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Cook Focus - This Kebab place in Hyde Park had an All You Can Eat Salad Bar- Bargain!

Check out earlier posts for parts 1 & 2 of this interview of a young chef. To change things up, this time I'll include the questions (answers in italics):

James:

Q. What’s your favourite meal to eat?

Crikey, where to start!?!
Crème Brûlée is definitely up there...
Anything with duck...
Nanna's scones...
Anything cooked by anybody else! (Please forgive me if this sounds slightly negative - we all need a break every now and then)

Q. What’s your favourite restaurant (other than your own!)?

Once again, where do I start?
Annie Smithers' Bistro (Kyneton) - a lovely little, unassuming place

Donovan's (St Kilda) - the definition of consistency
Cicciolinna (St Kilda) - keeping St Kilda cool

Q. Do you cook at home (for yourself or for friends)?

Yeah 'course I cook at home - toast, every morning.
Seriously, no I don't cook as much as I would like... When I do have time to cook at home, I usually find myself doing it at someone else's home - same effect really. Cooking for others is what it's all about for me anyway - it's the closest I come to possessing any attribute that resembles selflessness.

Q. Ever used your culinary powers as a seduction technique? Successfully? Anything to add about the `gastrosexual' phenomenon? (If you've heard of it)

Intentionally - no. However I have managed to lure a few young lasses in with my skills. It seems that seeing such a strapping young lad as myself in the kitchen has an effect on some girls (or I hope it does anyway, otherwise, I've got nothing!)
As far as 'gastrosexual' goes, I've not heard much about it... I'd appreciate it if you could fill me in though - it sounds 'interesting'...

(I did fill him in on the concept after our interview. Check out my earlier post on the topic if need be).

Q. What are your thoughts about the current apparent increase in `celebrity chef’ numbers and profile?

To be honest, I couldn't care less. I enjoy watching TV shows that focus on food, so for that reason I like it, however, as with all TV, it's mostly romanticised bulls**t. It's a bit of fun - don't take it too seriously.
I will take this opportunity to say that I do have grave thoughts about the glorification that the industry receives as a result of this kind of exposure.
I have a lot of respect for Gordon Ramsey as a chef - but nothing excuses any sort of abuse.
I appreciate Jamie Oliver's attempts at helping homeless kids - but you have to question his motives. I know of at least one other chef who has been doing a very similar thing with Vietnamese kids for many years now - without the support of TV companies. This guy has helped hundreds of people, and desires no public acclaim - look up his first restaurant - KOTO (Know One Teach One)

Q. Who’s your favourite/least favourite celebrity chef?

I love Rick Stein - he lives for food. He is simple, quiet and intelligent - and he likes food that is the same.

As far as least favourite celeb chefs would go, I'll have to throw a few into this basket, then lable said basket 'MEDIOCRE'- probably every early morning TV chef. I ask you, "Why Bother?"

Q. Which Iron Chef would you challenge if you had to, and how do you think you’d go?

Poorly, very poorly.

I would challenge the Iron Chef Japan, as it would be more challenging. I'm not saying I would stand a chance against the others, but Iron Chef Japan would prove the most difficult, therefore is the one I would take on first.

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James' Interview Part 2- including his Crème Brûlée recipe!

March 17th 2009 00:28

So here's part 2 of the interview I did with James ages ago. (still haven't recieved the answers from the other chefs I sent questions to). Check out my last post for part 1 (I'll post part 3 tommorow).

James:

I started out at the tender age of 14 working at a small local Middle Eastern restaurant, I began by washing dishes, but within 6 months, I was cooking up a storm. I then started my apprenticeship in Ballarat at a cafe dubbed 'L'espresso', great place - check it out... I found that it was a great stepping stone to chef-hood. After a couple of years there, I headed to 'Donovan's' in St Kilda, where I completed my apprenticeship... Donovan's was the major springboard of my career, the foundation of all my skills and knowledge. L'espresso was a foot in the door, while Donovan's took me through and beyond said door. I then worked around a few other places in Melbourne and elsewhere, until about 2 years ago when I went to... (my current position).

If ever there was a eureka moment (about wanting to cook), it would have been somewhere between the ages of 7 & 10. My mother was far too busy to put excessive amounts of time and energy into cooking (single, studying and 3 kids - what do you expect really?). So very early on I realised that if I wanted to lick the cake bowl on a semi regular basis, I would have to dirty it on a semi regular basis... And when I say dirty the bowl, it was probably more like the entire kitchen! So from such a young age, I took to cooking, more to fulfil my stomach, than any real passion for the process. However, gradually, that passion for process did develop, and I got a bit more creative. By 12 I was making complicated cakes for family members birthdays', cooking dinner every now and then and making even more mess in the kitchen. By 14 I was working 35 hours a week in a local restaurant (on top of high school), washing dishes, cooking, cleaning - as long as I was in the kitchen, I was happy.

