The Future, The Present and The Best Sandwich I Ever Ate.

  Today is the last day of 2010 and since 2011 is upon us, I deiced to make resolutions on this website because there are a few resolutions that are going to be related to this blog.

  My first resolution is to have my very own cooking show on YouTube. The reason I'm attempting this feat is because I want to share some of my great cooking secrets to the readers and all other collage students who needed something new on their menu instead of a microwave burrito. My second resolution is to start reviewing restaurants on my blog so I can share the world about other local places that truly know more about food then any other restaurant chain anywhere. My third commitment is to also experiment with more different combinations and other creations that no one has ever imagined before. I already have an idea of making of making entrees based on coffee house creations.

   You might also be wondering about the title about the best sandwich I ever ate, that is because I have found my new favorite hot sandwich from the most unexpected place. Here is a little clue, "it comes from the cow but its not located on the body." If you guessed beef tongue, you are correct. Why its so amazing is because its so soft and delicate that it brings out more flavor then any cut of beef I have ever tasted. If you want to know where I got this amazing Jewish deli classic, then come read my article The Real Aspen when its released this January.

  As for the year, I really did come a long way from when I began my first semester but I will have more stories to tell and more experiences along the way. Plus look out for my new cooking show later in the spring if possible. For now I must say bon voyage to the year 2010 and hello 2011.

The Story So Far

   First off, I apologize to my readers wondering where my Road to Aspen-Day 2 but I couldn't get much of an Internet signal from the condo I'm staying at and with the holidays, I couldn't find time to update but I will catch you up of what has happened from here. 

 Since my last post, me and my family did made it to Colorado safely and we are staying at this condo a family friend owns. Plus we did ski in Aspen by the mountain (a little advice: Its NOT for beginners) and to Buttermilk. We also had a little contest right now to see if we can find any celebrities in Aspen but so far no luck.

  Other then that, the past couple of days, we went to local restaurants of the real Aspen, where the glitz and glamor (and prices) don't really matter but they are stars in there own way. I'm actually writing an article about those places that would appear pretty soon but still under development.I will tell you this that I have been to Hotel Jerome but I didn't get a chance to eat there yet. Luckily I have about 5 more days to get there and  still have a lot of skiing to do. So for now,I still needed to complete some other unfinished business. So for now I bid you a-do and look for my new stuff coming in 2011.

The Road to Aspen-Day 1

  Today was the first day of traveling to Colorado. At first I thought the car we rented was big enough to fit all of the luggage, but it was not the case. Luckily, all of the luggage got in ,but when my dad open the back of the car; all of the of luggage exploded from the back when we made it to the hotel. As for the hotel we are staying at known as the Marriott Cornhusker in Nebraska. So far nothing much happened but I am working on a few projects.

 One project is that I'm starting to video blog with my new camera I got for my birthday. So I'm in the process in making my first videos for the website. I'm also planing to make my own web cooking show with my new recipes on YouTube. So keep an eye out for me on YouTube if you get the chance. I'm also going to write more articles and maybe some restaurant reviews.

  So for now I will keep you updated about the trip and tell you more as I go.  

A Little Cange of Plans

In my last post, I said that me and my family were going through the southern route to aspen. Well we thought about it and we decided to switch plans. Instead of going to Nashville, we would be going through Nebraska. I'm not sure whats in Nebraska but that is what makes me as a chef very happy. According to Anthony Bourdain  in his first episode in Paris, "the best things in travel is the unexpected" and want to use that method in Nebraska. I don't know whats in front of me but that's were the adventure lives and breaths.

  Other then that, I have been also trying to re-read Kitchen Confidential. To tell you the truth, its not really a re-read but a look back because I haven't read the whole book but I read most of it. So far things are starting to be more in perspective about Anthony Bourdain's life of how he got into food in the first place and how he lived his life as a food admirer.

  I have also made more chocolate lava muffins for this little school my mom works at and I bet the girls there loves them. If you tried some of those muffins please leave a comment bellow or e-mail me how were they.

 Thats I have for news for now. So if you have any questions or anything just e-mail me or comment. See you around.

Semester 1: COMPLETE!

