Jeffery C

I think as with food if you go into this book expecting one thing you might be disappointed. But if you go into this book as to get insight on how one deals with life's myriad of situations, you will be more than sated.

I am not saying that a restaurant should step outside of their ability to produce a particular cultural dish or preparation (i.e. dont ask for sushi at a BBQ joint). If someone makes a "reasonable" request and asks for a plate of veggies or a dish that is gluten free and a kitchen has the goods, the means & the capability, then give the guest what they want. If the restaurant opts not to, that is the choice of the "establishment" and their responsibility if they lose that customer. If a cook/chef/restaurateur cant make a requested gourgere, pasta puttenesca, or buckwheat risotto because they have neither the expertise, ingredients, nor the time, then that's not the fault of the brick and mortar. The responsibility falls upon the customer that made the "unreasonable" request. If the patron has a problem with that scenario, they need to search for sustenance at a place that either has the items they desire to eat or cook for themselves at home if they are too picky to find a restaurant menu that suits them.

many requests can be accommodated without compromising menu/food integrity. as chef/restaurant owners, we have to remember who actually pays our bills and writes our checks. the nice thing about the foodie/food-as-art side of the business is that it allows the quirky, head strong character traits this profession nurtures to be just that, true to their nature, as long as they have a large enough following to keep the doors open.

I would bet that at certain diners, the soup and half sandwich combo was requested enough times the establishment was warranted in making it a general offer. So to answer your question on the restaurant's behalf, yes, with a strong certainty better than 99% probability the half sandwich's mate would be ordered in a matter of minutes. Depending on the type of sandwich if the 1st half was ordered late in the lunch rush, the 2nd half could be saved for the next day's service, or consumed as a meal for some lucky line cook

I couldnt agree more. If the kitchen has the items, then honor the request! I think thats what gives small ma 'n pa places such appeal because a "regular" can go into an establishment and receive their "special" off menu item without having to ask for it. Makes them feel like someone cares, and there is no place else in that particular city/town that can deliver that item like they can get at that establishment.

I think it entirely depends on how the request is made. If no vegetarian or vegan options are available on an a la carte menu, but obviously items are available for the kitchen to do so, then by all means, I feel a restaurant should not only honor the request, but be bound to do so. This is the service industry. Without having read the article or understanding Chef Chang's point of view, I could see where a kitchen would be unable to honor a particular special request in a reasonable amount of time. My restaurant has the benefit(?) of having a grocery store 10 feet from our back door. If I am able to honor a request for a particular vegetable or other item i do not have, I feel compelled to do so. I also have no problem with refusing the request if it puts the kitchen, staff, & service to the other diners at risk to subpar standards.

right idea, wrong execution. although the preservatives used in his deli meats probably gave it the shelf life of a twinkie

Wow! the cleaver hacking is horror movie level!!! the worse thing I ever saw was a frozen 8 pound cod flying at a quickly retreating stuck up snooty French waiter that deserved to be fired but not bodily harmed.

Thats the great thing about food. Always something new! By the way, will you share the chocolate recipe? my taste buds are intrigued!

Nuoc Mam was one of the condiments for me too. I did pick up the bowl and drink the dipping sauce, politely waiting until everyone else had finished the appitizers first. :')

Badrabbit, try wrapping the peaches with thinly sliced pancetta before grilling!

Cream biscuits out of the Fanny Farmer, a recipe taught in classes held by Marion Cunningham & James Beard, where they used it as the shortcake with strawberries. 2 cups all-purpose flour 1 tablespoon baking powder 1 teaspoon salt 2 teaspoons sugar 1 1/2 cups heavy cream, chilled melted butter for brushing tops of biscuits sugar for sprinkling over Preheat oven to 425 F Mix first four ingredients and sift. Make a well in center and pour in cream. Mix until dough comes together and knead just two turns. Press or roll out to 3/4-1" thick and cut into desired shapes. Place on cookie sheet either touching (if you want soft sides) or 1 inch apart (if you want crusty sides) and brush with butter and sprinkle with sugar if desired. Bake until golden brown, about 10-12 minutes if small individual, 18-20 if baking biscuits that are touching. I like to take the raw biscuits and use them as the crust for pot pies. One spectacular version has goat cheese chunks and chives gently tossed in right before adding the cream.

