chefsimon
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Posts posted by chefsimon
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I'm very surprised that Apicius in Cranbrook didn't get the star this year.
I went last year and I had a great meal, which Firstly I should have wrote up, Secondly was easily worthy of a star, Thirdly though Tims wife said they really didn't want one.....
Andy are you doing a review for the place tomorrow, if not I'd love to read it on here.
Really pleased for Marcus Wareing, am I right in saying he has waited 10 years for the 2nd?!
Anyone surprised by Chapter Ones loss? I've never been personally, don't they do a hell of a loada covers?
Not really i been a few times this year, they do do a lot of covers, but i guess theres always arguments, i feel you could say that if arbutus got one chapter one deserves one, but as fraiche did not get one there is no way chapter one should have one, in my opinion eating there five times last year it deserves to lose one nice food but nothing special menu hardly changed in 4 years, there is only so much they can do the prices they are charging, very good value. i know were on michelin subject but surely there going to lose a rosette or 2 also
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Well who d wanna be working in Tom Aikens this morning ?Definatly not me
Glad it didnt get 2 stars, dont think it deserves, my meals have deteriated since i ate there one month after opening till now
Chapter one deservedly lost its star, my pastry chef seemed very pleased as hes still nursing wounds on his body from his time at Chapter one a couple of years ago
Very well done to Arbutus, great couple of meals there, maybe need to brush up on the service,
I was going to book dinner at petrus next month, but dont know i ll be afford it anymore, intresting to see if the prices go up?
Unlucky to Marc Wilkinson again at Fraiche i m sure he ll get one soon
Drakes on the pond has anyone eaten there recently, very surprised still 1 star?
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I was specifically told this by someone within the JG empire....who was in a position to know.
edit: of course, this information may be inaccurate....but this was what I was told by someone "in the know" (i.e. not a busboy)
That seems a bit strange nathan i worked in shanghai 2005, 2006 as head chef in another top end restaurant there and i spent a fair bit of time talking to the chef, eric at ShanghaiJG, and had a number of fanastic meals there and i can assure you its a John George Restaurant serving a number of the same dishes as NY
Alo if i m not wrong Eric the head Chef has been with JG for about 8 or 9 years including a long stint at JGNY and then if my memory serves me correct opened a number of other JG restaurants in europe?
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Thanks all for all your ideas. I was away most of the weekend, but did have a good old play with the ISI over the weekend. I am going to give my boudin noir foam a go this weekend, I really thank that it will be a fantastic combo with scallops and a cauliflower ravioli, some of my favourite ingredients.
As for where I work chefsimon, it is a long and rather complicated story, but although not my main trade (I am a banker!) I have done a number of stages at some of our top restaurants here in the UK and work every weekend (for free) in a restaurant called le vacherin in London (www.levacherin.co.uk)
I have defianatly heard of it, all good things to but never been there, its just up the road from me in surrey so i should make a visit in the future, where else have you been doing stages,I once had a politician guy of some sort use to work weekends for me in bray, then he became a chef, now hes a policeman!!!
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Chefsimon – sorry to disappoint but I’m only a keen home cook.
I have been trying out some of the el Bulli recipes when friends come round – with the bite sized dishes and no commis I have to prep like mad. I tend to fill the Thermomix at the last stages of prep, maybe an hour before I want to make the sauce, and it takes a lot of anxiety out of the last minute things.
If you get the opportunity to look at The Cooks Book, I can say that the gin fizz (basically a sour made of gin/lemon granita and topped with a hot gin/lemon/egg white foam) is spectacularly good. I have been using it as one of the appetisers (usually do 2 amuse, 2 appetisers, 2 entrees, 2 desserts as a standard). But hot foamed mayonnaise with asparagus and asparagus sorbet is another absolute favourite for taste and surprise (another el Bulli dish).
If thats what your offerring at home baggy mayb you should by a restaurant!!!!!
i like the sound of your dinner parties!!