     As of yesterday, I have officially finished my first semester in college. If your wondering what happened at my last final, it was intense. You see it wasn't just any final, it was the official sanitation test. The sanitation test is very important because if you pass, you would receive a certificate that any restaurant would want to hire and increase the chance to have the opportunity to be promoted to be a manager. So with that in mind, I studied really hard with my dad. Not only was I studying with the material but my dad actually learn more about sanitation operations and he was scared out of his mind but he did learn a lot about how a restaurant should run.

     For now, I am on break but I do have some good news. In about 1 week, me and my family would be taking a road trip to Aspen for the holidays. I will be updating my blog day by day to tell you my travels and other food experiences. We're going to the southern route through Kansas city and continue to Denver until we reach to Aspen. I'm going to see if I can reach some of the legendary American eat during my trip, such as Kansas City's famous Arther Bryant's BBQ restaurant and possibly the Buck Horn Exchange in Denver. I also had a request from one of my instrucers to try to reach to a place in Aspen known as the Hotel Jerousess. I'm not sure why but I am curious. For now those are the plans of my trip but I would also be skiing though the mountains and enjoying the holidays with my family.

  So until then I bid you a-do and I hope you enjoy your holidays.

Operation: Turkey Turnover Completed

  Thanksgiving was a rousing success. I had a few setbacks but I did manage to serve everything to it's best quality. I also made a new menu just for the occasion (I will post it on the bottom).

  As for school, things have been a little rough. About two weeks-ago, I was making Devils Food cake for my baking class but I panicked and I over flowed the pans. When it went into the oven, the cake over-flowed and erupted in the oven. My instructor was so mad that I was put on dish duty for the rest of the class but, I'm not discouraged because I know that I would keep going to make it to the top and nothing would stop me from becoming a chef.

  For now I'm just getting ready for the holidays and I will post more. For now, I bid you a-do.

The Hedlund’s First Thanksgiving with a Twist

Tonight’s Chef: Chef Kyle

Appetizer

Steak House-Style Shrimp Cocktail: Cooked Shrimp accompanied with our “house-made” Cocktail sauce

Main Entrée

BBQ-Style Turkey: Turkey roasted in a BBQ style “pit” with hot coals to give it that smoky aroma.

Slow Cooked Ham: Ham slow-cooked in a honey glaze. Comes with spicy brown mustard

Sides

Green Bean Gentlemen soup: A remix of the classical green bean casserole. It is cooked green beans and cream of mushroom blended together with brie for that creamy texture.

Mini-Pumpkin “Stuff lings”: Baked Miniature pumpkins filled with a cream based stuffing

Bakery-Style Honey Cornbread: Cornbread baked with honey for that extra sweetness.

Desert

Chocolate marbled pumpkin cheese cake: Our featured desert. A decadent chocolate cheesecake with pumpkin and a chocolate wafer crust.

“Hearty” Mint Chocolate: A Dark Chocolate tart with the soothing flavor of peppermint.     

   

Turkey Turnover: Menu finalized

Here's is a little update on Operation: Turkey Turnover. So far I have the menu ready to go. Here is what I will be serving on the 24th of November. 

Classic Steakhouse style Shrimp Cocktail with "house-made" cocktail sauce 

Stuffed Pumpkin with home-made stuffing 

Whole Salmon stuffed with miripoix and herbs 

Green Bean Gentlemen Soup 

Turkey (of course) 

"Hearty" Mint Chocolate Tart

Marbled Pumpkin Cheese Cake

We are also serving some the classics such as Cranberry sauce and corn but this is unique menu for Thanksgiving. If you don't know what Miripoix is, it a mixture of 50% onion, 25% celery, and 25% carrot all chopped up and can be put into soups or other roasted items. To us Chefs, Miripoix is the all purpose seasoning for slow cooking. It can also be used for a stuffing such as the fish. 

I have also got my menu back for the Chicago Gourmet Express and everyone loved it but I also needed to work on my grammar.

So that's it for now. I will keep you updated about Operation: Turkey Turnover. For now, eat and be merry.  

Operation: Turkey Turnover

 For the Past few weeks I have been having writers block but now I have a directive of what to write about.

When Thanksgiving comes to mind to the consumer, they think of an amazing meal with friends and family. To the Chefs point-of-view, its more then Turkey Talk. To us Chefs, Thanksgiving is the Superbowl for us because it gives us a chance to give our best shot to make the "perfect meal". This holiday also gives us a chance to become more then just cook but artists.

