Irishgirl

Ling, for the love of GOD, how old are you? I want to be you for just one day Geez............... ← You should check out the Vancouver forum and see how much she eats on a regular basis. she is legendary over there. "Truth be told: the last three restaurants you have eaten in"---SORRY, don't know how to link yet!

My stomach lives vicariously through Ling. ← Mine too. I wish i had the cash and the time to eat out as much as she does. My last three meals away from home would consist of staff meals at work: Sunday: Chicken stir fry with rice Saturday: Wor Won Ton Soup (Excellent) Friday: Taco Salad (also good) We eat simply but well. One of these days i will be able to make it out to an egullet dinner/function.....

My husband uses them because he's he's a wimp about burning himself. I have asbestos fingers...... And I LOVE corn on the cob. Can't wait for August!

This is a bad time of year for French fries all around Ling. The Potatoes are mostly last years crop. As they are kept in cold storage, the starch turns to sugar and they become over dark too quickly and usually soggy. If you actually get this years potatoes... the starch content is so high that the potatoes get so crispy before they brown...and taste dry. Just the fun of the growing season. A lot of places resort to frozen fries at this time of year. So don't blame the restaurant for the fries....i know mine aren't great right now...and have tried 4 different varieties of potato. Thanks for the insight Malik.

Dubrulle grad here. From the Diana Becker days. I felt that instruction was excellent at the time. I felt that the "School" mislead me in regards to what to expect in the industry. I didn't ask a lot of questions though...i mean I did about cooking, because that was my passion, but not about the business. I was VERY green. P.S. Rob Feenie may have observed at Trotter's, but he did work at two or three high profile restaurants in France. (Not for very long mind you.)

We were paying back my husband's student loans during the early years of my career It was pretty crazy, but we survived. We own a home now. I feel proud.

Oh Neil..... ....you KNOW some of the problems that I have been having hiring staff. The problem with most Culinary school grads that are expecting the $$$....is that: #1 most of them have no experience and don't have any realistic view of what line work is like. #2 when they realize what it is about...they immediately give it up. #3 A lot of them think that cooking is cool because they could be like Rob Feenie on T.V.! #4 Culinary schools tell them what they want to hear, because they want the student's money in the first place. When I started in the industry as a line cook, my wage was $8 an hour. I lived in Kits with my husband, and we barely had two nickles to rub together. I kept thinking for the first year that I worked, "What have I gotten myself into?" But the thing about cooking is that either you love it, or you hate it. If you truly love it and have the patience to persevere, AND the smarts to advance, the money will come eventually. But this is the crux of the situation: Most people don't want to persevere. They want instant gratification and reward for all their hard work. I have been doing this for 13 years now, and am finally where I want to be financially. But it is still hard work. For many years I worked two jobs to make ends meet and get a broader range of experience. It has finally paid off. I will say it again. If you don't love cooking in a professional kitchen, then you will HATE it and get out before long. My personal favourite these days: People arranging with me to show up for their first day of work, and they don't show. Can you people please stop wasting my time already? Just don't apply if you don't want the job! /Rant

It looks like a misplaced life-guard station. People will flock there anyway to sit on the deck, catch some rays and scarf food.....you know it will be busy.

I don't like Ketchup because it tastes more sweet that tomatoey....and to me that is just all wrong. HOWEVER.....for many years now, my husband and I have been rating Fries by the "Ketchup Factor" Perfect fries do not need ketchup. They hold their own. They have a Ketchup Factor of "0" Really BAD dry fries require a lot of ketchup...(we usually never finish them)....They have a Ketchup Factor of "10". ...you get the idea. If I have no sauerkraut or dijon mustard, the only other thing that I put Ketchup on is a hot dog....and I eat those maybe twice a year, if that.

I'll take my plastic Birkie's over Crocs anyday. Those Crocs may be just as comfortable....but the holes in the shoes are not good if any of the people around you happen to spill something hot in your general direction. It took a week to get used to my Burkie's....but now they are like slippers. My feet are never tired at work.