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Robyn, you are correct that Sneakeater's and my definitions of "Wow" were not exactly the same, but they are also not mutually exclusive and both I think within Oakapple's use of the word. The key element is that for whatever reason the food is memorable for good reasons, similar to your use of "sing." I think the way I used the word, however, was a bit closer to the way you use "sing" as I have the impression that innovation is not really significant for you when dining. Innovation done well, however, is one of the things that floats my boat.
Really new and really delicious is great. And the kind of thing a lucky diner may run across about once every five or ten years. Robuchon's sea urchin with quail egg - new and great. David Burke's sea urchin with quail egg - not new but still great. More commonly - I find "new" simply for the sake of "new" (in terms of cuisines I know something about) - where the food isn't even as good as a home-grilled burger. The best I can say about most of it (not all - but most) is "interesting" - faint praise indeed. It's like watching figure skating IMO. I don't give extra credit to a skater who attempts a quadruple jump but misses it badly.
OTOH - there are diners who would never go to a restaurant that serves a perfect poached dover sole with a perfect buerre blanc sauce - because it's "so terribly old fashioned". Not that they've ever had this dish before - or had it prepared perfectly - it's just not trendy. What's the point of having something terrific if you're not in the vanguard? This is a silly way to look at dining IMO. Much like saying that reading Dickens isn't worthwhile because so many people have already read his books.
If indeed the food at the London is anywhere near as good as that at RHR - it shouldn't be dismissed simply because it isn't "avant garde".
That's why I've had much better luck recently defining "new" as something *I* don't know anything about - even if it's been around for a long time. That's one reason we really enjoyed our dining in Japan - and one reason I picked Germany for our next trip. What does it matter if tons of people have had a perfected delicious dish at a great restaurant before me - if it's my first time? Since there are many more cuisines I don't know about than ones I do - and many more excellent restaurants that I haven't been to than ones I've dined at - I suspect I won't run out of "new things" for a long time. Robyn
Robyn i know i m getting a bit of the gordon ramsay theme but you obviously like new things, so if Shanghai would be a possibility for a trip may i suggest jade on 36, Shangri-la hotel, Chef de Cuisine Paul Pairet, look him up on google and the shangri-la website, i opened Jade as his head chef in Sep 05 and he is doing some crazy new things, he is very avante garde and i guarentee you ll have a great experience in a beautiful room designed by Adam Tihany, If you d like some more info and some more thoughts on the things we were doing let me know
Simon
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If you want a starter guide to some of the things to do with your whipper, you might take a look at The Cooks Book edited by Jill Norman. The starring attraction is a chapter by Ferran Adria on foams – it must be the least expensive access to some elBulli favourites!
I often use the whipper in combination with a Thermomix. Works really well as I can put, say, the ingredients for a hot mayonnaise foam in the Thermomix. When I’m ready to serve, I blitz at 70C for 2 minutes, filter the sauce into the whipper, charge shake and spray. All this takes less than 5 minutes and I don’t have to bother about making a bain marie to keep the contents of the whipper warm.
I ve not tried that before baggy i ll look into it, so i d imagine you do that when the first check comes on then keep warm?
where you cooking?
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I m not so sure anybody could tell wether the chef is there or not if there having a blind meal, you could maybe make a guess and maybe get lucke but thats about at, but saying that i know its nice to have the chef there and its obviously there concept, but for example the London, Neil Ferguson has worked for Gordon for over ten years!! Do people really think he would send something out of the kitchen that Gordon wouldnt??
