The Pantsless Chef.: Blog

Showing posts with label Blog. Show all posts

Wednesday, August 24, 2011

Day 393 - 415: Chef De Partie

Interesting few weeks have passed again, with the resignation of one of the seniors, sees me up with a promotion to chef de partie, looks like its pasta for me soon. Feeling anxious ? for sure, this section is extremely busy throughout the colder months, and looking after 2 sections while having to communicate with mains while brining up entrees makes this one of the more mentally stressful positions to work in.

It was my last week in back section hot entrée, no more squid no more chips, no more being told what to do. I wanted to move up but with this short notice it makes me scared, I’ve seen people last less than a minute in there and I do doubt my abilities some times, but it’s time to step up. As a good friend said to me recently “go in with confidence and come out with success” thanks obi wan natoli!

Sunday, July 31, 2011

Day 377 - 392: Opps I Did It Again..

Yet another unintentional month goes by. Getting my fourth new partner this month, I’m starting to think there is a curse on my section. Hopefully this one stays a bit longer than 2 weeks.

I had a menu change a 2 weeks back getting a Minestrone soup with pesto and gruyeah cheese puffs as well as a clam chowder. The chowder is beautiful and velvety served old school in a sourdough roll.

Front section hot entrée got more changes than us, with the ravioli going with a champagne volute, a spin on gnocci carbonara and a very modern and elegant scallop salad.

They also received an interesting risotto change using the new truffled brie from calander cheese, which is everything you’d expect it to be fatty creamy and way over the top.

Seared Scallops, Compressed Apples, Cider Burre Blanc,
Mixed Cresses and Hazelnuts.

Prawn and Scallop Ravioli, Champagne Veloute and
Butterfiled Prawn Cutlets.

A goodbye to a Favorite.

Hello Winter Warmers.

mmmM Luxury Bag Cake..

A small hope Project.

Sunday, June 26, 2011

Day 344 - 377: 6th Month Already?

Let’s see another month has gone by without a post. I never thought it would be this hard even in the slow season to keep up with the blog.

We are back in trouble with kitchen staff running low as we hit the peak of the quiet season it is still a struggle to maintain a sufficient amount for us to all get normal 50 hour week. I personally have been on 4 splits, but as an apprentice who gets paid by the hour I don’t really mind.

I’ve been through 2 partners so far in the 4 months I’ve been in hot entrée, and my third is being trained this week.

Winter brings a dessert change with a steamed pudding and vanilla lavender mille-feuille on the menu and winter risottos and braised rabbit show cases what’s in season.

Monday, May 9, 2011

Day 342 - 343: Happy Mother's Day

Mothers Day. Need I say anything else, probably one of the busiest days ever, This was definitely the busiest lunch I’ve ever done, though it didn’t feel that bad, it was a painful busy. Doing 200 covers instead of our usual 130-140.

Luckily I prepped up big making mass amounts of everything on Saturday night so I had nothing to do and had a stress free lunch service.

After 20 Chicken Pies, 24 kilos of mussles, 18 portions of squid and 5 litres of corn soup, my day ended with a familiar face, a old chef that recently left returned from his holiday.
Overall a spectacular weekend.

Friday, May 6, 2011

Day 287 - 341: It's been a while...

Here I find myself proclaiming im not dead and I’m still blogging. The month of March saw us with lower staff than ever. Also during this time we have had the food and wine festival which saw Nigella Lawson and other internationally reknowned guests dine at Donovans for 14 intense days. The Age also made a apperence, closely followed by the grand prix and the recent massive Easter break.

What can I saw with recent change in kitchen positions from all the chef departures I’m in my new section and it has left me so tired and drained that I didn’t really even have time to think about blog posts.
It been a month now since I’ve changed sections and my last blog post, I don’t know how many of you are still reading but, I’m comfortable enough in hot entrée to start writing again.

Here are some memories from the last 50 or so days.

Warm Salad of Scallops and Autum Veg

4 Tastes: Char Grilled Asparagus with Crumbed 6 Minute Egg.

4 Tastes: Seared Tuna Loin in Black Olive and Tomato Vinaigerette with Radishes & Pickled Cucumber.

The Sea of Macroons

Areated Choclate Sponge.

