eGullet Foodblog: ScottyBoy (2011)

[ScottyBoy]

Hello everyone!

So I'll be taking the reigns after a great week of Philly food from nolnacs!

A very quick little background,

I was born and raised here in Oakland, CA. I have to admit that food wasn't the biggest part of my life growing up. It wasn't until about 2001 when I was out of high school that I started watching the original japanese Iron Chef. I hadn't realized just how creative you could be with food, I was still microwaving cheddar cheese on bagels...

Working 2 dead end jobs I enrolled in the California Culinary Academy in 2002. I had found a perfect fit. I love to make things with my hands and I love to take care of people. But as it is with a lot of culinary schools it wasn't a fit for most and I am only 3 out of 32 in my class still cooking.

I jumped around restaurants in the Bay Area never really staying at one place for more than a year, I wanted to get a very broad knowledge base. Wood oven at "B", raw bar at Pearl, deserts at Scharffen Berger and 6 years later I had landed at Boulevard in San Francisco when a friend approached me. He asked if I wanted a little article written up in his email news letter about my small catering thing I did on the side. I told him "Sure, just write up that I will come over and cook a meal like a do for my friends and family". I got 63 emails the day it came out. I started the business, built the website and was off the races within 2 weeks.

It has really been a perfect fit for me. I have moved back home to utilize my parent's beautiful kitchen and to save money/buy equipment. I ride my bicycle here in the East Bay and to San Francisco to pick up my product. Then I get to make everything myself (I'm a little controlling when it comes to my food...).

So here we go, it's about 8:30 and my day starts, I have a dinner tonight so I'm about to jump on the bike and do my rounds. I have a lot on my schedule this week and it all has to do with food so I think it will be entertaining for you all.

Enjoy!

Edited September 18, 2011 by ScottyBoy (log)

[Jenni]

Just took a look at your website - your job sounds awesome and is pretty much what I want to do! Looking forward to your blog this week.

[weinoo]

Looking forward to this, ScottyBoy.

But one question: How do you ride your bicycle from the East Bay to SF? I think I know the answer, but...

[ScottyBoy]

That would be the BART train my friend. Will be doing that tomorrow morning.

I'm going to feature just a little bit of biking and transport in a couple posts, accompanied by eating/shopping of course.

My bikes are a big part of my day to day and it's how I battle all the foie, bacon and butter

[Kim Shook]

I am SO looking forward to the Scott! Your catering sounds amazing - of course your stellar food is familiar to us already! So excited!

[percyn]

ScottyBoy,

What is the furthermost destination you have traveled to host one of your private dinners? Have you held any on the east coast? Are you planning any?

[Tri2Cook]

Nice site but it was the bike mention that got me to take a peek at this thread. I bike for local transportation, exercise and for fun. Mountain and road. There are a few months during the winter where the roads are unsuitable for biking due to snow and ice, I walk most places during those months. The car only sees action for going out of town or if I need to haul something too large to carry. I'm pretty certain I haven't spent over $150 on gas in the past 12 or so months combined. Anyway, looking forward to seeing what you blog here.

[ScottyBoy]

I'm back from a short shopping ride.

Percyn - No not planning on any dinners over there...

Tri2Cook - I haven't actually owned a car in 8 years, the only time I drive is using my parent's for the night of the dinner.

My parents are very supportive of all of this and I couldn't do what I do without them

Alright, time to start prep, pictures to come.

A quick picture of where I'm cooking. Yes a little messy but that's what happens when you cook all day like yesterday. Time to clean, reset and start again.

Edited September 18, 2011 by ScottyBoy (log)

[ScottyBoy]

Making Romesco.

Fry onions, bread, dried chilis and garlic. Add toasted nuts (I use a nut and seed mix from my local market). Add some garden tomatoes, pimentos, salt and sherry vinegar. Simmer for 1 hour and blend in the food pro.

