Chef Fowke

Yes, sorry.... I stand corrected. A stack of white rye bread. And really, I wasn't critiquing the bread, it’s the best smoked meat in the world and it could be served on a bed of straw and it would still be great!

There are two different flavours I look for in Prime cattle. If I purchase from the USA I look for an animal that is 'finished' on corn. You get a superior amount of fine marbling in the last 16 weeks of life and a great tinge of yellow to the fat cap. In Canadian Prime beef (not being loyal, but my preference) the cattle are taken from 800 pounds to 1600 pounds in they’re last 16 weeks of life on barley. The fine marbling is incredible yet a very subtle flavour and white. As I understand it, growing up on the Canadian prairies, it doesn't really matter what the animal was raised on. It’s the final fatting that adds the flavour. A lot of USDA prime is from Alberta 'free-range' cattle as is a lot of Canada Prime from the Montana herds. It’s all about economics up to the last 16 weeks of life for the cattle.

Do you need any recipes? How to smoke salmon How to make Sauce Charon How to make a Latke

If you like smoked meat you need to go to Montreal and try Schwartz's. My wife went to McGill University while I worked as a chef in Toronto. I do not think it was any coincidence that I always drove/flew/took the train out to Montreal on the weekends to see her. It was for my weekly feast at Schwartz, a non-descript, dirty hole in the wall with the best smoked meat in the world (with the exception of a small deli in Tel Aviv I do not remember the name of). The best part of the experience at Schwartz's is how cocky they are about there meat. They plop down a half loaf of white bread on your table, the smoked meat (hand shaven; you have three choices; fatty, regular or lean) and a bottle of mustard. You are crammed at a table with at least 15 other strangers and are 'allow' you 20 minutes to eat the beautiful morsels of food, pay and get out. I usually would be really pissed off, but this is the best and I have to tolerate it...

There is a definite pay scale in the restaurant/hotel food outlet that is based on economics. I have employees in my kitchen making $8.00 an hour and some making above the Canadian average for salaries. I base the pay solely on how much they contribute to the operation of the kitchen vs. how much it costs me to make them a viable member of the brigade. A young cook walks in with little to no experience. It is fair to pay him minimum wage until he has completed his training. It costs a minimum of $800 to train a new employee with the expense of printed training materials such as menu syllabus, direct hands on training and coaching by a kitchen manager. Unlike a white-collar profession cooks do not need a formal education to start in there chosen careers. They can be trained onsite while performing their job. They gain the benefit of the location they work at. A good hospitality college degree cost $3000 - $4000 a year in Canada with the best schools (Dubrulle) charging in excess of $10k. When it comes to kitchen management the initial training costs are huge. To retain and develop a long-term manager in a kitchen you need to offer more then money. We offer (after one year) medical and dental plans. We hold extensive management universities for all the Sous Chefs at least once a year focusing on management and coaching skills. This cost, individually, would be $3000 - $5000 for the individual if he/she bought this education on the street. Then there is the cost of the pre-shifts and weekly management meeting. We spend $25 cost on food for each pre-shift, ½ labour a day for 120 staff members and 3 hours a week for 10 managers. That runs close to $1350 a week in training. I have been the chef for five years where I now work. I have had the pleasure of working with six Sous Chefs (not including the four I have now) who have gone on to be Executive Chef’s of their own restaurants or owners. Each one of them has nearly doubled his wage. Everyone of my Chef de Parties who has left has landed at least a Sous Chef position if not an Executive Chef position with a 30% increase in there wage. The point is, as in every industry, you need to choose your route to success. If you choose to earn your ‘degree’ hands-on it is going to cost you in wages. There is no fast way to be successful in any career. You need to either go to college and pay the top dollar so you can start at a higher wage or you need to suck it up and work hard for many, many years in the kitchen until you have earned your ‘degree’ and have can physically show a reason to be paid well.

Do that to your $300 copper pans and see what happens!!!

It is good to see the scene in Vancouver going in this direction. I love going to Le Crocodile for a quick bite and a glass of wine at the bar in the late afternoon. Pastis is a great drop in spot for a late night appetizer and glass of Bordeaux (Absinthe for dessert; done right! ). Cafe Chez Michel delivers affordable French wines and classic bistro foods on the North Shore but where else can you go for a wine orientated experience? Toronto mastered this years ago with Le Select Bistro and the Pasta Bar at Scaramouche. It will be great to have something new in town in such a chic neighborhood. Website is very intriguing...

The general rule for beurre blanc and beurre rouge is that you use the same wine you are drinking with dinner as you cook with. We cook with a second label (VQA) wine packaged large format (16l). My cooks will tell you it tastes good. I bust them at least once a month 'sampling' the cooking wine! And the butter is important! Spend the extra money and buy sweet butter that has not been frozen. 99% of all salted butter is from grade B dairy and has been frozen. When you add salt to butter it covers up a lot of imperfections.

