It will finally happen, in 10 days....
Saturday, January 29, 2011
Aviary and Next Restaurant Trailer
Goodbye Moto, thank you for all the wisdom, fun, knowledge, and friendships. See you on the other end of the block...........
Kohler toilets and fixtures, advertise them, love them
Omar selected me as well as the executive sous chef Darrell to fly to Florida and cook for the National builders convention. I was pretty ecstatic to say the least!
The event would be for 3 days, 100 apps every hour, for 7 hours. All of our prep would be driven to the location ready for service (or so we thought). At the time Florida was the only state in the country without any snow! The truck was a little delayed (we had only hours to set up). However everything went fantastic and we also had a little fun.
The GIANT Kohler booth
Omar, throwing down
Chef Darrel in our "make shift kitchen'
Dinner, 2001 Opus one, and 2002 dom......life is good my friends
Omar and I at NASA
I met DIY network superstar Monica on the airplane flying back to Chicago!
The event would be for 3 days, 100 apps every hour, for 7 hours. All of our prep would be driven to the location ready for service (or so we thought). At the time Florida was the only state in the country without any snow! The truck was a little delayed (we had only hours to set up). However everything went fantastic and we also had a little fun.
The GIANT Kohler booth
Omar, throwing down
Chef Darrel in our "make shift kitchen'
Dinner, 2001 Opus one, and 2002 dom......life is good my friends
Omar and I at NASA
I met DIY network superstar Monica on the airplane flying back to Chicago!
DEC 2010 dinner party
I had done a private party 6 years ago (right out of high school) for a small business firm celebrating for the holidays. The event was to be held at one of the 12 guests homes and have a selection of items. The dinner consisted of 8 different ala cart style items, my brother Nicholas preping hor dourves and brittany ginger serving every course.
Any way, they called me back to do yet another dinner for them, I called upon one of my best friends and co-workers Randell to handle desserts as well as my little brother (my partner in crime throughout all these events) to set this one off.
Any way, they called me back to do yet another dinner for them, I called upon one of my best friends and co-workers Randell to handle desserts as well as my little brother (my partner in crime throughout all these events) to set this one off.
The menu for 14 people went as follows:
Balloon sphere cocktails - Refresher
Cucumber juice
Lime juice
S.S.
Lemongrass vodka
Lillet blanc
Ginger Ale
Lavender spray
Lemon bitters
Wrap frozen cucumber around ice sphere, onto straw, mint blossoms
Fried brioche goat cheese twinkies (warm)
Walnuts (spiced and toasted), arugula, herbage, good olive oil
Rehydrated basil seeds (olive oil)
Red / golden beets, roasted and dressed
Beet purees
Pickled peal onion (vinegar, spices, Bourdeaux)
Prep 5 soup,
baked Yukon potato
black truffle
Pumpernickel, seared gnocchi
Sous-vide protein - squab <-- at work
Roasted squash (balled, thyme, BS, maple)
Thyme, honey and root-beer reduction
Cranberry, vinegar puree fluid gel
Roasted Figs
Fried sage
Chervil
Thyme scented butter candle
Pork belly(no picture on this one)
Reduction sauce (air brush plates + stencil)
Smoked molasses gel strips
Rehydrated mustard seeds, vinegar, caramelized honey
Dressed fennel / appleS, honey, peppercorn, coriander, vinegar
Fennel frond
Fried fingerling potatoes, BB, thyme, rosemary
Frisee hearts
Burnt wood / smoked plate
Palate cleanser
Menthol and pear pate a fruit
Giant smoking cinnamon
"chocolate cake"
Chocolate cake, shredded
Mint mousse
Bitter chocolate crumble
Sherry gastrique
raspberry ice cream
caramelized white chocolate "noodle"
Ohhh New york! New york!
My next adventure would bring me all the way to New york, New york! I had been looking into what had been going on at WD-50 for a while. I became really interested in the works of Wylie Dufresne and Alex Stupak.
I came in early to work one morning and found Omar sitting in the lab on his laptop. I very quietly asked if i may speak with him. He responded with a "of course, whats goin' on"? I spoke with him about how I had been looking into a stage at WD-50, he immediately stopped me and told me to go get him the phone. I did so, and he dialed up Wylie and basically planned out my time in new york. I was thrilled!
To be completely honest i didn't think it'd be that easy, and with the wonderfully talented Amy returning back to the CIA i would have a place to stay. A short month later I was off to New york! My time there held all kinds of fun such as Eatily, Daniel, Bouchon bakery, a tour of the CIA and a dinner at WD-50.
Wylie, myself, and Alex
I had the pleasure of working on Pastry under chef Alex Stupak, for five days:
Chef Alex's station
Pastry kitchen
Main kitchen
Halloween family meal!
The bars ice molds
I came in early to work one morning and found Omar sitting in the lab on his laptop. I very quietly asked if i may speak with him. He responded with a "of course, whats goin' on"? I spoke with him about how I had been looking into a stage at WD-50, he immediately stopped me and told me to go get him the phone. I did so, and he dialed up Wylie and basically planned out my time in new york. I was thrilled!
