/ck/ - Food & Cooking

Apps:
*Vegetarian lentil and walnut pate
*Scallops and Crispy Prosciutto in a red wine sauce
*Winter Spinach salad with Hard-boiled eggs and a sweet Dijon vinaigrette.
*Soup of the day (Probably roots vegetable purees soups with a house made fruit infused balsamic on top , at least for the first week.)
*Charcutterie Board -pickled root veggies, apple confiture, Copa, Prosciutto,Parm, Crostini and Vin dressed chard{instead of arugula or frisee, brilliant right? also,I was thinking about doing natural pickles but I have to wait two weeks for them to cure, but we do have a root cellar, so I am sure as hell gonna use it.
*Cheese Board- Three Gourmet cheeses, one goat, one cow, one sheep. Fresh apples, bread, pickled root vegs and candied nuts. (does that sound good on accompaniments?)
*Melted Brie and roasted garlic- served with crostini and sliced apples.

Entrees:
*Blanquette de poisson
*Hachis Parmentier
*Duck Confit a la Orange Sanguine Papillote
*Housemade Ricotta and Wintersquash Ravioli with a Cinnamon Cream Sauce.
*Crepes with house made ricotta,seasonal mushrooms, and spinach.
*Poulet Rôti served with a Winterroot mash and sauteed chard topped with caramelized red onions.
*Fri and Sat we will be serving oysters/mussels/clams throughout the season, but those are very classic and simple, garlic, butter, little wine and some fresh herbs.

Remember, no such thing as a dumb question or comment, I am looking for any sort of feedback.

The scallops and the spinach salad both sound pretty good, I'd order them. The duck a l'orange, too, actually.

Dunno about the ravioli in cinnamon-cream sauce, though; squash seems sweet enough without a cinnamon sauce (but I'm also not partial to winter squash in the first place, so that might be it).

Also, is the brie just the cheese, garlic, and apples? I only ask because I once made a brie in a similar fashion, but it tasted sort of weird with no "buffer" or medium between the garlic and apple flavors.

Overall nice menu though, hope it goes over well with your customers.

I needed to type all that shit up anyways.
I draft ideas on paper, but try and keep all my systems and logs that I create on google drive.
>(inb4 NSA i'm a /pol/lock, i know.)
Its been around for 12 years with the owner (same one the whole time) and has a good solid reputation around town, and it's in a pretty recently gentrified section of the town (almost like hipsters, but people with actual money, and jobs, and legit college degrees.)
It has been in little local periodicals in the past for best of and such awards and recognition, but not recently. The owner has also been through three chefs in two years, so we know what consistency can do and its pretty nice.
My next goal in my career is to have an article written about me (unfortunately I realized that I should be careful what I ask for, a scathing review would technically count as "an article about me")

>>5063234
Cheese boards are traditionally a dessert course aren't they? I've seen cheese as an hors d'ourve but a plate in a restaurant as an app I've never seen.

The entrees are not familiar to me, but they don't make me want to visit the restaurant. In my experience, when i've seen menus like this they're stupidly expensive for what you get and usually wanting for something more substantive.

Is this a casual dining, fine dining, high price, or what?

>>5063246
Pic related is the Housemade Ricotta and Wintersquash Ravioli with a Cinnamon Cream Sauce?

>>5063245
It's upper scale, but we have people in there wearing everything from sweaters and jeans to suits and evening gowns.
The prices for apps run at about 7-11 dollars (USA here)
the avg price for entrees is probably 17 dollars.
and I'm sorry, everything is in french because that's how the owners wants it (its always been that way she is very traditionalist)
>>5063246
No, its just a pretty picture of butternut ravioli I found online. So think white sauce, two "Swoops" one either side of the plate, and then a presentation similar to this (I like the idea of doing a candied sage leaf on top), though I was thinking of around 6 pieces to an order for around 7 bucks.

>>5063244
doing the cinnamon sauce slightly savory with a little tiny bit of chipotle heat .

>>5063234
Entrees:
*Blanquette de poisson
>White fish Stew (I was thinking Monkfish if its affordable, it is in season right now)
*Hachis Parmentier
>Shepherds Pie, I will be using bison as the meat and some Butternut squash in the mash part of it.
*Duck Confit a la Orange Sanguine Papillote
>so, confit (with meats) simply put, is poaching a meat in its own fat, so duck legs and thighs brined then slowly cooked in duck fat. this is a form of doing roasts where you put everything in parchment paper and cook it in a parchment packet. gonna have root veggeis and potatoes in there with candied blood oranges.
*Housemade Ricotta and Wintersquash Ravioli with a Cinnamon Cream Sauce.
>Savory cream sauce =)
*Crepes with house made ricotta,seasonal mushrooms, and spinach.
*Poulet Rôti served with a Winterroot mash and sauteed chard topped with caramelized red onions.
>this is literally just roast chicken. I gonna take some chicken, brine it for two days, and then roast it, not much else you need to do if its really good chicken.
*Fri and Sat we will be serving oysters/mussels/clams throughout the season, but those are very classic and simple, garlic, butter, little wine and some fresh herbs.

