Hobbes

Hi all, For the record I am 26, no spring chicken but no grandpa either. Yes Tan319 all of the stages I have done have been at lest 2 stars, most 3 some 4. And I am just starting out in the restaurant industry or rather trying to make this my full time career. I have had, before going to the FCI, about one and a half years experience in the back of the house as a cook and many more years in the front of the house. This work was to help me through college. I am expanding my scope in finding the restaurant that will finally hire me. I have talked to a couple of high-end caters in the Chicagoland area and am getting some tentative on-call work for off-premises catering parties. This will keep me happy and viable until I can find a restaurant that I am happy with and that is happy with me. The latter seems to be the problem I am having. No fret, no worries. I will, once again, look through the zagat guides for Chicagoland and apply to the restaurants that I jive with. This will include the Cheesecake Factories, etc. I just worry that I will have a hard time rising back up to the haute level again? Chefs will ask why did I choose the Corporate route when you wanted to stay ultimately in the Haute arena . I would just tell them that I needed money, a job but still this concerns me very much. Eventually I will get over this concern, no worries. Don't get me wrong though, during college I lived at TGI Fridays, they have very good food. Hobbes

I am sure this is old news by now but..... I was watching on NBC Law & Order tonight and there was this advert for a new addition to the reign of reality TV; come on we all new it was going to come sooner or later with Chef cum celebrity; Chef as the rising star phenomenon. The show is called The Restaurant and premiers on July 20th 10/9pm central. Is this good exposure for the culinary industry or just sensationalism? I will be looking forward to seeing how the show plays out. I am worried that the culinary industry will be the buffoonery of reality TV with slick editing and slight of hand the producers will have at their disposal, making the true reality of this business on the cutting room floor, and what gets projected on to the TV sets will be a sham, a far cry to what really goes on behind closed kitchen doors. Will the show show the nitty gritty of the life of a real restaurant worker or just what the public en mas will want to see, will it be Emerilized (made palatable for a large viewing audience)? I still can't get those images of Emeril Lagasse's sitcom on NBC out of my head; talk about sensationalism! I did not know this before reading up on him but Rocco DiSpirito is not just a celeb-chef for nothing, he is the executive chef of Union Pacific which has a three star rating by the New York Times and won himFood & Wine's best chef of 1999 and landed him on the cover of fall 2000's Gourmet Magazine as "America's most exciting chef." He is also the chef that hosts the Food Network's Melting Pot The accolades go on and on. I find that it is good that a chef of DiSpirito caliber is geting this type of attention but does anyone feel that he is selling out (his food) as a true bona fied chef? New York Magazine article beggs this above question: Success put him in the foodie fast lane, with TV tapings, globe-trotting junkets, and a speed dial packed with celebrity pals. Which makes purists wonder: Who's minding the stove? Rocco's is on 12 East 22nd st in NYC. Has anyone been there yet, is it even open for the public? Rocco's celebrates the Italian-American cooking of Rocco's Jamaica, Queens, childhood As I said above I am excited to see how this reality show in a sea of reality shows pans out and am just interested what other eggullers think? Hobbes

I just think that there is no way to avoid stress in any professional kitchen. The work is just hard and requires being fast. With time I am sure I will gain speed and confidence required, just need to stick with it. Ultimately I love the work and that is what counts, I guess. Ruby Tuesdays has fun food, none of this serious food that TRU orJean Georges has. You are right it must ease your mind somewhat to work at Ruby Tuesdays where there is not that serious tone. KateW stick with it you will find the restaurant you so desire in the end. My hope is that I will also aswell. If hard work were such a wonderful thing, surely the rich would have kept it all to themselves. -Lane Kirkland Don't waste life in doubts and fears; spend yourself on the work before you, well assured that the right performance of this hour's duties will be the best preparation for the hours and ages that will follow it. -Ralph Waldo Emerson -Take Care Hobbes

Thanks for the moral support elyse, tan319 and KateW. I am in a quandary all right but I am sure one of these days I will be back on my feet again working in a restaurant I can love. I do feel that if I go the "Cheesecake Factory route" I would be going against the work I have already done to establish myself in haute cuisine. Thanks for the compass rose in helping me find the direction I should go in. TRU was a "very heavy row to hoe". I did feel that Jean George was much more manageable in workload and mise to prep. The flow and speed at Tru was just horrendous and could not keep my head above water even for a second. Everything at Tru was turned on to 110% and there was no room for even a slight learning curve to get me up to their high octane speed. My first day was break in day then after that (the 2nd day even) BAM I was turned loose expected to know everything like I had been there for years. I felt like the rug was pulled from underneath me and I had no time to even realize that there was a rug in the first place. You are very right Tan319 that "Everyplace is different" and I just gelled with JG and its over-ruling concept better than I did I TRU. I just enjoyed the more minimalist perspective JG had on his food than Tramanto did. I feel that I will stick it out at keep my path true to the haute route but I do not know how to get an in so to speak. I am a workhorse and bear down and do not stop until the work is done. I am fueled by passion for food and its art, that is what keeps me going. And I also do not settle for 2nd best. I do the work right the first time so there will never be a second. I thought that this work ethic would be what chefs wanted. It seems to be not the case, or something else. I have, like I said in the last post, done 10 or so stages and all of them have resulted in dead ends. I need that in and I am not too sure how to get it. I am passionate and determined to keep at it and make no compromises but I need a job. I am not looking for that proverbial JG, that fame or perfection, in every restaurant I apply to; that is an unattainable goal to expect that. I just want to work in a solid kitchen with a knowledgeable chef where I can learn something and gain that experience I need to become a chef of my own. I need a "building block" restaurant not just a "filler" type. And that may be the Corporate route but I truly doubt it. The way to get to the top is to get the best you can and I am have a very hard time getting anything at all; even with my drive and Jean George experience under my belt. How to find that in and be dynamic about it is the problem I am having right now. Thanks a lot Hobbes

