of buying them, and we now have three reach in coolers with glass fronts, and the sales floor now has two brand new coolers one from The Coca-Cola Company the other from Pepsi Co. This has opened quite a bit of room in the walk-in now.

One of Stach's goals to get catering tickets that read, "Beef, Fish or Chicken, Stach's choice sauce, Sides." We love those, because we just open up the freezer and let it rip. If we have enough warning we'll bring in special vegetables for them, because we can. We'll make up sauces, sometimes we'll go to some old favorites as well. It all depends on what we've got on hand and how much time they give us.

Then of course there is the grind itself. I believe that all the people there are really nice people, and have great intentions, but their work ethic leaves much to be desired. One person thought that Stach would hire him as the sous-chef. Another one took the job in hopes to get hired from the inside to a position in a whole other department. A third one is always just doing the minimum of work. The person who started getting Stach and I there, who was our pastry chef at NoBo, is great at getting things done, just needs a little confidence booster every now and then. Then there is a few "part timers" who are really temps, that we pay for, and treat as fellow iCorp employees. They are wonderful and get things done with time to spare and are more than willing to help out when they can.

Other cast members include the Front of House which really are folks who keep the drink coolers and salad bar stocked, run cash registers and make Strabucks' drinks. There is some earnest people out there, who can do the job well and want to make it better. Others have well overstayed their welcome. Anyway, this week proves to be an interesting one, Stach is off Monday, we have a 50 person carry out catering, and Tuesday has over 40 people for catering at lunch time, this will be fun!

I have moved on

2010-06-26T15:29:00.004-06:00

Sorry blogies for being so sporadic this year. I think it all happened when Stach was ready to move on to a new job that I started to feel the pressure to start performing as a leader and the Chef de Cuisine. At the same time, I was a bit frustrated because I constantly found myself compromising the food I want to serve to keeping it safe in the ways of dairy or gluten free or making sure some of the dishes could easily be vegan.

At the same time, I found myself tired of dealing with the lack of urgency of some of the other guys in the kitchen to "mise" out their stations or even just getting day to day stuff done. One of the guys would check in orders, but not put anything away. This would often included refrigerated items or worse yet, frozen products. One of the guys was so worried about creating specials that he would not get the major prep done for his main station. This often fell on my shoulders to worry about having all the stations properly set up for dinner service, even if I wasn't working the station.

Things have come back to me about my old sous chef. He would ask, "what does he do all day?" This infuriates me, because my job was to ensure that all the cooks have the product and tools to do their jobs properly. I have always felt like as a leader, my responsibility is to make sure the products they need to make great specials was available. Obviously this needs to be within reason, but for the most part, when some one wanted a pork belly, I would have in the next time our pork supplier came in. I can understand the question, because I often charged our stage to make potato and root vegetables gratins. I constantly made stocks, prepped special sides, keep the mise en place for Chef's station topped up, schedule major prep tasks so we wouldn't be fighting for the rondeaux for three different things, and still coming up with the occasional country pate or pasta special. All of these things aren't truly tangible, but important in the day to day in a small kitchen as ours.

That is old stuff. I know one thing, I didn't really want to post things in anger or haste. This would mean I could say something I didn't really mean to say or worse yet my new employer (iCorp) could have read and thought poorly of me. Oh yea, I don't work at NoBo anymore. A tough move emotionally, because I a pretty loyal person, and having been there from the beginning I felt like I was giving up a piece of me.

So now I work at iCorp. At iCorp I am the sous chef, reunited with Stach and loving it. I have mentioned it before. I go in some time between 5:30-6:00 in the morning. We do two specials a day, breakfast and lunch. It's kind of like the lunch line at school, only the cooks do more than scoop and plop the food on the trays, they actually grill burgers and chicken, make things like omelette's to order and build sandwiches to the meat special requests. Stach and I spend our day, making three soups and prepping the mise en place for the specials. We also focus on the high end lunch caterings. There are a few administrators who give us a blank canvas and we make them things like Seared tuna with broken red wine vinaigrette or NY strip with a morel red wine jus. Others will pick thinks like baked chicken parm, seared medallions, or pasta bar. Where I have come up with the sauces that day.

Stach and I have been together for three weeks now and we have made tons of changes there. The biggest is getting more reach in coolers for us to use instead of squeezing in the walk-in. We've continued the journey of converting the kitchen to scratch, which is still a pretty daunting task. We're teaching they staff importance of seasoning food, I think we'll be fighting that battle for long while.

So as you can see my days are way better now, weekends and nights off. This transition though is kicking my butt, so expect some more activity here, but as I am getting back into the swing of things, understand that I have pleaded my case as to why I have been sporadic with my posts. One last reason for being so sporadic in posts is the best news of all, My Wife and I are expecting our first child.

It's true

2010-04-10T11:54:00.003-06:00

With a few days to our wine dinner with a local wine producer, I have the weekend off. It is a bit stressful, but to be honest, we have some great guys, who can produce food pretty easily. Anyway, with this said, I am excited about new tools at work. Sad to say it's a yellow peeler and yellow fish spatula. We also have some new pots and storage bins. At the same time, I'm trying to create new happening things around the place like traditional country pates, special soups and seasonal braises. Also on the family meal front, I want to ensure there is some sort of sweet ending to the meal, be it a cookie or a scoopable treat like a crisp. These are things I want to make sure will have a lasting impact on the staff. As the new Chef de Cuisine, I can do things like that. I've also put in to place different systems that will help with the organization of the kitchen. I feel this will make things run smoother in the future. Well, I need to get going, being that it's cool out, I'm going to clean my windows and cook a meal for a couple who just had a baby.

So here I am

2010-03-18T10:45:00.002-06:00

To catch you up on the past few months...

December came and went with a great deal of business at the restaurant. We were seeing record sales each weekend and ended with a Christmas Eve with two turns of tables and the boss asking me to plate him dinner after completely shutting down the line. I was able to head out a few days later to my In-Laws and cook a 15 pound prime rib and the fixings. I returned after the New Year's Day and started the new year with working more Friday nights and Saturdays than I had the entire year before.

January came around and we were still busy at work. After the success of November's First Bite Boulder (a promotion put out by a local magazine), Chef decided that we would repeat it every Monday night to help boost sales. Never mind the fact the only other fine dining restaurant in our parking lot is closed on Monday. So after being closed for a day, having a lengthy prep-list for lunch mise, and the usual scramble to place orders, we now add to it the chaos of trying to figure out if we have enough items to cover the 22 appetizer first and second course menu of a three course prixe fixe menu. As for the entrees, we have five different items three are only available on Monday Nights, one is closely resembles a regular menu item. This makes is a little tough for anyone who doesn't usually work on Monday to work the wheel.

In February, I was excited to see that Chinese New Year fell on February 14. My sister came out to visit and I took a few days off to enjoy it. The restaurant was open on for Valentine's day in trying to capture a few extra bucks in sales as well as celebrating the one year anniversary. For the first few weeks, there was a buzz and excitement in the air, because Stach was interviewing at a place in Longmont and was trying to get it set up so I could start there with him. Well the higher ups there were not down with bringing in both a new Executive Chef and Sous Chef at the same time. Sources say that there is money available, and it may be a few months when they would be revisiting the sous chef position. It isn't a restaurant like NoBo, but more an office building caterer gig. Pluses include, no nights, weekends off, benefits, PTO, and Unlimited OT.

Here we are, the day after St. Patrick's day, My Wife and I are on Spring Break in the tropical oasis of North Central, Nebraska visiting my In-Laws. While I was hear I was able to practice a few things, poaching pears, making a Ste. Chapelle Riesling flavored ice cream, stuffing and wrapping a pork tenderloin with a bacon-garlic-mushroom jus. I also showed my mother in-law how to make beef short ribs, because she said she didn't like eating them because they they tend to be tough and fatty. With the various mushroom stems and some old button mushrooms I made an MSG Free cream of mushroom soup for future batches of shepherd's pie. We are headed home on Friday so My Wife can catch up on homework because she is being distracted with the old ranch lifestyle. I has hoping to have a new job come Monday, but instead I will be sitting down with Chef discussing my promotion, raise and schedule.

Offal News

2009-12-19T14:57:00.002-07:00

Not really news, but today I finally attacked what I call a beast, Beef Heart. For about six months I've had three hearts in the deep freeze and I have not had a clue as to what to do with them, until about two weeks ago. As a kitchen staff, we headed out to dinner, in celebration of a succesful promotion and Chirstmas gathering of sorts. At the restaurant, we enjoyed some classicaly preperations of Duck Liver Mousse and Country Pâté , which had Reggie thining about what to do with a few pounds of meat scrap we have at work. This in turn had me thinking about what am I going to make while my mother is here for Christmas, and what the heck am I going to make with the heart of a cow? Country Pâté , of course. I guess technically it would be pâté grand-mere, but what ever you want to call it, it will be good. I broke down the heart and weighed out the marinade, pork and other ingredients so that I could let it sit over night in the spices and herbs before we go about searing, grinding and cooking.

This morning, I went out and bought some bacon and brandy, just in case I needed some more. Reggie, who lives near by came over to show me once again how to do it and off we went. Sear the marinated heart cubes, chill and mix with marinated pork, degalze the pan with shallots and crushshed garlic and the brandy used to macerate dried apricots. Grind meat and aromatics, emulsify with the macerated apricots and panada, place in bacon lined loaf pan and bake at 300F until it is done. I love that last instruction "until done."

Thanksgiving

2009-11-27T08:15:00.007-07:00

As most of you know, I love cooking and I love the fact that having a knife roll gives me a great excuse to have some sort of adventure. This week, after putting in two doubles at work, My Wife and I headed up to a bison ranch on the Colorado side of the Colorado-Wyoming border. I think I've been worried about this trip since late summer when I agreed to come up here. The Chef is an alumnus of where I went to culinary school. She set out to become more than a caterer, but a high end caterer/private chef. Chef D. was a guest chef for my class and cooked at an open house I helped while I was attending. That was when I got to hear her stories of cooking on the bison ranch and all the place she has been able to visit and cook for some well off clients.

I don't know if the private chef gig is for me per se, but a few days on a ranch, cooking and spending time with My Wife are things I enjoy. When we got up here, Chef D. was already here over night and was finishing up with lunch for the family. At the moment the family is around 15 people, plus us and a few of the actual ranch hands that get invited to dinner. So we cook for about 25 people. I learned in the past, all the wives would get together and cook all the meals for everyone, and they would never get to spent time with one another or relax, as is the intent of going away for the Holidays. So they found Chef D. and she's been cooking for the family ever since.

Fortunate for us, the menus are not too intense, but there is learning to cook at altitude that makes cooking crazy. The kitchen itself is a high powered home kitchen. The cook top is a six burner stove with a griddle and two under stove convection ovens. The fuel situation is bizarre, as you use more, the less power you have. So like making turkey stock requires you to keep the pot in half the oven, so you don't have to use the stove top. Along with the cook top, we have a gigundous center island that is useful for prep, but not for service. We also have a 72" grill outside to use as a second stove at service time.

When we're prepping, we have a huge sliding door that keeps us separated from the family, when they are in the Gathering House, which I call a club house for the entire ranch. When it comes close to service time, we put the buffet spread out, on the counter, open the door and the family comes up to eat. I like the think that instead of ringing the dinner bell, we open the door to tell them to come and get it.

Anyway, My Wife and I are off for breakfast, but we will have Lunch and Dinner to serve tonight. In the mean time, I'm going to keep sipping my coffee and enjoy the views.

Beef Tongue

2009-10-28T19:52:00.003-06:00

Beef Tongue:

Tongue
Mire Poix
Salt
Pepper
Stock
White Wine
Beer
Dry Herb de Provence
Bay Leaves
Black and White Peppercorns
Allspice Berries

Put all of the ingredients in your slow cooker
Turn it on low for about eight hours
I then pulled it and chilled it overnight
Peel the outer skin and unsightly fatty bits (like if it looks like the taste buds, take it off)
Put all the ingredients back in the slow cooker and let it go another five hours
Turn off the slow cooker and let the tongue rest in the cooking liquid
Strain the cooking liquid
Pull/tear the meat heat in strained cooking liquid and serve

Beef Tongue or Shredded Beef

2009-10-25T20:16:00.002-06:00

Tonight was the first time I cooked, served and ate beef tongue. Apparently, my wife has had this growing up and wasn't too excited about it, but when it comes to offal, I'm all for it. After getting advice from Stach and Reggie on how to prepare it, I went for it. You see the tongue is the most used muscle on the animal, so it just means it will have tons of connective tissue which translates to collagen or yummy richness.

I tossed the frozen tongue, salt, white wine a bottle of Coors Original and some mire poix in the slow cooker at about 1:00 p.m. on Saturday, when I finally headed to bed at 10:00 p.m. I pulled it out with the liquid and cooled it in my fridge overnight. First thing today, I cranked up the slow cooker with the cooking liquid and proceeded to peel the outer skin off. 5:00 p.m. I shredded the meat some, so I could serve it to My Wife without her freaking out about the fact it was a tongue. Like I said, offal, especially well worked muscles, are one of those things that I enjoy cooking and eating. What I find hilarious and upsetting is when I asked my in-laws for the tail of the next cow they bring in, 1. they looked at me like I was nuts (tail being at the back end isn't a coveted meat) 2. when they asked the butcher, "he put it in the ground meat" 3. we got two tongues and a heart instead.

When I started thinking about the butcher taking the tail meat and turning it into ground beef, I realized that's too much work for such little reward, so I'm under the impression they either tossed it, kept it to sell, or kept it to take home and enjoy it for themselves. Anyway, we have a potluck at church next week, I may cook another one off and turn it into barbecue beef?

Misson vs. R3Volt

2009-10-21T21:20:00.002-06:00

As many of you might now, I am a Top Chef fan, and I run commentary while I watch it with my wife. On Wednesday night was the well anticipated elimination challenge of Restaurant Wars. It is of my opinion that this is when cream rises to the top.

Before the elimination challenge, they had to pull off another team quickfire, which shows the creativity of the suits on the show. The teams had to cook a dish in a tag team format. Once the teams were picked, they had half a minute to decide what order they would cook and NOT discuss the dish. I believe order had everything to do with it. Having the most experienced cook with the quickest hands go first seemed to make a difference. When all things said and done it was a pretty impressive because the catch was they weren't allowed to discuss the dish and the entire team wore blindfolds until it was their turn to cook. When I put myself in cheftestants' shoes, I don't know what I would have been able to help the team out.

As for the restaurant wars, Tom deemed the winning team as the best restaurant of all the restaurant wars. It showed that once again, when the cheftestants pick their strengths, the team will end up loosing. Laurine, who is an owner/caterer, and has been in the middle of the pack, finally was exposed as a mediocre chef. Instead of asserting herself and shining in the front of house hid in her shell. The rest of the team, allowed her to be the front, only for Mike I. in hindsight saying, it's what I do run busy restaurants. WHAT!?!?! Really dude, this is why you are not a chef, because someone you don't trust is managing the FOH, and probably you could probably have done better.

What gets my goat the most was that I have had those nights, where service just doesn't go the way it should have. When a tough service is done, you tend to second guess things and try to figure out when the wheels fell off the bus. Mission knew, poor communication and having some one in the front of house who is naturally shy was the recipe of disaster. Oh well, I just wish Robin soon gets eliminated, because she has been on the bottom too many times and just happen to be on the team with the Brothers.