>>5063245
And I love the fact that you brought up how it can come across as pretentious, I think that scares a lot of people away, and really, this is french farmhouse cooking.
Our goal is simplicity.
But I love that I got that feedback, because that is something I had thought of also, but I think its just the bad stigma that is attached to anything french. (not implying that it is undeserved.)

>>5063263
some good restaurants that i've been to that want to exclusively title their dishes with french or something other than English are courteous enough to offer an english description of what things are. But I've always asked why not just drop the french and leave the english?

It should sound like you're getting peasant food but be super delighted when the waiter drops off your plate. Underpromise yet oversell your skills.

Didn't gordon ramsay say duck a la orange was from the 70's and out dated?

The prices seem reasonable, but depending on the city they may be high for the average person. If you get an app, entree, dessert, wine, that could easily be $50-$75 per person. Better be worth it.

>>5063273
Well, it is a french restaurant with french decoration, french owner, etc. The description is offered on the menu, so the menu reads
Poulet rotis- roast chicken served with blah blah blah.
And yes, I am in a major city that is full of "foodies"
As for the Duck a la orange, I'm using blood oranges, the duck is confit, and I make a vanilla demi glace that goes with the whole thing, so it's classic, but not boring. And Gordon Ramsay also says to use ingredients that are in season, which is what that dish is all about. we also change the menu once a month, so it hopefully will spark some warm memories for people who have not seen that in a while.
If it bombs, if this dish doesnt sell, I will come back and let you know you told me so. lul.

>>5063273
I would say also, in agreement with you and gordon ramsay, that french and italian where very "plastic" in the 70's, so yes, I totally feel you on where that comment is coming from. Remember though, the inspiration here is farmhouse.

Is it just me or are French restaurants in America usually expensive while actual restaurants located in France aren't that pricey at all?

Do cheap French restaurants exist in America?

>>5063260
Overall, I'm digging the menu.

My favorite entree is the duck confit, but that's more because I have had foi gras with an orange compote that was insanely good
and I'm hoping the same flavors result.

The entree I would be most interested in trying would be the ravioli; a savory cinnamon sauce sounds fun. Here's hoping you try the candied sage as it really just works with that style.

In terms of price... I like it.

May i ask what desserts you offer?

>>5063282
Well, gonna do crepes Suzette.
I want to do a carrot cake,
mousses sell really well there with the ladies,
the owners mother does the dessert menu so I normally wont have to touch it to much, except to show her things and make sure her items stay in line with the product I am bringing in so i dont have to bring in product for just one order.

Do you have anything that is jumping out at you after reading this? Anything that sounds to you like it should be at the end of this menu?

>>5063277
>vanilla demi glace

This reminded me of that one guy who was kicked out of this season of Top Chef who put white chocolate on a ceviche.

There's better ways to surprise people then trying to play something heavily associated with sweet into a savory dish. People are not as adventurous as you think, especially when it comes to comfort food.

>>5063294
Reading the description of the duck again, my only reaction would be to enjoy a strong black coffee.

If the duck is heavier than I'm imagining it to be, and this will probably sound odd, I would spring for a rich mousse. something about the coldness just "waxes poetic" in my head.

Fuck man, I know ill spend the rest of the night thinking about pairings for your menu.

>>5063310
Chocolate mousse, sorry.

>>5063294
Eh, its all very quintessential, generic or pedantic stuff you'd expect to see in a french place. If I'm honest I don't really care for french food because its rather boring and super expensive.

I can't help you much though, i'd say do some kind of cream filled puff pastry or souffle. Maybe a bigne or dougnut.

I guess my main point is don't make what people are expecting from a french restaurant; make something that will surprise them.

>>5063260

Aren't you going to ruin the crispy duck skin if you steam it in parchment paper?

>>5063229
Dude Thomas Keller says quiche is a MUST in every bistro and he is RIGHT :D. Get some quiche in there.

I hope none of your patrons see the 'hearty, not heavy' sign.

In January no one wants to see either of those words and would want to be reminded off lighter healthier words (since the excess of the festive eating)

Agree with previous anon that cheeseboards should be served after the meal, or at least in lieu of one if customers come in just for wine and a snack at the bar.

Using the French term for shepherd's pie doesn't make it not pub food.

The confit a l'orange in paper had better be amazing, because it sounds like trying to put three things together when one would suffice. Explain.

Also, whi cinnamon against the ravioli instead of nutmeg and/or sage? I could see cinnamon to spin an Italian dish Lebanese, but here it seems heavy handed.

>>5063308
It's not for sweetness , it's for the brown notes.
Plus, the duck confit is brined with sugar and salt, so it has a natural sweetness to it, and it is paired in a dish with candied blood oranges. I think it would work paired with it.
What about just doing the orange syrup left over from candying the blood oranges and leave out the demi altogether?

