You have probably heard that all head chefs behave like rock stars and I am here to confirm this. Waitresses flirt with them because they have to be fed, and if they want to be fed well, that’s what they resort to doing – the concept is somewhat Neolithic. Because in the barbaric kitchen domain there is no such thing as the Human Resources Department, comments and acts of sexual harassment are rife and commonly accepted. All this bad behaviour stems from years of abuse by other chefs and dishonest owners so when they have climbed to the top of the food chain, they transcend all past aggression to others as if it is a rite of passage.
Ageing of meat/ Maturation: After the animal is killed, the flesh is still warm and it passes through a stage known in France as pantelante (twitching). Then rigor mortis sets in. In the next stage, rassise, the flesh becomes tender and flavoursome as the sinews are less taut and the muscles relax. The speed and intensity with which meat ages is influenced both by the quality of the meat (which is affected by the animal’s diet) and the ambient temperature.
When a chef has been abused to the point that is insufferable, you may find that he/she may leave without notice or quite literally walk out of the kitchen as soon as payday comes around – in the midst of a full service. You may also find that your prized produce has gone missing (which explains why all the good meat and coffee are locked up). In the restaurant where I work, the executive chef, sous chef, chef de partie and I have decided to walk out of the restaurant today because the owner was planning to replace all of us with cheaper staff and he did not pay government-compulsory superannuation. We all have other jobs already lined up, which is the one great thing about being a chef – you are guaranteed a job anywhere in the world.
Hanging/ Faisandage: Derived from the French word “faisan” (pheasant). The operation of leaving red meat in a cool place for varying length of time to make the flesh more tender and improve in flavour. In theory, beef should be hung for 3-4 weeks at -1.5°C, 15 days at 0°C, two days at 20°C or one day at 43°C. In practice, however, it is hung in a cold room at 2°C for 5-6 days.
Saturday, February 23, 2008
Monday, February 18, 2008
The scars bring out the brute in me
I have managed to acquire two burns from hot oil, another on my wrist for accidentally touching the edge of a hot saucepan, cuts of my left ring finger, a hairline cut across my forehead (which I can’t recall how I got it) and scalded finger tips from immersing food in boiling water – all this in one day. I get branded on a daily basis and because I work in intense heat, I tend to be more aggressive. I am starting to curse a lot more than usual and when I get attitude from people, I tend to lash out at them– no more “Delicate Asian Flower”. The other day, I politely asked the waitress to serve out the dish immediately and she quipped, “My name is X and I only respond to my name, thank you very much!” I was already under so much pressure trying to cook through the orders and just lost it. I asked her what my name was and she didn’t get it right, so I told her and said, “So don’t you forget MY NAME, you fucking high school dropout!” She’s been nicer to me ever since.
In the abattoir, health and hygiene inspections take place at three stages – on the living animal, on the viscera (internal organs) and on the carcass; at the two latter stages this may lead to confiscation of all or part of the product. If all the inspections are satisfactory the carcass is branded as conforming to legal requirements.
You will find that in many restaurants, the kitchen and the wait staff do not mix well. Quite understandable when the wait staff gets abused by fussy restaurant patrons and in turn, will annoy the chefs. On the other hand, chefs work in intense conditions and the kitchen functions like a well-oiled machine but when an order is not taken correctly and the food is sent back to the kitchen, chefs will take it out on the wait staff, as it disrupts the somewhat smooth-flowing operation. I have noticed in really great restaurants, one partner would head the kitchen while the other partner heads the dining room and this creates great team interaction between the two domains.
In the abattoir, health and hygiene inspections take place at three stages – on the living animal, on the viscera (internal organs) and on the carcass; at the two latter stages this may lead to confiscation of all or part of the product. If all the inspections are satisfactory the carcass is branded as conforming to legal requirements.
You will find that in many restaurants, the kitchen and the wait staff do not mix well. Quite understandable when the wait staff gets abused by fussy restaurant patrons and in turn, will annoy the chefs. On the other hand, chefs work in intense conditions and the kitchen functions like a well-oiled machine but when an order is not taken correctly and the food is sent back to the kitchen, chefs will take it out on the wait staff, as it disrupts the somewhat smooth-flowing operation. I have noticed in really great restaurants, one partner would head the kitchen while the other partner heads the dining room and this creates great team interaction between the two domains.
Saturday, February 16, 2008
Food Photo Shoot
Tuesday, February 12, 2008
Would you like my knife in your chest or in your back?
I have a new Japanese boyfriend called Shun – not only is he beautiful, he is also very sharp. Although size-wise he is not as impressive as my former lover, the 23 cm still does the job. The only problem with Shun is that I am forced to also spend money on Shun’s partner Kai but after a few trysts with Kai, I have discovered how wonderful he is with all my other knives!