Well there are 2 ways to know for sure. The first is to get a kitchen tour (we never ask but sometimes we're invited) - and the second is to ask the server (which I always do). A third way to find out sometimes is to go out in the alley and have a cigarette. That's where I meet a lot of chefs
.I hadn't really paid much attention to the chef at the London - but I looked up Neil Ferguson when you mentioned him. His Ramsay experience was at the Connaught - not at RHR. Having eaten at the Connaught - it's a Michelin 1 star - and I recall that the food was Mediterranean/Italian - not French. I'm not sure how he'd do as head chef at a French restraurant that aspires to 3 stars (although he has experience working at them in France - e.g., L'Esperance). I guess I'd have to try the restaurant and find out (which I won't be doing in the near future - since New York isn't my travel plans this year). Robyn
He has actually worked with gordon from the beginning in the Aubergene days mid ninetys and was senior sous chef at Restaurant Gordon Ramsay RHR when i worked there, Hes one of gordons tp boys, Do you really think Gordon would be so stupid as to put a one star italian head chef in charge of a want to be 3star french restaurant??
Simon
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Indeed every ingredient is different. As long as you've got a relatively loose puree of root veg, roasted veg, greens, etc you'll be fine, even for hot foams.
Where you run into problems is in the hot foaming of things that don't really hold as purees that well. I've been playing with a blue cheese foam that I can't quite get right. By heating, even with a hefty dose of heavy cream, the mixture does not want to hold air. That's where you need to get into gelling agents that will create a loose fluid gel that will pour but still be viscous hold air. You can use some of the same stalbilizers in smaller amounts to help "normal" foams hold air for longer periods of time.
Bryan,
I've had success with the Blue Cheese foam from Tramonto's Amuse-Bouche. The cream is boiled, removed from heat, and crumbled blue cheese is added and the mixture is pureed with an immersion blender or in a food processor. It is then strained through a chinois and seasoned. Allow to cool and pour into a the chilled ThermoWhip. Chill for 2 hours. Before dispensing, I share vigorously, but this may be an altitude thing. Outstanding with his port wine reduction sauce.
You've probably tried this method, but I've never had a problem with this foam holding air.
Bill/SFNM
What is with the altitude bill, sounds intresting where are you based?
Simon
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Bill, great idea - I will deffinately have a go at that. I am quite looking forward to trying out the boudin noir foam idea with scallops and I have now decided taht it will have to be with a cauliflower ravioli. I have also checked out the ISI website, but there is nothing too inspirational there.
A question on savoury sources, how thich should the puree that goes into the ISI be, and also, do I need any form of stabilizer?
Really Ravelda,every ingredient is different, but majority of thetime you dont need a stabilizer
Try it with mayonnaise or aioli on there own nothing added, great as a canepe with some home made crisps/chips
Pomme Puree is also very intresing!!!
I m giving all my ideas away now
where do you cook?
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I have a thin, 3-ring binder from iSi titled "Creations with the Gourmet Whip" . Written by Rick Tramonto of Tru, it some recipes for foams, soups, sauces, etc. that helped get me started. His book, "Amuse Bouche", also helped me with some ideas, but once you get the basics, your imagination will be your guide.
Bill/SFNM
I use them a reasonable amount in my kitchen and they really are down to experimenting, as long as the liquid as about the consistancy of double cream, you should be away, heres a couple of ideas
Caramel, 250g sugar to caramel, 250g double cream, 250g milk
Apple reduce 2 litre of apple juice to 1 litre add 4 leaves bronze gelatine
Make a reasonably thick anglaise infused with anything from ginger,star anise, cinnemon
I m doing a rhubarb compote and jelly with ginger foam and pain d'epice crumble where i work as pre dessert!!!
Hope this gives some ideas, let me know
Simon
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Ramsay came to New York with very high expectations. I can't find any precise quote where he's said this... But I've no doubt that, in his mind, he was opening a NYT 4-star, Michelin 3-star restaurant.
There are currently five restaurants carrying 4 stars from the Times. At every one of them, the principal chef spends more time in the kitchen than Ramsay spends, or is intending to spend, at GR. That's not to say all of them are full-time. We all know about Vongerichten's huge empire, but no one doubts that the restaurant Jean Georges is his main baby. Keller doesn't spend as much time at Per Se as at TFL, but his empire is smaller, and he isn't doing a TV show on the side.