>>5063310
we have an italian style steam espresso and we bring it in daily from a roaster just a few blocks away, it's really good coffee, nice crema on it.

>>5063313
well, that why the owner fired the last chef, because he was trying to turn it into a asian place.
I super appreciate your input on the dessert, some pate choux with a custard could be awesome, and would work well as a lighter end of meal.
There are not a lot of french places where I am, to be honest, I can think of 3.
And that is not my call to make, the owner has said she wants "farmhouse french", and she signs my paycheck, the restaurant has been there for 12 years, they are making money, that got a great customer base, everything is running perfectly there man, and if it aint broke, I'm not smart, or experienced enough, or in charge, to fix it.
I am sure we will bring in more exciting stuff done the food here and there, but the owner has made very clear what she wants, and I am ok with delivering that.I'm just not gonna fight that battle, my ego is not so inflated.

>>5063316
confit
>>5063330
thats a really great point, and it's so easy to make them with seasonal themes, they fire awesome for service, and women love them.
>>5063333
I would never dare write a theme on the top of my menus. I think of descriptives when people describe what they want on menus to me. And yeah, we thought about the jan thing, peaople just got done pigging out for the holidays, but where i live it is COLD.
so people want filling food thats not gonna make them gain weight when their new years resolution is too slim down. hence the Blanquette with fish instead of veal, the crepes, the ravioli.
>>5063384
that is the majority of what people use them for, they are very popular with date couples. This is also in America's Midwest, people don't order cheese plates after a meal here, sorry. People also don't eat their salads after an entree either, so whatever, the market is what the market is.The confit, because it is a small restaurant , and we have limited space, to being able to break down and process an entire order of protein in one go in a benefit to labor, and efficacy in that kitchen. Trust me, the kitchen is limited in space and equipment, so being able to have a dish that we pop into a skillet and it just goes in the oven REALLY helps with the flow of the tickets. Its really quite a simple dish, root veggies in a parchment cooking vessel, with some candied orange and a leg and thigh of duck.
It's not a pup dish, it's a farmhouse dish.It's also being made with bison, once again, so that it is a dish we can assemble quickly and easily, this is my first menu here, this is my first restaurant chef position, The owner and I want to keep it simple so that we are not killing our selves over service right now while we are working stuff out. seriously, VERY SMALL KITCHEN.
And cinnamon because it is native to the cuisine where I am, as is sage.

Do they eat a lot of bison in France?

If comfort food is what you're going for, then okay. Get rid of "Duck Confit a la Orange Sanguine Papillote". It's contrived. Either do duck l'orange, confit of duck leg, or something en papillote (not duck).
White bean cassolette with sausage and duck, beef bourguigignon and stuff like that is great. Class it up a little. I obviously don't need to tell you this, but, yeah, my reaction to the duck dish was not good.

>>5063719
Well, mozzarella cheese is only truly mozzarella if it is made with buffalo milk, so , maybe.
>>5063809
I love your feedback, but I am going to stick with that item. Like I said, if it bombs, I will make sure to let you guys know, I am sure I will make mistakes, and I am sure I will do some things right, I'm learning and thats just kinda how it works.
I had originally sugest a cassolette but we have the white fish stew, so we didnt want all stews as entrees, but I think we are doing one next month when I change the menu.
What if the Duck was on the menu as just duck a la orange?
Its an open kitchen they can see it is papillote.

>>5063234

I'd be worried with the prosciutto in sauce with scallops, could become chewy. Not sure if you want to showcase a "properly cooked scallop" and contrast, or if you're worried that your scallops will be chewy.

Spinach, egg, and dijon is a very strong appetizer. The oxalic acid of the spinach, the lecithin in the egg yolk and the mustard would really numb the tongue and palate, I think.

I think your charcuterie board is very ... rustic-manly, I guess. Blue collar is the word I wanted to use.

I think you're overdoing it with the apples, like the candied nuts on the cheese platter. Roasted garlic and apple?

I think the fishes clash with the overall early-winter theme.

>>5063229
The squash ravioli would do better with a more acidic sauce, like apples or something peppery/hot. It's nice to see spinach on the menu, id consider ordering both the salad and/or the crepes. However I'd really enjoy seeing something smoky on a cold winter day, maybe in a soup or a stew?

>>5063280
>anything in Europe
>not insanely overpriced
Pick one.