Off day thoughts

2009-10-01T15:47:00.007-06:00

If you've been tuning in from time to time, you know that My Wife and I have a 1/3 CSA share this summer. Because for the past few weeks I have been working on Saturdays, I have not been able to keep up with the big project cooking. So today, I started making a quiche, a good way to get veggies in to my system, and I was blind baking the store bought shell, it cracked in three spots on the high part of the crust and the entire center pulled out when I took off my weights. That was disappointing enough to make sit on my couch to watch a Military Channel show on Kung Fu.

Not to be defeated, I got back up later on and made a chowder with corn from our garden; CSA: celery, maroon and regular carrots, and onions; garlic and of course bacon fat. I think I have almost two gallons made, which I think will make a good base for things like clam chowder or even chicken pot pie. At this point, I have to let it cool and then I'll get it put away.

A big thing in Boulder I noticed is confit pork, so at work we've been making all sorts of confit items, especially duck. Stash and I figured, "why not pork butt, it is fatty, tough like a duck leg and a bit cheaper." Here at home I decided I'd do the same thing. So After skimming off stocks at work, I managed to save a gallon of chicken fat, which I'll use to confit the pork butt I have curing and pressing in my fridge. For the cure: Asian cured black beans, salt, sugar, black and white peppercorns, whole cloves, all spice berries, dried orange peel, and bay leaves. I'll use some herbs from the yard and reset all the aromatics from the cure in the confit to ensure I get the flavor working.

So with the termination of Spew, this has now bestowed the title of sous chef on my shoulders. And in fine Barney fashion, we believe he finally had it with Stash and I asking him to work and help us out with some bulk prep items. He walked out on the second half of his double on our wine tasting night. Fortunate for us, Ball has a friend who was out of work and switching jobs and he was on the line by 5:00 and was up to speed in the pantry station with in minutes.

One last thing, 5280 has given us 3.5 of 4 stars, making mention to some specials, regular menu items and of course our desserts as well. If you haven't read it, here is the direct link to the review on line.

Pints and Bites

2009-09-23T09:03:00.003-06:00

One of the coolest things I have found with being a graduate of a smaller, local culinary school is we become a small family of people who share a similar experience and passion for food. Today I am headed to Boettcher Mansion for a CSR sponsored event tied in with Great America Beer Festival and increasing the awareness of Farm to Table programs. Yesterday I spent the better part of the day prepping at the school. While walking around there, many great memories rushed back as I stepped in to different areas of the kitchens, certain smells and sounds that reminded me of some of the fundamental classes of the first few weeks as well as the last few after coming back from France.

I know that there are many people who attended there to get the instructing they needed to advance their careers; other treat it as a means to learn more about being a great home cook; then there are other who showed great excitement going and leave wondering why they ever went; and then there are people, like me, have had their eyes opened to what it really means to be a culinary artist and are out there trying to give people a life changing experience when they eat some thing as simple as mashed potatoes.

With all that being said, an event like this is incredible for the school to take part of, and for me, I'm excited to be part of it. The group of students in there currently are an incredible group who show great talent as well as attitude with facing the small challenge of changing the world through the food they cook.

Yes, I'm a Geek

2009-09-10T21:35:00.006-06:00

When we were first married, in our itty-bitty apartment, My Wife would buy vegetables in great volumes, and I would end up having to trash more than half of what ever it was because I could not cook it up fast enough or store it well after I did. Well as a birthday gift and long awaited purchase we bought a 21 cubic foot upright freezer. I know you can fit quite a bit more in a coffin, but this one allows me to see what I have in the freezer in it's entirety. And it doesn't eat up a six by six area in my garage.

With in a week of having this freezer I made 5 gallons of chicken stock followed by beef remi for some beef stock down the line. I also made 2 gallons of shrimp stock as a base for seafood dishes. I also have about two gallons of vegetable stock. I have some random things in there for future cooking projects like mushroom stems, chicken bones and cheese rinds. I love having this freezer, because I keep my ice cream bowl frozen as well as random meats I find on good deals at the grocery store.

Our biggest project now is trying to store the bounty out of our garden. We've given up on our greens, because we have more greens than we know what to do with from our Community Supported Agriculture share. I love having it, because it reminds me the days in culinary school when we were in France. I don't pick it, they just send it. Some of the things I have made to store in the freezer are zucchini bread and gratin; spinach, chard and goat cheese quiche; fennel oil and soon I'll make some beet soup as well . I've been able to recreate Individual Quick Frozen corn on the cob, along with green and yellow beans from our garden.

As for other news, Spew was let go last week, which means I have pretty much secured my day shifts with Stach having to work four opens and three closes with two whole days off. This means Chef will be three nights in Saute, another new guy, I'll call him Ball pretty much working nights in my station. I don't believe we will be bringing more guys on, but Stach and I were trying to figure out how to bring back Gonz and the last p.m. pasta guy, who had a lot of talent and use them more on a part time/on-call situation. If this works out, then both Stach and I would be able to take some time off on Christmas.

Anyway, I've got to go to the station to pick up My Wife. We've been down to one car for about a week now.

So I'm a bit of chef geek

2009-09-02T23:41:00.003-06:00

So I was cruising through my emails tonight, and among them was an alert that a previous Top Chef winner has posted on Craig's List for some line cooks. After watching him win, I told My Wife that I would love to work for him, because he seems to be the type of chef who is perceived as arrogant and cocky, and has the ability to make you want to put your best foot forward and turn yourself inside out What I saw as a man who had the superior skills and understanding to cook what is appropriate based on time, audience and product. Unfortunately for me, he's hiring for a place in the West Village, which I am to assume I would not be able to get him to relocate me, but I know now where to try to go when I visit in NYC.

As for other news, I just got done with three straight doubles and I'm now off for two days, which then I don't work Saturday regularly, and we're closed on Sunday, so that is four days off, and then I realized we're closed on Labor Day, so that will be five off days, yippie. Stay tune for other news.

I also just got done watching Top Chef: Las Vegas, and I am impressed by the talent level of the group, but there are some pretty poor representation of what it means to be a chef on the show. I did notice that this group is mature compared to the past seasons. Many of the chef-testants are decorated or have been nominated for industry accolades. Tonight's challenge was one I wouldn't really want to be a part of, but cook for 300+ people using the only what is an Air Force base galley. From what I saw, they were pretty handcuffed and I know that I would be to, but after watching the episode, the person removed deserved it, the person who won deserved it, but the surprise of the evening was one of the people brought in with the top picks was also brought right back in for the bottom three. Good call Bravo, I like the decision on that one.

Anyway, I'm three days behind on watching the Tour of Spain.

Chef

2009-08-29T11:19:00.002-06:00

I think one of the biggest crimes many professional cooks commit is calling themselves chefs or letting others call them chefs. I may have had this rant once before, but if you wear a white jacket and apron to work; cut up veggies; bake, boil, braise, or broil bread, beets, or beef; and you don't tell people what to do, you are not a chef. I'm sorry, I have deep issues being called a chef. It happened a month or so ago, where I was in a meeting with a few kung fu instructors (yes I'm one of those too) when one of them saw the scars on my arm from burns and said, "are those from training?"
I replied, "no, their burns from work."
"What do you do?"
"I'm a professional cook."
"Why don't you just say you're a chef, people would know what that is," chimed in another instructor.
"But I'm not a chef. It's like having a student you're teaching calling themselves a kung fu master."
Everyone in the room, "Oh that makes sense."

You see, I've been a sous chef, and it was because I was the only one who was trained in culinary arts. I've been a line cook, and now I call myself a professional cook. The only why I say it that way, because I hope to convey to whomever I'm speaking to that my job is career choice. For as long as I can remember, everyone in this industry will tell you, "I'm here until I get a real job." Guess what, this is a real job, and can be a great career path as well. I'm not wanting to be on the line when I'm well aged, but I do hope to be a part of it in some other capacity. So, I don't call myself a chef, and I will deny it when you try to call me one. I will also get on my little soap box and explain to you why professional cooks are not chefs, unless they are the one in charge.

I will leave you with this, because it was on when I typing this.

Thyme, where has it gone?

2009-08-23T22:25:00.002-06:00

I mean really, I don't know what I have been doing in the last two months. I can tell you this, My Wife's birthday brought a visit from my parents. This also brought about the end of My Wife's summer with a month long publishing workshop she participated in followed with the start of law school. We're pretty excited about these new happenings in our life. As a birthday/anniversary/happy we've-been-in-our-home-for-a-year gift, we bought a 21 cubic foot freezer to start stashing foodie things like stocks and fats; large volumes of meat; half prepared foods; as well as the bounty of our garden.

As a result of the freezer, I bought a few short ribs to cook off at some later date, but with My Wife taking classes at night it is now important that I cook food for her to eat as dinner during the week. If I can't be there, I can at least give her some comfort in home cooking. In preparing these short ribs, I use some old pot roast sauce, as well as, some beef remi I just made. As for the herbs, I picked some marjoram, lavender and rosemary from around my home, as well as some parsley from our 1/3 share of CSA produce. I pretty much cooked them way I usually do, brown the meat, sweat the veg, deglaze with Capt. Morgan, bring the sauce and remi to a simmer and place all in the slow cooker on warm for eight hours.

Yesterday, as part of our lunch, I pan fried some pumpkin blossoms stuffed with Swiss and Asiago cheeses in a simple egg coating. I set the pan on medium and this proved to work well, because I tossed some basil in the hot frying oil right before placing the blossoms in the oil. I over did it with the cheese, but it was like eating pumpkin flavored melted cheese.

Tonight for dinner and left overs, I poached Yukons in bacon fat, grilled: a large zucchini, rib-eye/rounds and Olathe sweet corn. I "pan roasted" the Yukons to get them to let loose some fat as well as season them, in a cast iron skillet on the grill. I let the beef rest, which proved to help them stay very juicy. My Wife worked on our garden which included picking some yellow and green beans, which I need to give some love to.

As you may know, I have been enjoying my schedule that seems to be the envy of Spew, but honestly, he asked to be the one who was noon to close mainstay. I went into the job looking to work lunches/prep with one or two dinners a week. Being salaried, I can have that, and My Wife and I love it. I put in 27-29 hours on Monday and Tuesday and then I "open" Wed-Fri. Anyway, I'm hoping with My Wife in night school that I will be able to return to banging on the keys on my keyboard to keep you up to date in my world.

Dinner

2009-06-20T21:21:00.001-06:00

On one of our trips to my in-laws' ranch in Nebraska, I ended up with two pieces of venison "backstrap," so I thawed one of them. What I thought was going to be a gamey tough piece of meat, I discovered it be tender like a beef tenderloin. There went my plan to chop it up and braise it or grind it up make chili. Plan B or the new idea venison fillet mignon with rhubarb sauce, sauteed garlic spinach and leek risotto. The sauce was supposed to be a gastique, but really it was a savory pureed rhubarb sauce thickened with bloomed gelatin. The spinach was from our CSA (Community Sponsored Agriculture) 1/3 share. A friend of ours bought in on it last year, and they had too much food. We offered to buy in with another family and now we have a 1/3 share. The rhubarb was fresh cut from my garden.

I simmered the rhubarb in red wine to break down the fibrous skin along with some aromatics to add some complexity to it. Like I said, it was supposed to be a gastric, so I made caramel, deglazed with vinegar reduce added the broth, reduced again and added in the puree. simmered and slowly reduced. As for the venison, cut it in portions as if it were beef tenderloin, seared them and finished in the oven. As for the rissotto, classic prep, sweated out the leeks, cut in half rings, added the brunoise onions slice garlic, carnaroli, white wine, veg stock and parm at the end.

Really, where has all my time gone?

2009-06-20T20:03:00.000-06:00

As I look back on the month and a half that was there is too much to report and yet nothing to say, at the same time. It could be said that I have been in a fog or trance like state with working mostly days with a few Saturdays mixed in. In the past month, My Wife went away for a weekend to celebrate a friend's wedding in Boise, Idaho. We both headed out to Salt Lake City, Utah for both a graduation and a wedding. The graduation was for her youngest cousin from high school and the wedding was for her grandfather who lost his wife in a bout with cancer about two years ago. As for culinary perspective, I try to avoid having to eat fast food on long road trips, but I was not able to prepare a picnic basket for us before leaving.

At work, I have seen my fair share of working mostly days with doubles and closes mixed in. Chef likes how Stach and I work together and is likely going to keep it that way, even giving me more Saturdays off than actually working. To give you some perspective, each of will complete major prep items between 8:00 and 11:00, which allows for us to focus on cooking for lunch service and really letting me cover the whole line while he fabricates all of our major proteins.

As for the food itself, it's spring time now, actually summer. Most of what is available from the local farms are greens like spinach, baby kale, arugula, "spicy greens," etc. We received some lists from some distributors who have a schedule for product availability. We're still trying our hardest to create some great food using northern Italy as inspiration, but as the hot weather comes on we cannot help but do things like grilled cantaloupe salsa or preserved lemon and sun dried tomato sauce for our fish specials. I have had a few specials on the menu, unfortunately I'm a fall/winter type when it comes to my dishes, so things like, brandy enriched caramelized shrimp stock is a bit out of season right now.

As for adventures, My Wife and I celebrated our third anniversary almost two weeks ago. This meant that we spent the night enjoying a meal at Frasca Food and Wine. I have mentioned this before here, for where I can afford to eat, top 5 ever in my life. They have two options, ala carte or "Quattro Piatti" (prix fixe). There are four courses for the Quattro Piatti, in which you choose one from each for the bargain price of $66, you pick from the same exact menu and enjoy antipasti, pasta, main and dessert. They change their menu pretty frequently, so you only have 4-6 items per course to choose from. I had the sausage and cabbage, followed by porccini rissotto, then the braised beef short rib and their baked ricotta cake.

As for other cooks, my friends/former stages graduated from culinary school last week. Unfortunately, their experience was not quite the same as mine, but they did enjoy their experiences in France. Currently they are on the opening stages in their adventure into the culinary world. I feel like I've have to keep giving them advice, as a father who brings their child on board in the family business. I'm torn, because I want to see their dreams work out, but I know they have to fight get their. They won't learn until they trip up and make the mistakes necessary to learn. Oh the stress of being a friend.

So that's really the last three weeks, and there will be more to come as my adventure continues...

The Perfect Storm

2009-05-09T10:53:00.003-06:00

This weekend, as I supposed in most college towns, we have the graduation of over 5,000 students from the University of Colorado - Boulder (CU). At the same time, it is Mother's Day weekend. Both of which are pretty big deals with in ten miles of Boulder. With NoBo being in North Boulder, it isn't too much of a surprise for us all. At the same time though, with us regularly being closed on Sundays, it took us for a surprise when on Tuesday, Chef turned to the salaried guys that we would be working. It really wasn't too much of a surprise, because we all knew we were open, the entire HOH wasn't scheduled.

In hopes to ease the pain of the weekend, we put together a menu supplement, that featured all the specials for the weekend, and a few notable menu items. With this being the case, Last night wasn't nearly as bad as it could have been, with only 65-95 seats (if you count the patio) we could have easily seen the wheels fall off quickly, but in all honesty, we did about 90 covers all night with three pretty distinct pushes to keep us on our toes for the bulk of the night.

I covered the wheel as the new guy covered pasta, Spew on saute and Barney in the pantry. Chef was the float/relief for the most part and that keep me from loosing on the grill. I'm starting to really love what I do, because I'm now on salary, which means that I have to be there longer, but in all honesty, I also see a lighter day when I'm there through the night. Next week, I have two 12 hour days, one 14 hour day an open and a close. If this works out well, I'll feel better about work and contributing to the kitchen.