I'm not sure why this happens, but we have the same issues when ordering Chinese food for dinner as well. I think it has something to do with needing or wanting the entire American-style Chinese Food experience (translate as Jew Grazing) every time you eat Chinese Food. If you have two people, then ordering two dishes is never enough, because you -need- the soup, eggrolls, and the "extra" dishes, like fried rice and noodles that go ALONG with your basic Kung Pao or Beef and Broccoli, to have that protein/vegetable/starch balance plus the liquid and the fried. And then of course its hard to resist ordering one dish representing each major American Chinese food group -- One chicken, one beef, one pork, and one shrimp. And to further complicate this, most of your competive Chinese take-out places offer you that 10 percent discount if you order over 40 bucks worth of stuff or throw in the extra eggrolls and soup, so you are COMPELLED to order more, because god forbid you give up that discount or extra food. So in reality while you are only ordering for two people, you always end up with food for six. Which is always justified under the auspices of having enough for leftovers, because you can't order Chinese food with the premise of ordering just enough for that meal and eating everything and finishing it in one sitting. That would just be wrong. ← My problem with chinese food is that I like certain dishes, and my husband likes completely different stuff. So we order enough food for 8 people...and have leftovers.... BUT NOW...my husband has decided that he actually LIKES my spicy ginger beef....and he eats what would have been MY leftovers....so now we have to order 2 of them!!!!! Because, I need my spicy ginger beef fix when I get home from work!!! (Well after delivery time) Is this reasonable? Or is this overordering? Or Both?

Have been assembling the recipes for the book I am working on, since September. Publisher keeps sending back notes that the recipes are too hard. Thay have been finalized now, but the corrections and additions and answering of questions....BIG PAIN IN THE ASS! Been working for the past four days on the photos for the book. I cook, the food designer plates, the photographer shoots, and the art director says "too much light" or "turn the plate to the left". This has been the most exhausting week I have ever had. 16.5 hours of work today. Creeping up on 100 hours for the week. ( I am still working in the restaurant 5 days/week...today was my day off, and was devoted entirely to the book.) That is all i will say....Exhausting process!

I was the one that mentioned the allergy....not Wendy. It is a tricky situation, as it is not THAT bad. My sister recently had herself done by an allergist, and she is allergic to SO MUCH STUFF!!!!! I feel badly for her. She spent a year not being able to smell because of her allergies and had three sinus infections in a row. She is better now, but can't eat so many things that she loves. I think that I am afraid to go and get this done because I don't want to know. I don't want to be limited to what I can eat. And I am pretty sure that it is stuff that I ingest, and not a pollen. Back to on topic discussion....Wendy, your bookshelves look like mine....well used, and pots inbetween books. We have many of the same books in common. I don't know what I would do without my Roux brothers books.

I have the same problem as you Wendy. I eat at work most of the time. I do have breakfast before I leave for work...but when your average day is 14 hours, and you have an assigned staff meal at 5pm...you find yourself eating things that are easy to grab. I am allergic to something that I'm eating, but it's been way too hard trying to figure it out. I started a food diary, writing down all the things that I consumed during a day...nightmare!!!!! The days that we do brunch are the worst. I eat croissants, and fruit and smoothie, and chocolate, and...and...and... I feel your pain. Don't be embarrassed. There are many of us who are just the same.

LOVED every minute of both of her previous books. Looking forward to reading the new one.

No offense...I am NOT implying that women are incapable or innappropriate. I am just saying that most women have priorities elsewhere. Cooking/Chefing is a profession that is extremely hard physically, mentally etc. These are observations that I have made. The two female Execs that I know, are both not married and don't have kids. It's a life choice. I don't know very many females that are willing to give that up. To try to have it all....I think is unrealistic. That is NOT making assumptions about other careers. I know nothing about the other careers that you have mentioned. I just know, that in my career, if i were to have children, that would probably be it. I would have to find something else. Is it unfair? Maybe. Who said that life is fair? There would have to be a compromise somewhere. I know that my Job right now, requires me to eat, live, breathe, and sleep what I do. Having children would shift my focus, and would make me not able to do my job as well as I could.

