alex chef

Thanks for the tip! Do you know of a website for Michael Lee? ← I'm not sure he has one, I usually call them and speat to Michael or Terri. They should be able to point you in the right direction.

I use keylink also(they are in my home city) but if i need Valrhona The Chocolate Society is the main importer. Try Micheal Lee in West Yorkshire for good prices on Callebaut 01977 618828, he is a cheese importer but does chocolate, oil, flavour drops etc. Hope this is of use

Having used bought in shells at michelin star level with very good results, I don't see any reason why you shouldn't go ahead and use them for your venture. It is all in the sourcing of the product, of course. I am not sure what is available in the US but callebaut do cups and spheres to fill and there are also sheets to aid the filling and closing af the sheres available. A company in the Uk called Keylink (keylink.org) will ship but I don't know to where. Hope you find this useful.

The new system of star ratings, and the 'safer food better business' is a bit of a joke. On a recent inspection we were told to 'go back to using the old systems' of logging everything from fridge temps to delivery temps to holding times etc. This is very time consuming for the busy chef (and the point that chefs at a decent level and standard have a brain in thier head and know how to cook and when an ingredient has passed its best seems to be overlooked by the , usually condesending EHO) and when you read SFBB you can just log a handful of these in order, presumably, to save time and paper work. When I was asked to prove that these procedures were in place I pionted out that SFBB only requires a few checks a day as oppesed to the old regime of a dozen or more. This, I was told was not acceptable and would probably be challenged in court soon (in a different case, not me, my kitchen is up to3* standard, 4 last year, but as soon as EHO arrived said 'oh you were awarded 4 * lastyear, i've never given 4!!!). What, then, was the point in spending presumably hundreds of thousands of pounds on developing and putting into practice SFBB if we are to be advised by health inspectors to revert to the old methods of logging??? It really does beggar belief that we pour so much money down the drain to jump through more hoops than a dolphin at sea world.

The easiest and best chocolate fudge I have made is as follows: 1 1/2 pints double(heavy)cream 8oz Icing(confectioners) sugar 1 lb dark(imported i.e. calebaut/valrhona) chocolate mix together cream and sugar in a heavy bottomed sauce pan. Chop chocolate. Bring cream mixture to the boil, add in chocolate, return to the boil and pass. This will set in the fridge but microwaves or heats on the stove very well. It can also be used very sucsessfully to top cakes. i used this all the time in a 1* michelin reataurant and it never failed me! sorry for the pounds and ounces etc. my conversion is not too good, obviously it can be scaled up or down.

It could also be that the whites are getting over whipped without cooking out proplerly. Do you need to cook out the whites over a bain marie or could you make your mousse with an Italian meringue? therefore slightly/sufficently cooking your whites, but using a safer method. What type of mousse are you making?

Wow! Thanks for this. I will be in the UK in late August/Early September for 3 weeks (going to the Oxford Symposium on Food and Cookery while I am there - anyone else from eGullet going to be there?) I had not heard of this shop - it will definitely be on my list while I am in London. Janet [edited to fix a typo] ← A.Gold is an excellent shop, but also try the deli next door. they have the best chocolate that money can buy, in my opinion anyway and I have tasted a lot!, made by Pierre Marcolini.

ChefMatt has made some very good points; you wiil work long hours in any michelin starred kitchen, i should know I did it for 5 years. You will also get bollocked, a lot. This is mainly due to the fact that the standards are very high and, as yet, you will not have the experience to do everything as exactly as a chef who has been at it for years. The pressure for any chef at this level is immense; don't let any of this put you off, it's all part of the buzz of being at the top of your proffesion. I agree with the comments made about you just going and working somewhere for a day or two, the longer the better. If you can get your foot in the door of a decent place, if you work hard and have a passion and absolute love for it(it will mean constant strains on relationships and friendships, but if it's your first love....) they will probably offer you a job at the end of it; or at least point you in the right direction. It is not always 60 hour weeks but if you are used to 35 then you better get some comfy kitchen shoes! Good luck!

This all looks quite exellent! We have been pondering booking for a little while, but seeing all these reviews has sealed it. I'm off to book right away!

Maybe try a cheese wire. you don't have to buy one of those expensive plastic based things, just a simple wire with two handles should do the trick. A

I agree, chocolate is an ingedient and can be taken to another level, in the right hands of course, and with the most complimentary ingredients! However a really good dark chocolate, preferably single estate, such as Pierre Marcolini or Valrhona is pure heaven on its own!