With Boulder seeing a large amount of people flooding the town, I'm sure we'll see a few more amateur dinners in our building tonight. I'm hoping that they are excited with what we have to offer, as opposed to just ordering things they know and going for exciting things like duck two ways, or ham and clam risotto. Anyway, not real rants or frustration to get off my chest, I'm just hoping Barney behaves better than he has all week, but I don't think that will be the case.

Top Chef Sighting

2009-05-06T17:53:00.003-06:00

As you might know, I do watch Top Chef. I find that it is good for any one in the culinary arts to watch shows like this. For a few reasons, ideas for dishes, see what is considered new in the industry, and of course it makes for good conversation at work. Last night, the winner of the most recent season came in to NoBo for the first time.

Chef looked at me and asked, "is that him?"
"Yes it is, did you know that he was a guest instructor when I was at Culinary School of the Rockies?"
Chef checks his apron and jacket to make sure they are neat and goes out there to talk to him. Chef returns and asks about the ricotta gnudi we ran as a special on Monday. I had about a half portion left the gnudi, so I fired up two pans and got started on the dish. Chef pulled out a pair of 11" plates with a 6" diameter plating area. "Here split it on these." Out it went, an amuse bouche of sorts to the reigning champion.

Barney didn't quite understand what the fuss was about, but I started giving him the Top Chef's pedigree. Explained that when he came to C.S.R. we cooked about a third of the dishes he cooked on the show. I also explained how the Top Chef needed to be his hero, because what he has learned in being a chef wasn't in school. And finally I explained that about everyone who comments on the Top Chef aren't that impressed with him. The guy won the last challenge and that is all that matters. "It doesn't' matter how many dragons you slay, on your way to save the princess," Chef Fabio.

So their next course was the beet, spinach and goat cheese salad special, and as a final course, the woman the Top Chef was with ordered the vegetarian platter and he ordered the halibut special, which I wasn't surprised. The pan seared halibut was served over roasted fingerlings, with fava beans tossed with Speck. On the vegetarian platter, was my new favorite starch, beet risotto, along with roasted winter and summer squashes, eggplant stuffed with goat cheese, balsamic caramelized onions, a salad topped with parsnip ribbons, and various nuts and cheeses.

They came in at the end of the night, so we were trying to clean and get out of there as well as serve them great food. Chef left after they were half way through their meal, and I headed out there at the very end of the night to shake the Top Chef's hand, congratulate him on his title and reintroduced myself to him. He said he recognized me, but he couldn't remember exactly where from. The Top Chef also mentioned that our class was the last time he was invited to he school.

All in all, he's a nice guy, and I'm glad I was able to cook something for him. I just wish I didn't leave my camera at home last night.

Tuesdays

2009-04-28T12:53:00.003-06:00

So today I have off from NoBo, but I have an all staff meeting there at 2:45 and then work at the coffee shop at 6:00, so really not a day off as I'd like it to be. Last night, as I was driving home I realized that I need to make dinner a few days ahead of time for the days I actually work the day shift. So with that being said, I pulled out a few different proteins to help ensure I would be able to make at least a week of left overs for My Wife and I.

I pulled out the package of our newly acquired beef ribs from the ranch, a pound of ground beef, a quarter pound of sausage and the ham I cooked off and froze back in January. After pushing my wife out the door I got up, donned the apron and started making my meat sauce to go on some pasta (ground beef and sausage, I was hoping to incorporate the ham, but it was still frozen). After that little task, I moved on to making the beef ribs using what ever vegetables in the fridge as well as random jus from other cooking adventures over the past few days.

Before getting everything into the slow cooker, I grabbed my Le Cruset roasting pan, laid it over two burners and browned the ribs in it. After that sweated the veg, added about three tablespoons of flour to make a roux, deglazed with brandy, the five spice chicken jus, red wine and some water. This made a nice little to top the ribs in the slow cooker and I turned it on to wait for my arrival later tonight. I love days off, I just need more time off.

I did it, but now what?

2009-04-27T01:10:00.003-06:00

With life at NoBo being what it is and my quest to be the lunch/prep guy, Chef has offered a few of us "salary." I know, that's not something a cook should ever do, but I do have to look out for my family when it comes to money. The bump in pay is welcomed, the two weeks vacation is a nice plus, and the schedule is a good one. I'll have to work two doubles, one close and two opens. This makes up about 50+ hours if I did my math right, which means my pay will be behind the hours I work. It will be nice to get paid for the three to fours I give every week, to make sure I can get everything done on my open shifts.

Spew is on a quest for everyone to be on salary, so that we can "own" our stations. I'm just excited to be able to do more protein fabricating, between pork tenderloins, hanger steaks and the large amounts of whole fish we bring in. I'm also excited to be able to participate more in creating specials. I did explain to Chef that I will be needing some weekends off for various family events, so this will be a bridge to cross quickly, because I need to be in Salt Lake City one weekend in June followed up by a kung fu event the next Saturday. Anyway, Chef is pretty cool about me working more days and nights. He's often said, "I understand you do this because you have more important things to do out there."

With Spring Approaching

2009-04-14T19:35:00.008-06:00

My Wife and I were on the ranch this past weekend for Easter. One of the good things about them living a six hour drive away is that we can go and visit with out too much planning. This luxury would come to a screeching halt if they find a buyer for their ranch and they move to Southwest Idaho/Southeast Oregon. I'm praying that God puts them where they need to be. Anyway, as I mentioned earlier (or not) all of our plans for the weekend canceled, so this allowed us to head out at the wonderful hour of 8:00 a.m. to get us there in time to see my Father-In-Law pull a calf out of a cow.

Because of how they time things in Nebraska, calving season starts in mid to late March and goes on until about 98% of the calves are on the ground and running around. A few weeks later, they get sniped and branded, which brings them into May. This seems like a quick turn around for a young calf, but they heal pretty fast, so I'm told, and they really don't seem to mind. During calving season though they are on a constant watch of the herd, making sure if a cow has any complications, a cowboy can be on hand to assist. They also keep watch to see which cows have taken to their motherly instinct to take care of their calf, if not, they try to find a cow who may have lost her calf and try to graft it on. Calves are lost in many ways, winter storms, malnourishment, predatory animals, etc.

When a cowboy runs into one of these unfortunate situations, this is what I find interesting and a bit icky, if the carcass seems to be in good shape, they will take it back to cut off some meat to feed the dogs. At the same time, I wondered what about the bones. As you all know, the younger the calf, the more gelatin is readily available to make white stock or even some great brown stock. On Easter morning it made sense to me when I past a shin bone of cow in the yard. As I past the bone, I resisted the urge to pick it up and bring it back to the house to wrap up and bring all the way back to Denver, because I started asking the questions you hear some chefs ask at farmers markets, "where did this come from, when was it extracted from the carcass, has it been subject to alot of weather, etc." I decided that it was probably form an old cow, that died earlier in the month and dogs have probably done more than just gnaw on it.

For Easter, we pretty much went the way of non-traditional. My Mother-In-Law bought 10 pounds of rib tips and we braised them off with beer, some herbs and obviously aromatics. She had some green beans from her garden, she froze last year, so I sauteed them up with sliced garlic and bacon. Because I brought my knife roll and equipment kit, I used my mandolin to julienne some potatoes and rosti, a type of potato pancake or a version Escoffier's Pomme de Terre d'Anna. My Wife's cousin's wife made some pork and beans, to add to our spread of food. My Mother-In-Law made some really spice barbecue sauce to go on the ribs, as well as the all purpose condiment.

As we were packing our stuff to head home, we were given some tasty treats to enjoy, like beef ribs, pot roasts, round steaks and some thing I find exciting, heart and tongue. Last night, I knew I'd have to work today, so I got everything ready to make pot roast in my crocpot, so I browned up the protein, sweated off the mire poix, added about 1/4 cup of flour, poured in about 2/3 bottle of cooking red let it all get to a simmer and pour it in the croc and put it all in the fridge for me to load up this morning right before I left. I know that the crocpot isn't on the list of kitchen equipment you learn about in culinary school, but I try to use it when I want to make a braise as low and slow as I can. Anyway, I'll miss making long braises like this with wonderful spring and summer time products coming into season.

A bit of follow up

2009-04-08T23:05:00.003-06:00

So after logging in some time looking up some recipes to use with the pastas at work, I went a head and created my own concoction of sorts. I was hoping my chickpeas would have been done by the time I would start dinner, but they weren't. I seared off some sausage, sauteed some onions in the fat, tossed in some asparagus white beans and carrots. Right before we ate, I tossed in the pasta with some shredded Parmesan. and I went right to the plate with all of that. I did this, mainly because this is something that I know Chef would be interested in doing some night.

Really, A Day Off

2009-04-08T11:16:00.004-06:00

As you know, I have two jobs, one as a cook and the other as counter worker/baristo (masculine for barista) at a coffee shop. As a result, I find myself working six to seven days a week. At the coffee shop, I try my best to pick up shifts, because I only get scheduled once a week. The owners are super cool with this, because it means I can have a bus pass at no cost to any of us. In the past three years, I have always had a bus pass which meant that I park my car with in a few miles of my home and I load up on a Regional bus up to Boulder. My Wife says I don't really need to work the second job, but it affords us a few extra bucks not paying for gas, which I need to get some for my little go cart.

As for being a professional cook, that is a laugh, I'm enjoying my time at Restaurant NoBo. I feel like I should step my game now. With the new guy, Gonz making a huge impact on our staffing situation, I feel I can let loose a bit and start trying to make another special or too from the pasta station. Gonz made two types of agnolotti over the past week, which has went well. I have to admit, I feel insecure at my job, because I've been making food since the beginning, and I keep getting harshly corrected, which makes me more and more defensive and frustrated and then more and more gun shy about cooking the food I have been making for almost two months now.

I don't want to fault Chef by any means, because I am a technically sound cook, just not confident in what I can offer up as a great dish to sell. For me, I love raviolis for specials. I'm thinking about offering up a nice spring time risotto like sausage, pea, leek and asparagus, with some fresh tomatoes to garnish. At the same time, I'd like to do some thing more with penne on the line, it's too blah, if you ask me. Anyway, I'll let the day off inspire me to find a special I'd like to put in front of Chef. Here is to getting inspired

Short Ribs

2009-03-27T10:12:00.003-06:00

With the snow storm being a reason for us to be home, I thought I'd finally cook off those beef ribs eyeing me from our freezer. I love making long braises/stews. This time I used the last of my homemade stock with some beer. I started taking pictures of the process, but we were too entertained by the snow falling and taking hourly pictures of the accumulation.

You have to love when your meat comes in white butcher paper.

Some Mire Poix to help make it taste more complex.
Of course I have some bacon fat around the house.

And this is where I stopped taking pictures, browning the ribs up and getting some good color out of it for the stew. From here, I sweat the mire poix, added a tablespoon or two of flour, deglazed with brandy, then added the beer and stock to start the sauce. Put all the goodies back in and into a 300 degree oven for about 5 hours. I know have about a quart of yummy ribs and a pint of sauce for later consumption.

Things you don't learn in culinary school

2009-03-25T10:10:00.003-06:00

So with my new schedule, which I have shared about, Tuesday was really my Monday. With that being said the rest of this story really fits in for it being a Monday. It pretty much started like it usually does, I search high and low for the different parts that belong in my station, like the two chaffers that act as bain maries for some of my mise en place for my station. I also had to serach for a few sauce pots to start heating stocks and soups, and then my favorite thing to look for, because we only have on the one, the work bowl scrapper for our food processor.

I muddle through, using the only four burners we had to use, because the stoves get pulled and soaked on Monday nights. I had to cook off pasta, make risotto and heat the veg stock that goes in it. Along with that was a line of pots ready to go on the heat when I was done with the time consuming tasks. After getting these things done, the next step was to star on cutting veggies to roast for the roasted chicken and veg soup. After getting all these mundane tasks done, I was ready to start the more tedious task of making fresh herb mix for all three stations. This includes picking thyme, sage, oregano and five bunches of flat leaf to ensure there are no large stems in the mix.

I try to start this project around 10:55 so I can be on the line while Stach is breaking down any fresh protiens that have come in before lunch service. The herb project took longer than I thought it would, so around 11:40 or so, Stach was on the line with me when we heard a the loud crashing sound of a large amount of glass breaking. Our first instinct was to look towards the bar, where one would find all of our fine glassware, and it looked fine, then we looked into the dining room to find an X5 BMW parked at table 32. I turned to Stach, “I guess we’re close today.” He replied, “and tonight, too.” This table is prime real estate in our building because it seats eight and up to 12 when we fold out the leaves.

Unfortunately, there were a few ladies sitting at the table, ready to celebrate a friends birthday, when a 60 year old lady mistook the gas pedal as the brake, jumped her car off the parking curb, through/over a patio table and landed in our front bay window. Right away the staff had phones out calling 911 and Chef, who happened to be in on his day off, was attending to the one lady who happened to get bumped by the table she was sitting at.What kills me is some random lady starts to yell through the broken window and waves, "Hi,” in an annoying chipper mood. Points to a table towards the back, “Oh hi, how are you?” “We’ll be right next door, okay,” in a more annoying and louder voice. “Hey, y’all look great, I’ll see you next door, kay?”

From that point, Stach looks at us and says “I want everything in deli containers, we need to get 25 gallons of Bolo in the freezer, starts getting all the proteins wrapped up, and start freezing all the fish that came in on Monday.” We spent the next two hours packing up all of our products, in case we didn’t see the kitchen for the next few days. In the mean time, Chef was on the phone talking to the landlord, insurance company and a few of our reps to make sure they were aware of our new drive-through-da-window service.

I now have word we will be open for dinner on Friday, which only means two days off for me, which now allows me to get some things done around the house. Yea? :(

We're are not a drive through

2009-03-24T17:10:00.003-06:00

"Please ammend your employee handbook under the section of Guest Questions about to go food. Under seciton 3.2.7 'Guest inquiry of drive through 'the new answer is now NO, this policy has changed from, that depends or as you wish."

I will have pics up soon

Some more characters to add to the cast

2009-03-23T00:26:00.004-06:00

Last night just as we were pulling it all in at the end of service one of the pantry guys decided to place a wonderfully tasting red wine berry sauce in a dangerous place on the line, directly on the edge of the line of my stations mise. It happens to be where I store all my cheeses. Just as I was ready to plate a dish where I toss in some Gorgonzola before it goes to the plate I discover that four of my 9th pans were covered in the purple sauce as well as the pantry guy's apron.

He's one of the newer guys we've added to the staff. He recently worked in a restaurant I used to be at over a year ago. He's been cooking just over a year and shows alot of potential, but after having to throw out over two pounds of exotic cheese, I don't know anymore. So in honor of this great and wonderful slip up, he will be referred to as Barney when I talk about him.

We've got some really cool dishwashers, the main night time guy is Mando and the rockstar day guy, who also offsets some bulk prep items is Linguini. Both of them had worked with Chef in other restaurants. They are such joys to work with, because their kidding around with Spew and Trick makes for an easier shift every night.

Gonz - He staged for us on a Friday Night in the Saute station with Spew. Because of my request to work more days than nights, he be the Saute/Pasta/4th Man. He came from Houston, and I think he worked with some one Stach worked or went to school with. Anyway, outside of Chef, he's the only one to be fully cross-trained on the line.

If you're wondering about where I get these name from. Obviously, it may comes from something they do, or maybe the name reminds me of other people I've worked with or know from the past, or it just seems to work out they have their own nickname they've been given outside of work.