It is hard for me to think of one food moment in particular that stands alone, but at each point in my life I can think of a moment of acute awareness, "what did I just eat?" As a young child, probably around 6, I did not like vegetables at all. One late summer evening I was in my family's garden with my mother. She handed me a green bean and told me to try it. The crispy burst of greeness on my young palate was a huge revelation of the importance of freshness and texture. When I was 14, i was introduced to the loveliness that is whole roasted pig. The crispness of the skin & the luxurious melt in you mouth drip done your chin pork kept me close to the BBQ pit for most of that July 4th. My next memorable moment came in my mid twenties while I was working at my first white table cloth restaurant. Just being in the kitchen everyday was an epiphany. It was here that I had my first taste of caviar, lobster, creme brulee, scallops, gnocci, & prime aged beef, but one moment stands above the rest. When I first set my eyes on a whole one, I though it was something that had been prepared by the dessert station. Chef instructed me to cut a half inch slice, season it and sear it in a ripping hot pan until nicely browned on both sides. I removed it from the pan, let it rest for a minute then he cut it in half and shared it with me. I was hooked by the foie gras immediately, luring me in with its seductive richness pretending to be savory chocolate. My 30's were marked by introductions to many new things, some of the stand outs being spices and condiments from far away places. My most memorable one came from a loaf of bread. To the outside person, there was nothing spectacularly defining about this loaf. It wasn't a sourdough from a legendary bakery in San Fran, nor was it a perfectly kneaded and crisped baguette slathered with butter from Normandy. It was a loaf of bread, baked by my son, using a recipe handed down to him from his Italian great-grandmother. The bread was amazing, but it wasn't anything texturally or aromatic that touched my culinary senses. My food epiphany was the realization that my love of food & tradition, and passion for cooking had passed through me to the next generation. Food is an adventure. With the diversity on this small planet of ours, there is always something new to try. I await my next inspiration with mildly strained patience. Maybe it will be an experience at Achatz's Next, or on my first trip to Japan, or of my first fish and chips while in London. The awesome thing is it could be all three above and for sure will be many more! Dont waste a meal, enjoy your food.

doesnt happen often with commercial eggs as they have systems to reject fertilized eggs. I see it more often from eggs from local farmers, although all it takes is to place an egg in front of a strong light source to see if anything "significant" blocks the light.

Not a lot of pictures with very few food shots and mainly personal photos.

Yes, I second that! VERY informative, and leans toward the cautionary side of things. I too am looking to score a dewar of liquid nitro, but will probably find a local chef that has experience walk me thru the paces first.

No joke. of course the cook was sent home, all of the food was thrown away and we madly prepped new items for service. As for the washed and graded spinach, our sales rep picked up the contaminated case along with the scrumptious specimen to share with his buyers. I've also been present at a restaurant when an inebriated female stepped into the kitchen and "Mardi Gras Style" flashed us her jubilees to show us what she thought of our food. Needless to say, the kitchen was useless for about 90 seconds. Everyone just stood there staring at the door where a half naked woman was standing just a second before.

I totally know the feeling. I mix it up with some loose leaf tea. If you have good quality, you can get a better "jolt" than any drip brewed coffee. Although I like oolongs and greens over most black teas, I dont consider my day complete unless I have had a short pulled doppio espresso. As for the survey, are the %s based on all surveyed or from a cross section of food service individuals? My bet is the numbers are a reflection of all who answered based solely on the fact I have never worked in any restaurant where there was more than one person employed that wasn't a coffee drinker. Did I say that right?

How about finding half a lizard in a case of washed and graded spinach? It wasnt the better half if you know what I mean. I also just happened to turn around in time to witness a cook "toss their cookies" into a neatly dressed flip-top of mise, nape-ing the lot with a chunky coat of gravy. Almost had a Stand By Me moment.

I usually call that a migraine

Doesnt keep me up at night but does bring chuckles under my breath: walking into the dry storage room late one night at the end of a long multiple RF'd shift only to find the sous chef being "serviced" by one of the service staff. Kind of an embarrassing moment for all involved.

an American thing for sure back in the hay day of the diner, 1950s & '60s. Now that diners are making a big return, I am sure the lingo will be updated with contemporary monikers. Maybe the likes of Lady Gaga, Justin Beiber, Scarlett Johansson, & Brad Pitt can find their way into the diner culinary lexicon.

HAHA! I will have to add that one to my rep. similar to "Well F Me Runnin", as in you cant stop this from happening even if you are running away. I love all of the old diner short order lingo. Here is a comprehensive list from wiki Some of my favorites: First Lady - spare ribs (a pun on Eve's being made from Adam's spare rib) Give it wings - To be served quickly "Coney Island, and give it wings!" Frog sticks - french fries

Given the state of today's economy and already limited budgets of many restaurants, what are some simple, creative, renewing ways you have seen your favorite restaurant update it's image?

First I pay attention to the items that are complimentary. Bonus points to places that put thought, care, and creativity to these items. Next I pay attention to the staple or "house" items. If they are traditionally prepared, they had better be delicious and well executed. If some creativity is applied, even if the dish might not resemble the original, as long as it tastes good, i approve. Finally, desserts should not be an afterthought. A dessert menu might have only a few selections, but if the crust is flaky and crisp and the filling is set just right, the memory of that pie will linger far after the last calorie was burned.