>>50644622
The prosciutto will be crisped and held on the side, once the scallops are cooked, the crispy prosciutto will go on top.
I'll leave out the dijon then and use roasted shallots. I have some leftover champagne vinaigrette from the old chefs new years eve service. (Today was my first day and the guy had way over ordered food, so we are gonna blow through that with a special menu this week and switch to my planned one monday.)
Thank you for that with the charcuterie board, that's what we want, awesome.
The garlic is with melted brie. soft roasted garlic under piece of brie and melted in the oven, then the walnuts and apples for it. It is a plate that has been there on the menu for years because it is a fantastic seller. The owner said that it's staying on the menu, but I actually have a Brie en Croute with brandied pears on there for tomorrow service. But that B&G sells wonderful, and really, its simple and very delicious, the fresh apples are a nice reset from the garlic, and the roasting really helps mild it down. Our servers are VERY skilled with wines, they can steer someone with that app choice correctly. Plus, its awesome with a Pilsner Urquell. ( but I will keep your suggestion in mind as we draft up new menu in the future)
Really? I'm doing a Fond Blanc (white stock) with parsnips, cauliflower, bonito, onion, celery, cream and butter, and gonna have butter beans in it. Its all winter ingredients....
>>5064479
I have a wonderful elder wood smoked salt I like , I can use that to add smoky touches to stuff, but I cant smoke things in the kitchen it is an open space, and we have to keep the air "clean" or customers get upset (understandably) I like the pepper apple idea, Let me think on that, and Ill give it a go as a special in a week or two and let you know how it sells. Seriously.
>>5064498
But a french restaurant serving french ingredients in France would of course be cheaper than in America......

>>5064462
typed over your post number, sorry, hopefully it is obvious that I am responding to your post.

So keep in mind, When I am working with this menu,
I have to balance my ordering, we are a smaller place, so I have about 8 different vendors I can use. All have different shut off times for order, some I have to place orders two days out, some are deliveries only some days, some have a minimum order dollar amount that I have to meet , some have a case size I have to meet, some have none of that.
We also have to keep the menu easy on ourselves due to the size of the kitchen, Im new at this, and my staff is a bit green also, so we are all moving this ship together.
You guys wanna see a picture of the kitchen?
(Its on my crappy phone because I refuse to spend more then 30 bucks on a phone that I will inevitably melt, drown, or crush in the kitchen.)

>>5065613
and one more from the other end. that's a bar type counter surrounding us where the customers sit and watch.
That's what I mean by an open kitchen.

>>5063229
>>5063234

To be honest if I looked at your menu I'd probably walk by, this is far too french for me, and me like the rest of the world has been eating french food for several years.

that being said if I had to change things.

Eggplant instead of lentils for your pate, using the standard shallots/green peppercorns/herbs/port/cognac like a regular pate or mousse, I find eggplant much nicer then lentils.

A spinach salad is very old school, consider a mix or rough chopped gem lettuce, thats a bit more modern. the eggs and vin seem fine though, maybe some crisp root veg for garnish(tarrow root looks great on salad)

I'd take the garlic off that brie dish, its delicious but most people when they see a whole clove of garlic on the plate they're thinking off the make out session theyre having after the meal, and opt not to eat the garlic.

Bison for bisons sake on a sheppards pie doesnt do it for me either, I'd much rather have a high fat content of good quality beef, possibly fatty ground lamb in there as well.

I'd serve the duck with brussel sprouts as well to even the plate out

cream is a large no no for most people, i'd consider using a chicken stock/butter/truffle oil and parm instead, cinnamon and pasta won't go well together, I understand you want it to match the filling of the ravioli but just dont.

If you brine a chicken with its skin on for 2 days, that skin is going to look like shit and have a bad texture.

Thats just like, my opinion though I'm sure you'll think im an asshole

How many episodes of Kitchen Nightmares have you seen?

>>5065621
Good luck, OP.

You want to know what I think? The Midwest has some of the best ingredients in the country, yet some of the worst food, because the overriding value is being a "normal" guy, and not being "fancy".

So you're fighting an uphill battle. But we know folks with money in the Midwest will pay for decent Italian and French. And some cool things have gone down in Chicago. But let's face it, General Mills and their ilk have really fucked up the food culture in the Midwest.

Sooner or later some chef is going to take French technique, graft on some German and Scandinavian (maybe even Hmong) influences while using all the bounty the Midwest has to offer, and become a superstar.

It isn't going to happen tomorrow, but it will happen.

Here's hoping your future self is that man, OP.

In the meantime, make sure your cheese plate has the 18 month aged Gouda from Holland Family Cheese in Thorp, WI on it. One of the best cheeses in the country.