Nigella Lawson's Autograph to Our Sous Chef a Thank You for a Spectacular Dinner.

4 Tastes: Sumac and Chilli Dusted Deep Fryed Crab with Fresh Lime.

Friday, March 4, 2011

Day 282 - 287: Been Busy.

Seems like this year I’m very behind on posts, with everything going on and my new responsibility of monthly stocktaking, it seems I barely have time to do a decent post anymore.

My phone recently broke and is gone, along with all my photos from the last few months I didn’t get a chance to post. But with every bad thing, comes something new and improved.

A new iphone 4. A bit behind but I finally got there along with the 40% of other mobiles users out there wielding an apple product.

It’s good to see that Adriano Zumbo has gotten his own show on SBS. His creations are truly inspirational and with all the new cooking shows out there, it’s a breath of fresh air that there is something focusing on pastry.

Thursday, February 24, 2011

Day 271- 281: Thanks Mr. Napoli!

I’m back and what an amazing holiday it been. It feel like ages since I’ve been at work, new dishes and new people have joined our kitchen ranks, and a very sad departure of a close friend who taught me many things in my year and a bit at Donovans. Thank You Mr Napoli! Hope you’re enjoying ur holidays where ever you are.

It seem like my move to hot entrée will be delayed till the next round of kitchen shuffles in March, school has started but nothing interesting yet, just a few assignment and small competencies like talking on the phone.

Tuesday, February 1, 2011

Day 265 - 270: MY Annual Leave

A day before I leave I see my first shift in back section at the deep fryers. This is the next step up, and in light of the New Year we are promised many changes yet again, but first up the new menu changes as seasonal produce starts to end.

A Guinness braised beef cheek with cumin and parsnip mash.

A modern interpretation of bouillabaisse
A chocolate tasting plate

I take my first annual leave since I started there in a few days, a trip to Phuket and KL to relax and shop. Hopefully I can learn some things whilst I’m there or maybe pick up a few cheap cook books.

Friday, January 14, 2011

Day 250 - 264: Hello 2011

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. I know I’m 14 days late but finally after the chaos surrounding the last part of 2010, I can finally sit down and write. The restaurants is back down in numbers booking have more than halved after the new year celebrations. It finally time to relax.

I went and looked back on this time last year; I saw I had double the amount of posts, this just shows that in my beginning few months, I had not worked anywhere near as hard as I had in the following year.
I’m on my weekend now and my shifts have become standard again with 2 splits early in the week and the rest singles over the weekend.
It been raining for the last 3 days and very humid and its finally cooled down, glad I wasn’t in the kitchen for those muggy few days. I should be grateful the state of Queensland is totally devastated by the floods it’s amazing yet horrifying to see the conditions up there.
Now I have some time I can finally blog on some of those restaurants that I’ve been to in the last month or 2.

Monday, December 27, 2010

Day 235 - 249: 3 weeks in a blurr

It’s been 3 weeks since I’ve posted anything, I’m still here and alive but the crazy season has really been crazy. Everyone gearing up for Christmas day with all chefs on to get everything ready for 1 massive service of 350 people for lunch, a gingerbread house has been constructed and I’ve worked a 78 hour week for the last 3 weeks.

Here are some pics of what’s been happening.

Thursday, December 9, 2010

Day 230 - 234: Better Days.

A light week for me this week only 1 split and a whole lot of PM shifts on the pass. I got to do stock take and learn how to count everything and do all the calculations and paper work behind it. It took almost 3 days but I worked it out and I should be fine for next months.

Sunday was very busy 155 for lunch and I was just tired for some reason, maybe this crazy hot and stormy weather is getting to me but, I was slower and not focused which got me in some trouble, but overall I got my shit together before service finished. I’ve had better days -_-

Sunday, December 5, 2010

Day 226 - 229: Farewell Mr. Paramedic

A stormy week last week when I got back from my weekend, we did some ice/gelatin filtration to get a new technique just to see if it was viable for the summer months. A lobster Consume with prawn dumpling and a buttermilk panna-cotta with almond crumble and banana consume. I also got to try out a savory sorbet, which was just a tomato tea churned into a icey slurpy, this was pretty disgusting for all those who didn’t expect it to be savory plus it did had a lot of punch.