Meeting Foot Fungus

2009-03-20T15:23:00.001-06:00

We have an all HOH staff meeting today at 4:00 pm. Really? Anyway, I think it's to announce that Spew took a salaried position and for Chef to crack the whip on us all about hours. Which I don't mind so much because I have minimal OT because I understand the whole OT thing, besides, in the end we loose because it screws up our taxes. I think it is also for Chef to put his foot down a few things, maybe teach us more about his approach to the food and what we need to be doing moving forward. I just think Friday at 4:00 pm just before service is a poor choice of time, but we will all be in the building at that time, so it's not that big of a deal.

As for the foot fungus, one of the dangers for me working five days straight is that my shoes don't have time to dry up, so I put my nice warm feet into to my moist black clogs everyday, and whamoo I can not stand on my feet on the two busiest nights of the week. ARGH! I hope moving forward I can have Wednesday and Sunday off again, so I can give my shoes some rest, otherwise I need to have another pair of shoes at work. This is the life I chose.

Back to the Grind

2009-03-17T18:26:00.003-06:00

Well it's back to five days a week for me. I may have mentioned that my wife and I attended a Marriage Retreat last weekend. What an incredible time, but if you want more details about it go to my other blog (random and untitled) to get details. With this weekend jaunt, I was not at work on Saturday and my boss gave me all of Monday off, because I need to help out at the coffee shop. Today being Tuesday, I went in expecting some things to tweaked here and there, because Chef worked my station on Saturday and Bert worked a split yesterday.

What I found was a very well put together station that was a little dirty. I'm not a fan of having to clean every flat surface in my station. With that being said, I line my stove shelf with an apron, the ledges next to the stove with linen napkins and a the landing/storage zone for some finish oils and reductions. I find nothing lined and everything very sticky with whatever seemed to drip out of the our drip cuts, squeeze bottles and quick pours. So I spent my first fifteen minutes of my shift cleaning, wiping, scraping things off.

I also had to start cooking two types of pasta, cook risotto and make scratch gnocchi all before lunch service. Which lead me to believe that it was a busy Monday night, which it was at 80 covers. I was able to get all those things done as well as make a batch of our puttanesca sauce. Unfortunatly, this will not likely last, but I can dream and enjoy having the all of Sundays off from Restaurant NoBo and some other random day. As of Spew, he's working way too much and needs to be given a day off or else he'll burn out soon.

We had another stage last week, which I'm a fan of, and I hope we can get his cross trained to pasta as well as saute and this could mean we move some folks around to where they are better suited for. Anyway, nothing really insightful, just a nuts and bolts post.

Phfew

2009-03-16T09:12:00.003-06:00

With St. Patrick's Day coming tomorrow, I have to at least let you all know that I am a little relieved about this holiday. For the first couple years in this crazy restaurant business, I dreaded it. I still do, but now I don't stress about not wearing green to work, worrying about closing and having to throw drunken St. Patrick's Day celebrators, clean up at the end of the night and getting ready to decorate for Easter/Spring, having to keep my eyes out for any drunken employees, etc. I remember working at Hacienda Colorado worrying about this as well. The funniest thing is we didn't promote the holiday, rather we just catered to pouring margaritas with reckless abandon.

With not having to worry about a drinking promotion going off well, I have found myself more and more appreciative of deciding to cook, rather than being a manager. Now that I'm at an Italian restaurant, I can not help but be even more excited about a nice quite night at home, away from any substance abusing neighbors, and ready to laugh at everyone on Wednesday morning as they complain about their hangovers.

When I was at Old Chicago, I do remember one time I had to work on a night where, St. Patrick's day fell on the very first day of the NCAA Basketball Tournament, what a mess trying to explain all the different drink specials to everyone. Then there was one time Mardi Gras was the day before the St. Patrick's Mini-Tour Kick Off Party. At midnight I had the full "authority" to take down all Mardi Gras decorations. For the next hour and a half, I had to put up more green ribbons, leprechauns, shamrocks and pots of gold in various places to ready the restaurant for the next promotion. To top it all off, I had to close both nights and handle all the drunks two nights in a row.

Then of course there is my choice to wear red on St. Patrick's day. Back home, this is what you wore to offend the Irish-Americans. I'm not sure what the story is about the red, but I know that everyone wears green for St. Patrick's day, but not many people wear red for Chinese New Year. So to make up for the imposterous Irish folks, I wear my red.

What did I sign myself up for

2009-03-09T11:05:00.003-06:00

With other commitments in my life, I seemed to have landed another full day off on a Monday. This is a crazy day to have off with the fact we were closed yesterday, and we got smoked on Saturday night. Stach is in Steamboat Springs, so Spew is working all day and night today, and Bert is working my station all day long. Soyosset, who I will now call Chef, asked me if I could stop by our local discount volume bulk store to pick up a few items. I agreed because I need to go up to Boulder tonight anyway to teach Kung Fu (yes I can use knives and swords).

With that being said, after not sleeping well last night and awakened by My Wife getting ready to go to work, Chef texted me at the unheavenly hour of 9:15 to pick up a few more things. I put my head down and dozed off a bit more and another text message came across at 10:00 with confirmation of a few more items already on the list. Oh mon dieu. I'm liking it there, but why did I agree to this task?

As a side note, this week I'll be featuring some of my toys at home or at work on my other blog (random and untitled). For instance I just picked up a Benriner Japanese Mandolin at an Asian food market near work.

The end of an era

2009-03-06T10:16:00.000-07:00

Wow, I think I just found something out that I find a bit depressing. One of the things I will take away from my six months of culinary school is the four plus weeks we were in France. I know that I was able to see so much more with my class/guide than if I were to try to replicate it on my own. In talking to some of my fellow co workers, I would explain to them the grueling schedule for the first two weeks and then tell them what I did in the kitchen at Baumanier and they think I was there for years. It truly is a valuable piece of experience I will take with me where ever I go.

Talking to some friends in the current class, they said that the trip to France will be discontinued after their class. Today, in trying to get some spelling correct for this blog, I couldn't find anything about France on the school website. I find it sad to see this great piece of the program gone, but I can understand that taking 10+ students and instructors half way around the world is costly, and given that the future of American Culinary Arts is now celebrating what Americans can bring to the plate in product and mastery.

I wish the future classes best of luck to them as they get to participate in Farm to Table, another great program that will help young men and women learn that as a culinary artist it is their job to help the average American palate to experience something new about the food that grows at their feet all year long.

Puttanesca Sauce

2009-03-04T18:37:00.001-07:00

With the history of this modern sauce is some what of a discussion, based of the origin of the name (who made it, what does it smell like, where are you when you get served it). I'll give you what I've been told to put into ours.

Mire Poix (70% onions)
Garlic
Olive Oil
Anchovy Paste
White Wine
Crushed Red Peppers
San Marzano Tomatoes
Veg Stock
Herb Sachet (Oregano, Thyme, Rosemary Sage)
Capers
Olives (US and Italian)

I was told to use Veg Stock, because we "want to keep it vegetarian." HUH? I don't know about that one, but okay. Pick up is as easy as 1,2,3. Portion out the cold sauce in a pan with the pasta. Heat it to reduce the liquid toss in chopped herb mix and serve.

Let me introduce a few other team members

2009-03-04T13:52:00.004-07:00

Spew - This cracks me up to tell you about this guy. He's quite the journeyman, and has some of us a bit concerned about how long he'll last. Keeping with the nicknames and history, he's a classically trained cook who has worked at quite a few places in Boulder and Minneapolis/St. Paul. He's one or two years younger than me. He's from the Twin Cities area and was give the nickname of Spew from his friends due to his diverse background having an Israeli father and a Mexican mother. Oh how I'm giggling about this.

Baker - who comes in and she will cook off lemon pudding cake, creme Catalan, biscotti and few other dessert items for us. In order to get her a few hours Stach and I had been coming up with small prep tasks for her to do.

We did add two other "Pantry" cooks to the line up. Both of which I need to figure out what their names will be here, but they have a great set of hands for the pantry station. I hope this means Trick will move from Pantry to Pasta with me and we can just have a good time keeping the station prepped up for us to move on to some fun pasta specials.

I now have to make them

2009-03-02T07:34:00.001-07:00

With Marshall leaving, and I'm the pasta guy, I will now be making those wonderful pillows of love. Good Luck to you at The Nines.

The more I work

2009-02-27T13:53:00.001-07:00

The more I cook at work, the more I realize how much I love cooking and talking food. One of the things I know I miss about school is how we spent all day prepping and talking food. There is a valuable lesson to learn when you go after a goal, be prepared to enjoy it. I think too many people in this world take jobs away from their passions, because it pays better, the benefits are great and the lifestyle they live can be supported by it. While I was in the shower, I was thinking about the gigantic pay cut I took to be a cook/aspiring chef. It started me thinking, "what if I didn't leave OC's?" Who knows? I know this much, I'd be in fear of loosing my job, because the staffs I've worked with didn't like the fact I was by the book and would hold them accountable to it.

In all honesty, my job is my passion. I love food, talking about it, working with it, making people happy with it. I know that's why I am where I am. NoBo Restaurant is all about celebrating the food, not cramming it down the guests throats. So with that said, I'm off to go to work.

Culinary Calisthenics

2009-02-25T17:31:00.000-07:00

This is what I dub as the reward for rough shfit for service. My roomate in St. Remy, France would participate in it almost every night when we were there. This would entail peeling shrimp, dicing shallots, julienne onions, cleaning fresh morrels, schucking peas, peeling and oven roasting tomatoes, and anything else they needed done for the next day that could be done then, but the chef deemed as punishment for a rough shift.

I proposed this idea to Marshall on one of the first shifts there. I asked him if he was "Old School" and believed in cuilnary calisthenics. I explained to him what happened to my classmate at Le Cabro d'Or. Marshall said, "that depends on what happens in the future. " So I will tease him from time to time when he breaks out a large volume of vegetables to cut for some reason. Saturday night, he turned the cornor with the entire case of carrots and he said, "so service was rough last night, peel these carrots. What was that you called, culinary exercises?" We only need a few carrots, but he was teasing. Tuesday night, he pulled up a 2 gallon prep bowl full of apples and I asked him, "why he was participating in culinary calisthenics." This is pretty much a term we throw around the kitchen when we have to prep some stuff out for the next day, that can be done then. It's just a good joking point to have around the kitchen.

Two Specials

2009-02-24T13:02:00.002-07:00

One of Syosset's dreams about the NoBo Restaurant is that he would like to see 5-10 specials a night. One of the ways he's ensured that is having a vegetarian platter which will change with every ticket. We also feature a "vegan" platter was well, which does limit us with not using butter, cheese or honey, but not a huge worry for us.

For staff meal on Thursday, Trick and I were looking at one another trying figure out what give the remaining staff to eat. I had few things I need to toss like Lentils, Chicken Soup Base and Gnocchi (pronounced knee-oh-kee not nee-yjonck-ee). So I tossed them together and offered it up to the staff. I know they were hungry, so they ate a few. I also offered it up to Syosset and he loved it. So on Saturday we offered it as a special soup.

On Monday, with the mistake of peeling way too much shrimp I made some risotto with shrimp picked up with shrimp stock. I gave it to Syosset to try for lunch and he said let's go for it as a special on Monday. This was supper easy, like our chicken and mushroom risotto I "pan fry" the shrimp in butter on one side turn them over, deglaze with shrimp stock add the par-cooked risotto, season and finish with a big pinch of spinach.

So I'm off to see what else I can feature as a special. I'm wanting to do a risotto dirty rice style with sausage, pancetta and pulled pork (if we get it and braise it) But I'm not sure how Syosset will feel about this one, it's not too light.

Now it's the Chef/Proprietor in Charge

2009-02-23T12:19:00.000-07:00

On Saturday, we were delivered quite shocking news, Marshall took an Executive Chef Position at a hotel in Portland, Oregon. So with that great news we were told that we will be working set positions for a while. This is fine, but we were also supposed to get together and talk about how we wanted to cover lunches and who would like to work days, or at least that was what Syosset said the night before.

This was all good, but we were greeted by this week's schedule with Stach working five lunches, everyone who's been working nights stuck on nights with the members on the team that aren't quite as strong working days. So that means, the dream of having four nights off is not going to happen. All I'm asking is to work two days, three nights and two whole days off. So I talked to Syosset about maybe working two splits, Friday PM and Saturday PM. We'll see if he'll take that. I'm not asking to line up my days off, just give me one more night off to see My Wife. this also put Trick in a tight spot because he's stuck in Pantry which he's way better than that, to say the least. Oh Well, we'll see how it all shakes down.

Syosset isn't too impressed with Rome, but that is because what Marshall showed us is not what Syosset really wants so there is much confusion going on in the pantry station. Bert is now the day Pasta guy, which I'm not too excited about, but that is what happens when you have to go down the list and figure out who will be working where

Top Chef Final, Tune in Next Week

2009-02-19T11:01:00.002-07:00

Okay, the final is set and we have Stephan - cocky chef who could care less, Carla - the long shot who was given 40:1 odds to win and Hosea - our hometown representative from Boulder, who could be the first winner who didn't go to any culinary school at all. As I have mentioned before, came to my class as a guest chef. Nice guy, but not my pick. I'm all for Team Euro and really wanted Stephan and Fabio to go head to head. Oh well, seven days to see who actually wins the $100,000 to pursue their culinary dreams.

A time to step it up guys

2009-02-18T12:49:00.004-07:00

With yesterday being the fourth day of service, we're all starting to get used to our roles in the kitchen. There is one more cook coming on board this weekend. He used to work with Marshall and is finishing his two weeks there. In the mean time, he's been working prep 12-4 to help get some stuff off our shoulders. I'll call him Stach until it comes off.

Anyway, at about 2:30 p.m. V quit. Marshall asked him to get his waters going for cooking pastas in some what of a stern voice, but nothing too angry. V took off his uniform and walked out the door. My version goes like this:

"This is what I'm talking about, Get Your Waters Boiling," Marshall.
All I could here was some sort of kitchen noise, like the loud hood, a blender and the motor to the convection oven.
"Okay, Good luck to you."

Five minutes later, "did V just quit?" asked Trick. The New Guy and two dishwashers looking at us both nodded their heads. "Oh, um, Agh... now what are we going to to do?"

My response, "I'll get to what I can over there, as soon as I'm done."

And that was that. V quit and now we have line of all "R's" and Marshall. about 45 minutes later, Marshall comes out of the office and he says, "I have one hour to get this all set up, because that is all the time I have." And so it went, he blew through everything with no problem and was ready before I was. Things went tons smoother with out the fourth person in the way, and we did about half the covers we saw on Monday. I know I stepped it up, because I didn't have Marshall to fall back on, while I was working a station I barely knew.

The only thing that we still need to work on, and I'm trying to convince them of this is pre-cooking the 12 ounce airline breast before service. Four times last night, I had tickets that only ordered the chicken and four times last night I had 25+ minutes ticket times on that stupid chicken. It's quite tasty to say the least. I'm pretty excited about the dish, but I wish they would let me cook it a head and then bake it to order.

Restaurant NoBo

2009-02-16T12:30:00.001-07:00

So with lack of imagination, I will run down the list of characters at the new place. I'm still trying to get my legs underneath me there, but with a chef owner and chef de cuisine, will answer to chef, but here I'll give you some names with those titles. These names I will be using to protect my fellow workers and they don't usually go by these names.

Syosset - will be the name I use for the Chef/Owner. He's worked in the Denver metro area for about ten years, mostly for one owner. This restaurant is the first time he's ever opened from the "ground up," conception, construction, and execution. Married with two boys.

Marshall - will be the name I use for the Chef de Cuisine. He's worked all over the place. He's a graduate of the CIA Hyde Park. Staged in Chicago and worked in the Bay Area before coming to Colorado just over 2 years ago. He left a pretty successful restaurant in Downtown Boulder to open this place. He's pretty chill, but will fly off from time to time if you don't do exactly what he asks, but it's an opening - this is to be expected. Married two boys.