With Ramsay, there's a sense that this guy has too much going on to really create anything "special" here. And for a restaurant with four-star aspirations, people want it to be special. When you wear your ego on your sleeves, the critics' knives are going to be out. We all know what happened to Alain Ducasse, and Ducasse came here with a better restaurant than GR.
Lastly, as SE mentioned above, there is a built-in critical bias against places that just replicate an existing standard, no matter how good a job they do. Based on my own meal there, I think GR is doing a very good job at it, but when there's no "Wow!" in the concept, the margin for error is very low indeed.
GR should have opened in Las Vegas. I swear - if Robuchon had opened a high end French restaurant in New York - his reputation would be in tatters.
I've eaten in 3 of the 4 restaurants in New York that have/had 3 Michelin stars: Alain Ducasse; Per Se and Jean Georges. All in different years. The "star chefs" were not in the kitchens when I dined at them. Of the 3 - I would rank them in the order stated in terms of what I thought of the meal - with Jean Georges a distant third. I've also dined at RHR (3 Michelin stars) - and Angela Hartnett at the Connaught (1 Michelin star but another GR restaurant). GR was not in the kitchen when I was at RHR - but Angela Hartnett was. My meal at RHR was better than any I've ever had in New York - or - indeed - the United States. The meal at the Connaught was better than Jean Georges - not as good as Alain Ducasse or Per Se.
So if the London is anywhere as good as RHR - then the food is really good. And if someone - like a restaurant critic - doesn't like contemporary French food - then why doesn't he/she just say so? And pass on anything resembling an objective review? We all know Frank Bruni likes to take away at least one star for anything French and likes to add at least one star for anything Italian. BTW - I ate at Babbo too when Batali wasn't in the kitchen - and I was one of the first people here to say that the food was (overall) mediocre.
BTW - could you please explain to me what you mean when you say "wow in the concept". I have no idea what that means. Robyn
I m not so sure anybody could tell wether the chef is there or not if there having a blind meal, you could maybe make a guess and maybe get lucke but thats about at, but saying that i know its nice to have the chef there and its obviously there concept, but for example the London, Neil Ferguson has worked for Gordon for over ten years!! Do people really think he would send something out of the kitchen that Gordon wouldnt??
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I'm not sure what you mean by "all the negative publicity"...he's certainly not faced the negativity that Ducasse at first received.
Bruni hasn't weighed in yet and he's the only critic that counts (he's not by any means the best critic -- that's Richman -- but he's the only critic that has make-or-break-a-restaurant influence).
I haven't eaten in GR proper -- although I intend to if I can ever get a reservation but from what I've seen and heard...he's probably on track for three stars.
I have eaten at the London Bar (roughly equivalent to Maze)...it was fine, even very good in places, but we have comparable restaurants that are a bit better. But it's still pretty good.
but I'm curious as to what negativity you are describing? Platt is not important and his is the only professional review that I've seen.
What i mean by all the negative publicity is every man women and there dog who have something to say abouit the place, i m not talking about critics, but people on various internet sites, they all have bad things to say like "the weight of the toilet door ruined my meal" is a bit ridiculous
edit: I can assure you that Ramsay is not important enough in the NY food world for a critic to "make a name for himself" by savaging him. About the only thing that would cause major waves would be giving Per Se two stars.
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No have not been to the restaurant, thats why i want to know peoples views, as its a surprize at all the positive publicity in England to all the negative in NY
I m just asking some questions and looking for opinions?
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Admin: Threads merged.
So why is everyone having a go at Gordon?
Is it because he is an english chef having a go in New York?
Is it because critics are using him as a way to make a name for themselves?
Is it because the American public believe he is just a celebrity chef because of Hells Kitchen ?When in fact, he has busted balls in alot of the best kitchens in England and France over the years?
Or is it because the food and service really is not that good?
Gordon obviously spent many years aiming to and achieving 3 michelin stars, as has all of europe and then New York comes in to the equation and has 3 or 4 restaurants awarded 3 michelin stars, now does this devalue the guide in New york?
