[elBulli, imitations?]

alinea in Chicago is a VERY "avant garde" restaurant in the

Style of el bulli. Grant, the chef, is doing some amazing things.

- Chef Johnny

[Olive Oil For Dipping]

I think the whole oil dipping thing is terrible. I was Chef at a sleezy italian place back in the day while I was in school that used to use amazingly cheap olive oil from 1 gallon tins. But then again, this was the same place that used chicken stock from a paste, demi-glace from frozen packets, wine from a box. So I wasnt expecting much. They paid REALLY well... then again they were run by the mob.

Anyway, give a nice bowl/ramekin/plate of super fatty butter and little Maldon salt... thats a meal in itself to me.

-Chef Johnny

[Pizza Toppings: Simple/Elaborate, Traditional/Unusual]

My 2 all time favs :

(Both with super thin crispy crust)

1: Sparse amount of fresh tomato sauce, fontina cheese, sopresetta, fried egg, arugula tossed with a little olive oil and sherry vinegar

2: Garlic sauce(kinda like a garlic-y bechamel), goat cheese, wild mushrooms, fresh thyme, black pepper

-Chef Johnny

[$1400 for Two Days as a Working Student]

Thats awesome. My old Sous Chef from TFL was talked about in that article. His name is Ryan Fancher and he was the butcher at the time of that article. Brings back some memories.

Anyway, $1400 seems a little steep, since most restaurants will let someone stage for a day or two for free. With the exception of shooting the proverbial shit with TK, you get the same experience. I know when I was there, we would get at least 2 different stagieres everyday. It was a constant flow of new faces.

-Chef Johnny

[Blendtec Blender]

That video makes me cry a little. Yea, I'm an Apple fanatic.

-Chef Johnny

[The most important thing youll ever learn]

It all depends on the chef and the restaurant. I happen to be the same way as you. I am always curious about everything and constantly try to figure things out, whether its what makes hollandaise stable or why it takes a long time to make the perfect torchon of foie gras? When I was at The French Laundry, you didnt ask questions. The way they did things was the right way. The only way. What came to be called "The French Laundry way." You dont walk up to Thomas Keller and ask him why you are supposed to ice any green vegetable before you blanch them.

On the other hand, when I left TFL with a Sous Chef to open El Dorado Kitchen, he was the exact opposite. He was my mentor, I was his student. He would sometimes get annoyed with all my questions and wanting to come in on my day off to watch him break down an entire pig or to work with our pastry chef just to learn.

So you really have to test the waters, so to speak, with every kitchen and every chef. And definitely learn to read situations well. I wouldn't want to be around when the chef is pissed off because his fish guy hasn't shown up and you ask him if he knows what lecithin is.

-Chef Johnny

[Sonoma Mission Inn & Spa]

El Dorado Kitchen. It's the best restaurant in the square. French Laundry food for a fraction of TFL. Half of the cooks (including me at the time) came from TFL with Chef Ryan. Give it a try, you won't be disappointed.

-Chef Johnny

[alinea's tricks]

He uses an air compressor with something like this on the end of the hose.

- Chef Johnny

[People in the Industry]

How's this for sentence formulation?

A 4.0 GPA won't get your shoemaker ass out of the weeds when the printer has diarrhea and a walk-in deuce just ordered the lamb shanks that you 86ed an hour ago!

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HAHAHAHAHA!!!!

Amen brotha! Even though I graduated Cum Laude from J&W, I still feel the same way. GPA's are worthless statistics. Im good at what I do, and my grades reflected that. No more. :: shrugs ::

-Chef Johnny

[Going rate for a Sous Chef in DC?]

I appreciate the reply. I did a little research as well and only got some very general numbers and statistics; national average and such. I was hoping to find another sous chef or exec. or owner on here from the DC area that could give a ball park figure.

-Chef Johnny

[Going rate for a Sous Chef in DC?]

I am being considered for a Sous Chef position at Komi. I've been talking with Chef Johnny through email the past week and have set up an interview for mid July when I get back from my 3 months in Europe. Now, coming from both California and NYC, Im curious if anyone would happen to know what a Sous Chef is getting paid in the DC area at a comparable restaurant. Salary negotiations always make me a little nervous in a new city, so any help is much appreciated.

