Timh
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Posts posted by Timh
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Tomasso in Southborough is outstanding. They keep geting better , now making all of their own salumi. If they were in the city they would be getting way more attention.
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Dude, be careful. If you like the job and trust is important to these folks, you might be revealing far too much about them here. I hope you've thought all of that through.
I hope you have, because I'm really looking forward to hearing more too!
I'm but one of many in this vicinity in this profession. But your right, my name is right there to the left isn't it. Maybe its my subconscience screaming for me to move on
Anyway, I'm only speaking generally about this niche profession, I have a plum position, I know, and would not disparage my bacon maker so carelessly. -
My kids go to day care, soon I will have an au pair, ironic isn't it that domestic help has domestic help? My soon to be ex wife was a personal assistant for another family and was encouraged to bring our babies to work, they had nannies and since she was paid cash, it was considered a benefit. But now its just me and my babies, and daycare and aupairs.
This thread is sort of cathartic for me, as I really miss the industry, its what I trained for, and I miss the energy and satisfaction of leading a team, and dealing with people. My abilities and whatever talent I might have is not fully realized in this position, I'm professionally unchallenged. But the bene's outweigh my personal whininess at this moment, I'll one day step behind a stove of my own.
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The old fashion way, they inherited it. Actually they founded a huge tech company, then came capital investment companies.
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Mcataneo23's experience isn't uncommon I believe, or its preparing different dishes for each member because of their pickiness(or neurosis) at each meal. I'm lucky in that I get to cook whatever I want. I don't get too ethnic with them because its not my strength. I'm strong in American regional, French, Japanese, and Italian. I will use flavors from the far reaches, but not so much the traditional dishes. Pastry and bread are also part of my metier, though their preferences are fairly limited to cookies, pies, and basic country white loaves.
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I just wanna know one thing!~ Do you get to drink the wine on a regular basis?
doc
I wish! I do try some of the special bottles he opens, or when I bring in something new for him to try.
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Y'know, as a former resident of Boston, I'm fighting this huge urge to start trying to guess what community your employers' estate is in. (Lots of lovely well-heeled towns due west of Boston--back in the 1980s when I worked for Digital, I used to take shortcuts through them all the time.
)Ooooh, you are getting warm!
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Ok, so I've tantilized with all of the warm aspects of this job, now for the not so nice parts. Refering to my job only, as the chef I'm positioned in the center of the family's daily life. I vicariously experience all of the mundane family stuff, but comming from folks who really have no idea and don't care how the other 99% live. After experiencing their family drama daily, I must go home and deal with mine. Its incredibly intimate, my position in this house, and can be mentally taxing at times. Also, as mentioned before, I spend time planning and prepping what I feel is a great dish, only to have them tell me that they are goin out, or just want me to wrap it for later(this kills me when its a fish dish, i usually save it for staff and make a couple of sandwiches instead). And because they are rich, therefore they must be gourmands, epicureans, or just have great taste. WRONG! I am asked to whip up Kraft mac for the kids, there is tons of processed crap on the shelves. I can only control what I cook and feed them, the rest is all them. You have to be flexible, all of a sudden, the kids have extra friends for dinner, no notice, or extra adults show up, or they decide they want something other than what you've prepared, or just need to eat Right now, as its braising in the oven. And finally, I think one needs depth of experience, I can't keep cycling the same dishes each week(though they do have favorites, and will request them) so its a new challenge everyday to stay fresh and interesting.
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Friday 1/6
Lunch- Nicoise salad for Mrs.
prepped weekend food: Soup- Beef and Barley
Buttermilk fried chicken cutlets, and wings
Antipasti platter of prosciutto, aged provolone, mixed olives, sweet and sour cippolines
Sliced grilled flank steak
Salad of bibb, Radicchio, and arugula, Shredded carrots, currants and shallots. Sherry Vin
Almond and tarragon chicken salad
winter citrus supremes
Dinner- Kids Grilled Ribeyes, steak fries, asparagus tips
adults- Fresh Maine Shrimp and Grits , I just returned from a week out on Isle of Palms(vacation) and came back with some organic heirloom stone ground grits(say that 3x fast)
Salad of Arugula, Romain, Radicchio, parm shavings, lemon juice and olive oil, lots of black pepper.
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They provide me with a 2 bedroom condo, all I pay for is the phone and cable. And their fix-it guys come whenever a nob falls off
.I also have a company car(my grocery getter I call it). Benefits can vary wildly in this industry, but I have medical, dental, 401k, life, plus some other obscure AFLAC type ins.I must admit that I consider the schedual the biggest benefit as I'm a single father of two little girls(2 and 4). The upper tier of this industry makes into the six figures, I'm in the middle of the top third, but I've also been with them for 7 yrs., and loyalty and trust are huge factors to these folks. -
On break right now. The current house(they're building a new planet to move into in 2 yrs) is staffed w/ 2 houskeepers, a nanny, a driver/houseman, cook(me). There are also the grounds keepers, and two maintenance contractors. Various tutors, coaches, and trainers cycle in and out. I'm not required to cook for any of the staff, the household crew all make their own, I'll make extra for them to eat, or have whatever they prefer on hand.
I prepare alot of meals that don't get eaten, either they go out and don't tell me, or are too involved in whatever to sit when its ready, the kids will have events that I'm unaware of, etc...
I'll move down to the Cape in the summer with them, they have extra houses for the staff(I live in the upstairs of a beachhouse and the nanny has the ground floor apt,) We are going less each year as the kids get older and more involved in activivties away from the cape. They also have a condo in Boston that I go in2 days a week to cook at. When they go on vacation, its my vacation time too (officially 4 wks a year), but there's a few long weekend trips they take as well.