Forgive me if I sound a bit like a wanker, but for me, the simple things are most enjoyable, therefore, I'll have to go with the Crème Brûlée. Lovely 'just set' custard, topped with a nice,
dark - almost burnt - toffee, served with a simple shortbread. I can't top it.

750ml thickened cream
250ml milk
12 egg yolks
150g castor sugar
2 vanilla beans
extra sugar for the brûlée

Carefully slit open vanilla beans with a small sharp knife and scrape out seeds - these little black grains are precious, don't waste any.

Place seeds, scraped pods, milk, cream and a handful of the measured sugar into a heavy based saucepan and bring up the boil. In the meantime, put another pot, half filled with water, on the stove to boil.

In a stainless steel or ceramic bowl (large enough to hold all the ingredients, and fit nicely over the pot of water) whisk together the yolks and remaining measured sugar. Continue whisking until mixture is pale and smooth.

Once cream mix comes up to the boil, add a small amount to the egg yolk mix - whisking constantly. Continue adding small amounts of hot cream to egg until fully combined.
Place bowl (containing all ingredients) over boiling water and immediately turn heat down to a simmer.

Stir gently, but thoroughly, until mixture thickens. If you have access to a probe thermometer you'll have a bit more confidence at this part as judging how thick to take your mix can be difficult - simply heat until 72c.

Now pour mix through a fine sieve, and cool mix down as quickly as possible - but do not put in the fridge yet... The easiest way to do this is to pour mix into a large, flat tray - which will increase the surface area...

Once mix is cooled down to below body temp (or close to anyway) you can it pour into your mould(s) and place in fridge to set. I usually give it 12 hours to set completely, although you could probably get away with less.

When it is set, it's time to 'brûlée' it! My favourite way is to sprinkle sugar evenly over the top and attack with a blow torch until you create a lovely, dark toffee. You can also do this under a grill if you don't have access to a blowtorch. Another method which produces a slightly different toffee (but equally good) is to place sugar in a small pan, melt down, then caramelise, while hot, carefully pour it over the custard.
Leave for a minute or two, and then serve with fresh shortbread.I]

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Jamess Interview Part 1

February 4th 2009 23:04

So, we finally get to my original intention for this blog! Instead of writing about my own recipes or reviewing food, like most other foodie blogs, I wanted to Interviewing young chefs (and cooks etc) about their jobs and what they love about food and cooking. (Who knows, I might discover the next celebrity chef).

Some time ago I tracked down three young chef's working in different kinds of eateries and sent them a bunch of questions.

Only one of them has replied so far (promptly), but I have assurances from the other two that they're on to it! I'm not bothered because I know how busy they are, and heck, I've been too busy to post other content anyway- had my son's 1st birthday Rach and I are renovating our house, I sent the final draft (I hope) of a book off to potential publishers etc.

I had wanted to post all three interviews simultaneously to contrast the different answers to the same questions, but I've now decided to just go ahead and post the first part of the first guy's interview anyway, but not with the questions I asked, just the answers!

Be aware that some of these answers are a little outdated. (I've also deleted the names, sorry, but I don't want to get the lad in trouble!) I'll post the rest soon and other interviews as I receive them (or when I do more; I've lined up a couple more people since, and if you've got any suggestions of who else I could send questions too, let me know!):

James

I work at a "Gastro-Pub". Basically it's a pub, with a decent restaurant attached. Because of this, we can't afford to take ourselves too seriously, and the food usually has a familiar, almost homely, feel to it. The food we offer is not intended to impress you with its uniqueness, but more just its simple quality.

My title is Sous Chef: basically I do all the hard work, so that the head chef can take the credit for it!

No, seriously, I'm am the 2nd in charge of the kitchen, menu development, staff training and so on are done cooperatively between the head chef & I (he takes the primary role of course). While I look after 99% of the ordering, running the kitchen on head chef's days off, ensuring cleaning rosters and standards are adhered to...
Oh yeah, and I cook

I come from a background of fine dining, working in big places, with well established systems and procedures. Having been trained in places like this you tend to develop an almost military-type discipline.