Trick - Saute. This guys is convinced he's been cursed by Chief Niwot. He's tried to leave to pursue some fabulous jobs out of market, but that only lasts a few years and he comes back. He's originally from Minnesota.

Rome - This is his actual nickname in our kitchen. With our entire crew having names that start with an "R" nicknames were necessary and his name is quite similar to my with two syllables and an 'm' in the middle of it. He's pantry, but I see this guy running the line soon.

Bert - He's also pantry, older gentleman, and a bit slower than what Marshall wants. He's a mess in his station, but as soon as he gets used to the menu, he'll be fantastic.

Big V - The other guy for saute. He's from Colorado, trained in Vancouver and our 65 seat place is the biggest place he's ever worked.

Stach - he's new, sort of. He worked with Marshall before and I think he'll be the supervisor moving forward.

Experience 2

2009-02-08T21:31:00.002-07:00

What happens to you when you graduate culinary school?
This is another question that keeps popping people to here and here is what is going on in my life. With three weeks left before graduation, we returned from our four plus weeks in France as part of our program. Before leaving, I had been eyeing a property near my house that looked like a bank or a club house for the surrounding neighborhood that turned out to be a double concept restaurant. Downstairs being a casual/upscale bar and Upstairs being fine dining restaurant, both concepts drawing from the chef's experience in countries surrounding the Mediterranean, South East Asia and the Caribbean.

Two weeks to go with class, I walked in asked to talk to chef and go the GM at the time, by the way he was dressed in shorts, tee shirt with belly poking out of the bottom and a flip flops. The GM said the chef wasn't around then, but would be back the next day and to come then. Okay, so I did, I headed there right after class, still in my pants and a polo shirt and talked to him. I was pretty much hired on the spot for a wage that was the same as if I were a pizza cook at Old Chicago. He and I talked a bit, the points I needed to hear: scratch, fine dining, seafood, specials and busy. He was sold on my experience and I was sold on the above points.

I was happy to be putting in 8+ hours, 7 days a week, trying to put together a cooler, line, recipes based on a menu the chef came up with months in advance. I was running the operations in the kitchen, so I could be called a sous chef, but really, it was a last man standing thing. My wife and I had always planed on me getting out there to stage somewhere, keep looking around at other places and just keep honing my skills, on my way to becoming a chef.

After management changes, poor reviews by the owners friends and a complete turnover in the kitchen, I needed to get out. So I did, got reconnected to one of my chef instructors and worked for him through the busy Christmas season and got laid off, because it was slow to keep the extra bodies around. Looking back, I think I should have been looking around the whole time I was employed, to either stage or switch. I've learned, until you find a place you want to call home, you will become a rouge cook. Every kitchen will be a learning experience, and your approach to every place you work needs to be that.

So what happens when you graduate culinary school is different for everyone. One of my classmates returned to France and was there another 3+ months working at a Michelin Starred restaurant, and just got hired on at one of Daniel Boulud's restaurants. Another classmate went back home, after moving out here with his wife (who got a job out here for him to go to school) to become a sous chef at another restaurant his town. In this classmates words, "I hired a real swanky place [on the east coast]." Another took a position at a summer sportsman lodge near Yellowstone, and now is home in the south cooking at a restaurant in major college town. Everyone, has their "now what happens differently." I just want to encourage you to get out there and show your passion for food and teach everyone the benefits of the food you love to cook.

Recipe for Prime Rib Chili

2009-02-07T14:00:00.002-07:00

If you're searching here for Prime Rib Chili. Thank you for picking this recipe. This recipe was create for a restaurant I used to work at. The portions are huge and it assumes you have some tools that I had in a professional kitchen. The recipe was written to ensure consistancy of product, but to be honest, the staff and guests knew when I made it and when other did. The prime rib was already cooked with dried parsley, basil, oregano, cayenne, salt, pepper and canola oil. Cooked to 125F rested and and chilled before actually cutting into it.

Ingredients

5 lbs. Prime Rib (with fat)
3 each White Onions
3 each Bell
Peppers
¼ Cup Minced Garlic
3 each Bay Leaves
2 Tbs Tomato Paste
1 Tbs Beef Base
32 oz Coors Original
1 each #10 Can of Fire Roasted Tomatoes
1 each #10 Can of Black Beans
1 gallon beef or chicken stock (homemade is preferred because of it thinckness and body it has compared to store bought that has none of that)
¼ Cup Chili Powder
1 tsp Cumin Powder
1 tsp Coriander Powder
1 tsp Cayenne
1 Tbs Dried Oregano
¼ Cup Salt

Steps:

Drain and rinse black beans
Trim fat off prime rib and dice in ¾” cubes, reserve lean cubes
Render and brown fat in a rondeaux
Dice onions and peppers to ¼”
Mince garlic
Sweat onions and peppers in the fat
Add chili powder, cumin, coriander, dried oregano, cayenne, garlic, and bay leaves, and continue to sweat for two to three minutes
Deglaze with Coors and reduce to 25%
Add tomatoes with liquid, beans, stock, tomato paste, and beef base, simmer for an hour to hour and fifteen minutes
Add salt and simmer of ten minutes
Chill and store in appropriate containers.

Experience

2009-02-06T16:06:00.001-07:00

I've been noticing more and more searches on culinary school graduates and restaurant/cooking experience have been directed here. I know that audience has probably moved on and found more of what they are looking for, but this is for those of you who are looking at graduation and wondering...

What am I going to to now?

First thing is to understand that you are not a chef, or at least you've done some the right things to get there sooner. The lead instructor for my class spent the better part of the first two weeks encouraging us to understand Chef is a title you will earn. He'd been in the industry for over fifteen years and feels that within the last five plus he feels comfortable with calling himself such. The term Chef means Lead/Leader/Chief/Man in Charge. At no point in time should a cook or some one who isn't hired as such call themselves that or allow anyone to call them that.
I don't even like the fact my wife calls me The Chef on her blog, but I understand that The Cook isn't nearly as dramatic. Anyway, with your quest to being a chef of some sort, go out there and cook. There are so many places looking for help out there that you shouldn't look down on any position until you've tried it. I myself am picky about where I want to cook, because I've worked in a variety of restaurants from casual to fine dining from single restaurant companies to nation chain restaurants, from the disorganized to the tight militaristic places and I know more about where I want to be as cook, but I still keep those options open.
Offer to stage where you'd like to eat. A friend of mine has just spent a night at a restaurant where the Executive Chef is one of the top 5 on Bravo TV's Top Chef: New York. Why did he do it, because he could. I myself spent two nights at a place where the owners are French Laundry Alumni and both have received James Beard Awards. I have had meals there and I would say they are in my top five all time meals I've ever had.
Stay current on job postings online. Why not apply and see what kind of interview they will have for you. I'd prefer a working interview rather than a sit down, because at this point you'll realize I'm not short of words and that doesn't go over well in my interviews, I think.
Did I say stage some where? I did, and I can not stress this enough. Not all owners are hip to this, but you can ask and see what will happen. I know a current student who spent the better part of five months before going to school as a stage with me at Upstairs/Downstairs. Who knows, it could land you a job, like it did for a guy in my class, where because he'd been working as a helper in the pantry twice a week the sous chef hired him for a week while the pantry cook was out of town.

What makes a chef?

This one is entirely up to who you are as an individual and where your passions are. For me, leadership isn't a huge area of opportunity, but confidence in my food is. I'm a fan of proper technique and quality product. Again this is a function of my long list of places I've worked. For me I see the chef: as some one who doesn't allow mediocrity in the food that goes out; who can work the line and will pull some shifts during the week to be an example to the staff; creative in what is on the menu at the same time conforms the audience who eats the food (if the guests don't like, they won't buy it again); is the person who gently wields authority to his staff, doesn't compromise at the cost of the guests or staff. I could go on and on about this, but a chef is a person whom you will eventually become from either working hard at what you do or you're the last man standing.

What if there are no open doors for me?

There are, if you graduated, then you must have classmates who are also in the
same boat, right? If they have jobs, then go there and see what is going on. Use
all the resources out there for gain employment. When I was laid off, I tapped
every shoulder I know in town for jobs. I've worked many different positions in
many different restaurants that I could call some one to help a rouge cook out.
That's how I landed a job at the coffee shop, a job prospect in the airport and
a position at a catering company, all of these were based on my reputation from
other past jobs or training.

What can I expect to get paid?

That question is answered by you. There are many factors that play into this, obviously experience is a huge factor, but where are you as well? As sous chef I was paid hourly well below what I should have be paid, but it was an experience I definitely paid for it. It was also in Arvada where bodies are plentiful and it wasn't too hard to fill positions for pretty cheap. In Boulder, some positions are pretty easy to fill so the pay isn't great, other positions aren't so easy to convince people to take so the pay is high. The same could be said about Denver, but in all honesty it also depends on the restaurant. So to answer the question, it is all up to you and what you ask for. For me, my wife and have a pay threshold that I need to include in my range of pay I'm asking for. I'd love to get paid what I was when I was a manager, right now, but that's out of the question.

I'm a career changer, how will my resume apply to the industry?

Go get help on this one. You can ask the folks at CSR how many different resumes
they have helped me with. Don't worry about being a career changer, you can
always make it work for you. It also makes a difference if you go stage some
where or work in some form of restaurant industry job. If you went to culinary
school, they must have some great resources to point you in the right direction
in getting your resume shaped up for a line cook position some where.

So I hope this helps you out if you're looking at graduation and wondering, what am I going to do to get a job. I hope that your search for the perfect kitchen for you goes well. We are wired differently so what I get excited about could make you look at me and wonder if the planet I came from has a name.

The Movement

2009-02-03T11:06:00.000-07:00

I dedicate this post to my former employer, and the folks that got me into this mess of the restaurant business, Old Chicago, this is my 110th post. With this dedication, I'll share about how I came to my decision to change jobs, yet again and hopefully for the best, we'll see.

One of the most incredible things to experience from CSR is the lifetime support services. In my time of need they have shown an incredible amount of care and concern about my career. That is truly a benefit that speaks well for itself. With those services also come a reputation that speaks well to any employer in the Boulder and Denver area. My instincts tell me that if it were not for the fact I did receive my training at CSR I would not have been hired and regarded as a cook to lean on at the catering place I'm at.

With that being said, my wife and have talked some about what to do at this point. A friend of mine said, "look, you now have options, which is more than can be said for alot of people out there right now." This helped center me quite a bit and it made me realize that I have a full time job, a part time job, a well paying job on the horizon and an option to work in a restaurant in a town I love.

Because I consider myself a spiritual man, and I don't like making decisions in haste, we decided to pray about what exactly I need to do. I feel there is no question I should go to the restaurant in North Boulder, but there are parts of me say that I can stay/go where I can feel comfortable, I be in a place where I can live a "normal" life, or I can even be in a place that down the road could take me around the world. When I look at this all from 2014, it starts to get more complicated. But when I broke it down on paper her is what we started to see.

New No-Bo Restaurant
Pluses

Boulder
Pay
OpeningTime - I'm still not too sure about working days is for me right now
Menu - 1. there is one 2. I really like what Arugula has to offer
Scratch - At least that is what I'm told
Tips - Cooks will work 4 in the HOH and 1 as a Food Runner
Starts next week
Specials - I might be able to show my creative side of things

Minuses

Loyalty - I tend to be loyal to employers quickly and since I just started at the catering company I would feel bad leaving
Opening - Is this the only way I can get in to a kitchen?
Development - It's new and we all are starting in the same place
Nights/Closes - which goes with Time in the +'s
Experience - I don't know if the chef sees my 8 years of experience and 3+ years of cooking are more than what he sees on paper

The catering company
Pluses

Boulder
Hours - 40+ to be had
Days- AM's and Weekends off and I get to see my wife
Balance - the owner understands one's needs to have Sundays and Holidays off
Experience - my knife skills will get better due to volume and repetition; and it is another facet to the industry I've never seen before
Bulk Prep - High Volume Production and Catering

Minuses

Urban Accented Boulderite - one of the cooks that gets under my skin because he tends to give instruction that isn't what the sous chef or the owner wants it to be executed, he probably has one of the worst habit of swearing I've heard in years and he's always talking about leaving next month to travel the world
Hours - 40+ to be had, but not truly guaranteed
Pay - "As time goes on and you show us more priority then we can talk about a raise" Does that mean I need to quit other jobs or not try to take time off for personal reasons?
Menu - What we make isn't always what we supposed to
Opportunity - With the possibility of more business coming through the door I could be asked to take more of a lead on some tasks
Music - I know this trivial, but listening to hip-hop with offensive lyrics 6+ hours
isn't good, but it leads to a highly sexually charge environment and I don't know how long I could be around that (I know it is the business, but if you don't need to be around it, then don't be)
Specials - not many opportunities to make them

DIA Restaurant
Pluses

Airport security badge - I can meet friends at the gate (this really is my top plus)
Opening - hours to be had
Pay -
Airport Bus Pass
Balance - it's with in the culture of all this Corporate Owner as well a Franchise such as this one
Training - I don't think I needed to go to school to cook that food
Opportunity - if this goes well DC may be next and someone higher up may move out and then one can move up

Minuses

Distance - if something happens I'm 30-45 minutes away from home
Not Scratch menu
Opening - long days/nights
Menu - The food tastes great, I might be able to cook some breakfasts, but it restricts creativity from on the line
Nights -
I've already done multi-unit corporate restaurants
Experience - I don't know if it is in my favor
2+ weeks until it opens
Specials - will come from the executive or sous chefs only (this was
told to us the other day at the voluntary meeting they had last week or so)

With looking at all these things, praying about it, my wife and I feel that the No-Bo restaurant with me working part time at The Coffee Shop is the best situation to be in. I'll keep my on call job at the On Call Catering Company because a job serving a high end event pays well. Anyway, this seems what is best for us right now, and looking back. I talked to a few people about The Chef and they say his food is not over the top but clean and simple, he's pretty low key, easy to work with, and really a nice guy. In the conversations I've had with him, I sense we could get along well and he's some one I could draw some inspiration from. Thanks to CSR's advice in looking back at this time from five years from now. I know it helped me and wife found it useful in talking through everything and our options. CSR has been a tremendous help through my time of need and I'm grateful for all they have done for me over these last few weeks.

Why is that?

2009-01-30T19:58:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, since I don't have much to do but appply to jobs, I met with a friend of mine in LoDo (Lower Downtown Denver) for lunch. All morning long I was going back and forth with the COO of CSR about a resume for a job that is along the lines of what I set out on this culinary journey for. My friend asked me, "what is the goal or arrival in this journey? (in so many words)" In my dream world, and some cooks out there, I'd love to be wearing my whites; talking about products, techniques, menus, meals, etc.; and work bankers hours. There are few gigs like that out there.

I could be:

That chef who only works 8-6 in a restaurant and be the resentment of his staff
A breakfast cook and go in at 5:00 am and be done at 2:00 pm
A cook for somewhere like Old Chicago where the line openers come in at 8:00 am and are kicked out at 4:00 pm
Work in a high volume production kitchen where one crew cooks all day and another serves it later that night

What I'd like to do and I think I'm natural at it is either:

Teach some where - which does mean I need to get some more experience
Work some R&D for a major chain company - play with stuff
Maybe even culinary training position for a major company - play with stuff and people
Hook up with a kitchen designer and teach their customers how to use all
their new equipment

It's a deram to say the least, and the more I sit here and think, the more I ask myself why or why not go after it? I have often felt a teacher, coach, instructor, or trainer needs the perfect combination of experience, talent and passion. There is something rewarding about watching some one develope a certain skill set. As a kung fu teach, I see that time and time again when new student can not stand on their own for the first class to a few days later they are able to participate with the entire class for about half the time. When I was a trainer for OC, I loved watching managers, who had to be in the kitchen for 3-4 weeks of their training, make the prefect braid on their calzones or the prefect crust on a deep dish pizza.