As for today, I shall start Operation: Turkey Turnover. My Objective: to supply my first thanksgiving as a culinary student. I have a theme for this feast, which is "The First Thanksgiving with a Twist." It shall feature some of the foods from the first thanksgiving including my own creations.

I am also preparing myself for the next semester by getting my exercise and getting pumped up for the finals for this semester. I'm going to be in the dining room service and practical classes so I am also preparing my knifes and other equipment.

Now its time for my postal question for the holidays and that is "What do you usually bring to the table for the holidays?" Please leave your comments on the comment screen or on Facebook or e-mail.

That's it for now. See you soon.

Haloween at Wonderland

    During my Intro to Baking class, I was just making a double batch of corn muffins and cleaning up. When all of a sudden, I was asked to carry this 30 lb. cake up the stairs to my collage's dining room. If you had to carry a cake where the chef said that he/she worked on for 20 hours, you get pretty stressed to drop it. Luckily I didn't drop it, but I did had a few close calls.

    After I carried the cake up to the dinning room, me and the class set up some of the other deserts for the special Halloween party the collage sets up every year. This years theme was based of the movie "Alice in Wonderland," (the one with Johnny Depp) and it was simply amazing. We had so many deserts and this was the first time I was up in the dinning room working in front-of-house. Everyone was impressed with the deserts and we gave out tons of cake and other goodies. There was also tons of left overs, so I ate some of the rest of the carrot cake (there was one slice left).

   After the event, me and the crew went down stairs to get the rest of stuff down to the bakery. From that moment, I have never felt so tired in my cooking career. Which brings me to my next industry secret.

    Industry secret: You can expect to be constantly move and standing for hours, so some chefs use special shoes with gel insoles to prevent there feet from tiring out.

   So far things have been quite since midterms were past. I finally got 2 classes over with but I still got a long way to go. For now I bid you a-do.

The Chicago Gourmet Express

I haven't been posting as much since school work has been pulling me down. Currently I'm in the midterms for some of my classes and I have two finals tomorrow, so I'm pretty nervous about tomorrow.

  I have been also working on this project for menu writing project, which is the mystery restaurant challenge. Since you, the reader, have been wanting to know what the answer to the challenge; I deiced to give you the answer today. The answer for the mystery restaurant challenge is "The Chicago Gourmet Express." This is an original project, it doest exist.....yet. So the idea for this restaurant is an independent restaurant on the train line, so there isn't some exclusive train you need to go on but you do need to know which train line it is on. The reason for that is because this train car goes on different train lines to serve any clientele. If you want to know what it looks like, think of the Oriental Express or any other train mystery you seen on the television and its the dining car that serves Chicago Street food with elegance. So the next time you eat a Chicago style hot dog or any other street food in Chicago, think of the possibility on a train dinning car with a possible elegance to it.

   Other then that, I have been working away with everything and I'm in a bit of a slump with cooking. I cant seem to think of anything to cook. So the postal question for today is "What do you do if you cant figure out what to cook?" Please comment or e-mail me if you have any ideas.

Ballroom Blitz: Chef Style

  Last night was practically the most intense test I have ever taken. It was actually a edible midterm where we had to cook a menu item for a certain amount of time, and with so many people in the kitchen at the same time. Now the kitchen was big, but it was stressful with all my other class mates running around and trying so hard to be the best. It was like Iron Chef but with more chefs and more its more intimidating. Tell you the truth, I was scared that I would end up burning myself or cut myself with the other people running around. Luckily, a fellow chef named Kelly assisted me with some other tasks that needed some attention and gave me a few tips to get through the endeavor. So I give Kudos points to my partner in crime to help me through the midterm.

  Other then that, the week was more manageable and I'm starting to get the feel how collage goes. I'm planing to get my endurance through long walks and exercising more. Which brings me to today's industry secret. 

  Industry Secret: Chefs need to keep going in the kitchen, so that is why chefs need to exercise because we need to be constantly moving to and from the kitchen. We also use predetermined routes to see where we need to go and see how to get there the fastest.

   Another thing I have to do is to make the Animal Hugger sandwiches on Tuesday for another edible midterm,rearrange the project and write a resume for hospitality class and so many other things. I just hope, I can handle this much pressure. 

The Week of the Unforgiving

This week was the toughest in my career so far. I mean, I know it's only the beginning but this week was just so brutal that I was like the walking dead at the end of the week. It's just been unrelenting, I'm not sure how to describe it.

