someone asked me, whats strawberries and cream? (trying really hard to be amused/annoyed) i told them, its strawberries and cream. they nodded in agreement.
strawberry confiture / almond chiffon / yuzu creme fraiche / balsamic gastrique
Monday, January 28, 2008
Tuesday, January 1, 2008
ICA: Rubino vs Symon
tonnight's challenger was Chef Rubino against Symon. the secret ingredient is rabbit.
for those who havent seen it, heres a spoiler.
symon rubino
taste 28 20
plating 13 15
originality 11 11
total 52 46
you know, i used to get so worked up watching the show. anticipating every notion, every sound, everything about the show. it started out as a legitimate battle. but now, its just a joke. i mean, what is there?
even wrestling is more excited! (and thats all drama and fixed battles)
how do the ICA cooks (yeah! im not calling them chefs anymore!!) live with themselves? oh wait!! it doesnt matter to them, they are getting paid regardless. do you know what the salary is for an iron chef? do you? i do. 600k/year.
how do the judges live with themselves? oh wait, they get paid too.
and the scores?! whats up with them. its really shitty. you dont know the scores until they air your show. is that fair?! NO! the judges are there. they are writing the scores, so why cant they show the challengers then? it doesnt make sense ... unless you think about it.
through their editing, they change the scores. they make it seem like the ica cooks did much better than the challengers.
on our battle. there is NO WAY batali beat us in plating and originality. taste, well. we can discuss that later. but all his dishes were pedestrian, not original. his presentation was mediocre. so how did we lose by so many points in all 3 categories.
rubinos food was better plated, more original and im sure tasted more amazing that symons. so why did he lose? and by that much?
chef rubino you are not in bad company. amongst the losers on the battle, you are with the nations greatest and most creative chefs. i salute you.
for those who havent seen it, heres a spoiler.
symon rubino
taste 28 20
plating 13 15
originality 11 11
total 52 46
you know, i used to get so worked up watching the show. anticipating every notion, every sound, everything about the show. it started out as a legitimate battle. but now, its just a joke. i mean, what is there?
even wrestling is more excited! (and thats all drama and fixed battles)
how do the ICA cooks (yeah! im not calling them chefs anymore!!) live with themselves? oh wait!! it doesnt matter to them, they are getting paid regardless. do you know what the salary is for an iron chef? do you? i do. 600k/year.
how do the judges live with themselves? oh wait, they get paid too.
and the scores?! whats up with them. its really shitty. you dont know the scores until they air your show. is that fair?! NO! the judges are there. they are writing the scores, so why cant they show the challengers then? it doesnt make sense ... unless you think about it.
through their editing, they change the scores. they make it seem like the ica cooks did much better than the challengers.
on our battle. there is NO WAY batali beat us in plating and originality. taste, well. we can discuss that later. but all his dishes were pedestrian, not original. his presentation was mediocre. so how did we lose by so many points in all 3 categories.
rubinos food was better plated, more original and im sure tasted more amazing that symons. so why did he lose? and by that much?
chef rubino you are not in bad company. amongst the losers on the battle, you are with the nations greatest and most creative chefs. i salute you.
creme brulee
another dessert inspired by progressive cuisine. this is a white chocolate and ginger creme brulee.
ramekins become so tiring when they are only used to bake custards. this is a very playful take on the traditional baked custard. it is made with modern techniques and takes a tenth of the time it takes to bake a custard. i know!!
lilith, a friend at houston luxury magazine, contacted me and wanted to know if i was interested in having my pictures published in their march issue. "OF COURSE I AM INTERESTED!!", i told her.
this marks the second time my pictures have been published. its super exciting! im excited. aside from cooking, i have always wanted to be a photographer and/or architect. hopefully this is the start of a food photography career ... who knows
ramekins become so tiring when they are only used to bake custards. this is a very playful take on the traditional baked custard. it is made with modern techniques and takes a tenth of the time it takes to bake a custard. i know!!
lilith, a friend at houston luxury magazine, contacted me and wanted to know if i was interested in having my pictures published in their march issue. "OF COURSE I AM INTERESTED!!", i told her.
this marks the second time my pictures have been published. its super exciting! im excited. aside from cooking, i have always wanted to be a photographer and/or architect. hopefully this is the start of a food photography career ... who knows
Wednesday, December 26, 2007
Bittersweet "Torchon"
I was very inspired after dinner at wd~50. They have a foie gras dish similar to my dessert version.
Their foie gras dish is a torchon with a liquid beet center. My dessert version is a bittersweet chocolate mousse with a peppered raspberry liquid center.
Their foie gras dish is a torchon with a liquid beet center. My dessert version is a bittersweet chocolate mousse with a peppered raspberry liquid center.
Monday, December 17, 2007
... and they still haunt me
Soma will soon open and i couldnt be more excited. Ive been out of a kitchen for about 2 months now. The kitchen is where i create my art. Take me away from the kitchen and i become irritable and depressed. Its been a boring and tough 2 months, but i am finally behind a stove/oven!!