As I look out my window right now, I see the Flatirons and think, why is that? What did I do wrong? Who did I offend? Where was the sign I missed? When will this end? How will I get to my dream job? All questions I need to keep asking and keep answering every day. I'm a pretty faithful guy. My wife has been a tremendous support to me. Everyday, she come home, looks at me with those trance inducing beautiful eyes and says those three words, eight letters, the sign of support, I Love You. And I know we'll get through this, some how.

Back Blogging about That Guy

2009-01-28T22:57:00.000-07:00

Somehow I’ve become “that guy,” who always has something else going on the back burner and has to be somewhere at some time that prevents him from putting forth a full day of work or at least match that of his pears. When I started at this new job, I told them upfront there were some other commitments I had with part-time/on call jobs as well as other personal things like Chinese New Year’s festivities. I realized what a pinch it can put people in, when I was a manager type person, I put those things my staff felt passionate about as a priority for their development. At the same time, working with “that guy” means often you will have to pick up his slack because he’s off doing something.

There is a balance point to the whole thing though. When the commitments outside of work start to effect the cultural balance of the staff, then something needs to be said or done for the whole group to benefit from “that guy’s” passions. This is what has triggered my thinking that I’ve become “that guy,” because today I got up early, mise en placed everything I was going to need for both jobs and had enough time to sit around and hang out before leaving. During my drive, about 90% of the way there, I realized I forgot my uniform for my second job. The moment I get in to work I tell the supervisor/sous chef what had happened and he said “we’ll be fine and get you out sooner. “

So as we got lunch up and out the door, I started a few menial tasks and then reminded him again when I was leaving. This time he seemed a bit ticked off about the whole thing. So I’m a bit stuck with him because during service I couldn’t understand his “urban accent,” low voice, and directions on grilling some pitas and we ruffled each other’s feathers as a result. As the owner said, management styles are different from one person to the next in the kitchen, but I’m always being told I’ve not done things right, when in fact I followed directions as best as I could understand them. It will be interesting to see what it will be like when the chef de cuisine comes back. I’m sure it will be somewhat easier for me to do things around there, because they can expect more from me.

This rib

2009-01-21T08:22:00.001-07:00

What am I going to do with this half rack of ribs I have in my fridge? I don't have half the ingredients to make what I think is wonderful in description, Tuscan Baby Back Ribs. And I don't want to just roast them, glaze them with my family's secret sauce. I don't own a grill that works or cooks slow enough. So what am I to do? They have been lurking in my freezer a while and I took them out to deal with them and in the next two nights I'm headed out so I can't get to them. Any ideas out there?

First Time Out

2009-01-16T00:03:00.000-07:00

Catering gig last night was a real life sitcom. You get a bunch of people who are on call for a job, they tend to miss one another, they wonder who is going to show up and of course the drama of the job. I get to the place and everyone seems to know what is going on, so I play along and follow the leader. The woman who hired me was excited I showed up. I introduced myself to anyone who made eye contact with me and I just went where people told me to go.

We all load into a Ford Explorer and head up to Longmont for a loyal client of catering company. The place is some sort of high security place that provides a product for certain civil services (vagueness is on purpose, hey had signs that said "loose lips sinks ships"). The dinner was for the sales reps that will represent them in our Neighbors to the North, with the big CEO of the company being present. When we get there, you get shuffled into a small room to get security badges that are made with your driver's license picture. Once everyone has a badge, you are escorted by a member of security to the venue. In order to get there, we each had to wave our badges to pass through a portal. It was a cool door/gate - two pieces of 3/4" clear material that when you held your pass up the swung 90 degrees and in parallel to the plane they were sitting on. If it's hard to imagine, ignore and move on.

I had to use the restroom, so I had some one show me to the restroom and they waited in the hall until I came out. Later, they had security okay us for being unsupervised to use the restroom. We were limited to the cafeteria area that was where the tables were and the entire kitchen for food service. We used their salad bar as our bar cooler for the beer and white wines. We brought in our own Eldorado water to serve and of course all the food. The tableware was all rentals that the company had brought in for us. Everything was plated, so it made it more interesting to be a part of. It reminded me quite a bit of being in school when we would plate for lunch. Everyone was in on the game, with the two cooks handling the sauce and proteins.

I was the tray carrier today. Four plates and out I went to the Capitan who delivered every plate to guests. Set up and break down were simple, the rest was just a comedy of errors. There were five of us, where two pairs split the room and Capitan was a float and leader for what to do next. It reminded me quite a bit of being at the Teahouse, but it was good to get out in the FOH to realize who has the final say as to who will enjoy the food you cook. During the early part of service, the guest had no idea what kind of wine to drink so I had to inform them they would be getting a piece of buffalo prime rib and chicken Marsala. Which both go well with red wine, but some of the guests were a bit skeptical about two proteins on the plate.

When it came to breakdown and loading, we were not allowed to go out, unless the guards were around, and then we were not allowed to load, unless the guards were watching. When we were all done, they had to check the van and collect our badges, and they weren't going to let us back in, unless we could prove we left something behind. Anyway, it was good to work. I'm tired of waiting for a regular job, but this has been good to get some more experience. I do advise things like this in your journey in the culinary world. Obviously, the closer you can get the food, the better it works in your favor for handling product and prepping on such a large scale, but at this point, anything is a good thing when you don't have regular hours.

Hold on a moment

2009-01-15T14:37:00.001-07:00

If you follow Top Chef this season, then you can appreciate the fact that Ariane has been eliminated, finally. She has been on the bottom more than half the episodes. When she wasn't on the bottom, she won. My Wife and I thought she should have been eliminated the Foo Fighters episode, because her team was on the bottom and the judges were tired of seeing her there.

As for the comments on the show itself. What were they thinking in their fabrication of their proteins. If you get young lamb, the little chef in the back of your head should hide the tenderizer and tell you to debone, and roulade the shoulder and leg, breakdown the mock tender and make a jus with the scraps and roast and serve all of it. I've see milk fed lamb shoulder and it is pink like veal. Again, alarms should be going off and telling you that this meat needs some salt, and pepper.

The pig team, Jeff, who reminds views week after week that he's the best in the group and is an executive chef at a hotel, should have known better than discarding the wonderful all natural pork fat. Fabio was also at fault with that pesto, but in all honesty, when you get something so great and wonderful as fresh, all natural pig, which you've seen where it lives, what it eats and who takes care of them you can do some really great things to honor that piggy who gave it's life for you to become Top Chef.

Anyway, I'm feeling better about the Airport Job. I just want to start cooking soon so I don't loose my chops. I've been cooking pretty steady for about two years now and this is the first time I'm at a stand still like this, it's killing me. February 2nd is when I'll be back in my whites there, and I'm looking forward to it.

Raving Fan, Not Me

2009-01-13T19:58:00.001-07:00

On Friday, I received a phone call from the chef from the airport restaurant that I passed my my background check, and that I needed to get through the TSA/Airport background check to get my badge. So today, with all sorts of IDs in hand, I headed in to get things done. Because I received some assistance from the Workforce Center, I was able to streamline some of the process, but I did have to get a signature from one of the people from the restaurant company.

From there you have to head to the Airport Office Building to get a temporary pass to get through security. They make a phone call to your next stop. The conversation went some thing like this: "I've got another one... Yep no appointment... I think they're all coming in today... I'm not going to stop them... Okay, one more coming up... She said to call you the next time... I don't think she wants to deal with this..." Getting through security is not my favorite thing to do. Today I was wearing a fleece, pretty much as my shirt, and I was asked to take it off. I look around and I see two girls going through with hoodies on. Is it because I don't appear to be Caucasian?

Moving on, through security, go to Concourse A, to the gate, show the guard your badge, IDs, your paperwork, do a spin, wink an eye (last two are a joke) and they let you go to the elevator. From there, you get in line, and you hear the murmuring. "Is there anyone here for a 10:00 appointment? Please form another line (through this ficus plant) here." So I wait, I hear them behind the counter, see them looking for another body to help. Which is hilarious, because I think two more people from my job were there. When I get to counter, the lady takes my stuff, says nothing to me and scurries to another lady behind the counter. She returns, says nothing and keeps at the computer.

I had to say, "hi, is there anything wrong?"
"The best we can do is give you a stand by appointment. "
"Okay, I was told to come between 9:00-12:00 to take care of this today."
"No, no, it's not your fault, but the best I can do is get you an appointment, when there is a break."

So I head to the row of chairs and sit. There I notice there are booths with monitors, people sitting there watching them. I later find out they were testing for their badges. Sitting there I noticed that some people got to take pictures. Sitting there, I notice a manager type person from my restaurant talking to a woman behind the counter. In a nutshell: an email was sent late in the day, no one saw it until we flooded the place, there isn't anyone trained on the right procedures, no one can come in until later, "Oh! Class starts in 20 minutes." Anyway, my name gets called, I get finger printed and told have a good day.

What! I pretty much have to kill another day doing this to get my badge? Somewhere along the way, some one should have said, "today is just prints, once you pass, you'll need to come in watch a video, take a test a and then get your badge." So as I left, I share this with the counter people; response, "what would be the point, if you didn't pass the background check?" WHAT! REALLY! That's what you say? No, I'm sorry about that, you should have been told, sorry no one told you, some thing that could at least make me feel like it wasn't my fault I didn't know.

So I turn in my temp badge and share with them the same thing; response, "that's how things are done here." WHAT! I understand not testing if they don't pass, but honestly, the lack of communication is what is killing me. Again, "oh, I'm sorry about that," would have been nice. So I go back to my starting point on the day, I clarify the fact I was instructed not to complete some paper work, I say to them, "I understand today is all about getting prints done, but just remind people of that." The chef happened to be right there and he apologized as well.

While I was there, I had to redo my entire schedule, because the HR person who takes care of that stuff didn't realize "Job Specific Training #1, 2, 3" are sequential, not independent of each other. With that I volunteered myself for all three setup days, instead of the one I had to ask to be a part of. So the day wasn't a total loss, but it would have been nice to know I don't have to spend more money on going out the airport for another attempt to get my TSA badge.

If this doesn't make as to why I'm going through all of this and still looking for another job, because I just need to keep at it, in case that chance of a life time goes by. I've given up on some places like Q's, Hapa, Le Central, and a few other places I've replied to their inquiries and the few I didn't get anything on.

Be safe and just get here when you can

2009-01-12T20:50:00.001-07:00

I'll admit it, I've joined the Facebook nation. One thing I have benefited from is I have found The Original Iron Chef episodes available on the web. http://ironcheffans.info/wordpress/ You'll have to jump through some hoops to be able to download the episodes, but I no longer have to record it on my DVR and try to catalog them for me to watch at a later date.

Other news... It snowed a ton today! It took me almost three hours to drive up to Boulder today. When My Wife and I were abruptly awaken by her alarm at 4:00 a.m. I didn't notice the snow falling, as it tends to brighten up our room when it starts to fall. At 6:00 when she headed out I didn't bother to check it out. When I rolled out, that's when I noticed I had to head out pretty quickly and get on the road. While traffic was at a stand still, I listen to my messages and I was surprised to get a call from one of the new restaurants opening soon setting up a time for an interview. Anyway, I'm set up for Friday morning. Tuesday, I'm still following through with the airport restaurant, because I have a job lined up there, but I'd like to be closer to home and more along the lines of what I went to school for.

Anyway, my Wife is working hard tonight and I'm just sitting here watching Iron Chef on my laptop, so I should at least sit by her or something.

Can you believe this the post 101 as well

2009-01-09T07:04:00.001-07:00

My Wife on her 101st post decided to put up a list of 101 goals to complete in 1001 days. Cool theme for the 101st post, but I'm not that inspired. As for me, the job search continues. I met with a childhood friend of mine, Smelly (for the sake of his protection), this morning. We were talking about things he would like to accomplish in his life time. Which had me thinking about my job at the coffee shop, don't knock my job. Yesterday, I made sandwiches all day and worked the counter later on.

All tickets are verbal, unless the counter person remembers to print the ticket out. For the barista, it's written on the cup or saucer and called as well. What cracks me up is how much it is like the line at work, the counter is the expo the printer is sputtering and there is one cook going into the weeds. When I was on the counter the barista asked if I had worked in a coffee shop before, sort of at the tea house. She asked because I'd call a drink and follow it up every time with "down the line." In kitchen speak would be "walking in."

As a cook, you tend to have a very warped way of seeing things, today I'm sitting in Panera, and I'm looking at the oven and wondering how many sheet pans get into that thing. I walk around trying to figure out how I can carry everything without making a second trip. Where can I put my pen on the counter so I don't have to look at it when I need it. It's all about point A to C with out stopping at point B.

Anyway, I need to get going on the job search again. I have an open ended time to show up at a French restaurant in Denver. The same place my class went to on a field trip for lunch. I need to track down the chef at that new place in North Boulder. I need call and found out if I passed my background check. And I need to get ready to stage at a place in the Highlands tonight. So much to get done, a great wife who believes in me, and a God who gives me strength to get it all done.

I don't send you all away from here too often...

2009-01-07T23:12:00.000-07:00

It takes quite a bit to impress people, but I guess I did just enough. Click here to giggle some

2009-01-07T15:01:00.000-07:00

Okay, so some friends of mine just started culinary school on Monday. I'm pretty proud of the two of them, being that they staged for 4-6 months with me at Upstairs/Downstairs. Click here for his and click here for hers.

I have a job

2009-01-07T09:08:00.000-07:00

In my adventures yesterday in Boulder, I stooped by a coffee shop in which I've known the owners for quite a few years now. I headed in there for three things, say hi, beg for a job and use the facilities. In talking to them, I let them know I was out of a job, and that I was taping shoulders of everyone I know who are in the industry. They first said I was too late, but as the conversation went on they said they had not called the prospective candidates for hiring yet and that I could join on if I wanted to. I said yes and now I will be working the counter at a coffee shop in Boulder for the small amount of pay I have ever had in my life. Right now, with the the airport gig starting in February, this will help out and I can relax some in looking for a job.

I applied to places like sushi bars, upscale comfort food, large corporate restaurants, small catering companies (which is an on call basis), and I even tried in what I call an accidental Chinese restaurant (ultra modern looking and no one spoke English well). Anyway, I have a job I'm still going to look around. I have a stage on Friday and my legs are beat from walking around aimlessly.

I love my Feedjit

2009-01-06T06:45:00.000-07:00

If you've been coming to read what is going on in my life, then you'll take note that the widgets are constantly changing, mainly because I think it's tacky that the side bar is longer than the posts. Anyway, you'll also notice my Feedjit widget at the bottom of the sidebar. I like looking at where people are coming from to read about what I ramble on on about. I hope, that when people search for things like: recipes, culinary terms, about culinary school, and whatever people have looked up to stop by here.

Anyway, while I was sitting around yesterday, I came up with a list of things to cook, look up, or find out about, for the course of 2009. Think of it as goals for the year. It's not too crazy to start, but they are things I feel I can either get better at, try, or I love to eat and can't make. So take a look chime in on some of them.

