Sun Grease

Hello everyone, does anyone have any information on where to purchase the El Bulli cookbook other than the el Bulli website? I've looked around online and found nothing, but I really would to add this book to my collection. Thanks

Nearly all of the higher-end restaurants require an interested applicant to stage for a few days. This is more of a curtistity to the appliciant than it is to the restaurant in that during those days that you are staging you really get to see what the restaurant is about. You might find that it is not a good fit between you and the restaurant. Maybe you don't like how they take care of their walk-in or maybe you do not like enviorment. You get a sense for their philosophy on cooking by speaking with the chef at the end of the night and talking to some of the cooks. And if you decide that it is not a good match then you just saved yourself from a lot of trouble. Arguably, at your last place of employment you worked your way up the ladder in the year or two that you have been there gaining the chef's respect and loyality. Why would you want to throw that away for something that you don't even like? Andrew Dorenburg writes in, "Becoming a Chef" that Alfred Portale, the chef at Gotham Bar & Grill replaced Daniel Boulud as sous chef at the Polo at the Westbury Hotel in New York. He did not stage one day before accepting the position. He was fired after 4 months at the Polo, because it was not a good fit between him and the chef. This Alfred Portale, one of the best chefs in modern American cuising, I think that story shows the importance that staging has. I have never heard of a restaurant getting sued. I think it is a common practice in the kitchen underbelly and to be expected coming in.

If metromix says 11:30 it means 11:30.

Abbey is cool as hell, Waco Bros. rock. Also, stop by the Hideout, nice quaint place with friendly people, nice libitations, and you will have a rocking good time. Danny's Tavern is also a cool place, it's decked out as a home, with kitchen, bathroom, bedrooms, living rooms, and you can go anywhere you want; it's all part of the tavern. They have a furniture and everything with a dj spinning records till the wee hours, nice libitations as well.

I have been in two kitchens in Chicago that had chef's tables in them and in one of those kitchens the chef's table is located right next to the dishwasher station. For anybody that doesn't know, most dish stations do not add a tranquil ambience to the dining experience. There is usually food slopped around in certain areas, it is steamy, hot, and usually they carry a putrid odor. With all that being said, this kitchen charges 175 dollars a person to eat at this table. Why would anyone want to pay this? In the other kitchen the chef's table is located in the chef's office at a distance from the dish station with an excellent view of the brigade at work. The office is nice, well kept, and in a beautiful condition. I don't know, but it is just my two cents. I'd rather dine in the comfortable dining rooms and then ask for a tour of the kitchen afterwards which most highend kitchens oblige to.

Thank you for the welcome, Torakris.

The Complete Greek CookBook by Theresa Yianilos is by far my most worn, used, and loved cookbook in my entire collection. It has special significance in my life in that my Grandmother gave it to me on a trip my family made to see her about 7 years ago. My Grandmother is the person that ignited the passion in me to not only cook, but do it as a profession. I reference that book many times in that what dish can go wrong that has lemon, the best extra-virgin olive oil, and feta cheese in it?

Thank you for the welcome quajaolote and I also thank you along with Lady T and awbrig for the posts.

Hi, has anyone ever dined or worked at NoMi? What was your experiences and opinions? It is next on my list of places that I want to dine at. Thanks