Thanks in advance!

-Chef Johnny

[The Inn at Little Washington]

Post pics if you can. Im interested to see whats new there. Its been awhile since Ive made the trip to visit Patrick. Glad you had a great time. Told ya it was going to be off the chain!!

- Chef Johnny

[ribeye cap]

Are you referring to the Calotte? If so, that is totally the best part of the ribeye. My absolute favorite cut of beef.

-Chef Johnny

[Personality traits in The Life]

Well, I am going to have to dissent here. People who work in restaurants are compulsive planners. Prep, purchases, reservations, sidework, etc. Plan, plan, plan.

They are also incredibly flexible. They don't take it personally when all the prep goes to hell in a handbasket.

And it will.

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Yea, I tend to agree with this. At least the first part. Myself, I am a borderline obsessive compulsive when it comes to planning. Everything, and I mean e-v-e-r-y-t-h-i-n-g needs to be in perfect order and succession, both when at work and not. My almost OCD is multiplied 100 fold at work, for which most of my fellow cooks don't care for. Outside of work, planning is essential, down the minute most times. Schedule, schedule, plan, plan, plan, backup plan, backup plan.

As for "they don't take it personally when all the prep goes to hell...", that doesn't work for me. God help the person who touches my mis en place, my prep, my knives, my parsley, my salt and pepper, and most of all, my side towels. F*cking with another chef's mis en place is the absolute worst kitchen sin you could commit. You had better be prepared to thoroughly defend yourself from anything after you walk away with my deli of salt.

-Chef Johnny

[Sour cherry tree full of almost ripe cherries...]

Pit them and pickle them in 500g champagne vinegar, 500g sugar, and 350g water. (scale down the recipe to fit your application)

Pickled cherries are one my favs. Perfect with foie gras tourchon.

-Chef Johnny

[Fresh fava beans]

Michael Ruhlman writes that Thomas Keller demands that favas be shucked and then peeled completely raw. They are then cooked, in a giant pot of furiously boiling water, salted like the ocean, a handful of beans to the litre. If the water even slows a bit when the beans are thrown in, the whole thing has to be thrown away and the prep cook ritually disembowelled.

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Completely correct, Im sad to say. Spring time at TFL was a great time... except for those cases and cases and cases of fava beans. I still cringe at the sight and thought.

Anyway, just for a funny thought... I remember when I was a lowly commis working at night with TK in the commis kitchen. It was the day before a big off site party for Harold McGee at a winery. TK spent all night PERSONALLY shucking, peeling, blanching, shocking, puree'ing, passing, and finishing a fava bean farce used for agnolotti. He gave me the bags filled with the farce to cryovac.

So at this point, Im freaking out just because I dont want to screw up. Now I've used the cryo machine before with fluids and was confident everything was going to b OK. So I put 2 bags in, turned it down to 1.5, shut lid and closed the doors to the cabinet. I came back a few minutes later to the entire machine and cabinet COVERED in perfect bright green fava bean farce. After 20 minutes of being yelled at by one of the greatest chefs in the country everything was just peachy. I think a tear might have come loose that night. lol. Damn fava beans.........

Back on subject, a cold salad of fava beans, rendered pancetta, frisee, and thin sliced pecorino is heaven for me on a hot spring day.

-Chef Johnny

[Clothing Etiquette for Chefs v. Non-Chefs]

If going into a stage situation at a restaurant, definitely stay away from jackets with your name embroidered on the chest. Thats most often reserved for the chef or others higher up who have earned it. Just my $.02.

-Chef Johnny

[Most you have ever paid for a restaurant meal]

For me, It was a very lengthy personalized tasting at Michael Mina in SF a few years ago. At the time I was at TFL and new to the west coast. Since I was alone on Christmas, the then TFL Sous Chef got me a reservation for X-mas eve.

Total came to about $600. One of the most incredible dining experiences of my life. Nearly 20 courses with paired wine + cocktails + champagne + a .375 of Chateau D'Yquem Sauternes (my only weakness in life).

Im eating at a Michelin 2 star in Frankfurt next week and this one could top Mina.