Finally, after praying about it the last two days... I was let go due to the fact we were a little heavy in staff at my now last job. I think its for the better. I spent the better part of the day getting hired on at a new restaurant in the airport. There are so many steps to the process that when some one comes by to help process apps, it gets screwed up, as it did for me. Anyway, here is what I had to go through:

Application Screening
Application
Interview
Interview with the Chef
HR Forms (W-4, I-9, Parent Company Checklist and Agreement Terms, etc.)
Scheduling for the Opening
Company Background Check
Drug Test
Airport Background Check
Security Badge Application
Parking/Bus Pass Application

I've gone through drug test step. The rest is contingent on my background check, which I'm sure I'll pass, unless they consider the fact that I am a son of immigrants that was over thirty years ago when they came here. So I have a job, but I need to find something more along the lines of what I was trained to do rather than what a monkey can do.

So I have resumes in hand and I'm off to pepper Boulder Downtown with my resume.

Here is the kitchen at work

2009-01-03T09:56:00.000-07:00

The expo/window where the owner stands on busy nights
The pantry is also on the expo line as well

The you could drive a mack truck through the middle of

Dish looking down the line

Happy New Year

2009-01-01T15:33:00.001-07:00

Last night wasn't too eventful at work, after cramming 200 covers last night, we managed to get out of the kitchen in time to welcome the New Year. Chef ran a few different specials, one is the North Denver Christmas tradition of the fish fry (we breaded and froze quite a bit of salt cod, squid steaks, shrimp, and some sort of pre-battered fish), halibut steaks with creamy polenta and seasonal vegetables, and then Chef's creation - New Year's Surf and Turf: Espresso Dusted Fillet Mignon, Prosciutto Wrapped Shrimp, Potato and Mushroom Gratin and an Asparagus Bundle all served with a Red Wine Butter Sauce (beurre rouge). I working pantry did all I could to keep it together, Chef was the float for the night, so he kept bailing me out when I needed it.

After cleaning, I headed home where my wife was waiting for me. We enjoyed the last few minutes of 2008 commenting on how Dick Clark needs to subtitles or step aside to let Ryan Seacrest take over. They can still use Dick Clark's name; show him at home with his wife; and pay him royalties as is necessary.

Today, we received our new couch and love seat, their huge and nice to look at.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Merry Christmas

2008-12-25T17:54:00.000-07:00

After working a day of prep because of our grand lunch total of 8 covers, my wife and I headed up to her parents' ranch in Nebraska. Somehow in conversations with the In-Laws, I agreed to make Christmas dinner. In school, I started to develop a conviction about cooking and what to server to people. The message is simple, you don't normally eat this, therefore I will cook it the best I can for you to try at least once.

With this in mind, I kept it normal for my In Laws. The big request was a Prime Rib, they've had turkey for twenty plus years for Christmas, and they wanted to do a Prime Rib. My mother in law, was great in getting an eight pound rib eye loin. I wanted to do something different for them. With that in mind, and it being fall, I braised leeks and fennel, roasted mushrooms and made scallop potatoes. For dessert, I made panna cotta back in Denver, and brought them for everyone.

After roasting the loin, I made au jus with the pan drippings and mire poix that served as my roasting rack. I should have pulled the loin out sooner, because it was cooked a bit more than I wanted it to be, as well as needed to rest a bit longer. The leeks and fennel were just right, and the potatoes could have benefited from a few more minutes in the oven. I made a horseradish sour cream for the family to enjoy on their prime rib.

Tomorrow, I'll be making the stuffing for the turkey that I believe my wife asked to have while we were here. So, I'm off to finding a sausage stuffing recipe, because I don't have one handy.

The Menus

2008-12-23T11:26:00.000-07:00

Well, my mother and sister were here and I was able to show off some things I learned. In anticipation of their arrival, I did make the salmon stock, which I was planning on making a Salmon Veloute for them when they got in, but there was a gigantic storm in Kansas which delayed them somewhere from 2-4 hours in getting here.

The next night, I made the salmon veloute, followed by blue cheese stuffed roasted mushrooms, then pan fried chicken breasts with mushroom cream sauce and broccoli. For dessert we enjoyed Kahlua flavored creme brulee and for mingardise some cookies my wife made, which I believe were called Danish Refridgerator Cookies.

The next night, there wasn't nearly as much course work, we had Cracked Pepper Crusted Pork Tenderloin with an Apple Cider Glace, Jasmine rice, roasted butternut squash and some carrots. For dessert we ate Lime Wassabe Ice Cream. As mignardise we enjoyed one or two various Christmas cookies my wife made. She made about a dozen different cookies this year.

We at brunch on Sunday, which included pancakes, eggs, toast, bacon, roasted potatoes and of course coffee. My Wife is our resident expert when it comes to breakfast and baking, so I kept to the potatoes and out her way for everything else. They next day I made breakfast, and I kept it simple with French Toast and some mini-quiches we had left over from the party.

That's it in a nutshell.

Vocabulary

2008-12-21T08:08:00.000-07:00

After working in different kitchen environments over the past two years, I've been forced to translate the odd out of place words to what I've done in the past. Some say this is a bad thing, but hey I've got to get up to speed some time.

Ordering - When the wheel man calls this ticket, you are being made aware of what guests have ordered
Walking In - Same as the term Ordering, but it implies you need to make the food right away, but not in any hurry
Fire - A ticket has been hanging for a while and the server is ready for the next course to come out
Where you at... - This is a term for a status check on whatever follows, table number, particular dish, or even your prep
Pick Up - A term used to let everyone on the line know you are starting to plate, so they can also start to plate
Plating - Usually a term to communicate to the lead line cook or the expo when they ask on the status on a dish
What Is [this] Dragging On? - A term usually used to find out why a ticket is delayed
All Day - A term to use to let everyone know the grand total of product remaining, used or needed up to that point
On The Board - Similar to All Day, but this is specific to tickets that have been rung in by the servers
Cover - 1. The number of actual guests that have reservations or passed through any given shift 2. Having enough product to make what has been ordered
On The Fly - Some one messed up and something needs to be made and delivered immediately
Flying - A status call on some thing on the fly, i.e. "Where are you at on that Pom-Rig?" "Flying Chef!"
Service - Our sous chef loves to use this to get the servers to come to run their food. When I was in France, the Chef de Cuisine had a big booming voice, and he only use it when he could see there were no Front of House staff at the ready
Order/Fire - When a ticket prints and there is a "fire line" on the ticket at the bottom or appetizers immediately get this treatment with out the "fire line" on the ticket
In The Weeds - When a cook is behind on making and plating food, stressing out on getting everything out and keeps running out of product as the next successive ticket comes in then they are in the weeds. There are other terms for this, but I'll keep it [PG].
Heard - When a something is said and you don't have time to repeat it all back, but you understand what is said, you call back.
Wheel [Man] - The position on the hot line that reads and calls all the tickets out to rest of the cooks on the hot line
I need this yesterday - This should be self explanatory, when a dish is needed so fast that right now is too late
Expo - The position in the kitchen who puts together the food on the corresponding tickets, on busier nights, the chef works this position as a support position to the entire kitchen, but tends to call all the tickets

I'd be interested to see what other terms are out there in real world kitchens.

They're Vegetables, It has to be Healthy

2008-12-15T22:42:00.001-07:00

One of the things I love about being a culinary school graduate is the fact that my options for the random ingredients in my fridge has been drastically broadened. We had a few extra veggies from the party for my wife's crudites platter. Along with that, I made some bechamel earlier in the week, so I made brocoli au gratin. We had some small carrots, not baby carrots, so I made glazed carrots, way to serve veggies that falls in line with how I prefer all my food to cover all five senses on the tongue (sweet, salty, sour, bitter, and umami). I broiled a round steak, that I don't want to use ever again, as the main protein. I didn't cook off a starch, because my wife, the baker she is, was somewhat in the way for me to work on a fourth component to dinner.

My wife looked at the dish, and I reminded her that I didn't use any cream on the food at dinner, so it's not as fattening, yea right. When we have kids, we figured out they will be "healthy" and we wouldn't let them have any food aversion of any sort, with the exception of allergies and reactions, which they'll likely inherent from me.

Changing Gears
With the pending visit from my mother and sister, I plan on making a few fun things to celebrate Christmas and the fact I've learned a few cool things to do with foods. I brought home three salmon heads, and we received a pressure cooker as a house warming gift, so stock for some soup. There is more than 5 pounds of my focaccia in the freezer, so I'll be moving on to make some sort of bread pudding. There is almost a gallon of cream in the fridge, so ice cream, panna cotta and creme brulee are in order. Along with the pulled pork I received from the Hormel rep, I have pork tenderloins which will be used this weekend as well. Anyway, I'll let you know how it all goes as I make them.

Schedule

2008-12-09T22:42:00.000-07:00

I'm now down to one job through the rest of this year and I have had the pleasure to sleep in on Monday, have off on Tuesday. It's a simple pleasure, but it does mean quite a bit to me. I did just find out CSR featured on of my classmates on their blog. I will admit, I'm proud of the group of talented individuals that actually completed the 23+ weeks of class. I've gotten bits and pieces on what some folks are doing, and it all seems appropriate for each and everyone of the.

Hearing about the adventures everyone is having makes me wish I started this journey about ten years ago. Who knows where I would be now? At the same time, I wouldn't trade in the industry experience I've received in the past 7-8 years. I've been part of restaurant openings, been in management, climbed through the ranks, hours of leadership training, and tons of situations dealing with guests.

Right now, I just love going in and cooking, contributing to our little brigade of 10-12 people. I'm looking forward to using more of the what I was taught, at work. I now have days off and I have more opportunity to sleep through the night. I know it sounds simple, but restless nights are not good for cooking, believe me. Chef is some one I look up to, he's quite the food geek and has a wealth of knowledge beyond the food we cook.

a video not for a weak stomach

2008-12-08T12:39:00.000-07:00

Thank you to Tashain.com or radi.sh. Either way I was excited to find this bit on Fromage a Tete or head cheese

It has given me a few ideas to do at home...

Relived

2008-12-04T23:21:00.000-07:00

This morning was the last shift I had at Upstairs/Downstairs. I headed in to do the final order for them and off I headed to my new gig. Of course, there are few things I didn't quite finish up for my own sanity, but I know that they have enough people around to figure things out. I did want to grab some literature from the coffee vendor I was trying to get the owners to buy from, but I think she'll visit us soon with some coffee and the literature for my new place of employment. With the snow on the ground, it was a bit tough to get back and forth between the two places. By the time I got into work, we had a few tables sat, and I jumped in with just my chef and banged out a few two tops.

It's fun to be there, between the chef, the sous-chef and myself, we all have a passion to not waste food. For example, I had to prep some basil to make pesto and I kept the stems to make basil oil. The sous-chef is all for it, so we've made a plan to save fresh herb stems and get an inexpensive olive oil and use it to make infused oils. It's things like this that makes me excited to be there. At the same time, we are all committed to streamlining the kitchen, cross training everyone, and most importantly to serving quality and unique spins on Italian food.

Anyway, I need to go to bed so I can wake up early to start making some bread dough for the party Sunday.

Counting Down the Days

2008-11-29T11:21:00.000-07:00

Thanksgiving:

First things first, I need to share how grateful I am to my wife Amy. She has been an absolute trooper for the past year plus. From my termination from HC, to working three jobs last summer, to six months in school with one month in France, to working 70+ hours a week, and to getting those hours cut in half. Not to sound cheesy, but she is my wind beneath my wings. She has been holding up my arms through this time, and has been supporting me while I seek after that perfect kitchen to cook in. It makes me wonder, when I get to heaven, will Escoffier be in the kitchen cooking or calling out the orders when they come in.

I am also grateful to the education I received in my six months at CSR. It has proven useful in at Upstairs/Downstairs. I mean the second day there I had two recipes on the menu, and there were a few more to follow. I have befitted from my formal training with all the different cuisines and techniques we covered along with product knowledge, organizational skills, team dynamics, sensory awareness, and all those other things they promised we would learn in the syllabus.

My job at Upstairs/Downstairs propelled me into a position of responsibility which forced me to come up with different kitchen systems needed to make that kitchen runs smoothly. I know that this not what landed me my new job in North Denver, but I know that moving forward my involvement in an opening of a multi-concept restaurant will help get my foot in the door of some interesting stops.

Monday I start in North Denver for my new job. At the same time I will be finishing my final four days at Upstairs/Downstairs and with the rumor mill spinning as it is, it seems that my timing is perfect. Of course, no one of any clout has come up to me to say exactly what is going on. I have been able to confirm a new investor/partner has been brought on board to help bail out Chef's portion of the investment. This implies quite a bit, but the rumors that swirl run quite the variety of outcomes and situations.

Tonight marks the last Saturday night I'll be working. I have quite a bit of things to complete before I'm gone. I'll try to get some of those things done, and I'll give it my best. I think I have the order and inventory all dialed in, the prep lists are up to date, the recipe books are about 90% done, and the schedules are done for the next few weeks. Right now, I've mise en place(d) lunch for today, my in-laws are coming for the night and I feel the need to cook for them. Alrighty, I'm done for now.

Here is your decoder ring

2008-11-22T10:53:00.000-07:00

I did it! I gave my notice last night. GM saw in my eyes I had something to say, so I told him first, before Chef. There is so much under the surface that I didn't share with them, like GM, and the other two owners; the lack of communication from the FOH to the HOH, the resistance movement from GM's guys.

I put it to both of them this way:

the food Downstairs is getting away from what I was sold on, which it was supposed to parallel Upstairs
cut hours
lack of compensation for what I do
the food we cook is not the way I want to cook
I could apply at Old Chicago and be a KM for them if I wanted to cook what Downstairs is cooking

I did also had these positive things to say:

I have learned a ton when it comes to food management
my eyes have been opened when it comes to possibilities to food
this has been a great step in my career to be part of a multi-concept-kitchen opening
I understand that the menu change for Downstairs was a need to recapture a segment in their market that was disappointed with the initial offering, and it takes some guts to get out of your food to feed others

So off I go into the sunset and head to the next challenge at a restaurant in North Denver. At first I was going to take on a part time position with anyone I can find and still be at Upstairs/Downstairs. The more and more time went on, I realized I worry over the stupidest things, they keep me up at night and the worst of it all I'm in fear of a phone call about spending too much money on food. It's over. I'm going some where I'll be a bit more compensated for, cook the way I've fallen in love with and work with some more products that I enjoy eating.

Vague Thoughts For You To Decipher

2008-11-19T22:50:00.000-07:00

One of the things I've missed since school let out in June is being around people who love food. There is a difference in the air, literally at times, when you work with people who live to work with food and love the food like a small pet. Monday night, at my Chef instructor's place, he made that comment about me, "he's a food geek like me." That's a huge compliment coming from a person like him. At the same time, it make sense as to why I'm starting to get more and more frustrated about Upstairs/Downstairs. I really think that if the other owners had that same passion about food, then it will come out in what we do. GM said it best when we were talking about one of the stages. There is somethings you can not teach when it comes to prepping food. I can show you and teach you how to julienne a red pepper, when you're about to burn your bechamel, or knowing when you've cooked risotto to 98%. There is just so much you teach, but the love of the food, brings the finesse that is instinct to some of us.

Upcoming House Warming Party

2008-11-18T10:23:00.000-07:00

My wife and I are throwing a "little" house warming party in a few weeks and I have no idea what I really want to serve. Being it is holiday time, I thought of a few things, but really it needs to be easy for us to put up and out with in two to three hours. Here are a few ideas I had.