>>5065650
I love the feedback, but once again, this has been a successful restaurant for 12 years, so It's staying french.
Bison is in the dish because lamb isn't in season, if it is not in season, we try and steer away from it. Bison is in season, I can grind my own chuck roast, and leaner is the idea. Comforting and familiar, but local and not killer heavy.
They have been running brussels with the duck with the old chef who got sacked for three months, people have gotten pretty tired of brussels with it.
The cinnamon sauce will pair well with the ravioli, it will be more appropriate to describe it as scented, I promise. I've tasted it, is yummy....
I changed my brine time on the chicken to 18 hours, Though right now I am running through some older product, and it is a pre cut trimmed airline breast, so I have it going in a Lavender Brine right now. I plan to use whole WOGS , cheaper and I can bring in 6 head at a time, which gives me enough portions for about 3-4 days that way. two cases to get through the weekend.
And, no, you don't come off as an ass, all feedback is useful, even if it makes me think, "well hell, why I am i doing this with that item?"
its good it makes me justify me decisions, also, Im sure a year from now I will have things that I hate that right now I think are brilliant ideas, so, I ultimately have to make a decision and roll with it.
>>5065677
Some. Why?
>>5065679
Thanks, I think that could be awesome, there is so much hidden Scandinavian and German heritage out here that people have forgotten about.
I will ask my cheese monger about that cheese tomorrow when I touch base with them.
Have you ever had Beechers Extra-reserve Raw Milk Flagship? fucking cheddar and Gruyere culture blend...mmmmm

>>5063473
>confit

Does that look like soggy skin to you?

>>5065729
>water brine

You have read the recent literature? Simply rubbing your meat with salt an hour or two beforehand gives it enough time to brine itself, of course overnight is better.

>>5065729
>fucking cheddar and Gruyere culture blend
So it's kind of like a Cantal with a little of the nuttiness and complexity of a Compte? Or is it not quite so Frenchy? Sounds weird, but delicious, regardless. Will look for it next time I'm in the Midwest..

Well shit, OP, I'd bring a date to your restaurant.

If you're looking for rustic French, something a la normande would be good. Cream, Calvados and apples really can't be beat.
And if the owner is traditional I'm surprised the cheese board is an app

Other than that great menu

>>5063310

I agree it is like adding a pinch of salt to a sweet dish so it doesnt feel like it is too sweet. Balance out the palate so you want to eat more. I remember when i went to Joe Fortes the Creme of the brulee was savory

>>5065753
yeah, but confit doesn't come out of the poaching crispy, that is if you oven roast or pan sear the confit, the purpose of the papillote is so we can take a packet when an order comes in and just pop it in the oven. It will be like a braise
>>5065768
I actually found it in pikes place market in Seattle when I was living there.
>>5065763
My sources (Michael Ruhlmans 'Charcuterie')
says for dry rubs , rub, loosely wrap with plastic, overnight.
I wanted the wet brine so the lavender flavor would be evenly distributed, and not localized, there was maybe 3/4 of a tea spoon of lavender for a gallons worth of brine. I could never get that powdered enough to spread over in dry form.
I do prefer dry rubs though (used to eat BBQ in Memphis) Maybe I will try that on some game bird for next menu ( Want to do some partridge or pheasant)
>>5065788
mid-west/south-west location, what can you do man? Though maybe I will bark up that try and see what comes down.
>>5065783
thats the idea, thank you.

>>5065805
>I actually found it in pikes place market in Seattle
Might be a while for me then. I don't get out there that often. But the Northwest is a place with great ingredients and a cool food scene. The moment the Midwest gets over its regular guy Betty Crocker bullshit it could follow suit.

>>5065805
>Ruhlman

Really you're going to put Ruhlman over McGee, Modernist Cuisine, Serious Eats, and every other scientific leaning publication that says a wet brine is worthless?

The lavender flavor will never penetrate the meat, flavored brines have long been proven to be bullshit.

>>5065621
Looks good OP, would eat there, put the god damn quiche in the menu though. Yeah, I am that guy again.

>>5065846
you are going to imply that ruhlman does not study mcgee in the first place.
you are also implying "on food and Cooking" is not literally right next to "charcuterie" on my book shelf.
The lavender does come through, I've done it. And I'm sorry, but time and time again I have flavored meats with liquid brines, I'm gonna have to disagree with you over the usefulness of them. From fried chicken to cuba pork sandwiches, I have had good results with wet brines. I am not discriminating, I just choose wet because once again there would be know way to infuse the lavender dry and not over season the protein.
And Mcgee is awesome, but Ruhlman and Polcyn specialize in curing meats.
If you doubt me, give it a go yourself. I use a ratio of 1 cup salt to 3/4 cup sugar per gallon of water. then just add your flavoring. I would love to hear your results.

>>5065881
fuck, meant to mention that to the owner, I will write it down and do it tomorrow.
I may need it because I only nice enough calimari to get me through friday (it was leftover, I didn't bring it in) and I whipped up some phyllo dough today for my brie encroute so I have everything on hand. I will have a new batch of creme fraiche starting to culture tomorrow, so come friday, I would have some to throw into the quiche batter.

>>5065846
"and you know what, I was going to be polite and just kind of let you be a dick and not mention it, but you know what , fuck that.
suck a dick:
Brining has two distinct effects on muscle tissue.

First, the high salinity of the brine “disrupts the structure of the muscle filaments” (On Food and Cooking, Pg 155). At about 3% salinity, the brine will partially dissolve “the protein structure” which supports the muscle filaments that contract when cooked. The more these muscles filaments are allowed to contract, the tougher your meat will be.

