Putting it all out on the table

The front of the school

The first day at a new job is always interesting.  What to expect?  What to discover?  New people to meet and get to know.

After a fairly long courtship and multiple interviews I have been hired as the General Manager for a small recreational cooking school, kitchen supply store and European style espresso bar called the The Kitchen Table.  The school is located in a small shopping mall off of Belleview called the Landmark Shopping Center.

Cooking for the week or how to survive the recession

Cheddar broccoli soup

After my last couple of posts which found me amidst the beautiful people of SOBE who appear to be gliding through this recession carefree, concerned only with their next beautification surgery or whether to choose an Iphone over a blackberry; it seems a bit deflating to write a post about how to cook cheaply for the week.

We are a family of five and since I have been unemployed for the past 2 1/2 months (until yesterday) producing the dinner has fallen on me.  This has been a blessing as it forced me to reflect on the very topic of this post.   I want to feed my family good nutritious food my children will eat

Sobe Wine and Food: Doug Frost nipping at my cellar door

Eric Ripert and Anthony Bourdain

11:30am too early to start drinking wine after a long night.  Hell no, if you are doing it in the name of education.  This is the only tasting I signed up for and was anticipating.  Doug Frost, a Master Sommelier and hired by United Airlines to purchase and write about wines), is a specialist on the wines of Spain.  He gave us a great intro to the wines of this country that have been blowing up the wine making playing field.

Doug is character and puts on a great seminar.  I can often learn more about how to present in one of these seminars than about the topic itself.   I already know a good amount about the wines of Spain as I have studied the region fairly extensively when I was simultaneously learning about its cuisine.  There is no doubt it is great wine country.  Now that wasn’t always the case as Doug

The new Michelin Guide of France

Click this link to get a look at the lay of the French restaurant landscape according to Michelin in 2010.

CP 2010_GM france 2010_EN

Every year all of France eagerly awaits the release of the Michelin guide.  Some restaurants will have cause for celebration and others will be crying in their café au lait.

This year a small restaurant,  L’Auberge du Vieux Puits, in the Corbières not far from Carcassonne gained the coveted 3 Stars.  Gilles Goujon’s life is changed and prosperity is guaranteed.

Other temples of French gastronomy were not let off so easily.  Owners have to seriously consider the loss of their head chef in their decision process as Hotel de Crillion and Les Crayeres lost chefs Jean Francois Piege along with a star and Didier Elena along with two stars respectively.

Marc Veyrat the floppy black hat wearing foraging Savoyard with an inclination to molecular gastronomy has given up his three stars at l’Auberge de l’Eridan as he focuses on his health after a ski accident (this is pretty old news, but rocks the Michelin world nonetheless).

There are many other additions and losses which are clearly articulated in the pdf link at the top of this page.

SOBE Wine and Food: All you need is love and a wristband

Michael Symon

Today we decide to brave the Whole Foods grand tasting tent.  Six years ago when I went to this event, I was blown away at how many people were waiting to get into the grand tasting tent and how many people were waiting in line to get signatures from the famous chefs.   This food celebrity thing is taking off I thought.  Who was famous six years ago:  Tyler Florence (who I had barely heard of), Emeril, Rachel Ray, Paula Dean, Ming Tsai and an emerging celebrity Anthony Bourdain.

Six years ago I walked into the grand tasting tent and along with all the other attendees struggled to get food samples from the different local restaurants and taste wines from the different distributors.  It was hot and fans were blowing air into the oppressive stagnating environment that I chose to spend a few hours in.  I walked out exhausted, a little annoyed and tipsy.  I ran into Anthony Bourdain