-Chef Johnny

[Per Se: An Interesting Story]

Mick Jagger was allowed to wear jeans at Per Se...but my understanding is that was the only such occasion.

I'd say jackets are still de rigueur on men in NY four stars....and Chicago for that matter.  Miami and L.A. are more casual.

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On that same note, while I was working at TFL, Mario Batali wanted to come for dinner but TK refused because Batali wanted to wear shorts.

-Chef Johnny

[Basic gourmet instruction]

"Culinary Artistry" is great book, but it also has a pretty comprehensive list of foods and ingredients by season. Its a great one to have on hand. Another suggestion is to eat at a fine dining restaurant and order something you've never had, such as foie gras. If you enjoy it and would like to make it, ask to speak to the chef about it. If hes not an a**hole, Im sure he would love to chat about how to make a correct foie gras tourchon.

-Chef Johnny

[A Chef and its un-supportive family.]

First, congrats on the TFL invite.

Second, I went through the same crap you did. I've always been incredibly independent, so this job suits me like a handmade Armani. I've lived in 3 countries, 6 states, and countless cities pursuing my passion of cooking with the best. I've driven across the country twice in 3 years. Gone from running my own kitchen in Rhode Island making very good money, to being a commis at TFL working for free and living in "government assisted housing." All the while constantly getting grilled from the parents about how what Im doing is wrong and I should move back home and blah blah blah.

Stick with it. Tell em, for the time being, to blow it out their a**. Tell em just to give you some time to prove yourself and make your rounds at the restaurants and cities where you want to go. In the end, you'll catch a break and they will finally understand what you are doing and why. It took a while for my mother to understand why I enjoy working 16 hour days for free. Its simply because I was doing it for Thomas FRIGGIN Keller!

Anyway, give it time. Live your life NOW, regardless of what others think. It worked for me.

-Chef Johnny

[Singing the praises of the chefs]

Its fairly simple and straight-forward. Theres 2 teams : the A Team and the B Team. The A Team are the All Stars working the dinner shift. These are the guys with the knowledge and experience. Its where the B Team aspires to move to. B Team are the breakfest/lunch crew. Usually new cooks and/or cooks with little experience. The B Team probaly does an incredible job during breakfest/lunch and probably produces some good food. But there is are distinct differences between the 2.

Or think of it as a concert. The lunch crew is the opening act of a lesser known band. Theyre not bad and with a little more time they could easily become a headliner. The dinner crew is the main attraction. The reason you spent the money.

Its just the way it is in the industry.

-Chef Johnny

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so what do you call us that work both lunch/ dinner?

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Tired.

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Slaves. I did that once. Hated it. I commend you for your hard work, though. I meant no disrespect to you or anyone else that works both shifts.

-Chef Johnny

[Singing the praises of the chefs]

Its fairly simple and straight-forward. Theres 2 teams : the A Team and the B Team. The A Team are the All Stars working the dinner shift. These are the guys with the knowledge and experience. Its where the B Team aspires to move to. B Team are the breakfest/lunch crew. Usually new cooks and/or cooks with little experience. The B Team probaly does an incredible job during breakfest/lunch and probably produces some good food. But there is are distinct differences between the 2.

Or think of it as a concert. The lunch crew is the opening act of a lesser known band. Theyre not bad and with a little more time they could easily become a headliner. The dinner crew is the main attraction. The reason you spent the money.

Its just the way it is in the industry.

-Chef Johnny

[Most Prized Cookbook]

My grandma's recipe box. It's filled with hand typed cards with notes on how she changed each recipe over the years, who she served it to, what she served it with, who liked it and who didn't, and more. Reading each card not only evokes many a fond childhood memory but also acts like a family ledger of sorts. There is a wealth of history in here.

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That is very cool! Looks like quite the library, too.

-Chef Johnny

[Vanilla in savory cooking]

In the past, I've done vanilla with foie, as well as tuna. I find that fresh vanilla adds an extra layer of not-expected flavor to many dishes. It is also one that I find to be quite compelling. Vanilla with saffron or curry is also quite good, as well as vanilla and black pepper.

-Chef Johnny