Yes! I experienced Gigondas for the first time last year while sitting in Bistro Chez Michel on the North Shore (Vancouver). I was eating steak frittes and I asked the owner what he recommends as a wine. He brought over a bottle of Chapoutier. I have been hooked ever since. I have spent the last 12 months sampling all that I can find. Flying Fish in Seattle has a nice collection of Gigondas and Rhone at reasonable prices.

Wow! Yes! I must agree. Vodka is more then a drink to be mixed. I tasted a jigger of vodka from a mason jar my Ukrainian friend had smuggled into the country. It was distilled beetroot. What a great flavour. It would stand up to any scotch for complexity (with the exception of my personal favorite - Lagavulin)

Did you not get an invitation? The event is held on Canada Day every year at my house (third mountain over when looking across the inlet from Vancouver). Feel free to drop by... The conversation, food and drink were all very good and we spent an hour browsing eGullet; a lot of my 'hospitality' friends had not heard of this site. We should see a huge influx of new members soon

There is something really beautiful about creating a sauce, al a minute that does not include any artificial thickeners. Try these proportions with your recipe and see how it works. 8 shallots, very finely chopped 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar 4 tablespoons dry white wine 8 ozs good (not salted or frozen), cold butter Salt and white pepper to taste. Place the shallots in a heavy saucepan on a very low heat with the vinegar and the wine and soften them until they almost turn to a puree. Add the butter 1/2" cube by 1/2" cube and whisk until the sauce thickens. We use a little veal jus in our port sauce on our menu monkfish. It adds a nice, unique flavour that is extremely complimentary with firm, meaty fish. As well, do not be scared to use your electric hand mixer and whip some extra air and froth into the finished product. It will help to thicken and finish the sauce with a desirable texture.

