howsmatt

Mac n' cheese is a good idea. Probably baked is more homey. I agree, I wouldn't go agar noodle because it doesn't fit. I will only use interesting food technology if it takes a classic and makes it taste great but isn't an important part of the final product.

Ya, my wife suggested meatloaf. She really enjoyed the good eats one. It's also a bit different which is good. Don't know about "Prime" rib, but a roast beef sandwich with grated horseradish is certainly a possibility. No curry and other such ethnicly identifiable items except perhaps as specials when I'm in the mood. You grill meatloaf??? I've never had this. Sounds like a good idea though. Sort of an extra seasoned grilled burger. Matt

Mason jars for all drinks. Pork chop and roast chicken sound good. Gotta figure out a way to have a roast chicken come out hot and juicy quickly and without waste. Apple something dessert for sure. Casserole-basmati don't really feel it. I am hoping to bake the bread that goes on the table and biscuits but that's about it--and even that is hopeful. In the neighbourhood there is a breakfast place, a wine bar and a spanish restaurant. Also pizza cheap-o type joint. Basically nothing too good and a little all over the map. The idea isn't to advertise the technology or effort and simply allow people to think, damn that's good bacon and eggs. Why is the yolk so creamy? Why is the bacon so tender even though it's cut thick and tastes like apple wood. I have no immediate plans to go organic/local/expensive. I will not be serving offal etc. as few of our moms did such things. My prices will be very competitive with any other good value for quality type place. Thanks. Matt

I am close to buying my first restaurant. The concept will be the family table and I plan to have 2 large tables for communal style eating and attitude. The food will be modernized-restaurant complicated family/mom's cooking. For example: sous vide cooked eggs with bernaise, apple smoked then braised bacon and a steel cut oat brulee instead of the usual bacon, eggs and porridge. I will be serving breakfast, lunch, dinner. breakfast I'm mostly happy with what I have (but not averse to further suggestions) for lunch I would like to mostly serve sandwiches that are efficient and cost effective--also because I will likely have a decent amount of take out. For dinner--reasonably priced ingredients is the only real restriction. So ultimately the question is what home made classics do you love and how might you bling them up given an industrial kitchen and a capable chef. Matt

Could I use my SVM to control let's say 2-4 of the same rice cookers (same water etc.) if I plugged a power bar into it and had my rice cookers plugged into that? Obviously the cookers that aren't directly connected may not be perfect. Or would this cause my SVM to explode?

The butter will emulsify and mix in with the sauce to help it stick. I do not believe oil would work in the same way and we never used it except for flavour at the end when necessary. That is also why it is important to turn off the heat so you just get the better to melt- and being more solid as it cools, helps to stick it to the pasta.

When the pasta is ready, put the pasta into the sauce then a good pat of butter. Turn off the heat and toss in the pan. The butter will help the sauce stick to the pasta. Done properly even a chunky sauce will stick. The key is to have the right viscosity of sauce which takes practice. Heating the sauce in the pan allows fast reducing (and is easy to control)-add chicken stock if you need to loosen.

I think Keller uses it in a salmon tartar recipe.

Cooking has recently become cool and worthy of respect. Not so long ago the idea of a chef walking out of the kitchen was ridiculous. I think lay people say chef because they think it's like wearing ripped jeans and makes them seem more in the know. Outside of the working environment it is not necessary. I would sooner say "A Grant Achatz recipe" If the don't know who that is I will add (he's a chef)--not "Chef Achatz". In fact even if I worked for him it would just be "Chef" or perhaps "Grant", not both. Chef Matt.

Cheecho=pretty much any guy who annoyed the kitchen staff (from Italian ciccio meaning idiot) PUT, PUT!!! My chef would always tell us to put more--usually in reference to the flavouring or seasoning in a dish. He hated bland or cheap food. i.e. if it's truffle mash there had better be truffles in there..PUT PUT! "Drop it like its hot." Said like in the song. Any time the steak guy was ready for the veg guy to fire up the plating. I always really enjoyed shoemaker.

Anything in a wood burning oven is awesome. One of my cooks prefers NY bagels to Montreal style... I'm looking for his replacement. The city of Montreal has put a moratorium on wood burning ovens and if any of these places close they will lose their right to have a wood burning oven ever again. Still, the bagel places ARE Montreal and will not likely be denied their delicious polluting bagels. Fat Guy--> Let me know when you visit and we'll go for a REAL bagel. Matt

Depends on the type of chef you want to be. I have found that after a few years in the business someone's cooking school background is far less important than the chef's they have worked for. Either you have good habits and knowledge or bad. I've worked with chef's with CIA, cordon bleu and no formal training and when it comes down to being a chef the successful ones continued to learn long after school was over. If you are skilled, passionate and patient you can become any kind of chef you want, just make sure you work under the right people.

