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Where do you look for motivation?

post #1 of 9
6/12/12 at 12:56am
Thread Starter 

Do any of you have your own or know of some good blogs posted by chefs? I'd like to just start reading a bunch of different things from all over and seeing what new things are coming out. I'm literally out of ideas.

 

In the past four months I've done infusions. Smoked everything imaginable with a smoking gun. Worked with lots of additives in molecular gastronomy. Made my own flavored vinegars and extracts. Tried farming and grew over 20 different types of vegetables, and multiple herbs. Learned to make my own honey with a purveyors bee hives. I can keep on going. 

 

Usually I can keep coming up with new ideas and new techniques but I'm at a stand still for whatever reason =/

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post #2 of 9
6/12/12 at 4:04am

   I'm not a chef. Just wanted to let you know that I am a musician and I have an interest in food, I am currently studying in a culinary school. I am organising a concert in August and it's a charity concert that revolves around ideas of the night, sleep and dreaming. We are matching our music with food. Perhaps you can play around with other mediums (visual artists, music, etc)... Just an idea. 

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post #3 of 9
6/12/12 at 4:37am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Tranquillo View Post

   I'm not a chef. Just wanted to let you know that I am a musician and I have an interest in food, I am currently studying in a culinary school. I am organising a concert in August and it's a charity concert that revolves around ideas of the night, sleep and dreaming. We are matching our music with food. Perhaps you can play around with other mediums (visual artists, music, etc)... Just an idea. 

 

I've already done a musical menu twice lol. Menu's aren't what I want to think about right now. It's the techniques I want to learn. To me, learning a new technique opens up MANY options. 

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post #4 of 9
6/12/12 at 5:05am

I'm impressed, truly ... you sound like the right candidate to get into food engineering! 

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post #5 of 9
6/13/12 at 6:49pm

Instead of constantly looking for new/modern/trendy things that other chefs are doing to inspire you for new ideas for dishes how about looking at things extremely old and antiquated that have disappeared from the culinary landscape. Its gonna take a little more effort but you can uncover stuff that time has left behind. Check this out for a start - http://menus.nypl.org/

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post #6 of 9
6/13/12 at 7:00pm

Try to cook your way through Modernist Cuisine :p

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post #7 of 9
6/15/12 at 10:25am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by ez13 View Post

Instead of constantly looking for new/modern/trendy things that other chefs are doing to inspire you for new ideas for dishes how about looking at things extremely old and antiquated that have disappeared from the culinary landscape. Its gonna take a little more effort but you can uncover stuff that time has left behind. Check this out for a start - http://menus.nypl.org/

 

Thank you! I've been looking for old menu's for awhile and uncovered some where I work but couldn't find any good ones with much luck besides buying books. There's a saying I read once and it goes - ''A great chef is someone who can bring back the past.'' I'll be trying those out. 

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post #8 of 9
6/15/12 at 10:33am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Twyst View Post

Try to cook your way through Modernist Cuisine :p

 

Already have. Went out and bought many of the tools needed (on a much smaller affordable scale) and tried many things. I'm kind of bored with all of the modern stuff though, because it's what I've been trying to teach myself for the past 6 months. There's a lot that I can't do because I can't afford some of the equipment which holds me back at the moment. I'm past the point of thinking foam on a plate is cool. In a dessert it looks awesome but I like to fill my dinner plates up with actual food =p

 

I will be buying the Modernist Cuisine Home edition here shortly though. I really like ez13's idea of finding out the old fashioned techniques that aren't around anymore. I feel that will really expand my knowledge on cooking techniques. 

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post #9 of 9
6/15/12 at 8:39pm

I was going to say the same thing.  Antiquated cookbooks with obscure directions and measurements usually have flavors that classically pair together.  Maybe ones we've forgotten, and on the plus side, you can use your knowledge of modern techniques.  There's a whole world of modernizing those forgotten classics that can be done.  That whole project with New York libraries is amazing!

 

For instance, I have been toying with classic sandwiches (for staff meal) and using those flavors to imagine them as ... say a soup or a plated entree.  This has led to some interesting results and some truly inspired failures.  Someone I worked with did a lighter pastrami brine and spice rub on veal cheeks, then hot smoked them, and they were amazingly delicious.  Pair that with some apples, turnips, and/or cabbage and you've got an interesting set for a protein.  I've always thought keeping busy "experimenting" was the only way to make progress--and it sounds like you're really succeeding in doing that.  Keep it up.  Just have one foot behind and one foot ahead and keep those balls in the air!

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