I think that there are a lot of reasons that not very many women make it to "Executive Chef" positions....... The number one reason....probably find a guy, marry him, and want to have children.....and no offence to men, but women are primary care givers to children, and it would definitely be quite the juggling act to be able to pull that off and still be an executive chef. Women who want to succeed in this industry HAVE to put their career first and everything else second. Women are just less likely to do that.......tons of women cooks that I have met, still want to have kids.......if you take a few years off to pop out a few kids and then try to go back? You will be starting at the bottom again unless you have one hell of a resume, or have great connections. There are MANY female COOKS out there. Some of them perform better than the men....most of them are no-nonsense type of people. They couldn't give a crap about the jokes or the language that flies around. Who cares? It's words. Heat and stress are bad arguments....women usually handle stress better than men.....and heat is heat: anybody can respond badly to it. Anyway...that is my personal opinion. Most women have a goal of having children....and most men have a goal of having a great career. Cooking is tougher on married couples. I know many male chefs who are divorced because of it...and many more who have no time to date. I was lucky to find my husband early. I started cooking after I got married, and it was partially his fault that I got into it. He is massively supportive of me and my work...but understands that I will be working 70-90 hours a week, and that he won't see me for days sometimes. He also knows that children has never been my goal. Have i been ridiculed for this stance?...Yes. Have I had an Alsatian chef tell me that my place is to be at home barefoot and pregnant?...Yes. Have I got respect from my peers...Yes. But it sure hasn't been an easy road. Women can make it if they really want to....but they HAVE to WANT it more than anything.

Starter: Pino's Octopus Carpaccio at Cioppino's. The most interesting and thoroughly enjoyable dish I've had in a while.

All of this "Tipping" business is really difficult. A lot of people are implying that they tip well, or are possibly overtipping.... My question is: Are you basing your tip on the before tax total or the final total? Being an industry person, i always tip on the final total. But friends that are well travelled and quite well off tell me that it is incorrect to tip on the tax. They always tip on the before tax total and think that they are tipping well. All the waitstaff I know base their calculations on final total....and 15% is the MINIMUM that they are happy with. so what is the right protocol? I do not tip well for bad service.

I agree to a certain extent. There are some things that I just will NOT do....but at the same time, these customers are paying our salaries. We had a group of 20 walk out 2 nights ago because they couldn't get 1 large table all together. How ridiculous/unrealistic is that? The night before.... we had a group of 16 show up as a 22 and the room that they booked was too small...so they spilled out into the dining room and made so much noise that they were a nuisance to the rest of the restaurant..... Is the customer always right? No.....but do you want your clientele too afraid to say anything except behind your back? I say no a lot....but give in a lot as well. It's a judgement call for every decision I make.

What is this interesting looking dish? sweet or savory? ← Looks like nougatine to me with pistachios......something that would be sold in Italy? Lucy...have to say that i love your blog. I think that your photography has developed into more than a hobby and that this blog is better than the first. Thank you for all the beautiful pictures.

Agedashi Tofu and Beef Tataki at Gyoza King! (They are always out of Ebi Mayo when I'm there!)

Do they know what "DINE OUT" is? I don't know...my husband laughed through it. I just laughed at how ridiculous the spitting in the food was and then got mad.... I don't like how Vancouver was portrayed....albiet from a restaurant POV..... Didn't enjoy it...didn't hate it. Probably watch 2 more episodes and then dump it if it's still bad. Typical Bravo Show. That was my opinion when I saw it.

This also bothers me to no end. First off, it bothers me that whenever I eat out with any man - client, coworker, boss, husband, friend, whatever - 9 times out of 10, when the check comes the waiter puts it next to my male dining companion instead of in the middle of the table where either of us could easily grab it. I went to lunch last week with my boss (male), our ad agency rep (female) and a graphic designer from her firm (male). The two men sat next to each other at the table, and when the check came, even though our agency rep motioned for the check to be given to her, the waiter set it down between the two men. Grrrrr. It also bothers me that whenever I attempt to pay for a meal my husband and I have shared, 9 times out of 10 even though my debit card has my picture on it, when the waiter brings the check back they set the folder next to my husband. I also deduct 5-10 percent off the tip for this. And whenever a server does it correctly (hands the folder to me), I add 5-10 percent and try to give them glowing compliments. This is one of those things that I realize is not that big of a deal in the larger scheme of things, but it really burns me up when it happens. I'm a professional, I'm an adult, I have money of my own. Servers shouldn't make assumptions about who is paying based solely on gender. ← THIS burns me as well!!!!! Even when I pay cash! and hand the money to the cashier myself! They always try to give the change to my husband first!!!!! GGGRRRRR! How annoying! That's my change!

My personal favourite: The part where the cook spits in the food because he feels threatened! What a wonderful image of Vancouver people will get. (Yes I know it's Fictional....but just what any customer's nightmare is....why give that image power!) No respectable restaurant/chef would EVER let that happen!