At about 5.5% salinity, the muscle filaments themselves are partially dissolved. Since their contracting ability is hindered by the salt, the muscle filaments contract less, effectively making your meat more tender.

Second, they way in which salt interacts with protein, allows the protein to retain more moisture, which is absorbed from the liquid of the brine itself. According to Harold McGee’s on Food and Cooking:

The meat’s weight increases by 10% or more. When cooked, the meat still loses around 20% of its weight in moisture, but this loss is counterbalanced by the brine absorbed, so the moisture loss is effectively cut in half. (PG 156)

This is what allows brined meat to stay more moist, compared to its unbrined counterpart."

as somebody who thinks about trying for a kitchen placement this thread is a gem

>>5065926
good, I am trying to go a little deeper into my decisions as to why and how I am doing my menu, I thought that might be a cool sneak peek for some people here who maybe had not seen that stuff before.
I'm glad you are liking it, if everyone seems to be digging this, I will try and keep this up.
Any questions or comments in particular?
also, I started doing this when I was 19. I'm 28 now and this is my first restaurant chef position, I have no culinary degree, and I started off in the kitchen below the dish washer, i was the "pot scrubber."
So it just takes work and passion.
Are you thinking about culinary school?

>>5065896
thats great, but do me a favor and use pate brisee please, if I can make it pretty quick by hand, you guys should have no problem, makes big difference. Wild mushrooms do say winter pretty well, too, consider it, thats my favorite :). Let me ask you a question, you are roasting the lavender brined chicken right? What else are you doing to chicken, seems interesting I would like to try it but can't match it with other flavors in my head. Also fresh or dried lavenders? I have a good stock of dried for lady lavender but fresh might be a little problematic.

On another note fuck the haters and come inform us how you are doing every now and then, this is the only pleasant thread I have been to in a while.

>>5065965
brb, gonna walk the dogs, then Ill get to your post Anon.

>>5065948

Its interestng to learn the thoughts behind making dishes work and building them, I'm still reading through everything.

>Are you thinking about culinary school?

I'd like to work in an actual kitchen a little before trying any schooling, as schooling doesnt sound necessary and I want to make sure a kitchen atmosphere is for me, even if it was just washing pans at the start so I know what I am really getting into.

>>5065973
a lot of people I have talked to have thought that got the most out of culinary school by having some kitchen experience , no matter what kitchen it was in, Just to learn the basics of rotation, labeling, food safety, etc. And school can give you a leg up, but you get out of it what you put in. However the industry is one of the few left these days where you can do just as well without a degree.
>>5065965
the brisee is fucking brilliant, and I will allready be having shrooms come in for other items on my menu, so I will definatley do one as a special. If it does well, I will do it as my pate next month. ( I want to have one vegetarian/vegan pate and one meat pate down the road be standard on the menu {actually any kind of forcemeat, terrines, loafs, rillettes, etc})
so that will be easy to try because I will have all the mise for it
Yes I am going to roast the chicken. I have some chicken jus, I will have a little of that in the bottom of a shallow bowl, then some sauteed baby(babby) kale with caramelized onions wilted with the chicken jus., sitting right next to some roasted babby carrots and beets, with some wafer thin watermelon radish.
Dried lavender, be careful with it though, too much will ruin a dish and turn you off of lavender , go easy on it, it is very easy to overdo.
As far as the haters go, I know, but it's not fair to others reading this thread to be misinformed that wet brines are useless. I can let ignorance and trolling slide, but not misinformation.But yeah, I plan to keep this thread going, and when it dies, I'll keep creating new ones and let you guys know how its going on.
but for now, rest.
Night all,
may your pasta always be al-dente.

>>5066000
having some kitchen experience first. before culinary school, sorry, really tired.
>my friend started at Johnson and Wales when he was TWENTY EIGHT. He Has now been GM of his own Bonefish Grill now for a year, a brand new one too. He is 32. So he is doing pretty well.
Talk with people and see what you think. In america it seems that you need to go to a pretty prestigious culinary school for the degree itself to open doors, otherwise it is very skill based, and networking base. (help out with catering gigs is a great way to spread your name, but remember that a bad rep will spread faster than a good one.)
you could also ask some local places if they would let you do a weekly "stage" (pronounced stah-gh) thats when you either, try out for a paid position by working a shift or service for free, or it can mean working as an unpaid trainee. I know some older guys that do it just for shits and giggles, they are brokers or some shit. You never know until you ask. But remember you can learn something from everyone, and the best ideas can come from the people you least expect.
Ok, sleep for real now.

Question OP:

I love cooking and have a passion for it, especially more expensive cuisine. However, I've only ever cooked at home, meaning if I'm cooking for 4 people I'm great, but put me in a restaurant and I wouldn't know what to do.
How different is home cooking vs restaurant cooking? Would my skill/passion even matter that much or is it an entirely different ballgame? And how do I break into restaurants if I decide that's what I want?