Cut the fresh figs and melon ball out the insides. Stuff with boursin then refill with pulp. Wrap in prosciutto and cook in hot oven until prosciutto is crisp. Great seller on my canape list. Also good with beef tartar. Fig jam will keep a while and is good with lots of things. Drizzle with honey and serve with a cheese plate. Enjoy fast, according to my distributor they are going up in price and down in quality now.

I thought about the pre packaged stuff but figure they also have preservatives. Is there a reason a saltier pork chop is likely to acquire bacteria more quickly than a plain pork chop?

First of all I wish you the best of luck. I think EG is a great place to get feedback no matter how much capital and other resources your business adventure requires. For $125, someone like me would choose to dine 6 times a year at your place instead of 12 times at $50-60, provided of course you provide the experience I would hope for. I think $110 is too cheap and $175 without wine is too much. $175 with a few wines would be great. I do not like wine pairings that cost more than the meal itself, although I appreciate their necessity. Let us know when everything comes together and I will certainly drive down to support you. Chef Matt

Thanks, but I was really wondering if I can brine, take out of the water, seal sous-vide and leave on the shelf until used 2-8 days later.

Can you brine and hold? For a few hours? A few days? Or will the salt start to adversely affect the meat?

Eggs at 149 are great but require a quick dip in a pan to finish off the whites. The yolks will be unlike anything you've ever had. The one veg I really enjoyed was yukon gold potatoes, I think I did them at 185-190? (look up thread for potato science discussion). The flavour is pure tater, very good.

I'm in Montreal. Just did mussels this week, went over pretty well. The pork has become a favourite of all who have tried it. Made risotto with chanterelles and NY strip, waitresses can't sell it even at $24. Guess I have to stick with food that seems fast to the clients or can be eaten at the bar.

I spent 7 years in university. I completed a B.A. in psych and then a B.ed. I taught high school for 3 1/2 years when I left to start work in a kitchen and follow my passion. I thought I would try it out and perhaps go to cooking school if I liked it. I worked under a TOP chef for those first 2 years and learned TONS. I survived under his tutelage even though in 2 years we likely fired more than 20 other cooks with far more experience than I had. He told me not to bother with cooking school and just to listen and learn. I am now 33 years old. 2 months ago I got a job as head chef and I am making the same money I did when I left teaching (minus pension etc.) Over 60 other people applied for the job. I happen to be very good at my job and I'm likely a rare example. . The important point is that you can make an acceptable living if you are able to run a kitchen. Certainly being an intelligent person who is able to manage people and has good math and English skills will help immensely. Many people who haven't gone from line cook to chef are missing these attributes and perhaps some creativity too. To answer some of your questions: I hate doing boring repetitive things--but hey now that I'm the head chef I can make someone else do it! I don't always enjoy dealing with front of house staff. I don't like the hours and the lack of time with my wife--but again, I actually had far less time with her when I was teaching. Sure I was physically home but always busy working and always tired and grumpy. Like Bourdain you need to balance working under a great chef for crappy money and learning vs. making more money but not learning as much. If I were younger I would still be working and getting yelled at by a great chef for crappy money. I strive everyday to learn more and try new things and get better. If people tell you cooking is tough, you should try teaching.

Recipes aren't copyrighted material. The reality of this situation is that once the person who created and watched over the recipes leaves, they will change (and likely worsen) over time. Besides if the young chef is passionate, how long do you expect him to reproduce your old recipes, especially in a seasonal environment. For me, even if I put a lot of time and effort into recipes at an old job, such a situation usually means it's time for me to modernize, improve and change them. Once I have made better recipes I rarely miss the old ones that are now being mangled by staff that don't truly understand what made them great.

The stair incident was after a choking incident, so they agreed to part ways in order to avoid legal problems. I agree that lots of newer cooks are a bit too soft and slow for a well run kitchen but I also agree that tantrums are for children. I have a good deal of mutual respect in my kitchen and as a former teacher usually "the look" with the right tone and words can do the trick.

I would do a half chicken under bricks. Marinated or brined is good.

Man thrown down a long flight of stairs (metal).

We cook 2 boxes with 1/2 liter of wine and 1/2 liter of stock (both hot), shallots butter to start until it is quite dry. Then placed on rack to cool and dry further. It's good in a sealed container for 4 or so days. Still requires 15-20 minutes to finish.