The Weekend Edition

 in Culinary life observations by

This week has seen a stalwart of the Hospitality industry be recognised for his outstanding contribution. Former Managing Director of Raymond Blanc’s Le Manoir Aux Quat’ Saisons, Phillip Newman Hall, received a standing ovation on Friday for winning the Outstanding Contribution award at the Hotel Cateys 2015.

Masterchef: The Professionals – Week 4

This is the concluding week before the knockout stages of the culinary competition. There was a mixed bag of contestants, from Helen ( a vegetarian cookery school instructor) and Stuart (who became a head chef after having what appeared to be a mid-life crisis). To Mark, a co-Head chef with his partner, who has had experience in a 2Michelin starred restaurant.

Skills tests for week4:

  • Fillet a Plaice, steam a portion & make a mushroom cream sauce (20mins)
  • Crêpe Suzette (15mins)
  • Langoustine Marie rose (15mins)
  • Gourmet burger (20mins)

Lots to elements to test the chefs who undertook each test, but yet again it shows how basic skills have fallen by the wayside: Filleting, making mayonnaise, sauce making etc.

Young Sous chef John entered to see how he compared to other chefs. He had a shocking skills test, yet Wareing gave him encouragement to pick himself up for his signature dish. After being dispatched home John realised what he was up against & what the required standards were, which were too far out of his reach.

Senior Chef de Partie Tom, from Cliveden, seemed to have too much of a laissez-faire attitude, and when things went awry he was left floundering.

Car crash TV moment of the week belongs to Mateusz, a Head chef from Bournemouth; who thought it would be a good idea to serve half a Lobster tail on top of a risotto, on top of a Scallop carpaccio.

Masterchef week4

Source: BBC

Despite damming feedback from all three judges Mateusz declared that;

They said it was OK.

At the final stage in the week, it was time to cook for the ‘Critics’. I’m starting to wonder what this actually demonstrates other than the remaining chefs cook under more pressure & to a time frame (which if they go over has no bearing on the final outcome, other than Galetti trying to intimidate the chefs).

Generally speaking the Judges opinion matches those in the dining room. This week however, Rayner completely missed the point of a dish, with Sitwell & Campion having to explain it to him how a smoked bacon dashi seasoned Scott’s dish.

Highlight of the week, was Bobby’s Banana soufflé. Despite being late it was declared a triumph all round. Depth of flavour, texture & cooked to perfection; add the accompanying sauce of caramel, chocolate & rum and he was onto a winner.

Great British Bake Off goes Pro

I first heard a whisper of this story at the start of the week, it looks like 2Michelin star chef Tom Kerridge will be hosting a professional version of the hugely popular baking series.

With the working title of Bake Off: Creme de la Creme, there won’t be any gurning former part time Sous chefs as judges, but instead actual industry heavy weights:

  • Benoit Blin from 2Michelin star Le Manoir aux Quat’ Saisons,
  • Cherish Finden from The Langham Hotel in London
  • Claire Clark MBE, who has twice been named Britain’s best pastry chef and former pastry chef of the 3Michelin star French Laundry

For more information: BBC website

File under: Just wrong on so many levels

World’s most expensive steak

From Eater:

A 15-year aged cote de boeuf that costs a whopping $3,200. If you can’t forego a couple mortgage payments in order to sample this delicacy, fret not: Just get yourself a plane ticket to Hong Kong, where diners at the two Michelin star Caprice can savor a few bites of the precious protein as part of a $700 lunch tasting menu — a relative bargain, surely.

See more on: Eater.com

The question of female chefs raises its head again

This is something I’ve written about before, but it takes a 22year old Chef de Partie from a 2 Michelin star restaurant to spell it out & dismiss all the feminist’s claims.

Ruth recently graduated from DIT Cathal Brugha Street with a BA in Culinary Arts. Of her 45 fellow graduates from her class, only five are currently working in restaurant kitchens, with the rest of them choosing alternative career routes such as food product development.

That three of those five are young women seems impressive – until you consider that 70 per cent of Ruth’s classmates were female.

For the full story see: The Irish Independent

#Foodporn

 

 

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