Rant about technique

[Mikeb]

For the last 4 months or so I've been searching for a new job (my own restaurant project is still several years away), in that time period I've worked in over half a dozen restaurants (most being highly rated fine dining establishments), and some of the things I've seen have been disappointing to downright unbelievable.

How is it, that with all our modern knowledge, so many cooks are still using incredibly outdated or just plain wrong techniques?

- mayonnaise, a sous-chef wanted to show me step by step how to make it -he put egg yolks, mustard in a robot, then added oil, then added vinegar to finish (apparently this is the technique they teach in school?). Emulsion = oil suspended in water, key here - there needs to be water present initially or else no emulsion (yolks and mustard have some, but not much). Mixing the vinegar with the egg yolks first, then adding the oil = much stronger emulsion.

- emulsions in general, water first, then fat - and yes, chocolate is an emulsion, too many people think chocolate is just a solid mass you can do anything to

- foams - cooks who only know how to make a foam from a recipe stolen from some famous chef, but don't actually know what stabilizes a foam.

- adding oil to butter to raise smoke point - milk solids burn at the same temperature whether theres 100% butter or 10%, it's just easier to hide when mixed with oil

- sauces - over-reduced, tons of cream to thicken - ok, we modernize cuisine, take away starches, so instead we get this 'glop' on a plate? I like my sauce tasting like sauce, not syrup

- Risotto - adding cold stock to rice - in a 'fine' Italian restaurant no less

- Sous vide - just general ignorance, I'm sick of explaining to people what sous-vide cooking is, how it works, the benefits - the technique has been around for 30 years!!! (maybe more?) You'd think more people would know more about it...

- Root vegetables - people 'blanching' root veg in boiling water, leaving them mushy on the outside and raw on the inside - cook them at a lower temperature, for more even cooking

- pastries - you'd think with today's education programs more cooks would know something about doing pastry work, you'd think wrong.

- stocks and broths - we're still making and using stocks like Escoffier did, so much more can be done....

Ok, I think I'm done, just had to get that off my chest.

[spoonbread]

For the last 4 months or so I've been searching for a new job

in that time period I've worked in over half a dozen restaurant

I think that says it all about attitude.

Yea, alot of cooks do the wrong thing, but it is up to the chef to make sure the wrongs are righted.

First of all...although techniques vary, do they work? I mean, if a dish sells, who cares about technique? Owners don't, if the customers loves the dish, then they pay, owner gets the money, and all is well with the world.

foams - cooks who only know how to make a foam from a recipe stolen from some famous chef, but don't actually know what stabilizes a foam.

There are a couple of things that stabalize foams, depending if they are hot or cold. This has yet to be perfected and sure isn't a common thing to be found on menus. Can't b*tch about something that is still a new technique, that is up to the chef to perfect. I mean, does the chef let the plate go out looknig like crap??

Risotto - adding cold stock to rice - in a 'fine' Italian restaurant no less

That is a health issue. Stock kept at room temp creates nasty bacteria, but I'm sure you knew that....

Sous vide - just general ignorance, I'm sick of explaining to people what sous-vide cooking is, how it works, the benefits - the technique has been around for 30 years!!! (maybe more?) You'd think more people would know more about it...

No they don't, and the general population has no idea what that is.

Obviously, you need to grow up a bit and realize that there are compromises with the food industry. Did you know that only about 35% of the population eats at fine dining establishments? And if only count the people that eat at these places regularly and are foodies, the percentage decreases.


...kids these days......

[Rivitman]

There are classic methods.
I like them and have great deal of respect for them.

Then there are shortcuts and utility methods. Not as good, but the circumstances often determine what is appropriate. These can extend to crimes aginst food that somehow produce an acceptable result when under the gun.

There are even a few things I do for myself that i do for nobody else, like rissoto with the tinyest bit of crunch in the center, using....cold stock.

I would love to work in the ideal kitchen, where I had all the time and ingredient to obtain classic results using classic methods.
But that's not always my call, and I have to give in to practical necessity

[spoonbread]

Well said Rivit.....

[Mikeb]

Originally Posted by spoonbread

I think that says it all about attitude.

Yea, alot of cooks do the wrong thing, but it is up to the chef to make sure the wrongs are righted.

First of all...although techniques vary, do they work? I mean, if a dish sells, who cares about technique? Owners don't, if the customers loves the dish, then they pay, owner gets the money, and all is well with the world.



There are a couple of things that stabalize foams, depending if they are hot or cold. This has yet to be perfected and sure isn't a common thing to be found on menus. Can't b*tch about something that is still a new technique, that is up to the chef to perfect. I mean, does the chef let the plate go out looknig like crap??


That is a health issue. Stock kept at room temp creates nasty bacteria, but I'm sure you knew that....



No they don't, and the general population has no idea what that is.

Obviously, you need to grow up a bit and realize that there are compromises with the food industry. Did you know that only about 35% of the population eats at fine dining establishments? And if only count the people that eat at these places regularly and are foodies, the percentage decreases.


...kids these days......

About risotto - after sautéing your shallots and garlic, deglaze with cold stock, bring to a boil, and then add the par-cooked rice. Much nicer, doesn't take any extra work, doesn't involve any risk of food poisoning. Not rocket science.

About the rest of your post - if I'm going to work in a restaurant that labels itself as fine dining, I expect a certain level of quality. I have absolutely no problem finding a job, it is however, quite tough to find a restaurant I actually want to work at.

Many chefs have told me my attitude sucks - doesn't bother me one bit. I've made more than enough friends in high places, and people who know me, know I can cook and back up everything I say.