   This how the week went. It was just like any day on Monday but then on Tuesday, after break, about half of the class suddenly left for some reason and it was only me and four other students at the sinks for about an hour cleaning all the pans, cleaning the bakery, and making sure the pastry goods in the dinning room is not burned to a crisp. Luckily, we got everything done and we get a free staff meal to refuel. Then I was about to go to my food preparation class, with my chef whites and everything and I was waiting for about 30 minutes in the hot sweaty kitchen and this teacher told me that the class has been canceled. Then the next day was normal enough but in Intro to Hospitality, there was this presentation about the work place and professional image. To me, it was de javu because I took this class in high school about job skills called Recreation Vocation and Mr. Robert was talking about job skills in the hospitality industry. Later that night, I pulled my first all-nighter. For people who don't know, a "all-nighter" is when a collage student stays up till the next day to get work done for that day. So I did that until 1:00 A.M and I just crashed after that. The next day was the most brutal part. This time, I got up at 8:00 A.M., thinking I have to make the practical exam today when it was supposed to be 2 weeks later and I spent so much time and money on that presentation and I screwed it up. Suddenly, I was stayed after class to fixed something on some stuff and I missed my guitar lesson. Then i was nearly dead tired and i only got 20 minutes of rest before menu writingg and when i headed over there only to be part of this over competitive game of Menu Jeopardy and I was looking at the clock waiting to get out and crash. After that i when home and just sleep until morning.

  So what i learned from that is to understand that time can take over a chefs success and that I need to control that time to be successful in what I do and take time management seriously. Which brings me today's Culinary Industry Inside Look. (C.I.I.L)

      C.I.I.L: Time is everything to the chef. That is why every cook fallows the mise en place for not only food but life. Everything has to be prepared at that time. That is why chefs need to train themself's to fallow time effectively to make sure nothing is late and everything has avoided disaster.

    So today is my day to rest and replenish for what else is coming up. Here's is today's question. "What would be a good time management strategy you could use to avoid disaster?" It could be anything from keeping a time table to making sure everything is done. I wanted to ask that question to see if I could get some ideas from you, the readers. So for now, I'm going to enjoy this crisp fall day.   

Makeing My First Vegan Creation: "Why does it have to be Vegan?"

 Yesterday was a day where I had a very tough challenge. One of the projects I have to do is to make a diabetic, healthy, vegan meal (trying say that three times fast) for my Nutrition class. Now, here is the challenge. Since this is a vegan meal, I absolutely cant use any animal products. That means no meat, no milk, no eggs and any other animal products. (That also includes honey.) So what I had to do is to think like the french and I made something I like to call "The Animal Hugger's Bistro sandwich." I will post the recipe when I get the chance. So what I do is to grill the eggplant "patties" on the griddle with olive oil and I grill some bella mushrooms and place it between some whole wheat flat bread in between the eggplant and mushrooms. I also made some "house-made" ketchup from grounded up tomato, some jalapeno, and some other natural goodies. With that in mind, it is time for the postal tip.

     Tip: If you want to make a sauce, any type of produce can be turned into a sauce. All you have to do is put it into a processor and pulse the produce into a paste. That is called a "Puree." In order to make it a sauce, you have to either cook the sauce with some other ingredients or puree the some of the other ingredients into the mixture and put it into the refrigerator until chilled.

   Now its time for our next clue of our "Mystery Restaurant Challenge." This postal clue might clear it up or make it more confusing. "This place serves street food with elegance but you never see it in a bistro or on the street."

  So keeping up with the topic with vegans, I want to ask you readers the postal question. "If you can make a vegan meal, what would it be?" or "If you were to become a vegan, how would get your protein?" So with that in mind, i bid you a-do and send me some ideas or other cool stuff through the comment box or through e-mail.

Culinary Bliss

   So far, I finally got the chance to show my skills in the class. In my baking class, we get to finally go into the bakery and get cooking or baking to say the least. We were divided into groups of three and we learned how to scale the ingredients and learn how to use the equipment. We also learned about the creaming method, straight dough method and the muffin method. Apparently, when you over mix, you can get tunneling and your baked goods could be hard as a hockey puck.

