Harry91

I have been "auctioned" and will soon have to prepare a four course meal for eight people. There are no parameters to follow (no allergies, no vegetarians, all proteins are options--fish, poultry, meats, etc). I don't want to say the goal of the meal is to impress the guests, but thats what it boils down too. I want to make them food they've either a) never seen, heard of, thought of, or known existed before, or b) think is better than sex, the superbowl, christmas, and a Heineken on a warm summer day. I'm thinking Salad--Appetizer--Entree--Desert (the salad could be anything, maybe a ceviche or shooter of soup or a traditional salad). I'd love any ideas you'd like to give. I've got the TFK cookbook, as well as a couple new ones i got for Christmas i might look into. Bring on the ideas!!! Harry

So I ate at Perilla recently (Harold Deterle's new restaurant in NY), and I have to say, the pork belly app was pretty amazing. I have a place nearby that happens to sell Berkshire Pork Belly, but alas, I have no idea how to cook it. Articles i've read on the net all say that you need to sear it in a pan, and then finish in the oven. A few others mentioned braising, but i'm more interested in a crispy skin. Anyone have any tips on cooking pork belly? How long to leave in oven? What to pair with it (imho, it is relatively orgasmic by itself). Harry

I have to make a dinner for 10 next saturday. I already know what i'm doing for App and Desert, i'm a little hazy about entree. I want to do a roulade of duck (wrapped in kale/swiss chard), served on top of a potato cake, with a wild mushroom sauce. Should I replace the mushroom sauce with a corn sauce (corn juice with fresh corn and seasonings) or some other veg/ sauce. If anyone has an idea for a sauce or veg to serve, let me know. Thanks. Also, i've only cooked duck once before, and it was an asian recipe. If anyone has an tips on poaching duck, please let me know. (I assume it's very similar to chicken). -Harry

So i just recieved an order from Will Powder of sodium alginate and calcium chloride. I found a recipe online for "Liquid Pea Ravioli", and have to say it worked quite well. I was using a teaspoon measuring device to form the ravioli, and that worked okay. Anyone have any other idea's for dropping the liquid into the CaCl bath? Also, I currently have 2 mango's, a cantalope, and some blueberrys in my fridge. I'm pretty sure i've read that you can use all of them with alginate and chloride. Any other suggestions? At an upcoming party i'm having I was thinking of serving the pea ravioli, however i found that the taste (while very pea-ish) is a little strange when served room temp. Is there any way to heat the ravioli (spheres) without breaking the thin membrane?

Red Lobster? just kidding, just kidding

I recently read about a Dual Degree program that Cornell and the CIA have together. Basically you complete 2 years for an AOS from the CIA, and then do 4 years at Cornell to get a BOS in Hotel Management. Now one could also attend CIA for 4 years and obtain a BOS as well. I was wondering if anyone had any comments about the difference between the level of education in restaurant management between Cornell and CIA. Anyone reccomend 1 over the other?

Just an update-- I used a bit more fat, and a little more milk in the recipe. I also baked the cupcakes (1 dozen) over a water bath. The resultant cupcake was dense and extremely moist (exactly what i was aiming for). I also made an icing recipe i created morphing the popular Sprinkle's recipe with the famous Magnolia's bakery in New York. It involved butter, confectioners sugar, salt, vanilla, sour cream, and melted chocolate. It was delicious.

Anyone ever tried baking cupcakes in the oven on a rack 2/3 above the bottom, and then on a rack below, having a pan full of hot water (mimicking a bain marie). I'm having a problem with my cupcakes being too dry and was thinking this might keep them moister. Harry

I've called every day for about a week now. Rings 4 or 5 times and then directs me to the answering service. Also emailed them a couple days ago, still no reply.

I've read that Will Powder (web site) is the place to by Sodium Alginate and Calcium Chloride. So about a month ago i placed an order, and the confirmation email said it would be 5-9 business days. I am not at about 20 business days and still no delivery. Does anyone know if this place recently shut down, or if delivery is always REALLY slow. Harry

I just checked on google, and it does say exec sous chef. But at the restaurant on her chef jacket it said "Lia--Executive Chef" so i'm not sure.

Hey everyone, just got back from a 4 day trip to New York. Started on Wednesday night with a dinner at Spotted Pig where i had the Devils On Horseback (pear inside a date wrapped in bacon). As well as the fried green tomatoes (served with maple syrup, yum), calfs liver, tried the burger (pretty good) and had an apricot tart for desert (easily the best part of the meal). Next day was lunch at Jean George, had a nice shrimp app and a pork dish for entree. Best part again was desert, a blueberry/nectarine pastry. Oh, and apparantly the girl Lia is the exec chef there (from Top Chef Season 3). That night was dinner at Gotham Bar and Grill. Oh dear god. Had a foie gras and muscovy duck terrine for app and soft shell crab for entree. Those crab were easily the best i've ever had. Desert was there "Smore" and a Key Lime Sufflee (both amazing). Finally next day was dinner at Perilla. The chef is Harold, the winner of Top Chef season 1. For app i had a pork belly dish, which was orgasmic. And entree was a nice ravioli of mushrooms, ricotta, peas. Didnt have desert there, but got some cupcakes at Magnolia Bakery (which are pretty much heaven in your mouth). The last day i ate at Momofuku Ssam bar (nice little korean buritto place) and Ruby Foos (GREAT dim sum). -harry P.S. would post pics, but somehow lost my disposeable camera