I would go with the first three, it ll be intresting to see what you Americans HONESTLY think?
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Well my predictions are prob not to much change!
Midsummer hopefully 3, absolutly fantastic
petrus 2
Fraiche 1
Arbutus 1
Losing
Bath Priory
Drakes on the Pond
Chapter 1
2008
Alexanders at Limpsfield 1 star
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Where do you cook?
I had a star at a restaurant in surrey in 2005
then went to shanghai as head chef to opent jade on 36 in the shangri-la chef de cuisine was paul pairet, unfortunatly i had to come back to england last year and now have just opened a 45 cover restaurant and 25 cover brasserrie in surrey, opened in nov but unfortunatly my restaurant manager just took a f and b position in Dubai which he applied for middle last year so keeping low profile opening till get the right team in place out front
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Does sound dreary and terribly mediocre.
Now I'm not excusing anything that happened. I am genuinely curious: why would you want someone to top up the wine and water for you? People know this is a standard bugbear of mine but that doesn't stop me asking the question. in what way does it improve a meal to have someone pouring your drinks for you (when it is done so bloody badly and, almost all of the time, comes across as little more than upselling.)
You are a chef at a starred restaurant - I would be curious to know which though I imagine you won't tell us - and it must be something your front of house team do. Please explain the attraction - to you, rather than to your customers.
Sorry i should have been more clear, my issue was not with the fact it wasnt poured i like pouring my own wine and water also sometimes but, it was the fact i couldnt get to my wine as it was in an ice bucket in the far corner of the room and there were no staff around to get it for me.
In the restaurant i work at i have the front of house staff offer to pour but i feel it very much down to the customer and if they ed like to pour it themselves they do so, i m not saying its best but i think a lot of people expect wine and water to be poured when they paying a premium amount of money
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Does sound dreary and terribly mediocre.
Now I'm not excusing anything that happened. I am genuinely curious: why would you want someone to top up the wine and water for you? People know this is a standard bugbear of mine but that doesn't stop me asking the question. in what way does it improve a meal to have someone pouring your drinks for you
I'm with you Jay. Apart possibly from the first glass I'd alway rather pour for ourselves and will generally tell our waiter so - that way we drink exactly how much we want at the speed we want to. The notion of sitting around worrying that no-one has filled up a glass strikes me as bizarre.
Sorry can't comment on the Bath Priory but from what chefsimon says it does sound underwhelming. At £100 a head - even allowing for champagne and mercurey - I'd want to be at least whelmed.
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My first review on this site,unfortunatly not a good one!!
Being a chef and on my christmas break decided to take the girlfriend away for the weekend before i get back to it on monday so had to be somewhere for both so we chose bath and dinner at the bath priory on saturday night seemed the best thing to do.
It all started off well arrived about half past six to have a pre dinner drink, warmly welcomed and then sat in an even warmer/boiling lounge for a glass of champagne and canapes. Canapes not great crispy skin of some sort and an indian spiced aubergine puree, no memorable, champagne was nice louis roderer which i m pleased to say we have just started working with at my restaurant.99 vintage fantastic.
Given Menus, mine was printed with an empty ink cartridge, could hardly read so shared my girlfriends, a choice of five and five and no tasting menu for some reason, not very inspiring so we ordered the food a bottle of riesling and a bottle of mercury and proceeded to sit in the boiling hot room for another 20 mins with empty glasses until seated in the restaurant.
We were the only people sitting in one of the rooms, the amuse bouche arrived a pumpkin foam with pumpkin seeds and oil served warm, nice a bit weak maybe
but acceptable, cleared and then the starters came out and the wine was poured just after, a nice alsace riesling. The girlfriend had scallops with apple puree i think, scallops very small and over cooked, i had foie gras, a roulade with brioche and a puree very bland brioche was nice though, Wine and Water was not topped up once during starter and the only noise in the restaurant was of staff laughing and talking in a variety of languages from round the corner. The wine eventually topped up after starter cleared and then immediatly the main course came out, i m sure the staff enjoyed my half bottle of reisling left.