 During the class, me and my team made biscuits, practically the same kind that you make in your high school home economics class, but they turned out perfectly and we get a chance to take home some of our product. Then during the end of class, I had the job of "Sanitation Manager for a day." I was feel just as powerful as Anthony Bourdain did when he ran Les Halles about 10 years ago. After words, my other class mates were impressed with my determination and I left feeling proud, but something tells me that things would just get harder from here.

    Earlier, I got the chance to make my famous "Betty Davis Eyes," and some grilled shrimp skewers with peanut sauce for this labor day party and everyone loved it.  Speaking of which, its time for today's tip.

      Tip: When making appetizers for a party, keep it simple. A good simple appetizer is home-made chex mix or grapes covered in goat cheese. (Betty Davis Eyes)

    Toady's clue for "The Mystery Restaurant Challenge," is something of a dosey. "This is the kind of thing that you regularly see in Ireland but it has the elegance of French fine dinning." So with that I must bid you a-do. Also if you want to leave a comment and you cant comment on the page look at the contact info link to find out about other ways to contact me.

New marketing Stratagy

  I have some good news and bad news. First,the good news, I got my laptop back and the virus in there is gone. Unfortunately, the bad news, all my data in the laptop has been wiped out and I have to reload everything all over again. But besides that, I have found a new opportunity to get more readers. Here is how it goes.
   When I reloaded my Itunes program, I found out about this new social network called "Ping", were its like facebook but everyone is talking about music and celebrities. Plus you can fallow celebrities and send messages. So my plan is to fallow some artists and suggest them to my blog so then other people would start reading. Its sounds a little down right dirty, using celebrities as other contacts but I ask them nicely and I'm not sure they would read it but I think its a good idea to get the word out. So if your on Ping, look for me and I could also suggest some good music for cooking some cool stuff.

   I have also made lunch for my family and my grandfather, who came to lunch today. I made french dip sandwiches with aujuse (beef dip) on the side and chefs salad with "Home-made" french dressing. when I was looking through that street cooking cook book, I actually found out that french dressing can be made with tomato soup with herbs and spices and you don't even need to cook it. To me that's amazing. To think that a canned soup can be turned into a nice product. Which brings us to today's tip. 

      Tip: Its cheaper to make your own dressing then buying shelf dressing. The most basic dressing to make is the basic vinaigrette. All you need is one part vinegar and two parts oil. You can add herbs and other natural goodies to give it a good flavor. If you want to bond your dressing, Dijon mustard is the best choice for bonding vinaigrette's. For creamy sauces, you can use cold cream soups or look up recipes for the other methods. The best part is that you can make big eco-size batches and save money on how much you add.

   Its also time for the next clue to my "mystery restaurant idea" Challenge. Today's clue would be a little bit more clear then the last. "This restaurant has wheels that move but, it never touches the road." So your 2 clues so far are "it only stays at Chicago for a certain time" and "it has wheels but never touches the road."

   So that's all for now, my next venture would be something that could spell my fate at the culinary collage.

Culinary Collage week 2

   Unfortunately, my laptop computer has a virus, so I couldn't post as much but luckily the collage library has a computer lab so now I'm able to post again. For my second week I'm starting to feel more into my comfort zone in the collage. I kept meeting new people and I'm kept on working. As I work at the local cafes some of the towns people are starting to recognize me for my hard work and the heavy books I have to carry. Some how people are somewhat interested in my work. I guess when your in Chicago and your a chef, people notice a lot and start to praise for your hard work.

   Besides that, things have been pretty quiet for the past couple of days. I didn't get a chance to cook since I started school. Luckily with Labor day around the bend, I was invited to a labor day party and my mom asked me to make a few appetizers for the party so I will get my chance. I still don't know what to serve but it would come to me.

    Now its time for the postal question. Today's question is "If you could perfect one art in cooking, what would it be?" Before I go, I have one more thing thing to tell you. I finally figured out what I'm going to do for my final menu project but I'm not going to tell you.....yet. What I am going to do is send you readers clues of what it is and you can guess and I will answer at the end of the project. Its like a puzzler, when you listen to the public radio. So here is your first clue. "It is a Chicago type restaurant, but it only stays in Chicago at certain times." If you want to take a guess or answers today's question then post a comment and Ill see you soon again.

