This week, I want to try something a little different with the Monday Morning Coffee and try a somewhat different subject. Dont worry, its still food related but it is related to my big cookbook project.
When people think of trends in the food world, they think of the newest or most modern food styles. Yet some wonder why how the trends of small tasting plates and fusion cuisine came to be. Although a lot of trends does depend on the demand of the people who eat out for entertainment. Whether the group is big or small, everyone has a voice when it comes to the next big thing in dinning. Whole websites are deticated to new food fads and the legacy that it leaves behind.
The internet has been a big driving force for these new trends with social media sites that gives anyone the power to become a critic or "an amature culinary professtional." Although the internet has made some trends possible, it is also unstable. If you have the power to control what is the best and what is the worst, would you pick the best resturant based on the quality or because your favorite that treats you and brown nose to get a better score? If you think about it, a lot of people over the internet only write or vlog on only a specific chain or spcific resturant because they are somewhat close minded of what other places are like or just being paid to think of other resturants as inferior and their client as superior.
Im not saying that everyone who blogs only focus on that particular place all the time, but im not denying the fact that they are other people who do not move their decition just because they dont want their favorite place to be torn down. My point is that yes, some people such as chefs, writers and other people alike can bring a new food trend up but there are people out there that only say good or bad things on a specific place only because of personal reasoning. So when a new food trend apears, think about why it is a trend and how it can move food culture forward or petncialy move it backwards due to favortism.
And it is time for the big announcement you have been waiting for. Over the past few weeks, I have been giving you clues to what the new cookbook project might be and now it is time to reaveal what the topic is. The topic for my cookbook project is the first ever brony cookbook. If you dont know what bronies are, here is a little video expaining the new trend. (Please whatch the video first before continue reading on, it would make a lot more sense afterwords)
Now true, this is somewhat of a new concept and not a lot people understand it but it is really fun and I can tell from experience that its more than just the show. The fan base behind the ponies is what makes this trend great and its not stereotypically loney guys with no lives. There are tons of artists, muscians and writers alike who usher in this new cultural phonamonan of what I like to call an "E-Rennicance." It is a new age of art, music and the idea that gender identity cannot be stationary of what we see on the T.V or computer screen.
You might be asking, "how is this related to your cookbook project?" The truth I want to make a cookbook not only to share recipies representing the charactures, but I also want to make my mark on this community as one of the first "brony chefs." True, they are some bronies who already cook and can do it well but I want to show that a chef can be part of this "somewhat" new trend. Plus, this is a very fun project I always want to do in my spare time and to share of what I have to offer to the food world and the brony community. Of course, im going have to keep going with this project before this new trend is gone forever.
Im also makeing a website to go with this. Its not up yet but it will be up soon for everyone to enjoy.
That is all the news I want to share for today and feel free to ask me questions on facebook or on the comments below about the cookbook or any other questions about my current status as a chef/foodwriter. For now I bid you all a-do.
Monday, September 17, 2012
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Monday, September 10, 2012
Monday Morning Coffee #2: Critics
The famous saying "everyone is a critic" is a saying that has been said for any type of cultural art form, including the restaurant business. Although, what does it truly take to become a restaurant critic? A recent article from Bon Appetite Magazine featured an article of a interesting lunch from acclaimed critics Pete Well's and Frank Bruni from the New York Times. Chef Adam Saches tells his story of cooking for the two important critics.
Adam's experience was one of fear and understanding the mind of the critic. The lunch was planned out, yet somewhat unexpected of how the two writers react. The menu was made mostly for them but tries to be subtle of the whole ordeal by being creative of what he had and what the farmers market was selling that day. Adams tirelessly planed out, prepare and served from the wondrous and the unusual of Pork-belly tarte Tatin, fried pork ear salad and zabaglione ice cream. Although, Adam was expecting to triumph over the challenge of satisfying the critic but was not prepared to see what the mind of the critic would reveal to the chef.
As soon as the critics take the first bites, they appraised Adam with achieving the flavors so perfectly and gave him advice of the size and how he can improve the Tatin. As the lunch went on, Adam suddenly realized that critics are not just people who say's "This is bad" or "This is really good." They carefully evaluate of how the tartin was to be served, the presentation of the salad and the whole meal experience.
The point of this story is that even though a critics words can attract or repel guests from coming back, the actual critics are people who are somewhat the same for you and me, but just a little more obsessive of what is on the plate. If you truly think about it, critics are some of the most obsessive people of the culinary world. They look at detail in the ingredients, the presentation of the restaurant and the food, the hospitality of the front-of-the-house staff and many other little details of the experience. A critics job is to not really judge the eatery highly or harshly for the public eye to see. They're job is to inform the general public of what the restaurant's true identity and how it can better it's self. True, the ideas of critics change and restaurants do change with the owners or the decision of the owners, but the words of a critic would always be eternal to the chef. Those words would be an opportunity to better the business or to improve one selfs true potential to reach culinary excellence.
If you wish to see more detail of this story, grab a copy of Bon Appetit, September 2012 issue and give your own opinion.
Before I say a-do I want to give one more final clue of what the cookbook is. I want to share what the topic is but none made any guesses yet and I cant give out clues forever. So here is the last clue. The artists known as the Living tombstone, Mic the microphone and Mando pony based their music for this fan base. I will provide a link to an example video of one of the artists below and make your guess before I reaveal. I will reveal the topic on the next post or if someone makes the right guess.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xPfMb50dsOk
Adam's experience was one of fear and understanding the mind of the critic. The lunch was planned out, yet somewhat unexpected of how the two writers react. The menu was made mostly for them but tries to be subtle of the whole ordeal by being creative of what he had and what the farmers market was selling that day. Adams tirelessly planed out, prepare and served from the wondrous and the unusual of Pork-belly tarte Tatin, fried pork ear salad and zabaglione ice cream. Although, Adam was expecting to triumph over the challenge of satisfying the critic but was not prepared to see what the mind of the critic would reveal to the chef.
