Andy Lynes

Can I have a recap on who is and isn't coming and if you are bringing anyone along please : Simon Stephen T Thom if he's in town Journo's from Restaurant mag (possibly) Miss J Sam (and Scott?) Charlene (the bar will be open but it should be quiet at that time as Simon says, hence why they are keen to have us!) Boncey Magnolia (is she around at the moment does anyone know?) Gavin Macrosan Jay Rayner? Jon Tseng (but doubtful)

For "Clive Fretwell" read "Mark Dodson" : http://www.thisisbuckinghamshire.co.uk/lei..._good_life.html. Mr Fretwell is executive chef of the Le Petit Blanc chain and former head chef at Le Manoir.

It is pretty cool isn't it? What a nice bloke. He's in London because he consults for a few bars in the city, does he consult in Chicago?.

This would be the perfect place for you to meet all the eGullet regulars as well. In addition, it will be the official eGullet celebration of my 38th Birthday (which is actually on 25th Jan but I like a long run up at these things).

Dale De Groff has very kindly offered to mix eGullet members up their very first taste of the Flaming Orange Gully personally at The Players Club Soho (click here for the club's website) on Wednesday 22 January. Dale has made time in a very hectic schedule during a short visit to London to be at the club to prepare the cocktail he created especially for this site and chat to members. He will be in the club for around an hour between 6.00 and 8.00pm. Entrance is free and the drink will be available at a discounted price (to be confirmed). Can you please let me know if you are interested in this so I can give Dale and the club some idea of numbers. Hope to see you there.

Thanks.

Danny, did the opening of Blue Smoke present you and your team with challenges that you had not encountered at previous restaurants, or is one launch pretty much like another regardless of style of cuisine?

OK, I'm in. (What the hell are Cremini mushrooms?).

And he doesn't mind you discussing it in public?

"My Gastronomy" by Nico Ladenis has lots of things to say about balancing ingredients and menus. There's some advice here : http://www.garyrhodes.com/intro1.htm And I have something to say on the matter here : http://www.ukgourmet.com/soyou.html

4 out of 10 in the Good Food Guide (Cafe 21 gets 6) http://fishermanslodge.co.uk

Cafe 21 (Newcastle) 19-21 Queen Street Princes Wharf Quayside Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 3UY Tel: 0191 222 0755 Fax: 0191 221 0761 I ate there twice when it was still Michelin starred "21 Queens Street", both meals were excellent. I understand the food is just as good but the prices have come down and the whole thing is a bit more informal. The Blue Room restaurant in The Vermont Hotel used to get good reviews, not sure if it's still there though. Newcastle also has a Malmaison Hotel and their brasseries are very good.

How about that peppered pecorino that Tom Colicchio uses for a salad of favas in "Think Like A Chef"?

rercent review of One - 0 - One : http://www.telegraph.co.uk/wine/main.jhtml...%2Fedmoir04.xml

Just the one star I think, but it was a bloody good restaurant and I still use the cookbook.

Jay Rayner's review which puts the price of a meal at Sketch into perspective and the first which has made me want to visit the place to eat: http://www.observer.co.uk/magazine/story/0...,873042,00.html

Leftover's last night resulted in field mushrooms with garlic and blue cheese on toast with poached eggs: 4 Field mushrooms with sliced garlic and some butter and salt and pepper, baked in the oven for 10 mins or so, then crumbled over the blue cheese and returned them to oven until the chesse bubbled. Two thick sliced of granary bread spread with butter and baked in a hot oven for 5 mins. 4 Eggs poached in a large pan of simmering water with a little vinegar and salt until done (lift eggs out of water with a slotted spoon and press with fingers to test doneness after 2 mins. You will know). Served 2 mushrooms each on the toast with the eggs on top with a turn of pepper and a slosh of olive oil. It was better than it had any right to be. Some chopped parsley would have improved it even more. It was a winner and destined to become a Lynes household regular. Possible variation could be some bayonne ham under the mushroom and egg and served on a toasted muffin with the lot covered in hollandaise sauce.

Thats what I thought you meant. Yes, good point.

You can view a menu here, which now follows the format of every other bloody Marco restaurant. how dull.

I'm in complete agreement with bripastryguy's take on working unpaid in kitchens, (although I realise the thread's focus is more on the specific legal situation in the US). I get so much in terms of knowlegde, fun and experience out of a day in a kitchen that payment would spoil it in a way. Then things would actually be expected of you. As a "guest", you can get away with being incompetant and you don't get shouted at. You get given bits and bobs to eat. If you were there on a short terms contract, they'd have you cleaning out the fridge!

Thanks for the comments Orik. Can you clarify what you mean by "adverse selection" ?

Good point, although I would point out that I wrote this review for my own site but felt it might be suitable for TDG so offered it for publication here first. The review reflects my genuine enthusiasm for the book. I am more motivated to write about something I like than dislike, so you should expect more positive stuff from me in the future, appearing either on TDG or my own site ("A Return To Cooking" coming soon). However, as eGullet.com (not me) gets some money each time someone clicks through to Amazon and buys something, there is certainly a potential conflict of interest for the site at least. All I would say is that in my opinion it would not be worth the longterm loss of credibility for the small amount of revenue it might generate in the shorterm.

Novelli is now chef at Brocket Hall, but the city restaurant was meant to be staying open. perhpas plans have changed.

My personal experience of this was that I was refused a place at the Ritz Carlton Atlanta (whilst Joel Antunnes was head chef) on the basis that they were not covered by their insurance for someone working in their kitchen whilst not on the payroll, but was accepted by Tom Coohill at La Ciboulette and insurance was never mentioned. This was just for a day in both instances as it was over a weekend of a several week long business trip, so slightly unusual circumstances.

It looks like I've got an early start next morning anyway and to be honest the people I'm dining with are not great drinkers so it will be no great strain.