Hey KateW, I know where you are at due to personal experience. I graduated from the French Culinary Institute in NYC on Feb. 20th. During my time at the FCI I worked at L'Ecole, FIC's restaurant. FCI does not require an externship because they feel that the work at L'Ecole will give their students enough of the "real world" experience. I learned a lot at L'Ecole but wanted to get more experience out in restaurant heaven that is NYC. I finally got an externship as a floater & prep roundsmen for Jean George 3 nights a week. It was an awesome experience and really nailed down my speed in knife work and flow. At the end of my 2.5 month stage at JG there was no job offered to me and that kind of hurt. I put in many hours of grueling perp work (like shelling 10 lbs of fresh chessnuts for example) and staying way beyond closing for most of my nights I was there but was happy to do it for the experience. JG and all of his chef and sous chefs liked me very much and were disappointed that I was leaving, they liked the work that I did. But all was not lost. With JG experience under my wing I had some very good references I could use and did use them to my advantage. I got hired only a week after graduation to work for Rick Tramanto at Restaurant TRU. I was hired as a Garde Manger cook and thought WOW I finely made it. I am working at Relais & Châteaux rated restaurant, and one of the best restaurants in the nation. I knew I was going to work, work my ass off. But at the end of the day I could not preform the job to my chef's expectations. I worked harder than at Jean George, even better than that. I felt like a was in a tornado and could not keep my thoughts and organization straight after a while. I was sooo stressed out. I was finelly cut loose of my job and then was told that I was welcomed back maybe in a few years after more experience. I was devastated. I felt like a failure, if Tru dose not want me who will? That was 4 months ago and I have not been able to get back on my feet. I have applied to every restaurant in chicago (besides the cooperate biggies) and have had a hand full of stages (or trials) but no bites. KateW I had the same experience that chefs would just not call me or placate me or just all around avoid me when it came to the point of conversation of hiring me. I would do a stage and then get no answer, this has happened more than once. I am so frustrated that I do not know what to do with myself. Thanks KateW for posting your concern here on egullet, I thought I was alone in this quandary. I think very highly of you that you have gone the cooperate route. I need the cash, I need to get a job to pay the rent here in the ol' windy city. But I am afraid that if I chose TGI Fridays for example I will never ever get back in to a high profile kitchen like Tru or Jean George, which is my dream. I fear that the cooperate route is too far away from the high profile kitchens, apples and oranges, that I will be fighting to get back into where I want to be. I will be going down the ladder instead of up and I have been allways told that I should get the best job that I can get no compromises. I have gotten some very tentative catering gigs to get some cash but this is not a long term fix. Any suggestions of the route I should go in would be greatly appreciated. Thanks. KateW high profile kitchen will burn you WICKED just the same as the cooperate restaurants. I know I have been there. Maybe I should follow your lead and go work at The CheeseCake Factory. I don't know....... it seems to me that you are going in the right direction, better than me as I see it. Keep at it and keep your spirits up, you are going in the right direction. Take Care, Hobbes

Hey All, I have the DeLonghi model Air Stream AS670 and I love it and never really have to turn on my full sized oven. I live alone in a very small apartment with an even smaller kitchen and having this 17.5" W x 14.25" D x 8.75" H is a godsend. It has Simplified controls enabling baking with fan and without fan, broiling, toasting, top browning, defrosting, warming and dehydrating. It cooks and bakes everything for the one person meals I make in it without even a blink. When I want to cook that full sized turkey I'll just use the big standard oven but for most purposes it works wonderfully with high (200-450 degree) even heat all with quicker cooking times and with less energy due to the convection fan. Its a great buy. But my model may be too small for your purposes so I did a search on cooking.com and found this model DeLonghi AD1099 which has a 14.5" W x 13.5" D x 9.75" H and a Rotisserie and automatic pizza cooking functions. This may be the one for you since it will be as good as my model only larger. Hope this helps, Hobbes

I guess what I met by polite service was "friendly service" especially by the restaurateur and owner of Bistro du Coin, Michel Verdon. Here is a excerpt from a washingtonian review about Michel Verdon and his service: The full review from the Washingtonian And another excerpt from a reviewer on epinions.com: The full review of the excerpt above that goes into full detail about the food (each course) and the whole experience of the restaurant. Coincidentally Michel Verdon was Les Halles DC first restaurateur before moving to open Bistro du Coin. And it was Michel's aim to make Les Halles DC The above is from the washingtonian's review of Les Halles DC While I have not yet had a chance to eat at Les Halles DC yet; either Les Halles or Bistro du Coin are best bets for very good traditional French Bistro fare. Take care PS Sara you are quite right to worry about the noise level. It does get loud, but at the time you want to go (6pm right?) the night at the Bistro du Coin may have not gotten to crazy yet due to the earyl hour. No matter where you go I am sure you will have a good time. Enjoy yourselves!!