I was recently asked by a friend at the New England Culinary Institute to help him out with a project he has going. He's interested in making a small book for incoming culinary students, and i figured this would be a good place to start. I would greatly appreciate it if everyone could reply to this post with just a single line of advice. It can be about anything in the restaurant industry. Working as a chef, culinary school, FOH, BOH, owning a restaurant, etc. Thanks for the help. -Harry

Obviously the restaurant elBulli in Spain is doing some things other restaurants aren't. Something like, their mango "caviar". Anyone know of any spin off restaurants or immitations on elBulli? I've heard of Trio, and their menu does look pretty interesting, but not as "can-i-really-call-this-food" as elBulli's. Someone, somewhere has got to be trying to copy Mr. Adria.

Where can one find the proper ratios of water to sodium alginate to calcium chloride. Google was of little help. I assume there is one "main" ratio when trying to achieve the "caviar" effect with fruit juices. -harry

I've been wanting to do some experimenting with sodium alginate and was wondering what sites are best to purchase from. -Harry

I currently live in Florida, but am planning on attending culinary school after graduating from high school. I've checked out the big ones in the US (NECI, CIA, FCI) and was wondering if anyone knows of some good Culinary schools in the UK/Ireland. For that matter, does anyone know of a good school in France, Switzerland, Germany, etc?

Lately i've been pondering the idea that many times a persons expectations when entering a restaurant will greatly their meal. Meaning, if i enter a very highly regarded, nationally known restaurant for dinner, i'm EXPECTING it to be amazing, therefore, once i find the slightest imperfection, knock it as being "okay". Here is an example: Two family friends recently ate at the French Laundry in California, run by Thomas Keller. They ate on seperate nights. The first, Greg, is a big food buff, has known, read, heard, and yearned about the French Laundry for several years, and was psyched about his meal. After eating, he said the food was "pretty good", though he thought it didn't live up to the hype, everything tasted like butter, and the service was "not what it should have been". The other friend, Steven, is a complete novice in the food world. He had never even HEARD of the French Laundry before going there, and only had a reservation because his friend (a chef in the Napa area) invited him. He isnt into Haute cuisine, doesnt know who Thomas Keller is, had never had Foie Gras before, and lobster tail to him is the epitomy of luxury. Needless to say, after eating at the French Laundry, he was AMAZED. He said the service was impeccible, the food was the best he's ever had, and the wit and cleverness in each dish was ingenious. So, does ones previous knowledge of a restaurant change their dining experience? -Harry

I dont know if it was my error in how i posted, but let me be clear. There are more than "Smart" and "Dumb" people in this world. There is no need for the large umbrella that has been created in this thread.

apparently when Thomas Keller makes himself a sandwich, he goes all out. BLT Fried Egg-and-Cheese Sandwich -- http://www.foodandwine.com/recipes/blt-fri...cheese-sandwich Thats my kinda breakfast...or lunch... or dinner

My friend recently ate at Alinea (Grant Achatz's place) and described a dish he had that was a 'bubble' of mozzarella cheese that had tomato "air" inside. I'm guessing this a play on the classic salad. Any idea's as to how one would create a "Bubble" of mozzarella cheese? I can imagine a ghetto approach using a hair dryer and a turkey baster, but i'm sure the actual method is much more ingenious.

I was recently looking at a chart on the CIA website that compares the GPA's of their incoming freshman, with that of NECI and J&W's. It astounded me that 30% of the students had a 3-3.5, 30% had a 2.5 to 3 and 30% had a 2 to 2.5. I'm only 16, but i do have a 4.0 GPA, and was just curious as to whether the people you come across daily in the food industry, are, well, smart. Now i dont mean "can they cook", obviously you could be an amazing chef, and not be able to put a sentence together. Let me know what you think. -Harry

I live in Coral Springs, FL and wanted to know if anyone knew anyone around here that owned/worked in a restaurant. More specifically, Onyx, Blue Moon, or Runyons Steakhouse. Obviously i've applied to all these places, but a connection directly to the restaurant would be just marvelous. -Harry

I'm only 16 and am just starting to get involved in the food industry. I do have high asparations though, and plan to pursue a career as a chef. I have asked many people i know personally the dreaded question to which there is no clear answer, "Should i spend 2 to 4 years in a culinary school (like the CIA or NECI) or is my time better spent in restaurants?". I've heard both sides argued quite well on this matter. But seeing as potentially my entire future could ride on this decision, i wanted to open it up to a broader audience of "foodies". I still have 2 years of high school left before i have to decide about college. Any opinions would be well appreciated. -Harry