>>5063246
>My next goal in my career is to have an article written about me

Cheffag here. That's a selfish, egotistical goal of yours. It'll happen on its own if you're actually a good chef, which is much less about brilliant creativity in the kitchen and much more about:

1) consistency
2) being a good manager (e.g. keep your cooks happy and engaged, in line and on time)
3) consistency
4) underselling and overdelivering

Your dessert menu needs some serious, serious work, by the way.

any self-respecting small french bistro must always have steak frites on the menu.

What the hell is a "bistro", anyway? There was one near my apartment during college, and it was mediocre overpriced overly fancy food. What distinguishes one from a Denny's aside from parsley garnish?

>>5066363

When you get down to it, not much. A bistro is an informal restaurant with less than 100 seats. Service is fast and the food reasonably inexpensive and approachable. Where a Cafe is meant for lounging for hours on end, a Bistro is typically in-and-out.

In America, it's just a meaningless word that clueless restaurateurs append to the name of their restaurants for exotic cachet. It could mean that it's inexpensive, or it could mean that you're spending 30 bucks on an entree.

>>5063229

I can't take you seriously as you don't even know how to spell restaurant correctly.

>>5063234
> scallops
> red wine
no
> crepes for an entree
what are you, American?
> duck with oranges
oh my, it's like it's 1970 all over again!

also, why no variety with your shellfish preparation? clam chowder? mussel pie? no raw oysters?

>>5066438
>clam chowder
pedestrian
>mussel pie
no. just no
>raw oysters
blasê

>>5066455
fine
moules gratin at least. quintessential french bistro food

>>5066051
if you have a passion for it and have some semblance of cooking then you may be able to translate that to the professional field. However, you still would need those managerial skills too, if you aren't a people person, be one first. If you can't take stress, learn how to manage it.

>>5066000
Yeah I know, lavander can go downhill pretty fast, I have some experience from inedible lemon bars I made first time I used them :). Thanks man, I'll try and let you know.

>>5066469
>a people person
Have you met many chefs? At least a quarter of them are intolerable fucks.

>>5063229
Congrats!!! That food looks really good, but I'd cut out the greenery... are you making a forest there or some good food for normal human beings?

>>5065621
seems ok, but where is the exhaust fan?

>>5065537

Very well, carry on then.

>>5066657
Either they turn out that way after they make it big or they fail to make it big. Because if you don't have large sums of money to invest in yourself, your best asset is the ability to suck up to people. All those tigers you met were little kittens a decade ago. See Gordon Ramsay as Marco Pierre White' s personal bitch for example, it never ceases to be amusing :). Of course TV chefs are kind of an example because they are mostly scripted but huge egoist chefs turn that way after they get famous as well.

>>5066666
OP here.
There isn't a Hood system.
Thats what I mean by I have limitations.
We are getting one finally, but it is in a historic part of the town, so it's apparatnly, one, $75000, and two, a shit ton of paperwork to get through.
>>5066065
We updated it yesterday actually, I just havent posted it in this thread yet, I will go into more detail tonight when I post. And yeah, I have an ego because I am pretty damn good at what I do. There is a difference between bragging and having self confidence.
>>5066360
no hood system, open kitchen, too much smoke. Also, really? that is more a of brasserie item in my mind.
>>5066438
um, yes we are american.
If you dont want the duck dont order it, we have plenty of patrons who do.
and because I am a landlocked state, so shellfish is a specialty, not a focal point. Local ingredients are my priority.
>>5066051
passion is the most important thing. You end up with a lot of older chefs who have burned out because they never had true passion for what they were doing....passion is very important.
>>5066414
I thought it was funny. I guess no one trolls on /ck/?
>>5066469
being a people person is not required. I am not, I do well with patrons, but It is by no means a natural skill for me. Most people get in kitchens because they dont like people, otherwise they would be serving in front making money.
>>5066661
It was the day after the new years eve celebration.
Yesterday was a prep up day, I have my first full service tonight. (we only do dinner service)
>>5066738
so much this, you have to wait till you are at the top of the mountain until you start pouring piss on everyone. Must of us just want to be left alone and work.

>>5066867
>We updated it yesterday actually, I just havent posted it in this thread yet, I will go into more detail tonight when I post. And yeah, I have an ego because I am pretty damn good at what I do. There is a difference between bragging and having self confidence.

Life is going to swat you down, and hard.

There's a big, big difference between being a good cook and a good chef. Being a good chef ISN'T about getting an article written about you, and if that's your motivation you might as well give up now.

>>5067199

A good chef had better keep an eye on the bottom line, or he isn't going to have a place to cook in for very long. A good chef needs to fill seats and have repeat customers. A well written review/article does just that.

OP doesn't come across as a chef that is only motivated by getting in the limelight, although posting on here might suggest just the opposite.

