Contest Participation

The contest has arrived! I had my fish ready at school, their bellies packed with herbs. Chef called us into his office for a little pep talk and we provided him with our menus to distribute to the judges. I wasn't that nervous but he was rambling on and on about not being nervous so I started to get nervous.

I'd be first to finish my dishes and plate. That was a relief. I hate waiting around watching all the entries. I got straight to work and started making my dessert topping, the zabaione, to have it ready to go at the end. Chef had suggested I make it early and hold it through service. It came out well, nice and thick, pale yellow and marshmellowy flavored. I would have to whip it occasionally to ensure it didn't separate.

I checked grocery stores all over the city to get peaches, but I finally got some. Of course they were hard as rocks. Thus I cut them into large pieces and slow roasted them in the oven the prior evening, a suggestion from Chef Paul Luna. I thought they turned out well also.

Next I blanched my peas. I had to use frozen this time because the farmer's market was out of the fresh ones. I thought this was better than being out of the red mullet though and tried to look at the bright side.

I blanched my broccoli rapini (or broccoli rabe). I'd tried this the night before and the blanche step nicely removed some of the overly bitter notes. Draining this however was somewhat of a pain. Any water left remaining would pop and snap in my sauté pan. This can lead to hot oil on an arm, a less than pleasant experience.

My risotto was on the stove. As it cooked, I puréed some of the peas creating a nice green color. The plating time neared for the first course; I had plenty of extra time. I knew I shouldn't cook the risotto any more, but I also didn't want to run out of time so I started putting together the rise i bisi adding the pureed peas and some fresh also. The risotto I knew was overcooking but I couldn't resist the urge to get ahead. Out it finally went.

Next was my fish with the sautéed rapini. I had several pans going to ensure all finished at the correct time. They came out well and I was pleased with that dish.

Last was the dessert. My few decent peaches were stretched to make four small dessert glasses with zabaione. Chef had recommended I splash some prosecco at the end which I did. The zabaione at this point was nearly destroyed. I'd whipped it occasionally, but each time more stuck to the whip. What was left in volume was nearly nothing. The dessert looked awful. I knew at this point I had no chance in winning. I presented the poor quality dishes in primi and dolce, but I was pleased to be finished and glad to have the experience.

None of the contestants from my class believed they had a chance of winning anyway. We were all aware that two of the contestants were employees at the Chef's restaurant and receiving detailed hands-on training and menu consultation. The rest of us were flying solo. The Chef at one point was even mixing some of the dough for one contestant's dolce. Our only question was which of the two would win. We decided that it must be the more senior student since he'd have much more experience with which to compete and cook in a competitive environment.

I guess the judges were closely analyzing the dishes because the next competitors were pushed back progressively, ultimately delaying the last contestant over an hour. Thank goodness that wasn't me.

Chef asked me at some point about my peaches and I explained that finding some ripe ones did not materialize so I slow roasted them upon suggestion. Chef told me that was a stupid approach. He didn't use the word stupid, but he may as well have with the attitude in which he communicated.

When all competitors finished, we were all summoned before the judges. They gave some commentary that they termed as general and not directed towards anyone specific, but it was obvious where some thoughts were aimed. "Italian food uses herbs lightly, just a hint to provide a touch of flavor, not gobs of branches." Hmm... sounds familiar. I guess they didn't like the fresh herb flavor of the fish's flesh. I supposed I'm not Italian however. I don't recall hearing any comments that shouted "Hey this was some good food!"

After the general commentary, we all moved to a room with our dishes displayed on a table with labeling cards beside them. Mine read as follows:

primi

risi e bisi

------------------

secondi

interi gamberi con verdi

------------------

dolci

pesche al prosecco


I didn't serve interi gamberi con verdi. I served triglia rosso con rapini, but Chef had failed to communicate my change in menu. I couldn't believe this. Chef had told us to send in a menu and we would review it. If needed we could make changes and submit those changes. Long story short... there was no review until practice and there was no communication to the judges of my new menu. Thank you Chef.

One judge critiqued each menu, mine being the first. My risotto was overcooked, not surprising. One judge particularly liked this dish however and stated it was excellent-- interestingly opposite opinions. My rapini was nicely prepared. Why did I serve the mullet? The shrimp would have been a much better selection. Thank you Chef. My dessert was drenched in prosecco and the zabaione needed work. This was not enjoyable. I felt like saying Thank you Chef again there, but in reality I should have known better as I had the overdrenching issue during practice of my menus. I did partially blame him for my poor zabaione. Maybe that's just being bitter however.