Mains were pork belly on a scewer for the mrs and a good bit of crackling, artichoke and not a lot else, i had slow cooked venison, celery a green puree of something and a jus poured at the table, again all very bland and not alot on the plate very disappointing, during this time no wine was topped up but the sommelier couldnt wait to take my half glass of white away.
Pre dessert was a shocking mint sorbet with bitter chocolate source, one of the worst things i have ever tasted, followed by assiete of apple and pear which consist of a sppon of apple strudel, pear or apple sorbet and a pear parfait with a soggy pear crisp, the girlfriend had sorbets and ice cream, a cop out on any dessert list, simply disjointed.
At this point i spoke to the restaurant manager, i m a michelin starred chef and i hate to complain but just felt i had to, he was very apologetic and said he knew the staff were sleeping a bit!!!Not acceptable he booked a taxi for me and out came the coffee and petit fours, and bill, greasy brandy snap tuiles and chocolate truffles where the ganash was not even melted and i nearly broke a tooth on a hard bit of chocolate, like i said the restaurant manager 'what more can i say??'
He then tried to make excuses, he complimented the champagne but £200 and i have never felt so ripped off in all my life, to be fair it ruined the weekend
i spent £400 with the same girlfriend at foliage last month and would of uite happily paid more.
Has anybody had any other experiences at the bath priory?
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Surely there are Chinese restaurants in Shanghai that rival Michelin-grade restaurants in creativity, complexity and formality? Can someone more knowledgeable with the area name some examples? Don't tell me all these rich real estate moguls are eating only in European/international cuisine restaurants.
Dont get me wrong there are many good chinese restaurants in Shanghai and there local cuisine is fantastic, some of the best food i had out there was when i ate with my chinese chefs at restaurants, that resemble peoples front room and you wouldnt have a chance of understanding the menu unless you were with a chinese speaking person.
There are a couple of very upmarket Chinese restaurants, i was only naming the European cuisine restaurants of a high standing, If you want something really crazy and good go to Jade on 36, very innovative and different, the Chef de Cuisine has cooked all over the world
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I don't think Shanghai is at the level (YET!) to have a decent Michielin Guide. Perhaps in about 5 years, then there can be some serious discussions.
I believe Jean-Georges is number 1 for Zagat, of course it would be!
There aren't too many restaurants in that level yet.
Laris is a cheaper alternative and Sens is a bit overrated. I want to give Jean George another shot however, but I feel its too difficult. Having been to the one in NYC, its hard to enjoy it in Shanghai. The scrambled egg caviar is amazing though, i'll give it that!
To be honest i think michelin would be a bit wasted as yet as theres only really five restaurants to be worthy of the guide I opened Jade on 36, Shangri-la Hotel, designed by Adam Tihany, as Head Chef under Chef de Cuisine Paul Pairet, Then there is JG in my view the best, Sens is ok but no more than 1 star and then there is Laris and one more i cant think of the name of in Xintandi which is an austrailian chef if i remember and would struggle with Laris to get one star.
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i wouldnt say there is exact strict policies in the U, i think really a lot depends on what kind of day your health inspector is having , i have used sous vide for a while now and have had mixed responses from have to record temperatures every 2 hours, to one at the beginning and one at the end, i think if you have a good clean kitchen ans some written records your pretty much ok.
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Hasn't sous vide been banned in NY?
Not banned outright, but the New York health authorities now require businesses to file an approved HACCP (hazard analysis and critical control point) plan. I'm not sure how many restaurants have bothered to do this, or how many have simply stopped using sous vide techniques. Of course there are probably some that continue cooking sous-vide and simply hope they won't get fined by the Health Department.
How strict are the authorities in the UK? Do they have special policies regarding sous vide?
Michelin 2007
in United Kingdom & Ireland: Dining
Posted
it ll be intresting to see, the prices aswell?