Pulled Pork Sliders - I have a good amount of smoked pulled pork and a great recipe for barbecue sauce. I would like to make the buns myself, but my freezer is getting pretty full
Mini Cheesecakes - we own a sheet of heart shaped mini cheesecakes. I would like to two kinds chocolate and cinnamon
Mulled Cider - as a non-alcoholic punch alternative
Peppermint Bark - my wife made this last year and I didn't meat a single person who did not like it.
Chili - We use my recipe at work, and it sells really well.
Exotic Flavored Ice Cream - I love my ice cream maker and I find it pretty cool to share it with others.
Canape of Leek Foam - I made this for at school earlier this year and it was a HUGE hit.
Pasta of some sort - I need to make something for a non-omnivore could still sink their teeth into
Five Spice Chicken Salad - I need to make something of my non-red meat eating friends.

So that's what I think I would like to put out for my "little" party.

Stage

2008-11-17T22:49:00.001-07:00

Tonight I spent time in a restaurant in North Denver. I had a good time working there. I had many flash backs of class while I was there. Some of those things were the different sauce bases he had for the menu, duck, chicken, lamb, and veal; the concern of quality over anything else; how he takes every opportunity to teach different things to people; and the counting down to service.

I think I'll have fun there. I know that I will learn more and have a good time doing so. The best part of it is, he's willing to pay more. It's the holiday season, so there will be hours to be had. I don't know what I'll do now. I know the stages at Upstairs would love to stage there, but the owner is not a fan of stages, so we'll have to see how that will pan out. I'm looking forward to just cooking and doing the things I learned to love at CSR.

The answer...

2008-11-16T21:40:00.000-07:00

I just watched Iron Chef America with Flay vs. Armstrong: Battle Squash. It featured many fall/winter squashes especially pumpkin pot pie. There goes that idea. I was also thinking about pumpkin terrine of some sort. I'm thinking lining the pan with bacon, small dice pumpkins and pumpkin aspic. I don't know, it's just a thought.

What to do with...

2008-11-13T21:58:00.000-07:00

I have a butternut squash, two pumpkins and a spaghetti squash that have been staring at me for about a week or so for me to cook. What can I do with these things? I thought of a B-nut squash gratin, I've toasted them before, so that works, but could I do a vegetable puree like I do for potatoes with it? With that in mind, could I do that with carrots and still get the consistency I'm looking for? Do I just give into the convention of soups, plain roasting them or even go as far as making a "ravioli or raviolo" with them? I was thinking of a Pumpkin Pot Pie, similar to a Chicken Pot Pie, but making it out of dice pumpkin instead. What am I thinking with that one, I learned my lesson on dicing pumpkins in class, and I didn't like it the first time. Ramble, ramble, ramble...

I will have a second job

2008-11-12T23:45:00.001-07:00

I asked the chef at the restaurant in North Denver on Tuesday if I could start out as a stage at his restaurant on Monday, and he said yes. At the same time, he said he would be bringing me on within a few weeks anyway. I feel better knowing I'll have a second job, at the same time, I know I won't be wasting my time flipping burgers and asking the cooks in the kitchen to actually do things that make sense...

I've been asked to complete a pretty daunting task for Downstairs. I have eight days now to put up "Spec-Charts" on the food. This is annoying, because the staff barely gets trained and then get ups set with the kitchen when they tell them we don't have some items, because we just don't have it...

Now that Top Chef Season 5/New York is on, with two local chefs, I now have more to watch than reruns of the Original Iron Chef. If you'd like to play along with me and one or two of my friends, scroll down, click on My Top Chef Fantasy Team and play along with us. Email me if you'd like to part of our group, so I can let you in, so to speak.

Season 3 Finale

2008-11-10T16:50:00.000-07:00

I love this line, the foreshadowing of the finale

"You are technically the best chef up here. Technically. We don't see you in the food at all. You were born in Vietnam," Chef Tom.

"Yes Chef," Hung.

"I don't see any of that in your food. Somewhere we need to see Hung, we really do."

"Believe me, if I go the finals, I can actually prove myself. This is Hung."

And then Hung took the whole jar of marbles the next episode. By far, I think Chef Hung is the best Top Chef of all four of the Top Chef winners.

Weekend at the Ranch

2008-11-10T09:22:00.000-07:00

One of the great things about the responsibilities that have been bestowed on me is I have the power to enjoy the all the time I want, at the same time maintaining so many hours a week. Last weekend, my wife and I headed up to the Ten Mile Ranch in the middle of no where Cherry County, Nebraska, to visit my in-laws. Really it was a cry for me to get away from here and not at work for two straight days. The last time I did this I was in Mexico for a wedding. I don't get two days in a row off, I'm lucky if I get off a whole day. While we were there I was planning on catching up on some reading and maybe start costing out some recipes so I can do a more thorough inventories.

What actually happened was this:
4:00 AM Head out on the road and try to make good time along I-76/80 before we make the turn off on to farm roads all the way to the ranch. I drove the first leg, my wife the second leg.

11:00 AM Finally pull in. I went twenty minutes too far on I-80 and that delayed us an hour or so. My wife, who has been cooking a great curry dish offers up to cook it for the family.

2:00 PM We take our naps and get up to trail some cows back to the head quarters. Yes, I did ride a horse, and I was some what helpful.

3:45 PM We get the cows and calves into the pen and real cowboys/girls start to sorting out the calves form their mommies. At the same time, because some of them were pretty small, the calves were separated again. The small ones, called ballies were each roped, branded (bar-U), given shots (which I was in charged of), ears cropped (which is how you know they are TMR calves) and the dreaded castration for the guys. The larger ones were sent through the chutes to get the same treatment. The cows were sent down the chute as well to get some medicine.

5:30 PM My mother-in-law and I headed to the house, while the everyone else trailed the cows and calves back to the water hole they were at. I headed straight to the garden to see what was left. I found some pretty cool carrots in garden and I harvested a few of them to help make supper. O

f course, one of the things I love making is soup, so I made pureed carrot soup. Given that I was limited to what was in the pantry, I didn't go off and make it ultra rich as I do at work, but I did try to celebrate the fact that they were an average of 2" in diameter and 4" long. My mother-in-law was shocked I didn't peel them, but gave them a good heavy scrub. Because I have made pureed soup more times than anyone should, I pretty much went into auto pilot to make it.

We also served some BLTs with the soup. Everyone went for seconds on the soup, which had me pretty surprised. I ended up crashing out pretty hard after dinner, not because I was tired, but I used chicken broth with MSG in it, and we all knew I was doomed because of it. I think I fell asleep watching the Texas vs. Texas Tech game, which was a pretty exciting game.

The next day, we were planning on leaving by after lunch, so we could get back right at dark (that didn't happen and my wife may share on her blog about why). We slept in and were treated to breakfast when were both out of bed. I was put in charge of lunch, so back out the garden I went. Because they had some frost already, the Swiss chard was pretty beat up, but I found a head of it I liked; some beets, which made the frost, but were pretty limited; and more carrots which I took home. I was given some steaks to cook for the family.

Because I was looking at some pictures of my trip to France, I was inspired to make stuffed chard, with sear and butter basted steaks, and braised beets. It took some time to make the chard packets, but everyone like them with the cream sauce I made from what little bits I had in the pans from making the steaks. The beets were not quite done, but I ran out of time. The whole time being there was a therapeutic to say the least. I cook a lot, but not with the time and effort I'd like to do it with.

I was going to put more down, but I'm distracted by Kill Bill Vol. 1 on TV.

Activities

2008-11-08T00:57:00.000-07:00

My latest quest. I'm looking for a second job right now. I applied at few places, nothing too promising except one. I went to visit Chef Jason at his restaurant, told him the hourly challenges I'm facing at work and his eyes lit up. I might be there helping out through the holidays, and who knows from there. I'm pretty much doing what I need to do at Upstairs/Downstairs. I do stir the pot some, because I don't like some of the things going on, but what else can I do? We have new menu on the way, and I'm trying everything I can not to bring in too much pre-made garbage as some of the guys want.

Oh... it looks like the same thing, but it's not

2008-10-30T22:16:00.000-06:00

If you're remotely techno savvy, and you have a RSS on here, you'll notice that many of the past entries have been republished. I'm sorry for the inconvenience, but I had to for the sake of protecting some folks.

If you page all the way down, you'll see the Iron Chef on DVD petition, you love the series as I do, please sign it and pass it on.

What is the hang up?

2008-10-26T00:37:00.000-06:00

Amazing, another entry in the same week...

So, GM's contingent of cooks is fighting me on how to make food. First off, they keep making rice sides, as if we needed it. The ring leader brought in food, using his own money, and now the staff keeps ringing it as if it were endless. This needs to not just stop, but come to a screeching halt. How would it look if I went to a Chinese restaurant and asked for meatloaf with some whipped potatoes and side of green beans, they would think I'm nuts. It's no different when they come to our place. Granted, I do want to keep those guests happy, but in all honesty, I don't want to bring in too much stuff that we 1. do not have a place for it 2. do not have the ability to hold it and keep the health department off our backs 3. do it differently each time some one else goes to make it. It just isn't fair.

I need to talk to GM about this and have him set things straight. I'm in no mood to be serving burritos, ribs and conch fritters. We were doing thing well, until some one tells the owners that the food selection wasn't something they desired. Again, you don't go to an Italian restaurant and ask them to whip our some egg fu yung. Granted, the menu has holes, but in all honesty, if the guest can not keep an open mind and appreciate the approach to bar food, then they should go some where they can get their way, right away.

Which brings me to what I think our other restaurant should be all about. 1. chef should shrink the menu to offer one red meat dish, more seafood, and less little plates. 2. have highlighted items, so that we can offer up some of the dishes we regularly offer, but can move a bit quicker. 3. hire a floor manager that will be on the floor at all times and can communicate what is going on.

Anyway, things I need to address:

sidework for upstairs
menu knowledge
general food knowledge for the entire staff
GM's guys fighting me on wanting to go scratch
pizza chicken
my pay and roles don't quite match up

ARGH!

Thinking outside the box...

2008-10-24T23:52:00.000-06:00

...it's a good idea when you start having to think about labor and how to keep everyone in the kitchen happy. The fry guy finally quit, no call no show. I'm relieved, because he needed to go. After that, another dish washer is gone, and it is the last of the two original boys. There is still three of us from the opening week, and Josh. The two other guys I brought on are done and then we have the contingent, that GM Brought in. One of them is gone, but the other three are holding in there. The dish crew, who enjoyed 14 shifts are now down to five shifts and there are three of them. I'm doing time between the two, but I'm under 30 hours, which has us cinching our wallets some.

I took off one day this week to install my irrigation in my new home, and I'm looking at 35 hours this week. I need to not be there seven days, but I need to get the order done, count inventory and work at least four days between both kitchens. I think I need to ask chef for a raise, and look for another gig doing something easy and mindless to pass my time.

I feel like my skills are slipping some, I had to make some compromises in some of the product we are using. Today, the Hormel rep came in with my Shamrock rep the following samples (H is for Hormel, S is for Shamrock):

H Chicken Topping - pre-cooked breast meat chicken, great for pizzas, quesadillas and the bottom line - OC used it and I know it will make a better chicken pizza moving forward
H Rib Tips - they are nice and novel, but I'd rather serve a half rack of ribs and call it a day
H Brisket - Slice and ready to go for your brisket sandwiches.
H Slow Cooked Pork - for any pulled pork application you would like to use it for.
H Pork Tenderloins - cleaned and ready to go for any application, and waiting for my wife and I to enjoy them
S Frozen U-10 dry pack frozen scallops - 100% yield and little to no shrinkage
S Frozen New Zealand Mussels - cooked and frozen for 99% yield
S Frozen PEI Mussels - like the other previous mussels
S Frozen "Hard Shell" Clams - like the mussels

When costs are an issue, these are the things I am forced to look at. Chef liked the clams, so I'll have to go and ask for a price on them, the scallops I'll slack out on Monday for him to use on Tuesday. and the rest of the stuff we've tried before. I'll come up with another BBQ sauce for the pork and brisket to run as specials for Saturday night and moving forward, yippie (in a sarcastic tone).

39.9%

2008-10-20T16:23:00.000-06:00

Well, I looked like a genius last week when I came back with a food cost of 28%, but this week, after combing through things, it came back 12 points higher to 39.9%. Am I to feel responsible for this? Am I the one whose head is to hang when food cost and labor is high? Should I lie awake at night worrying about these things? Who decided I should face the brunt of all this?

Mondays are nice because I can count everything I need to count in a matter of two hours and off I go punching in numbers in the purchase journal and actual counts. I wonder how long the owners are going to let me keep going at this, when I come in before everyone, count every food item and ignore supplies, bar non-alcs, and other miscellaneous things.

We're booked Upstairs for an 80-100 top on Wednesday. We get Josh back, on work release for the duration of his sentence, and honestly, the only normal person in the whole HOH. Well, not that I am normal, but he understands were I'm coming from and going to.

As for the rest of the food, I'm not getting through the guys I don't want to buy things I know we can make 1000X better from scratch. Until then, I'm hesitant to bringing in the the new menu product because I don't know if they can actually cook rather than open a bag dump it out. Anyway, I think I need to start the search soon, I'm starting to loose sleep over things like trash bags and ramekins. Maybe I just need to get away for a few days.

Baa, I mean Chef Bethany, Uhhh... Bethany

2008-10-06T20:13:00.000-06:00

So one of the wonderful things about knowing some people in the industry is you'll always have that friend. Bethany, or Chef Bethany is now with Silver Canyon Coffee. I had emailed her a few weeks ago about trying to set up coffee with her/them, and she has been by a few times. She brought samples, a must do if you can bring samples, we had a meeting with the tech and I'm just waiting for the okay from the powers that be at work. Anyway, its good to have her come around, it keeps me on my toes about why I went to culinary school.

Being a Sous Chef is a pretty good gig right now, I pretty much write/set my own schedule, I can always find hours, I'm in the position of teaching others when those times come up, I can play with all sorts of food things. As I mentioned before, with me going back to Downstairs, I'm opening there so I can spend time with my wife. Today, I conducted my first on hand inventory. I don't have batch costs on anything, but I do have an order guide I'm going to start working with get my costs. The crazy thing is that Upstairs is only open five days a week, and with that being the case, their prepped items will likely fall off the inventory, so I'll have to come up with a unique way to combat that.

I spent six hours there today, waiting for the delivery today, and I found out it was called back due to a NSF payment. ARGH! Hey, those are the breaks. I'll have to figure out what I can and can not make because we didn't have a truck come in. Oh Joy :D

New Life, again

2008-10-05T00:27:00.001-06:00

Friday I headed up to Boulder to meet with some of the campus students in my church there. After just hanging out with them, I stopped by CSR to say hi, and talk to Karen about things. The night before, Chef, GM and I agreed I would head back to Downstairs for some time, until we get a handle on labor again. With this being the case I'm planing on opening when I can and doing inventory on Mondays. This will put me in the building six days and I'll have a few nights off to spend with my incredible wife. Anyway, GM decided we are going to change the menu, so I need to get ready start making dreaded Mexican food and comfort foods. I didn't spend $30K+ to cook comfort foods, but I did spend it on making those foods refined and great!

Anyway, I made vin rouge en gelee, and I used a touch too much gelatin in there. Chef and his brother were having a good old time of threatening to bounce it of the floor, guess what, it would have. Anyway, I'm off to bed and then early to place the dreaded order for Monday. Au revoir.

Top Chef NYC

2008-10-03T10:31:00.001-06:00

Okay, so I don't mention the show often on here, or that I follow the career of one of the Top Chef winners, but the new season line up has been announced. It is cool to think that I have actually met a chef-testant and made a few of his dishes.

Chef Hosea is from Jax in Boulder. He came to school as a guest chef instructor in class. If you don't believe me, check out the Bravo website

Check out the pics.