Since my workweek is Mon - Fri, I leave them with quick pick set ups: 2 soups, sandwhich set ups, antipasti, salad. maybe pasta or (lately) buttermilk fried chicken, and they often get takeout instead.
I'll cook for small parties(up to 15) but will hire a caterer for anything larger. Usually small 4-6 people dinners, with a couple of family holiday gatherings thrown in.
I have master lists of the kitchen needs, so when they go away w/o me, I'll fax it to the local house mgr to stock up.
I'll post todays menu later this evening. Glad you all enjoy, I'm not jaded yet and still appreciate the opportunity I've been given.
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Oh how you'll appreciate this, his regular"house' wine is Batard- Montrachet, ,I'm buying 15 cs at a time. I also buy around the mtn., Chassagne, Puligny, and "just " Montrachet. His Italian and especially Spanish collection are interesting, as they are sent as gifts from contacts there, so it can't be the regular stuff.
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I graduated from J&W in '88, 2 yr apprenticeship in Japan( Hotel Suikoyen,Kurume, Fukuoka), 1 yr in Paris(Le Grenadin,8eme). Ran kitchens in Chicago, New Orleans(and the bayou), Cape Cod, as well as cooking around the in other cool places. I got burned by a job on the cape and decided to try for a position listed in the paper as a Private Estate Chef. Origional plan was for 1 year, but the lifestyle and conditions were too good .
I cook for a family of five(Three teenagers) I get to cook whatever I want, understanding their likes and dislikes. I was the 30th person to try out for the position.
The current kitchen(main residence, they also have an estate on the Cape and another in Boca Raton) is as equipt as any pro kitchen I've been in, comparibly speaking. I have a viking pro range, convection ovens, sub zero refers, 2 gaggeneau dishwashers, all of the usual toys(getting a thermo mix soon).
My schedual is Mon - Fri, 11-8, w/ a 2 hr break to eat and shop, dinner @ 5. Kids eat first usually and then parents. The kids have above average taste, but still are teenagers at heart. The parents want resaurant quality food, with a salad first and main. In the beginning, I was also preparing dessert nightly, but as they began to swell, that stopped. Occasionally they will have special requests, but normally its whatever I want to cook. With the regular shopping, I spend @ 600.00 a week on groceries!!!! Money is no object, but I'm a chef w/ a conscience and hate waste so I try to feed the house staff out of this.
During the too short growing season here, I've got 2 gardens going, one on the Cape and one at the main house. All i do is make the list and the gardeners do the fun stuff. I just get to pick it and cook it.Its as crazy as it sounds folks.
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After seven years I decided to start telling people what I do.
Today 1/5
Lunch- Roasted chicken sandwich, Grafton Farms (VT) cheddar, bacon,(honey mustard, lettuce, tom, onion)- no one came home.
Dinner- Salad of bibb and radicchio, "greek" mix of red onoin, cuccumber, cherry tomatoes, peppadew peppers, torn pita, and feta, red wine vin.
Grilled center cut Salmon, Pomme Boulanger, Spinach(sauteed w/ garlic on fork, rest in chinoise) , zinfandel sauce.
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...or needed rehab. Sounds like the same sorry state of affairs of for the area pre-Katrina. And what about Straya, is that monstrousity still going?
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The Yellow Bowl, somewhere around Lafayette I think, though I dont remember exactly. The Jambalaya was kickin like karate(Brown, but with tasso added). I detest any steam table variety, unless it was just served up. I also had a very good one down in Cocodrie, at the house party of a waitress in my restaurant(Houma), Beer, 'blaya, bayou babes, man , why did I leave?
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The tacos de langua there are muy excellente.
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My impression was that dining out there was more about the scene, and being seen. Less about actually eating good food. When Le Bernadin's Ripert (Bistro Le Coze) isn't appreciated, you gotta wonder.
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Well, my big ass burn didn't end my career, but sent me on a trajectory for sure.I came out of the hospital a mess, I promptly helped steer my place down the drain, marry the waitress, must I go on?
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HA HA HA! One for sensibility!
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I would venture that those who "tried" grits and didn't like them only had tried the shitty diner versions, instant worn out institutional versions. (ketchup as a vegetabel type)
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I'm finding Whole Foods,(and most of the rest) to now just be corporate entities. Its about "the lifestyle" and the look that goes with it. A pretty package and all that. The one here sells the same inventory of product as the volume chain, marked up for the cache'. Thro in the goths, and dread heads, and its a new age concept.
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To all of these great titles, I add Paul Bocuse's"French Cuisine". I think combining two or more gives one the breadth of la cuisine francaise.
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The new flavors, thai ,and beer/cheddar, from Kettle Cooked at Whole Foods, are the bomb, fo shizzle, fo' sho, so desu ne.
The World of a Private Chef
in Food Traditions & Culture
Posted
The Chef in Paris that I worked for had been thru this and warned me of the possible difficulties in getting "shell shocked" when reentering the theatre of a kitchen. Over the years I've stuck up frienships with fellow restaurant chefs and filled in at line positions on my off days to maintain my mojo. One aspect of this time spent in a private setting is its allowed me to mature, professionally, "artistically", and personally. Before I was always a chef in someone elses kitchen, with some, but not total control over the menu concept. And with the frenetic pace, I felt I never really had the time I needed to fully developmy style of cooking, I was basically trying to put my stamp on someone elses menu. But now I have been able to focus on my personal style and philosophy of cooking. I imagine my mangement style has matured also, as I had the luxury to reflect, observe, learn and relax.