Edited September 18, 2011 by ScottyBoy (log)

[Country]

ScottyBoy - I went to your website and checked out some of the pics of your food. Nice! But a 4 ounce scallop??!! They sure grow big on the West Coast. Never seen anything like that in Maine. How much a pound for those beauties off the boat?

[ScottyBoy]

When they come in my buddies at Tokyo fish market give me a call. $17 a pound. I love it since they are so big you can get a crust on both sides instead of just the top.

Edited September 18, 2011 by ScottyBoy (log)

[dcarch]

A student asks the teacher, " How do I become a great artist?"

Teacher, " Keep this in mind, to draw a tree, you have to think like a tree."

There is a style about your cooking that is unique, ScottyBoy, your personality seem to become part of the dish. A superb juxtaposition of taste and aesthetics.

Your blog will be a great treat. Thanking you in advance.

dcarch

[ScottyBoy]

Thank you so much. I was looking forward to doing this more than you can imagine. So many of my clients have wondered what it's like to cook one of their dinners. I've chimed in on my FaceBook page and told them to follow along!

[KatieLoeb]

ScottyBoy:

Really looking forward to this! Your food looks amazing and I love how passionate you are about your work. Thanks in advance for sharing your work, your life and your week with us.

[ScottyBoy]

Making chicken skin crackers.

Lightly salted and pressed between two sheet pans with silpats. 250 degrees for 2 hours patting off the fat with a paper towel every once in a while.

[JasonW]

Beautiful pictures on your site! Do you shoot them yourself? If so, could you comment on your set up?

That scallop is NUTS. I really need to move to california for all your beautiful produce!

[rarerollingobject]

Just to say it again: really looking forward to this! Your food is incredible, one of the ones I always look out for on the Dinner thread.

Want to see everything, so bring it on!

(PS. I would kill for that kitchen..)

[ScottyBoy]

I use an Olympus PEN EPL-1 a really cool little micro four thirds DSLR. The right light and post-processing in Photoshop makes all the difference.

Will document the kitchen and such later in the week. More prep, peanut butter powder.

Tapioca maltodexrin powder and some fresh dark roasted peanut butter.

[Country]

When they come in my buddies at Tokyo fish market give me a call. $17 a pound. I love it since they are so big you can get a crust on both sides instead of just the top.

What a deal. Maine scallops are retailing for $12-13, so boat price is probably $8-9, and wholesale somewhere in between. So $17 for those is almost a steal.

[Prawncrackers]

Hey Scotty your food always sings to me, very much looking forward to this blog. I know everything is going to be delicious!

[catdaddy]

Looking forward to lots of seafood.

Edited September 18, 2011 by catdaddy (log)

[Genkinaonna]

OMG that scallop looks amazing! Feel free to head up to Portland and bring some along anytime!

[suzilightning]

i really want that crispy chicken skin.

a question about using your parents kitchen...does california require a certificate of health on the kitchen to do catering or do you just have to a food handlers certificate? just wondering since i have been doing some work but have to rent/beg/borrow space as well as having my certificate.

looking forward to your marvelous food.

[ScottyBoy]

Food Handlers Card has been awesome. Can pretty much cook anywhere you'd like as long as you go through the program. I treat my kitchen just like a restaurant so no worries there. I'm asked about that a lot.

Just a final picture of my prep list before I pack up and leave for my dinner. I am a list person... Also a picture of the menu tonight.

[Tri2Cook]

I'm going to admit to being jealous. The thing I miss most about my previous job was doing dinners like this. The restaurant was closed on sunday and monday, we used it once a month on a sunday night to do a dinner for invited guests. Sort of a supper club type thing. Send out invites, get a head count, do the dinner. The restaurant was on leased land, the owner grew tired of continuous hassles from the town (the town owns the land and the better the business was doing, the more they tried to bleed), sold everything and moved on. Where I'm at now is much more pedestrian and the owners have no interest in venturing into catering or private dinners. Small, remote town with not a lot of options, bills to pay... sacrifices had to be made. I miss it though.