Culinary Collage week 1

    Sorry for not posting as much lately. I have been doing so much work, its consuming me to the gills. Since we have that behind us, let me tell you my first week in collage. My first class was supposed to be on Monday at 7:00 P.M, but the teacher never showed up so my first official class started the next day with Intro to Baking. My teacher was the head of the culinary department at the collage and her name is Chef D. She is a very nice and very wise teacher. She has been baking for years and she is very famous. She worked at 5-star hotels and she was practically a master chef. She took us around the bakery and dinning room, were we are supposed to work in about 2 weeks. For now its just a lecture class but I am learning a lot about how baking began.

    My next class was food prep essentials with Chef Dorosis. It is my favorite class so far and Chef Dorosis is a very cool teacher. He is a very famous chef and he was once offered the position of being Ronald Regan's personal chef but he turned it down to take care of his family. So far he was very informative in the class and he had all these stories from his past. He is also very interactive with the other students. If you think that this is a hands on class, then I'm sorry to say its another lecture class but a very fun one that gets me excited to be in.

   The next day after that I have a Intro to Hospitality class with Mr. Robert. He is a very nice teacher and I was part of the first class ever to be in the new "Multi-Cultural" room and it look so beautiful over looking the Cafeteria. So far the class is mostly about hospitality and the industry with restaurants and hotels and other cool places like that. So to me, the class is like the Travel Channel but you really learn about what is going on in there.

   Thursday was practically the longest day I have ever encountered. At 10:45-2:35, I have Nutrition with Jo Anne. Not Mrs. Jo Anne but just Jo Anne. She was very excited about the class but it so long and I have to take the tour of the dining room again and we have to walk to the other side of the campus to use the computer lab and walk all the way back to get lunch at 3:00 P.M. Then after about 2 hours of study, I went to my Menu Writing class and my teacher is known as Chef Kibir. She is a very interesting professor, since she said that she worked in the industry for all of her life and she knows about every thing in the business. I believe her because she made it sound so convincing. She lectured about how menu writing goes and gave us assignments for the whole entire 7 weeks that we have class at and we have a lot of projects involving writing menus and make plans to open our own restaurant.

    So that is my entire work week so far. I get Fridays off to get my work done and I can enjoy the weekend if I wish. So now, I'm just finishing up my homework and I'm trying to rest up to do it all over again. I'm sorry to say I couldn't give you a tip today but I will tell you something I like to tell you the secret of the culinary world.

    Culinary world secret: In cooking school, you need to read a lot. Its not just about how well you do in the kitchen but what knowledge you possess.

    So now its time for the postal question. Tonight's question is actually a little cry for help because in my menu writing class I need to make plans for a restaurant and I cant think of any ideas. So the question is "If you can make restaurant in Chicago, what kind of restaurant would it be and why?" I'm not trying to steal ideas, I just need some inspiration. So just leave me a comment if you have any ideas and I would be very grateful if you can help me. So for now I would see you soon and I will try to leave more posting in case you get worried. Thank you and I will see soon. Bye!

Picnic with the Tanks

     Today was the start of my new tradition of making Sunday lunch for my family. I made a picnic lunch for the last day of summer because my classes start tomorrow. I made spicy green chili and Provence style chicken sandwiches, wedge salad with blue cheese dressing, and macaroni salad. This was a big task because I have to work with sizzling oil and getting the everything done in time. Luckily, I met up with my goal and everyone loved my lunch at Cantigny. If you don't know what Cantigny is, its a park/museum and former estate of Robert R. McCormick. This park also has tanks scattered by the entrance of the first division museum (which is still in the park).

     Since my classes are starting tomorrow, I am very excited but nervous. The reason why I'm nervous is because I'm afraid I would not meet the expectations of my professors but I'm confident that I would excel in my studies and go meet my dream as a Food Network Star. I know I sound a little over confident but I'm trying to set a goal for myself and I want to reach that goal.

    I still have lots to prepare but I will be ready for the challenges. Here's is today's tip, to help you get inspired for any future delicacies for your cooking. 

                    Tip: Meat can be a marinade canvas. So try to make a special marinade with leftover spices, herbs or sauces and see how a little cooking of the meat brings out new personality to your chicken or beef.

    So for now, I'm going to get ready for tomorrow. Make sure to look for new recipe on my recipe page and now its time for my new postal question. What big event would you cater for if you have the chance? It could be a party, an important dinner or anything at all. So now, I'm off to a new beginning.