When I first walked into the kitchen, I was faced with a building that was not exactly up to my standards of repair. Don't get me wrong - there has never been anything wrong that would be detrimental to the safety of the food - it was more just that my standards of environment exceeded that of the (and I dare say most) publicans.

I was also confronted by an older dishwasher, whose language was shocking - I'm not easily shocked, but when someone old enough to be my grandmother refers to customers as 'those f**king c**ts!' I find that I am taken aback a bit... On top of this there was an apprentice who, while he had the upmost respect for the then head chef, failed miserably to show it.

I was in for a bit of culture shock.

The kitchen (in my arrogant opinion) was a shambles, but in a sense, it was slightly refreshing, and a bit of a challenge.

Within a couple of months the head chef resigned and left me alone with a casual, recently qualified chef - a lovely girl, but no serious career drive; and an unqualified but competent cook who still to this day has nothing but contempt for me. This situation lasted about 6 months before the current head chef came on board. Since then things have gone from good to better... there's much more discipline in the kitchen, the product is heaps better, and we are at least 50% busier...

The current menu is still lingering from late winter - lots of warming, braise-y type dishes. However this will change very soon, no serious ideas what will be going on yet - we usually don't put much thought into it until we're sitting down with pen & paper and talk it out.
One thing that we ALWAYS have on the menu is our house aged beef. We buy our meat directly from the abattoir, and break it down ourselves. This has a few advantages - we keep costs down, can monitor quality of deliveries very easily, and the quality of the final product is by far so much better than what you would get at most restaurants.

The current head chef, is great to work with, always ready to help, inspire, or just talk to... Without a doubt, one of the best chefs I've worked with and a nice guy too.
The general attitude across the board at is relaxed, friendly and warm, and I get paid to go there.

The owners, while not perfect, are understanding, supportive, and not too obsessed with the place - they have lives outside of the pub, and expect you to do the same. I actually informed them months ago that I had applied for another job, gave them regular updates on the progress of the application, and, when I finally gave them my (4 months) notice they warmly replied with congratulations and thanks - not a hint of negativity in them.

Stay tuned for part two! (And yes, I do plan to reinterview James after he's had time to settle in to his new job).

Earl

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Hey baby, what've you been cooking?

October 10th 2008 03:14

Good question. I've been very busy in the kitchen, actually...

I’ve steamed peas, beans, carrots, pumpkin, sweet potato, squash, broccoli, zucchini and cauliflower. I’ve stewed apple and pears, baked fish, boiled eggs yolk and fried minced lamb

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Should I tell my friends? (LINK)

August 29th 2008 00:33

Some people know from a very young age. They may not have a word for it, but they know. It’s just the way they are.

Others, however, don’t make the realisation for a very long time. Nothing happened to change them. It wasn’t a decision they made. It just took a while for them to be self aware enough to overcome social expectations

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Sounds like love, but what's the sigh for?

August 16th 2008 06:08

Right, I'll have none of that `you can use water or skim-milk' malarkey thank you very much.

If you're gonna scramble eggs, it has to be a tablespoon of CREAM per egg, consarn it

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The End of an Era or The Death of a Dream? (LINK)

August 16th 2008 05:19

Oh man.

As you know, I started writing my thoughts about food a week ago. And, as you do, I rang up my mum to tell her about it

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Knock One Up

August 4th 2008 23:23

Does anyone else make soup out of the water they cooked their silverside in? That’s pretty standard right? Or is it just me (and my mum)?

I mean, you’ve boiled your meat (with hunks of onion, tablespoon of raw sugar, couple of bay leaves, maybe a clove or two and half a cup of malt vinegar) and eaten a meal of that with some good old fashioned mash potatoes, steamed cabbage and beans. You’ve plenty of corned beef left over for sandwiches as well. But why throw out the flavor with the beef water

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A Matter of Life and Death

August 3rd 2008 10:33

The kids were a nightmare last night, and you’re running late this morning; no time to prepare a `proper’ lunch. It’s such a frequent situation that the wallet’s feeling the pressure of eating out too often. What’s the answer?!

Two Minute Noodles

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Welcome Post

August 3rd 2008 08:18

Wouldn't it be nice if these weren't optional, but rather obligatory? I'd like there to be Welcome Posts in all towns and cities, something to lean on while you take a moment to catch your breath upon arrival to contemplate the journey completed and the journey just begun. So, please, lean on something and prepare yourself for a medium small regional city's worth of possibilities.

Earl

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March 2009

2 Posts

February 2009

1 Posts

October 2008