Hi, If Dupont Circle is not too far away for you from the "KC" how about try Bistrot du Coin (1738 Connecticut Ave. NW Washington, DC 20009 Phone: 202-234-6969). It fits the bill perfectly for a type of restaurant you desire besides one, its kind of noisy. But the food, great cheep wine and beer list (only place in town I can think of that sells Champagne by the glass and that has a good Belgian and French beer on tap besieds that of the Brickskeller), and great service makes the restaurant and bar a great experience. I have been to Paris and France many a time and get nostalgic any time I go into Bistro du Coin. But the real Frenchies must feel the same way because they pack the joint like they were back in the mother country. And yes the Steak Frites are wonderfultopped with Bordelaise butter or other traditional garniture. Here is an excerpt from a review from MetroWeekly Here is the full review of the above excerpt Hope this is helpful and have a great nigt out on the town! Hobbes

Hey All, I now live in Chiacgo but grew up in the DC area and always like to read the Washington Forum to ward off homesickness. Yes Bombay Bistro is hands down the best Indian restaurant in the DC area. The accolades keep it up with the very best. Bombay Bistro has won since 1993 (and every year since then) 100 VERY BEST & 100 BEST BARGAIN AWARDS from the washingtonian magazine. I always get the BOMBAY THALI, which can come in either a meat version or the vegie version. The Thali is a big platter with almost all of the best the menu has to offer along with bread. Its a lot of food but worth it and it is a great deal for the money. Their TANDOORI CHICKEN is very good and I seem to remember that there has been a Tandoori salmon or shrimp on the menu that is very good. Their VINDALOOS are good along with the KAORMAS. I have had most things on the menu and all have been top notch and the ones I have not had I am sure are awesome. Can't go wrong with Bombay Bistro. They have a great Lunch Buffet during the week that is very good. Heritage India (in Glover Park and Bethesda) is just as good. They are both very yummy! Has anyone been to Indique (same owners as Bombay Bistro that opened in '99)? Check out Washingtonian Magazine's 100 Best Restaurants for no fail restaurant suggestions http://www.washingtonian.com/dining/03vbindex.html Later, Hobbes

You would think that a restaurant of that level would have a better web site. If I did not already know the place this site would detract from any desire to visit. I hate to think of what the last site looked like. The website was pretty good, informative and not bad looking. I do not think it reflects bad at all at chef Tritter, and that picture in the kitchen shows his finger on his face really and not "in his nose" !!! That being said I think one of the best restaurant websites is the one for Daniel Bouloud. Just my 2 cents worth, I do have to agree with "FoodMan" that Daniel Boulud's URL (danielnyc.com) is one of the best restaurant web sites due to its simplicity and streamlined interface (this echoing other replies what makes a good website). What makes this simplicity and streamlined look and feel is the programmers use of Macromedia Flash with its innate textural and interactive feel (ie the way text and pictures/movies fade in and out when changing from one bit of information to the next, etc). It is ergonomic if you will. The point of a restaurant's website is to get the feel (ambiance or aura) of how a guest will feel during their meal at the restaurant. As with Boulud's site I get a uniform and micromanaged designed feel, like the use of one color palate throughout the site. This makes me feel that, well now, I get this at the site so I will get it when I eat at Daniel's, that everything has been thought of. Boulud's site is very easy to traverse with info and picture abound. There is info as simply as what is on the menu to what the wine service is to the history of the restaurant to what interior design was used to how to make reservations. It is just fun to look at and really makes me want to eat at his restaurants. Now With Trotter's site. No it is not bad at all, it a very simple site in design and function. The only real difference I see between Boulud's and Trotter's is the real lack of the use of color to unify the whole site and the lack of Macromedia Flash. That is what really hurts Trotter's site. The first thing you see on Boulud's site (besides flash) is the color design, his site glows with warmth do to the color palate. Trotter's is just there, not offensive or bad, it just is there sitting; while Boulud's wants to be explored. And hopefully this excitement (or lack thereof) in the site translates to getting the customer to go to the restaurant, to explore the restaurant like the site. I think that is the point. A restaurant of Boulud's or Trotter's reputation (or fame) needs to have a good site to boot. It gets me in the door. But everything was not thought of at danielnyc.com. I could not view the site (like Trotter's) with Safari Browser (1.0 Beta 2 v74), had to use explorer v 5.2. Catch later, Hobbes PS Another restaurant site that I think works well is Jean Georges (www.jean-georges.com). It uses the same technology and feel of Boulud's but on an even more simple and less flash scale.