Anthony Bourdain, Mise en Place and Presentation: What it Takes to be a Restaurant Chef.

     Yesterday, I rented a DVD of Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations and I saw the episode Into the Fire NY. When I saw it, I really thought about what life would be like into the kitchen. During the episode, Anthony was telling everyone about how you need stamina to survive in a professional kitchen and he was not kidding. When he was rushing everywhere in the kitchen and bending every 5 minutes, I realize that I need to get into shape and practice timing of how to grab what for each recipe. So now, when I cook, I'm going to use more of something that most chefs call a mise en place.

      For people who don't know, a "mise en place" is a French term meaning everything is in place and its one of the most important tools in the culinary arts. Its a plan that shows where everything is, how the rotation of what ingredients needs to be cooked and who is doing what. Its a little confusing at first but the key thing to make a mise en place more effective is to know what job you need to do and make sure that everyone is doing their job right.

    On that note, I'm also reading the book, Kitchen Confidential by Anthony Bourdain. I'm a big fan of Anthony Bourdains work. If you don't know who Anthony Bourdain is, he is a former chef, author and travel show host who has been every where from Europe to America to Asia and everything in between. To me, he is a grand master of cooking and travel. (My two favorite things in the whole world.) So anyway, when I read the book, I also learned that at some culinary school have restaurants where everyone can see the students and if you mess up you could get yelled at and embarrassed in front of everyone but I think there is a reason for that. One reason I could think of is that cooking is not only about the end product but how the person presents it in a certain sequence. Its almost like a play, you show your work with a little performers touch of how you prepare the food. Say that you are preparing a buffet for a party and the guests are about to arrive. What you do then is to send in the food gracefully and present the food with a welcoming attitude. If you present your food like actors in a play, they really seem more appealing then it appears and taste better.

    On the same subject on hand, here is today's tip.  

       Tip: When presenting a meal, try to present it like a performer. Try to keep it a surprise for your guest. They will be impressed if you do.

   So that's all for now and before I go, I have a question for you readers. Who is your favorite chef and what wold you make with him/her? Leave a comment if you want to answer.

New Culinary Equipment

       Yesterday I got myself my supplies for my classes at my college. Now if you were thinking I would get the same stuff as everyone else, (calculators, notebooks, and pencils) then I'm afraid that you are wrong.When I got all this new equipment, I never thought I would take ownership of all the gadgets and tools inside the 2 sets I got. The first set is the knife set, a pretty simple set with a chefs knife, serrated knife, pairing knife and other little tools I need to use for food preparation. The second set is a pastry set. This set supplied with other tools that any baker would need. There was a whisk, measuring cups and spoons and a thermometer for the oven if needed; but there was also some tools that a baker would never use. One tool that seems confusing for a pastry chef is a peeler. I mean, I know that baker needs to use fruits and other non bread item ingredients for garnish but, i don't think a peeler is a tool of choice for baking importance. But if its in the kit, it has to be useful in some job that I might need in the future.

      Besides the kits, I also got some new cloths but not the kind that you would expect from your usual school entire. I got chef whites, chefs pants, chefs hat, apron, new shoes (I needed to special order them to have them in my size), and a neckerchief. Here's the thing that confuses me the most. Why does the culinary student need a neckerchief? Is it a symbol for an apprentice or some sort of tradition? What do you think? Leave a comment if you might know.

     When I got all of this equipment, I realize that the culinary field is more unique then any other job out there. True being a CEO has its benefit of being powerful and be wealthy; but in the culinary world, the apprentice can become the next big dog of the pack. That is what I think its so great about being a chef, anyone can become the best of the kitchen and everyone can be very supportive about what you do. You could be the best dish washer or the best grill cook for the team and the other chefs and cooks in the kitchen would know about that. It doesn't matter who has the bigger pay or the best perks. As long people know that you work hard for what you put out on the table, then you could become the next big thing.

    So if you have any opinions or any suggestions for recipes, then post a comment. Just remember to be truthful and not too harsh. Also check out my origin page about what I do. So, for now I'm going to live life as it is.  