The fifth annual dinner party has come and gone and I really need to thank everyone at eGullet for his or her contribution. The food, as expected, turned out great. With the exception of the snails the food turned out as I had planned. The snails were live ‘petite gris’ that took an additional four hours to clean and prep (the day before the party). I am more familiar with the larger Bourgogne snails that are easier to clean and have a more pronounced flavour. Maybe more on that in a separate thread… The wine was the highlight of the day. I have gathered the twenty bottles that I enjoyed the most (thank god for the new Ridel tasting glass that only holds one ounce; I didn’t have to spit!). The following is in the order of preference (I am a novice so I am writing the description as it is written on the label, sorry if I get regions/growers mixed). 1. Chateau Saint-Pierre 1990 (St Julien) I cannot remember a better wine. The flavour was in my mouth for a full five minutes. This wine changed in complexity every half hour. We opened it and tried it over a five hour period. 2. Clos Des Papes 2000 (Chateauneuf-du-Pape) (Magnum) I will apologize to everyone French but I loved this because it reminded me of the very best of the big Californian Cabs. This was amazing and the large format bottle was a lot of fun. We had some left over after dinner and we smoked a couple of Cohibas and the wine held up to the smoke!! 3. Pouilly-Fuisse 1990 (Bourgogne J.J. Vincent) This wine was a fresh and lively as if it had been bottled yesterday. This wsa the perfect wine to crack at 11:30am. 4. Pouilly-Fuisse 2000 (Bourgogne Joseph Burrier) This wine almost sparkled in the glass. It was tamed by the solid butter finish. 5. Cairanne 1997 (Cotes du Rhone Village) (Magnum) For everyday consumption this would be my favorite wine of the day. It held up really well to all the food. 6. Aloxe-Corton 1995 (Cote-D’Or Comte Senard) I found this to be very unique. I am still not sure if I liked it but I went back for seconds and am going to purchase some more. I think the flavour was raspberry-grapefruit-vanilla-tobacco, 7. Domaine Rabasse Charavin 1996 (Cote du Rhone) (Magnum) the best $70 magnum I have ever tasted. Extremely smooth with everything French I was looking for. 8. Domaine Raspail-Ay 1999 (Gigondas) Why do I love Gigondas so much? This was the best buy for $30can. It was definitely ready to drink and it paired well with the rabbit and pheasant. 9. Vacqueyras 2000 (Rhone Feraud – Brunel) Another wine under $30can that was great to drink. Nothing overly complex; just pure enjoyment to drink while sitting in the sun with a full belly of food. 10. Silver Oak 1987 (Alexander Valley) Not French. Should be closer to the top but it was a French theme party. I hope there is more of this on the market. The tannins are gone and the fruit is beautiful. 11. Meursault-Genevrieres Premier Cru 2000 (Latour-Giraud Cote-d’Or) Extremely buttery. I am not an expert but I do believe this will be number one on this list in a few years when it rounds out more. 12. Caves des Papes 2000 (Eleve en Foudre Dechene) One of the most sophisticated bottles of the day. The content was clean with great, mature, oak for a bottle only three years old. 13. Riesling 2001 (DR Loosen) This was a great refresher. 14. Les Hauts de Montmiral 2000 (Gigondas) Another favorite that I will put into my cellar. This had good alcohol with a rich flavour. Five years and it will be at the top of the list. 15. Croze-Hermitage 2000 (Caves des Papes) This is on the list because I didn’t get to try it. Everyone ‘guzzled’ this bottle in seconds. 16. Montirius 2000 (Gigondas) Very good flavour. Great bottle. 17. Stag’s Leap Petite Sirah 1998 (Napa Valley) My crazy friends. Bringing a Californian to a French Theme party. It was extremely tasty and much appreciated. I though 1998 was a poor year in Napa? This wine was full and complex. 18. E.Guigal Rose 2000 (Cotes-du-Rhone) I would have never thought to have brought a Rose. It was a real treat after lunch and before the cheese. I am going to keep a bottle in my cooler. 19. Chateau de Bord 1999 (Laudun Cotes-du-Rhone) Cheap, inexpensive and easy on the palate. We drank about 10 of these bottles between 4:00pm and 8:00pm. 20. Napanook 1998 (Dominus Estates Napa) I hope I can afford this wine. I thought it was an old Cote-du-Rhone when I first tried it. This was the biggest surprise of the day for me. And then there were the cheeses. My supplier didn’t leave the labels on all the cheese so I have to guess on a few. The majority were un-pasteurized French cheeses. To pick a best would be impossible. They were all perfect in their own way and my house stank! As the day warmed up so did the odor. The ‘cheese virgins’ began to thin out and move outdoors. The true gourmands ascended on the ripe molding mounds of dairy and bacteria! 1. Morbier – very mellow. Really interesting to taste the difference between the ‘morning milk’ cheese and the ‘evening milk’ cheese that is separated by the volcanic ash 2. Chaumes – This cheese never ‘warmed up’. It looked like it was going to run after four hours but it never did! It had a very nutty flavour with a meaty overtone. 3. Port Salut – Almost pedestrian today but what a great flavour. 4. Bucheron – The wooden box was a great touch and I understood why it was there when I opened it and saw the ball of mould. The cheese by the crust was extremely sharp. It became quite mild and creamy near the center. 5. Somerset Farm House Cheddar – I kept coming back to this cheese with a cheap bottle of Chateau de Bord. For a cheese priced at $30/lbs and a bottle priced under $15/bottle it was a match made in heaven. 6. Affidélice – The taste of the Chablis is prevalent throughout this cheese. I drank a 1990 Pouilly-Fuisse (J.J. Vincent) and ate a loaf of potato baguette. 7. Honorable mention needs to go to the Salt Spring Island Cheeses that were served. For a small, cottage industry (Hippie), the cheeses had a note of sophistication. Anyone wanting more information contact me directly and I will forward you more information or try this link: http://www.moonstruckcheese.com/ Some Notes on the Food: By far my favorite dish was the Pheasant. I marinated the plums in a young Marsala overnight. After searing the pheasant with leek, juniper and thistle honey I simmer in the plums, duck jus and a good splash of cognac. It slowly cooked for 3 hours in a 225f oven. The frog legs were a new approach for me. I marinated them overnight with thyme and buttermilk. To order I fried them in peanut oil after dipping them in a simple egg-beer-flour mixture that I firmed with some cornstarch. I had to cook up three batches; everyone kept asking for more. I switched the fish from Ling Cod to Black Cod (Sablefish). The fish was overpowered by the Dijon but as a whole it turned out to be a very good Nicoise salad. My wife loved the Cromesquis. I took Quebec Foie Gras and lightly whipped it with a touch of sauterne, braised leeks and black truffles then coated it with panko. When fried the foie gras became very creamy. Those who could wait for it to cool a little were rewarded with an excellent package. After the event was into the eighth hour the food emphasis switched to more rustic dishes like ‘Le Chargement français de Saucisson avec Moutarde de Meaux’ (pardon my French). This is sausage forcemeat sautéed with leeks, onions, garlic, fresh herbs and mushrooms and finished with grainy mustard and raw egg. It is then bound with raw bread dough and left to proof. When it is baked it becomes a drunken wine drinkers dream. The lemon tart was the first dessert to disappear. I preferred the simplicity of the Coeur la Crème. Basically a soured yogurt and cream mixture enhanced with Tahitian vanilla beans that is allowed to hang in cheesecloth at room temperature for 3 days. The remaining ‘curd’ is similar to a sweetened cheese that you serve with fresh berries and pastries. This event is the highlight of the year in my household and again I would like to offer my thanks to everyone who helped contribute. We need to open this event up in the next years to include the people on eGullet!