My knives are the loves of my life and as a commercial chef, you have to dedicate time (and money) sharpening your tools of trade. Using a ceramic rod on a daily basis can keep your knives sharp but after a month, it still loses its edge which is why you should maintain it by having it professionally sharpened, or buy a KAI electric knife sharpener.
If using a sharpening stone, chefs either use water, soapy water or oil but stick to just one medium. I would recommend just water as using oil could get messy and soil your knife wallet. When using water, soak the stone for at least 15 minutes prior to sharpening your knife. Depending on the make of your knife, the angle of the blade could range from 15-35 degrees from the surface of the sharpening stone.
While we are in the realms of discussing sharp objects, I might as well mention the backstabbing that happens in the kitchen. Even the executive chef’s position is not safe unless he is in co-partnership with the restaurant owner (and this may happen if the owner thinks that he can replace the executive chef with someone who would cost less). Just as how you would observe certain signs in the office to indicate there is some movement in the corporate world (e.g. HR department instructed to halt employee intake prior to large mergers/ redundancies), there are also signs in the kitchen when someone has to leave unexpectedly. You know that you are being replaced when the owner insists on getting your recipes from you, or you know that the chef is leaving on his own accord when he doesn’t give a rat’s ass to perform a stock-take of the larder. So if you are a chef, keep your recipes to yourself and do not share it with anyone.
Serrated knives (such as bread knives) will eventually lose their sharpness and because they cannot be sharpened, they have to be replaced every few years.
My knives are the loves of my life and as a commercial chef, you have to dedicate time (and money) sharpening your tools of trade. Using a ceramic rod on a daily basis can keep your knives sharp but after a month, it still loses its edge which is why you should maintain it by having it professionally sharpened, or buy a KAI electric knife sharpener.
If using a sharpening stone, chefs either use water, soapy water or oil but stick to just one medium. I would recommend just water as using oil could get messy and soil your knife wallet. When using water, soak the stone for at least 15 minutes prior to sharpening your knife. Depending on the make of your knife, the angle of the blade could range from 15-35 degrees from the surface of the sharpening stone.
While we are in the realms of discussing sharp objects, I might as well mention the backstabbing that happens in the kitchen. Even the executive chef’s position is not safe unless he is in co-partnership with the restaurant owner (and this may happen if the owner thinks that he can replace the executive chef with someone who would cost less). Just as how you would observe certain signs in the office to indicate there is some movement in the corporate world (e.g. HR department instructed to halt employee intake prior to large mergers/ redundancies), there are also signs in the kitchen when someone has to leave unexpectedly. You know that you are being replaced when the owner insists on getting your recipes from you, or you know that the chef is leaving on his own accord when he doesn’t give a rat’s ass to perform a stock-take of the larder. So if you are a chef, keep your recipes to yourself and do not share it with anyone.
Serrated knives (such as bread knives) will eventually lose their sharpness and because they cannot be sharpened, they have to be replaced every few years.
Thursday, February 7, 2008
For the love of L'oeuf
When the breakfast chef last week walked out of the kitchen to take the day off, I assumed that he’d be back after a week’s break but it has dawned on me that he has walked out of the restaurant permanently. So now I have been promoted to breakfast chef during the mornings - without any training for breakfast. This is absolute madness! Apparently chefs walk out of restaurants so often that there are agencies who will supply chefs at the last minute and charge a premium for this service.
Differentiating Cooked eggs from Raw:
To find out whether an intact egg is raw or already cooked, spin it on its side. If it spins fast and smoothly, it’s cooked. If it seems balky and wobbly, it’s raw – the liquid contents of the raw egg slip and slosh and resist the movement of the solid shell. (McGee)
A repairman came today to fix the grill so taking advantage of the chance meeting, I found out that Goldstein equipment are the most reliable in the market.
For perfectly poached eggs: Break each egg into a cup to ensure the yolk is intact. Fill a saucepan with water about 10 cm deep and add enough vinegar (1 tbsp vinegar to 1 litre water) and/or salt to taste, having it at a gentle boil. This raises the temperature of the water, ensuring that the egg white cooks before it feathers out into the water, forming a nice bag. Cook the egg for 3-4 minutes and remove using a slotted spoon. Drain on a folded tea towel before serving.
Another instance of the cutthroat restaurant business: Some asshole owners will try to hire staff and put them on permanent staff wages that are much lower than casual rates. But when the restaurant is quiet, they will send these staff members back early so that at the end of the day, the staff wages are cut back. In other occasions, you may be put on a fixed salary but are asked to do much more hours and so at the end of the day you may end up working for only $10 an hour on average.