To be completely honest i didn't think it'd be that easy, and with the wonderfully talented Amy returning back to the CIA i would have a place to stay. A short month later I was off to New york! My time there held all kinds of fun such as Eatily, Daniel, Bouchon bakery, a tour of the CIA and a dinner at WD-50.
Wylie, myself, and Alex
I had the pleasure of working on Pastry under chef Alex Stupak, for five days:
Chef Alex's station
Pastry kitchen
Main kitchen
Halloween family meal!
The bars ice molds
Blackbird, pastry
Moto gave me a little "vacation" time so i spoke with chef David Posey and staged at Blackbird: http://www.blackbirdrestaurant.com.
The pastry kitchen was found upstairs. A private little kitchen with hoods, a large marble table, sugar blowing tools, hydrocolloids, a deep fryer and freezers. Everyone who worked in the pastry kitchen was skilled and willing to teach. I really had a great stage there. Thank you Chef once again for giving me the opportunity to work in your kitchen.
The pastry kitchen was found upstairs. A private little kitchen with hoods, a large marble table, sugar blowing tools, hydrocolloids, a deep fryer and freezers. Everyone who worked in the pastry kitchen was skilled and willing to teach. I really had a great stage there. Thank you Chef once again for giving me the opportunity to work in your kitchen.
Yet another dinner for a cause
My very good friend, as well as once a co-worker, Brain asked if I'd work a dinner for his aunt. Of course why not? I'd love a chance to play around with some fun product, plus brain even gave the dessert portion of dinner to me. Brain's very supportive aunt has helped him through culinary school, so for her birthday brain wanted to give back a little.
Smoke encapsulated scallops
Having eaten at Alinea just 2 weeks before working the dinner with brain, i had to experience plating on the table. The basic idea around the flavors were a banana and nutella sandwich:
Warm roasted banana puree
Toasted cinnamon bread
Dark chocolate carrageenan mixture poured table side
Powered nutella
Cocoa niffs
Honey roasted figs
Nutella "in the raw"
Vanilla "whipped cream"
Hazelnut gelato
Lemon balm
Smoke encapsulated scallops
Having eaten at Alinea just 2 weeks before working the dinner with brain, i had to experience plating on the table. The basic idea around the flavors were a banana and nutella sandwich:
Warm roasted banana puree
Toasted cinnamon bread
Dark chocolate carrageenan mixture poured table side
Powered nutella
Cocoa niffs
Honey roasted figs
Nutella "in the raw"
Vanilla "whipped cream"
Hazelnut gelato
Lemon balm
June charity dinner 2010
I was recommended for a charity dinner in June. The item auctioned off? Well, it was me, i was to cook a meal for 8. Not a problem. I would have one day before if we planned for a Monday, and not even skip a beat at Moto. I was shocked to hear that the event actually raised over 5000 dollars. I wanted to do food that they would relate to; something they love but still give them a completely new experience.
I asked Amy Fujinaka and my younger brother to be a part of my team. Amy not only helped me prep every step of the way, but she served, chose the wine, as well as presented and poured for every course. So after speaking with the guests and a few folks at the Shelter, here was the menu we presented:
Smoking corn soup, buttered corn, charred baby corn, dried corn sponge, freeze dried and powered corn, micro cilantro leafs, rendered chorizo, chorizo "coated" gnocchi, charred red pepper puree + nitroed string
Scallop pancetta ravioli, sweet crisp Pancetta, tarragon, parsley chips, preserved lemon needles, smoked celery root puree, hazel nut "dust", rehydrated black tea currants
I was so thankful for both of there help! I could not have done it without them.
I asked Amy Fujinaka and my younger brother to be a part of my team. Amy not only helped me prep every step of the way, but she served, chose the wine, as well as presented and poured for every course. So after speaking with the guests and a few folks at the Shelter, here was the menu we presented:
Dinner for 8
7 courses:
Amuse, refresh Start
White chocolate Sous-vide lobster, White chocolate fat fried twinkies filled with thai spicy coconut, frisse hearts, chervil and macadamia nut "icing"
Smoking corn soup, buttered corn, charred baby corn, dried corn sponge, freeze dried and powered corn, micro cilantro leafs, rendered chorizo, chorizo "coated" gnocchi, charred red pepper puree + nitroed string
Scallop pancetta ravioli, sweet crisp Pancetta, tarragon, parsley chips, preserved lemon needles, smoked celery root puree, hazel nut "dust", rehydrated black tea currants
Intermission: Honeydew esspuma, tarragon, CO2 peaches, crushed fizzy
braised ox tail, Mitake mushrooms, carrot puree, blackberry pearls, micro peppercress, merlot syrup bubbles
Warm doughnut bread pudding, agar ball imprinted butterscotch panna cotta, coffee / Kuhlua elements , nutella
Lime CO2 whip, caramelized coconut gelato center, nitro dipped freeze dried pine apple, toasted and chewy coconut
coffee / tea
I was so thankful for both of there help! I could not have done it without them.
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