The judge went through and critiqued all the menus. At the end the winners were announced. There wouldn't be just one winner; there would be two. While I was sure one of Chef's restaurant pupils would be selected, I wondered about the second winner.

Of course! I should have known! The second winner was the Chef's other apprentice. We all felt slighted, asked to participate in an event and then left to hang dry. We subjected ourselves to demeaning and less than professionally presented criticism for nothing. I felt like I should have the word "SUCKER" tatooed to my forehead.

There were no second or third winners selected. We couldn't even compete against each other. Those of us left remaining promptly left the venue and went to the parking lot to toast the leftover processco. We had hoped that being yelled at during practice and asked to register for the contest at the last minute wouldn't result in such an obvious dismissal of our efforts. Oh well. The experience I suppose was worth it for the next time.

American Regional- Sauce Day

Today was sauce day! We made all kinds of yummy toppings for meats and veggies. I was in charge of mushroom sauce. It wasn't particularly glamorous, but dalliscious! My partner made Newburg sauce with bits of shrimp and roasted shells. That was quite tasty also. It looked much like shrimp bisque and could have easily been increased into a lovely soup.

One of the sauces was Americaine, which includes lobster. Thus part of the day was a demonstration on how to break down a live lobster. I've eaten many a lobster in my life, at least once or twice a year and sometimes multiple creatures in one meal. Freshly steamed lobster meat, warm fresh out of the shell and dipped in butter is DALLISCIOUS! Also, chilled lobster salad with a little mayo and dill is also DALLISCIOUS! It's definitively on my favorite foods list. When our family makes lobster at home, generally the only way we eat it, we usually have lobster races. All soon-to-be-devoured critters are lined up on the starting line, sometimes even with numbers and colored jerseys with diamonds and stripes like at the horse races. Some are super speedy and bolt to the end, but most just either lie there and go nowhere or they go the wrong direction.

With these experiences in my past, I feel I seen a few lively lobsters in my time. However, the lobster for our kitchen demonstration would have kicked any of those lobsters tails right out of their shells! He lied on the table with his claws straight up in the air. If the instructor picked him up he thrashed his tail wildly nonstop. I'm not sure where he got all that energy. You'd think the roadtrip to Atlanta would have worn him out. Maybe the Publix is injecting their lobsters with speed! Doubt it!

The instructor then showed us how to humanely kill the lobster, but stabbing the point of his chef's knife right between the eyes quickly and proceeding to chop down the middle of the lobster so that two halves laid on the table, each with one antenae, one claw, half a body and a few little legs and half a tail. Incredibly, the lobster was still twitching. Was he really dead at that point? The instructor then cut each of the primals apart, (I don't think they are really referenced as primals.) the claws, and the tail halves.

The lobster parts were still twitching! The class couldn't believe it, myself included! The instructor went on to lecture on this and that related to cooking the lobster, but I couldn't tell you one word of it. If I touched one of his legs, (confirmed, it was a male) the tiny claw at the end would react. It was somewhat spooky. How could a completely dismembered animal, in 6+ pieces still have movement?

Being a Contestant

The chef at school organized an culinary competition with the Italy Atlanta Foundation, a nonprofit organization focused on sharing the culture and traditions of Italy. I believe he tried to recruit upper classmen to participate, but got little response. Thus he notified and recruited participants from lower classmen, including my class. Since he was the initiator of the contest I got the feeling from him it would look poorly if no one registered.

Several of us committed to participate. We had to quickly that weekend write a paper on the region and develop a menu that reflected traditional fare from the region. I selected Veneto. I noted the region celebrates its patron saint, St. Mark, in April with a festival. At this festival it is traditional to serve a dish, risi e bisi (rice and peas) because this is when the peas are harvested from the lagoons and at their peak freshness. Since the contest is held mid-April I found this to be a fitting start to my menu.

Veneto is also home to prosecco (something I've previously found too sweet but since, while working for this competition, I've discovered lovely drier varieties). I decided to use this for a dessert, peaches marinated in prosecco with a whipped marscapone topping. Marscapone originates from the neighboring region of Lombardy.