[Mikeb]

And yes, every single professional cook should know how to make a foam, how to use cuisson sous-vide - these are techniques that have been around for decades... They're not new techniques.

[epicous]

Originally Posted by Mikeb

- mayonnaise, a sous-chef wanted to show me step by step how to make it -he put egg yolks, mustard in a robot, then added oil, then added vinegar to finish (apparently this is the technique they teach in school?). Emulsion = oil suspended in water, key here - there needs to be water present initially or else no emulsion (yolks and mustard have some, but not much). Mixing the vinegar with the egg yolks first, then adding the oil = much stronger emulsion.

The technique of the sous-chef is correct, when using a robot.

[spoonbread]

Mike- I am sure you know your stuff and cook well....just remember the attitude. First off, you said...

Risotto - adding cold stock to rice - in a 'fine' Italian restaurant no less

Then you said....

About risotto - after sautéing your shallots and garlic, deglaze with cold stock, bring to a boil, and then add the par-cooked rice. Much nicer, doesn't take any extra work, doesn't involve any risk of food poisoning. Not rocket science

That in itself says volumes. A succesful chef will know what is wrong and what is right thru experience. If you say....

Many chefs have told me my attitude sucks -

...then they are most likely right. If you want to have your own resto, then listen to your chefs! These are building blocks. There is a reason why they are head chefs and you are not.
Good luck, bro!

[RAS1187]

No job is perfect...

I don't think anybody will ever find an establishment that satisfies 100% of their needs, as human beings its our nature to want and then want more.

Even if you are the Exec. Chef/Owner, you still won't be able to have things your way 100% of the time as each of your chefs/cooks will have their own way of doing things.

Find a job that covers most of your needs and deal with the things you don't like.

[kuan]

Mike, what's wrong with Escoffier style stock? Is there anything really that different in modern methods? I know how I like to do it, how do you do a veal stock or a chicken stock?

[Mikeb]

Originally Posted by spoonbread

...then they are most likely right. If you want to have your own resto, then listen to your chefs! These are building blocks. There is a reason why they are head chefs and you are not.
Good luck, bro!

I've been offered 2 restaurants in the last 3 months (I didn't apply for those jobs however, other cooks I've worked with referred me to those owners). Declined to take them however, I'd rather not be the EC unless I'm a business partner or sole owner. Anyhow, I was hoping this thread would be more about technique, and not about my job, lack of a job, etc... Honestly, if I was hard up for cash, I could walk into a dozen restaurants today and be working full time - I've got more than enough contacts, and people know me and my reputation.

Most of the chefs that questioned my attitude were chefs I did a 'stage' for and refused the job. The chefs I stayed with and actually helped build up the kitchen are still very good friends of mine. The reason for my unemployment was actually to take a long vacation, and I was considering travel. I worked 'stages' to fight off boredom after a few months of not working, and to check places out. Due to personal issues, travel is no longer in the cards for now, and I'm working again full-time next week.

[Mikeb]

Originally Posted by epicous

The technique of the sous-chef is correct, when using a robot.

Have you ever made beurre monté or a beurre blanc sauce? Tell me, why do you heat up your water/reduction first, and then emulsify the butter into that? Or a hollandaise, why do you start with your reduction and eggs, then add the butter? How about an emulsified vinaigrette for a salad? I'd love to see someone try to make that by adding oil first and then try adding vinegar...

You *can* make a mayonnaise with only yolks and mustard, but it requires quite a few egg yolks (to get the water content up there), and once you add your vinegar it loosens up the emulsion quite a bit. For demonstration purposes only, using proper technique, 1 egg yolk is enough to make 17 litres of mayonnaise. For taste though, more egg yolks is nice.

[Rivitman]

Originally Posted by Mikeb

-

Many chefs have told me my attitude sucks - doesn't bother me one bit. I've made more than enough friends in high places, and people who know me, know I can cook and back up everything I say.

Your reputation, not only as a cook, but a simply being useful to have around, is everything. Stack the deck against yourself in the local community of chefs, and you may need to get on the bus to another city.

You have frinds in high places but apparantly don't work for any of them, ao you need not consider anyone any higher than the next chef you interview with.

[foodnfoto]

Ego, hubris and arrogance can get you pretty far in the restaurant world, but only so far. When it comes down to the brass tacks, a successful operation is a team effort and only as strong as the weakest member of that team. If one member is a jerk, it brings down the morale of the whole crew and puts everyone on edge, raises the stress level unnecessarily, and ultimately, the whole organization suffers.
Why the whole place?
Because of lower productivity, higher turnover (both front and back of the house), which leads to higher training and recruiting costs.

Mike, you'll be a lot more successful in the long run if you refrain criticizing everyone and thinking your way is the only way. Focus on the best way to contribute to the team you work with, and your value to your employer will grow by leaps and bounds.

The best chefs aren't necessarily the best cooks, but the ones who know how to bring out the best in the people they work with and for.

I suggest you read Danny Meyer's new book.

[spoonbread]

Well said, foodnfoto!

Ok, let's talk technique, Mike. What would you do to create a stock without using Escoffier based techniques? Let's start with veal. One can roast the bones, or not. Some rinse the product before braising, some do not. What would be done that Escoffier may not have known about at the time?


Foams- do you use a starch to stabalize? Geletin? Egg whites? I've used all of these for different applications. Some work better than others for different food stuffs.


Reductions- what is a "proper" reduction? Sometimes syrup is good, sometimes not, depending on what the flavor profile is and what plating technique is used. Let's saaaayyyy...........red wine reduction. Some would add butter to caramelized sugar, then wine with a citrus then reduce by 1/2 then add stock, while others would not add stock and reduce by 1/4. This creates a nice red wine reductio.


What would you do differently?