Chef Gadsby and I are working on Soma Restaurant. It will be located at 4820 Washington Blvd (at the corner of washington and shepherd). Last week we finally started working in the kitchen. Working on our menu items. I'm done with my dessert menu and am ready to move into the kitchen side.
Soma is the most anticipated restaurant opening in Houston. We are ready to please and raise everyones expectation on what a japanese restaurant and sushi bar should be. Our food will be more approachable than that of Noe's. BUT. the quality and creativity will not be disregarded.
Well ... heres a little tease. These little beautys will be part of our bar menu. I've tried to get away from making cupcakes (i used to make them for a living at a bakery!), but they still taunt/haunt me. This time i will make them how i want. Not how they wanted them. This is my take on cupcakes.
Sweet: Granny Smith Apple Cupcakes / Vanilla Bean Buttercream / Sesame Granola
Savory: Vidalia Onion Cupcakes / Duck Confit Buttercream / Bacon Streusel
Monday, December 3, 2007
Todd Richards vs Cat Cora
Yet another proof that Iron Chef America is a joke! An abomination to the art of cookery.
Tonights challenger was Chef Todd Richards. I dont know the chef and, to be honest, didnt expect much from him. I absolutely hate his chef coats. ugly! But nevertheless, his food looked great. He was serious about his food and he had a keen eye on detail.
His food pairings were great. It was all creative, tasteful and plated beautifully.
What did cat cora do?
she did shit. not one judge gave her a compliment. Wait, they did compliment her on her carrot soup. Nothing else. So why did she win? WHY?!!
Her food looked ugly. the lady cannot plate. Her style is very haphazard. Her plating is very rudementary. Her creativity ... well. she doesnt have any! so why did she win?!
Her meek attempts at modern cooking is shameful. Actually, this applies to the vast of chefs who try their hands at modern cuisine. No one knows how to do it correctly. The only chefs who do are succesul at what they do. Wylie Dufresne, Grant Achatz, Ferran Adria, Paul Liebrandt, Alex Stupak, Sam Mason, Jordan Kahn, Homaro Cantu, Richard Blais and a few more.
The vast simply do it because they feel its something they need to do to keep up. Its not. The reason the chefs [listed above] are succesful at it is because they understand it. They understand the novelty and ingenuity of new techniques and chemicals. They dont do it simply for the sake of doing it. They do it because they want to understand food. They want to learn food and present it in a new fashion.
Keeping that in mind. Why did cora make carrot caviar? Was there a need for them? Did they improve her dish? By doing it, does that make her creative?
Ferran Adria developed faux caviar. He taught the world how to do it. But they way he does it is in a correct fashion. He serves cantaloupe in a tin; much like caviar is sold.
Needless to say, i am very angered by iron chef america. The judges did not like cat coras food. The judges loved Chef Todd Richards food. Yet, cora won?!
the show is a joke and it is completely rigged. the show sucks. i hate it, but i will keep watching it.
bah!
what do you think?
p
Tonights challenger was Chef Todd Richards. I dont know the chef and, to be honest, didnt expect much from him. I absolutely hate his chef coats. ugly! But nevertheless, his food looked great. He was serious about his food and he had a keen eye on detail.
His food pairings were great. It was all creative, tasteful and plated beautifully.
What did cat cora do?
she did shit. not one judge gave her a compliment. Wait, they did compliment her on her carrot soup. Nothing else. So why did she win? WHY?!!
Her food looked ugly. the lady cannot plate. Her style is very haphazard. Her plating is very rudementary. Her creativity ... well. she doesnt have any! so why did she win?!
Her meek attempts at modern cooking is shameful. Actually, this applies to the vast of chefs who try their hands at modern cuisine. No one knows how to do it correctly. The only chefs who do are succesul at what they do. Wylie Dufresne, Grant Achatz, Ferran Adria, Paul Liebrandt, Alex Stupak, Sam Mason, Jordan Kahn, Homaro Cantu, Richard Blais and a few more.
The vast simply do it because they feel its something they need to do to keep up. Its not. The reason the chefs [listed above] are succesful at it is because they understand it. They understand the novelty and ingenuity of new techniques and chemicals. They dont do it simply for the sake of doing it. They do it because they want to understand food. They want to learn food and present it in a new fashion.
Keeping that in mind. Why did cora make carrot caviar? Was there a need for them? Did they improve her dish? By doing it, does that make her creative?
Ferran Adria developed faux caviar. He taught the world how to do it. But they way he does it is in a correct fashion. He serves cantaloupe in a tin; much like caviar is sold.
Needless to say, i am very angered by iron chef america. The judges did not like cat coras food. The judges loved Chef Todd Richards food. Yet, cora won?!
the show is a joke and it is completely rigged. the show sucks. i hate it, but i will keep watching it.
bah!
what do you think?
p
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