As soon as the critics take the first bites, they appraised Adam with achieving the flavors so perfectly and gave him advice of the size and how he can improve the Tatin. As the lunch went on, Adam suddenly realized that critics are not just people who say's "This is bad" or "This is really good." They carefully evaluate of how the tartin was to be served, the presentation of the salad and the whole meal experience.
The point of this story is that even though a critics words can attract or repel guests from coming back, the actual critics are people who are somewhat the same for you and me, but just a little more obsessive of what is on the plate. If you truly think about it, critics are some of the most obsessive people of the culinary world. They look at detail in the ingredients, the presentation of the restaurant and the food, the hospitality of the front-of-the-house staff and many other little details of the experience. A critics job is to not really judge the eatery highly or harshly for the public eye to see. They're job is to inform the general public of what the restaurant's true identity and how it can better it's self. True, the ideas of critics change and restaurants do change with the owners or the decision of the owners, but the words of a critic would always be eternal to the chef. Those words would be an opportunity to better the business or to improve one selfs true potential to reach culinary excellence.
If you wish to see more detail of this story, grab a copy of Bon Appetit, September 2012 issue and give your own opinion.
Before I say a-do I want to give one more final clue of what the cookbook is. I want to share what the topic is but none made any guesses yet and I cant give out clues forever. So here is the last clue. The artists known as the Living tombstone, Mic the microphone and Mando pony based their music for this fan base. I will provide a link to an example video of one of the artists below and make your guess before I reaveal. I will reveal the topic on the next post or if someone makes the right guess.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xPfMb50dsOk
Monday, September 3, 2012
Monday Morning Coffee #1: Charlie Trotter
This is some what a new experiment for me to be more involved with my writing. Every Monday morning, I will write about the current trends and happenings of the culinary world. You might say, i'm somewhat of a journalist of what is happening and sharing my views and perspectives to my fellow readers.
The first story I want to share first is the story of Charlie Trotters retirement. For those who don't know who Charlie Trotter is, he is one of the greatest chefs in Chicago. His restaurant named "Charlie Trotters" was one of the most prestigious and most high end restaurant in the Windy City. He had been a chef for 25 years and has seen the good, bad and ugly of his luxurious eatery on W. Armitage ave.
Personally, I have never really been to Charlie Trotters, but I have heard stories from friends, cooks, chefs, and the recent newspaper articles back in august. I always admire his creativity, his innovation and his tenacity to become the best of the best. Although, when I read the series of stories in the Chicago Tribune, I realized he was just like any other chef from the twentieth century. He was tough, passionate and very intense with his staff. Some might say he was too stressful to work with, but if you really think about it; a lot of chefs are always intense in one reality or another. Chefs are always intense in terms of the dangers of fire, ice, blades and disease are constant in minds of the culinary professional. It was always stressful feeding hundreds or thousands of people at the same place everyday and keep going without anyone getting hurt or sick from the profession. Some say that this type of stress can cause worker abuse, failing business or perhaps even madness. Yet, if that stress can be channeled correctly, he/she can raise the bar and succeed in revolutionizing the food world and brings ones self to new heights.
For me, the story of Charlie Trotter reflects of how intense chefs can truly create and progress to a brighter future and how I can move forward.
That concludes the first MMC (Monday Morning Coffee) of this website. If you have any sort of criticism regarding my writing or style of writing, please leave a comment below. I will also give you the fourth clue to my cookbook/website. (I already left the third clue on Facebook.) The fourth clue is that the celebrities Anthony Bourdain, Andrew W.K and the airline Jet Blue follow this trend with praise. If you have a guess to what the theme is please leave a comment below or on Facebook.
For now, have a Happy Labor Day and I bid you a-do.
The first story I want to share first is the story of Charlie Trotters retirement. For those who don't know who Charlie Trotter is, he is one of the greatest chefs in Chicago. His restaurant named "Charlie Trotters" was one of the most prestigious and most high end restaurant in the Windy City. He had been a chef for 25 years and has seen the good, bad and ugly of his luxurious eatery on W. Armitage ave.
Personally, I have never really been to Charlie Trotters, but I have heard stories from friends, cooks, chefs, and the recent newspaper articles back in august. I always admire his creativity, his innovation and his tenacity to become the best of the best. Although, when I read the series of stories in the Chicago Tribune, I realized he was just like any other chef from the twentieth century. He was tough, passionate and very intense with his staff. Some might say he was too stressful to work with, but if you really think about it; a lot of chefs are always intense in one reality or another. Chefs are always intense in terms of the dangers of fire, ice, blades and disease are constant in minds of the culinary professional. It was always stressful feeding hundreds or thousands of people at the same place everyday and keep going without anyone getting hurt or sick from the profession. Some say that this type of stress can cause worker abuse, failing business or perhaps even madness. Yet, if that stress can be channeled correctly, he/she can raise the bar and succeed in revolutionizing the food world and brings ones self to new heights.
For me, the story of Charlie Trotter reflects of how intense chefs can truly create and progress to a brighter future and how I can move forward.
That concludes the first MMC (Monday Morning Coffee) of this website. If you have any sort of criticism regarding my writing or style of writing, please leave a comment below. I will also give you the fourth clue to my cookbook/website. (I already left the third clue on Facebook.) The fourth clue is that the celebrities Anthony Bourdain, Andrew W.K and the airline Jet Blue follow this trend with praise. If you have a guess to what the theme is please leave a comment below or on Facebook.
For now, have a Happy Labor Day and I bid you a-do.
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