The chemical change in rotten eggs: Both the yolk and the white get more alkaline with time. This is because the egg contains carbon dioxide, which takes the form of carbonic acid when it is dissolved in the white and yolk, but is slowly lost in its gaseous form through the pores in the shell. The yolk rises from a slightly acidic pH of 6.0 to nearly neutral 6.6, while the albumen goes from somewhat alkaline 7.7 to a very alkaline 9.2 and sometimes higher (McGee).
Differentiating Cooked eggs from Raw:
To find out whether an intact egg is raw or already cooked, spin it on its side. If it spins fast and smoothly, it’s cooked. If it seems balky and wobbly, it’s raw – the liquid contents of the raw egg slip and slosh and resist the movement of the solid shell. (McGee)
A repairman came today to fix the grill so taking advantage of the chance meeting, I found out that Goldstein equipment are the most reliable in the market.
For perfectly poached eggs: Break each egg into a cup to ensure the yolk is intact. Fill a saucepan with water about 10 cm deep and add enough vinegar (1 tbsp vinegar to 1 litre water) and/or salt to taste, having it at a gentle boil. This raises the temperature of the water, ensuring that the egg white cooks before it feathers out into the water, forming a nice bag. Cook the egg for 3-4 minutes and remove using a slotted spoon. Drain on a folded tea towel before serving.
Another instance of the cutthroat restaurant business: Some asshole owners will try to hire staff and put them on permanent staff wages that are much lower than casual rates. But when the restaurant is quiet, they will send these staff members back early so that at the end of the day, the staff wages are cut back. In other occasions, you may be put on a fixed salary but are asked to do much more hours and so at the end of the day you may end up working for only $10 an hour on average.
The chemical change in rotten eggs: Both the yolk and the white get more alkaline with time. This is because the egg contains carbon dioxide, which takes the form of carbonic acid when it is dissolved in the white and yolk, but is slowly lost in its gaseous form through the pores in the shell. The yolk rises from a slightly acidic pH of 6.0 to nearly neutral 6.6, while the albumen goes from somewhat alkaline 7.7 to a very alkaline 9.2 and sometimes higher (McGee).
Wednesday, February 6, 2008
The Pernicious Leprosy of Politics
Despite swapping your power suits for chef whites, you can never escape politics. The commercial kitchen is no different but probably more uncivilized. If The King (i.e. the Executive/Head Chef) says something offensive, you just take it (this is when yoga and meditation are actually useful). God help you if you answer back (even if it is to clarify or explain the situation) because you will appear insubordinate and nothing you say will change The King’s mood. So in order to survive His Majesty’s wrath, you associate yourself with the second most important person in the kitchen kingdom – the Sous Chef.
In the kitchen kingdom, the Executive Chef is completely territorial over his kitchen staff. All kitchen staff is accountable to him, not the Restaurant Manager (which is why you would probably notice these two arguing regularly).
Chef ranks (with descending importance)
Chef de Cuisine: Restaurants are named after them and they conceive the dishes. They are rarely in the kitchen.
Executive Chef: Runs the whole kitchen and revamps the menu. Performs all the administrative tasks, including hiring and firing the staff. Interacts with the dining room managers.
Sous Chef: Always does the hands-on work in the kitchen. Comes up with the daily specials, takes inventory and watches over the staff.
Expeditor: Ensures all the food gets to the wait staff in a timely fashion. Requires coordination and timing.
Pastry Chef: Shares the same level as the sous chef but in the pastry section
Line Cooks/ Chef de Partie/ Station Chef: Actually cooks your food. These sections are either divided by cooking technique or type of food.
Chef de garde-manger: Works at the cold station (e.g. salads, terrines & sometimes desserts)
Chef de Partie
Commis Chef: The lowly apprentice who works under the Chef de Partie)
Demi Chef: Chef who has completed the apprenticeship
Kitchen steward/ hand: Washes the dishes and cleans kitchen.
In Sydney, a restaurant cannot admit cheap apprentices if it does not have a qualified chef.
My corn fritters sold out on Sunday! I now have to make larger batches before The King asks for the recipe for the fourth time. Every time he asks me for the recipe fortunately something urgent happens in the kitchen so I have managed to skirt around the issue quite successfully. I am not sure how long I can hold out but it is now my future bargaining chip.
In the kitchen kingdom, the Executive Chef is completely territorial over his kitchen staff. All kitchen staff is accountable to him, not the Restaurant Manager (which is why you would probably notice these two arguing regularly).
Chef ranks (with descending importance)
Chef de Cuisine: Restaurants are named after them and they conceive the dishes. They are rarely in the kitchen.
Executive Chef: Runs the whole kitchen and revamps the menu. Performs all the administrative tasks, including hiring and firing the staff. Interacts with the dining room managers.