Street Cooking at Home

   Today I tried some recipes from Street Food Chicago (a cookbook by Mike Baruch) and I simply loved it. I made 4 French Dip sandwiches, Jerusalem Salad, and Chicago-style Split Pea Soup. While I was preparing this meal, I start to wonder why street food is important. The answer I came up with was that it was a way for people can have a fast meal with freshness and familiarity. Before McDonald's and Burger King, Street food was the meal-on-the-go with the comfort of a restaurant at your lap. People used to go to a certain guy or a special place for a meal people can take with them. But now, with big fast-food chains and globalization, street food is starting to become a dying breed of "good" fast-food. To wrap up the subject here is today's tip. 

    Tip: Skip McDonald's or Starbucks once in a while and go to a local cafe or a small restaurant. Then try to make your own version of your favorite local dish or snack. The possibilities are endless. Also when you go on vacation, try what the locals eat,you might end up likening it.  

   Tomorrow, I'm going to try to make a stew that sounds like a poem.

Sizzling Crepes 2

     Now I didn't get a chance to make the chicken crepe like I said but I did something pretty cool with my crepes. For Breakfast, I microwave my frozen crepes for about a minute and a half and I put peanut butter, bananas, and honey on top. When I took that first bite, I realize that a quick breakfast could not be cereals and microwave burritos. I knew that breakfast can be good, fast, and easy if you prepare. Which brings me to my new tip.

     Tip: If you don't have time to make crepes in the morning, then make your crepes a head of time and freeze them.The next morning, put one of the crepes on a ceramic plate and microwave for about 1-1&1/2 minutes until the crepe is nice and hot. Now you have yourself an edible canvas to make your own breakfast creation in the dorm, apartment, or on the go.

    Tomorrow I want to explore the art of cooking Chicago street food. Now you are probably wondering why a distinguished chef like me is attempting to make street food? The reason why is because I want to know what good street food is all about. Since I live in the culinary wonderland of Chicago, I want to know what local food is about. Until next time, eat to your hearts content.                   

Sizzling Crepes

    Yesterday was my first dish for the blog. I made some crepes. Now if you think crepes are just a sorry excuse for a pancake, then i am sorry but you are wrong. The crepe is like the best pancake around. It can do what other pancakes cant. For one thing, crepes can be served as a desert. I know that some restaurants try to replicate that with the pancake but crepes are king in deserts. Plus they are more healthier then the regular buttermilk pancake. So if you are planing to lose weight with elegance, then crepes is the breakfast go-to guy.

     Back to the subject at hand, I was making crepes like the ones at the Flavour cooking school I sometimes go to. Unfortunatly, I couldn't get the batter to move in the pan once, but at least the crepes were a beautiful golden brown. I only got a chance to make about 5 of them because it was so unbearably hot. Which brings to my first tip of the blog.

      Tip: Check the weather before cooking. If its too hot, make something cool. If its too cold, make something warm. Not only will it be manageable to be in the kitchen, but you can enjoy a nice treat to make you feel warm in the middle of winter or stay cool in the dog days in the summer. 

    For my next venture of cooking, I hope to use my crepes for a filling that involves with butter and chicken. If you have any suggestions or comments please send them to me.       

Welcome to the world of Chef Kyle

     Welcome to my Blog. My name: Kyle (a.k.a Chef Kyle). My mission: To show everyone that college students can cook amazing food with the time and money they have. My motive: I want to share my ideas with recipes and experiences in cooking school.
 
       Now if your wondering about the title, I'm sorry to say that I don't live in a dorm. The reason why is because I go to a small community collage, (a nice one I want to add.) and I still live my parents. But its not all bad. One of the perks is that I have such an amazing kitchen and I have tons of ingredients to work with. I also have the benefit to receive help from the community and the local markets about ideas for new dishes. I'm also attending cooking courses at my college,  so this not just about home cooking for the average student, but also the inside look at the world of culinary education. Now I haven't started the fall semester yet but i will start soon. In the time being, I'm planning to practice my cooking skills with goals I want to set for my self. 

        Speaking of goals, I want to share some of my goals with all you culinary go-getter's out there. One of my goals is to teach  the students from the community college and beyond that cooking can not only be a life skill but an enjoyable way to take steam off from your day. I also want to share some ideas about different recipes and new techniques with some suggestions and comments from the readers. (Please don't be too harsh.) One of my other goals is to also climb up to the reputation as a "Culinary Artist," and to share my view of what food standard should be to the average student.

        With that in mind I will see you in the next post with recipes, ideas and more for the culinary experience. For now, bon appetite.