To complete my menu I selected a regional fish, red mullet. While practicing I noted the red mullet really soaks in the herbs I insert into the body during cooking, much more so that other varieties I tried. Last, I added a green to this course, garlicky broccoli rabe.

Two days ago several of us went to school to practice our menus and obtain feedback from the chef. This went as well as possible considering it was a period of constant jabs and yelling. To quote Pat Benetar, "Love is a battlefield!"

I tried to get a commercial Kitchen Aid to work and was told by the chef, "This is why we like students to work in the industry before coming here." Hey chef, not all commercial kitchens believe in using heavy equipment. Some are purists and minimalist and have hardly any equipment... and hardly any ingredients, yet good food is continually produced from these kitchens. I work in one of these kitchens (and I have a Kitchen Aid at home) but I didn't know the bowl snapped at the back of a commerical version. Guess I should have worked in the industry for several years before attending school. Oh wait! Then I wouldn't need school.

I then tried to garnish my fish with thyme and rosemary sprigs, as I had used to flavor the inside of the fish. From across the room, another chef teaching a class screams "Dallas! Why are you putting that on there?!? Horses eat twigs, not people!" Oops! I'd obviously made a mistake there too. Was this reason to yell across the entire kitchen and through two classes? I think sometimes the chefs have three or four sets of eyes on their heads. Shouldn't she be watching the class she's teaching?

Earlier, I'd asked if we needed to call "five minutes," as we do for our practicals when a course is ready. My risi e bisi zuppa was ready. The chef replied that we'd need to have everything ready at once.

I decided then that my soup would have to sit while I prepped my other courses. I got the dessert ready and then started plating my fish and rabe. My fellow competitor plated her risotto course and was midway through her veal plating when she was accosted with "What are you doing? Stop right now! You don't plate everything at once. Who told you to do this? This is not how a competition is run."

All of us froze in amazement. Isn't that what he meant when he said everything needed to be ready simultaneously? And chef, none of us has been in a competition. That's why we're here today.

All production was halted at that point.

Chef then continued to talk to us about plating and gave some general critiques of the food that was already plated. He had us finish our courses one by one. He finally got to me and then proceeded to tell me that my soup was too thick and the rice overcooked. Duh! It sat there waiting 20 minutes after you had us halt cooking.

Once it was all over and we were cleaning up. There were no "thanks for participating" or "good menu selections," nothing. Chefs are finicky folk! Recall earlier my posts include "Chefs really are nice folk." I'm finally seeing the other side. I left wondering what other schools are even participating in this event.

Several days later, while writing this entry, I went to the Italy Atlanta Foundation website to research more about their mission, goals, etc. I found this press release, http://www.italyatlantafoundation.org/content/culinary-tour-italy-student-competition . I'd been selected as a finalist!

I didn't know I made it to the finals! What a coincidence, so did all my other classmates! And strangely, no other schools have participants. I wonder what school will win!

Stay tuned!

A New Start...

We began the Spring Quarter in Baking by scrubbing all the sheet pans from black and brown to shiny and reflective. I wore a brand new chef coat that day unaware of the day's looming activities. I feel fairly certain I will not be able to wear it again to class without receiving points off for wearing a dirty jacket. I would have preferred to donate two or three new sheet pans. It would have cost me the same and been much less work.

My other class, American Regional Cuisine, sounds like it will be fun. However, we started the first two sessions with practicals, mother sauces. After the intensive three weeks of practicals I was less than enthusiastic for another one. I suppose this is to ensure your skills don't dissolve over the break.

We also received notification of our projects for the quarter. In baking there are two papers, one an analysis of five videos on baking that we are required to watch outside of class.

For American Regional, we have to research a region and write a paper on it as well as present a 20 minute lecture to the class and a menu developed for the region. I pulled Western. The guy next to me said, "do you want to switch?" He had New England which sounded much more interesting to me and more familiar. "Oh yeah!" Shortly thereafter, feeling smug that I'd managed to trade up, the instructor said "Ok, no switching regions. Who does everyone have?" Phew! I switched just in time. We all read aloud our assigned regions, "South... Floribbean... Western... New England... MidAtlantic..." etc. Then I realized I traded from a later presentation to the very first one the week after I return from a weekend beach trip. I turned to my fellow student, "Isn't New England the first presentation?" He confirmed. Dang! I'd been duped!

My luck (or stupidity) sometimes never ceases to amaze me.