Sous Chef: Always does the hands-on work in the kitchen. Comes up with the daily specials, takes inventory and watches over the staff.
Expeditor: Ensures all the food gets to the wait staff in a timely fashion. Requires coordination and timing.
Pastry Chef: Shares the same level as the sous chef but in the pastry section
Line Cooks/ Chef de Partie/ Station Chef: Actually cooks your food. These sections are either divided by cooking technique or type of food.
Chef de garde-manger: Works at the cold station (e.g. salads, terrines & sometimes desserts)
Chef de Partie
Commis Chef: The lowly apprentice who works under the Chef de Partie)
Demi Chef: Chef who has completed the apprenticeship
Kitchen steward/ hand: Washes the dishes and cleans kitchen.
In Sydney, a restaurant cannot admit cheap apprentices if it does not have a qualified chef.
My corn fritters sold out on Sunday! I now have to make larger batches before The King asks for the recipe for the fourth time. Every time he asks me for the recipe fortunately something urgent happens in the kitchen so I have managed to skirt around the issue quite successfully. I am not sure how long I can hold out but it is now my future bargaining chip.
Sunday, February 3, 2008
The Origins of My Obsession
My earliest recollection in the kitchen was when I was four years old and Dad would prop me on top of the kitchen stool to stir fry the wok. I also remember that his first birthday present to me was a 15 cm non-stick frying pan and many weekends were spent roaming the aisles of the home wares department. My father was a brilliant cook and he too expressed his affection for us by filling the Lazy Susie with food and waited patiently for the entire family to gather around the dinner table. Nothing was ever simple or non-fattening. Mom would complain that there was either too much food or it was very oily but we always enjoyed Dad’s dinners. I believe my love for fat-loaded comfort food stemmed from Daddy’s influence (which is why the profit margins of my future kitchen would be directly related to the price of butter and oil).
Seasoning a new wok: Fry some freshly grated coconut in the wok until it is dry. Discard the pulp and rinse the wok. Next, rub an onion half on the inner surface of the pan. Bruise the onion and then fry it in 2 Tbsp oil. Discard the onion and rinse the wok. Some old wives would also advise you to then fry fish and potatoes to improve and season the inner surface of the wok further.
The nanny at that time was called Big Sister Yoke Mui and whenever I wanted to cook, she had to supervise me because I was not allowed to light up the gas stove by myself. When I was finally taught to operate the stove by the time I reached six, I would modify my share of the nanny’s cooking during dinner, to Yoke Mui’s offence. This also sparked many occasions where I would experiment in the kitchen with whatever ingredients that I could get my hands on. Despite the huge mess that I made, Yoke Mui was extremely patient with me.
Yoke Mui decided to go back to live with her own family after staying with us for years and I was heartbroken when she was about to leave. I remember crying and begging for her to stay, trying to bargain like any 10 year old would. Her final words to me were not “Listen to your parents” or “Study hard”. She hugged me and said, “When you uncover boiling pots, make sure that the lids face the other way to shield your face from the hot steam”.
When purchasing new pots, always choose one with a heavy base because it retains the heat better and provides even heating. If you have an induction stove, pretty copperware will not work on this surface. The general rule for compatible pots is that if the material can adhere onto magnetic surfaces, it is able to transfer the heat from the induction stove.
Seasoning a new wok: Fry some freshly grated coconut in the wok until it is dry. Discard the pulp and rinse the wok. Next, rub an onion half on the inner surface of the pan. Bruise the onion and then fry it in 2 Tbsp oil. Discard the onion and rinse the wok. Some old wives would also advise you to then fry fish and potatoes to improve and season the inner surface of the wok further.
The nanny at that time was called Big Sister Yoke Mui and whenever I wanted to cook, she had to supervise me because I was not allowed to light up the gas stove by myself. When I was finally taught to operate the stove by the time I reached six, I would modify my share of the nanny’s cooking during dinner, to Yoke Mui’s offence. This also sparked many occasions where I would experiment in the kitchen with whatever ingredients that I could get my hands on. Despite the huge mess that I made, Yoke Mui was extremely patient with me.
Yoke Mui decided to go back to live with her own family after staying with us for years and I was heartbroken when she was about to leave. I remember crying and begging for her to stay, trying to bargain like any 10 year old would. Her final words to me were not “Listen to your parents” or “Study hard”. She hugged me and said, “When you uncover boiling pots, make sure that the lids face the other way to shield your face from the hot steam”.
When purchasing new pots, always choose one with a heavy base because it retains the heat better and provides even heating. If you have an induction stove, pretty copperware will not work on this surface. The general rule for compatible pots is that if the material can adhere onto magnetic surfaces, it is able to transfer the heat from the induction stove.
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