I believe the Executive Chef at Oceonaire's wife is the GM at Wild Ginger...

Yes. Latke made with very young Vancouver Island nugget potatoes. The leeks are cooked down with onions, scallion and garlic until they are translucent and then added to the potatoes. Shape into the size of an English muffin. Four things are really important; 1) Make an indent in the top of the Latke for the eggs to sit in. 2) Cook over a medium-low heat using only sweet butter 3) It is best if the salmon is sockeye and it has been applewood or beech smoked 4) Grate the wasabi at the last possible minute and add to the crème friache. Put the egg on top of the crème friache and shave some additional wasabi on top of the eggs. The ultimate is this dish served with sauce Charon!

yes, the cake knife is serrated.

Restaurant trivia; Delmonico Restaurant NYC (http://www.cbbqa.com/delmonico/History.html ). 1. The first restaurant in the USA to serve food al a carte and have a full menu. 2. The term 86’ed comes from the fact that the menu item number 86 at Delmonica’s was the Delmonico steak (http://www.cbbqa.com/delmonico/Steak.html ) that they ran out of every night, hence an item is 86’ed!

Fresh wasabi is being grown on Vancouver Island and in Oregon. Very, very tasty! Makes it hard to use the powder when you have been spoiled with the fresh. A touch of fresh wasabi in crème friache served with smoked salmon and poached eggs on a leek and potato pancake gets me started every Sunday morning!

None of this is Italian, but here is the best of Seattle... My wife makes me drive down to Seattle at least once a month for dinner. We always start at the Queen City Diner for a great (expensive, but very good and unique) glass of wine and a small appetizer. We move across the street to the Flying Fish for another great beverage list (martinis) and enjoy the foie gras (only $12 for 2 - 3oz !!!!!). And most importantly we end up at Oceanaire. This kid, the Chef. is brilliant! The menu is spot on for 2003. You can tell from his plates that he loves what he does. The place is always packed so phone ahead. If you ask to speak to Kevin Davis, the executive chef, he will actually talk to you. Tell him that you love food and he will be at the table and will spend time talking to you about the Seattle restaurant scene. This guy is good! Enjoy your night.

You know, you’re both so right. I have a Victorinox at home that I purchased five years ago and it is as good as new. At work I have a brigade of 30 cooks. 15 being entry-level cooks and apprentices. I lend to the new cooks, before they have been hired on permanently and bought their own equipment, my Victorinox. Have you ever noticed that in the novice hand the serrated blade seems to do more damage when they cut themselves?

no, no, no! to the right!!! Ooops, you are right...Its that British blood screwing me up (hairy palms and all!).

I love my set of Wusthof! I bought them 15 years ago and they look like new. I use them all the time.... But I still keep a Victorinox Cake Knife in my kit! It is the best all round knife I have ever used. I replace it every year at $35. It is so versatile!

For those of us who live in the Pacific Northwest. At the winery there are a few bottles left of my favorite summer drink; Argyle 1991 Extended Tirage Brut. About the fourth or fifth time I met Fat Gut he brought a bottle to dinner. It was spectacular. I drove down the next month and grabbed a case. When I traveled through in November they still had some. You have to beg for it. They do not offer it to the general public. This really compares with any house in France. And when I talk to my family, it really captures the feel of Paris in the 1950's! I am really intrigued about the bubble, whites and Pinot Noir coming out of this region!

I have done a lot of traveling in my live and you are right! I cannot remember any great meals in airports. I remember a lot of great martinis/beers in airport lounges with newly made friends from around the world... I do remember, though, the vending machines in Tokyo in the early eighties. A selection of everything you might want to eat. The quality was extremely poor but it was so revolutionary and cool that I loved it. I also remember the vodka vending machine in Moscow (not food, but still really cool) The two meals I have had that were enjoyable were; LAX --> Wolfgang Puck Express. A chicken pizza and three pints. Singapore --> a bowl of noodles and four very large sake. To be fair, the airport food in Singapore was great. The airport was beautiful and we were upgraded to business class. The lounge was spectacular and the hostesses were all supermodels. I had just turned 20 years old and on my first big trip. We spent more money in the airport then we did in the previous week in northern Australia!

The French keep their hands above table; the British keep their hands on their laps. Ask a 100 Frenchmen what they think the Brit is doing below the table and you will be told the same thing every time! Those horny Brits...