We all are proud of what we do, and there may be some starving artist type chefs that don't want any press, they just want to cook, but that doesn't mean they're doing it right.

bamp

>>5065846
>/ck/ in charge of incorrectly citing books on the assumption that no one else has read them

never change, retards

>>5063234
>open thread
>see post starting with "apps"
>close thread

>>5065613
limit yourself to 3 types of sandwiches 1 salad and 1 stew/soup

>>5063229
Félicitation si un jour j'ai le temps j'irai goûté ta cuisine

Bisous d'amour

>>5063234
how do you prepare all this food every day in that tight space with no stove and without any help?

are you going lazy and cooking only once a week?

>>5063229
how do you prepare all this fresh every day? how long does it take to prep all this? why not make less dishes and make them simpler? consomée?

>>5069581
Félicitations* goûter*

bump

Hey OP here.
I'm just real quick gonna give you guys a little run down of how the last two nights of service have gone:
FUCKING AWESOME.
Everyone loved the food, the business has been good, the owner is happy, and the lavender brined chicken is a huge hit.
Tonight will probably be busy, but I will try and see if I can maybe get a few pictures, however, my phone is super shitty, so they might not turn out great.
I got my first food order in yesterday, and tonight will probably be the first two new items on the menu:
>the scallops served a white wine sauce with crispy speck
and
>The Posion Blanquette, or white fish white stew. I got a beautiful north alaskan sourced cod, wild caught, all natural, frozen on boat,blah blah blah.
I am off tomorrow, so I am gonna catch up on this thread, respond to everyone, I apologize for being scare the last few days, but I have dogs and a wife, and only so much free time, and they get first dibs of it.
Hope you guys are doing well!

>>5072692

>cod

Well at least it's in a stew.

What kind of dogs op?

Duck a l'orange? What is this, 1975?

>>5072714
Dog a l'orange.

>>5069594
we are simplifying the menu and shortening labor some. Today we open at 5pm for service, so I am going in at 1.
so, probably a total of 8 hours labor for daily prep, and yes, we cook stuff to order, and if we make a sauce or soup, etc, we try and make a three day batch size, so we are ideally making it twice a week, if not three times so it is fresh. Simple things like herbed dressings are prepared fresh daily.
stuff like sofritos and tapenades are prepared weekly.
>>5069587
I have help, lol.
We also have a root cellar, we keep back up mixers, slicers, etc down there and bring them up during prep time in the morning when we are not open for service. when service starts, we clear all the excess equip away.
the stoves we use are little portable propane burners. like you see at an omelet bar or catering gig.
We have no hood system, the building was grandfathered claused in as a historical something or another, and basically, they literally a few weeks ago, just got permission to put one in. Fire code says with out a hood, we cant have a grill/stove in there. those ovens are electric. the owners has through out the history of the place, bought out the adjacent rooms in the building and knocked down the walls, and made it more space for her. It has grown slowly over time as the community increased in the area and business has steadily grown.
I have help, I have a prep cook that works about 25 hours a week , a cook the covers for peoples days off , he works about 18 hours a week, and I have my sous, I try and keep her hours at 45 a week (she is salary)
So fuck, no, we try and do as much fresh daily (pasta, lettuce prep, veg prep, certain sauces) but some things like pate, ideally you can make maybe two batches a week. we do things like mix all the dry ingredients for our pastry dough beforehand for a week, shit like that. work smart, not hard.
>>5069581
that's super sweet , thank you.

ok, nap, then work, I'll hit the rest tonight/tomorrow morning.

>>5067199
nah, probably not, I am a good chef, I've done this before, this is just my first restaurant.
And I'm pretty sure that I am capable of choosing my own goals and milestones on account of you are not the boss of all this hotness.
So, you know, just keep being bitter.
>>5068555
I'm just posting here because I finally have something that can actually contribute to part of 4chans culture besides me just sitting on /pol/ listening to everyone yell about shillbots.
And thank you for getting the comment about the article.
I am not a chef who wears his coat in public if that tells you anything. I also just have my staff call me by my name, none of that chef stuff. I don't own Shun knives and I hate truffles. I am not looking for the liimelight, I want to be able to cook good food, make people happy, and spend time with my family.
The whole point of me doing this chef thing is
1)I now make enough money my wife and I COULD have a child.
2) to do this while I am young , so I can move to a position when I am older and actually have kids, where I can be a part of my family, and not work crazy insane hours.

bump, cause this is worth us saving.

this is pretty cool OP. I would definitely go here.

And as someone who's only option (not begrudgingly) is to work in the food industry, I would definitely want to work at this restaurant.

>>5072755

You'll be one in a million if you can ease back on hours. Being a chef means always being there, but you know that. that's why writing a decent memoir (a la Prune) or a decent cookbook ( a la far too many) can tip you over the edge. Keep a little journal with some anecdotes of kitchen stuff, and start writing down memories from your youth.

You'll be rolling in babies in no time.