This is the last dish that our most recent departure plated, I took a photo to remember him by. Good luck JH!

Friday, December 3, 2010

Hungry for Hamburgers.

Nothing beats a home made burger. Everything you'd expect in a burger we had, including a beetroot relish, pesto mayonaise, sunny side up egg. The highlight was beetroot relish cooked in red wine vinegar with sweet onions cooked til tender.

Tuesday, November 23, 2010

Reflection 365: Thanks for a great year!

It’s been a year and maybe a little time for reflection. It was 365 days ago on the 18th of November 2009 when the start of my dream and the first step in becoming more than just another Melbourne food fanatic began.

52 weeks ago I set foot in my first job in a commercial kitchen that wasn’t owned by someone in my family. There’s no way I could have imagined that my first job in hospitality would be at a fine establishment such as the iconic Donovans. Here I’ve witnessed the massive staff turnover in hospitality the coming and going of many friends. Even the head chef left.

I experienced first hand the handing over to a new generation, a passing of the torch to the age where technology and science are used in conjunction with passion for a new style of food.

The last year was difficult there were ups and downs, days where I didn’t want to go to work because of the dreaded fear of being the weakest link in a chain of great chefs.

There were days where I couldn’t wait to see, taste and experience new food, days when I would volunteer to come in on my days off just so I could be a part of something new.

I’ve participated in competitions against my peers from all around Victoria and helped out in a 3rd year competition supporting the best of my school. I’ve had some small cuts and some BIG burns and the scars from each to tell a story of my 1st year in the kitchen.

Well a year on and I know my way around my section Larder like it was the back of my hand. Soon to be on the pass for a while I see on the upcoming time tables and hopefully on to bigger and better sections soon after.

This blog has been a great place to share all my experiences, thanks to all those who are following, thanks for all your support and kind words throughout the year, you’ve followed me as the blog ranked as high as 25th of Urbanspoon, and whilst I been too busy to give close to daily posts.

What would u guys like to see more of? Recipes? Restaurants? Photos? Tell me and I'll try make it happen.

You guys rock! All who are following me and all who I currently work with and those who I’ve worked with in the past and present? Thanks for being part of my hopefully long and epic journey!

And finally a very special thanks to my girlfriend who has been so supportive with my job over the year!

Thursday, November 18, 2010

Day 223 - 225: A Year In a Blur.. of SQUID INK?

What a first day back, front section trouble again. A quick mend with a swap of chefs and in for a long night of stressing out from a surprise staff meal to letting two new chefs run larder, while I watch in horror.

Tonight was a record finish for me with all of us staying back to prepare our house chips because the potatoes have become extremely sweet and are hard to fry without them turning black before they actually get crispy.

The week actually becomes blurry after that, few shifts on the pass and more training of new chefs, nothing that eventful but as I reach my 1 year mark at Donovans. Congratulations to me!

I actually do remember what happened, remember the squid crackers I was talking about I did get to make them and they did turn out pretty cool. Even though they look like garbage bags and smell like fish they taste like a prawn cracker.

Wednesday, November 17, 2010

Mysterious Yellow Fruit of My Childhood...

Seriously does anyone know what this fruit is? I used to eat them when i lived in the eastern suburbs but I never knew what they were called, kinda like a wild apricot maybe? PLEASE SOMEONE TELL MEE!

Monday, November 15, 2010

Day 220 - 222: Crazyness Begins..

It’s kind of while since I posted but I haven’t really been up to much, I’ve been on the pass recently, it’s kinda kept me busy. Our 2nd sous vide machine has arrived and now we have 2 to play with one at main course and the other at the pass. I’d had a chance to experiment a little as well. Recently I was looking up some interesting techniques that were developed on the blog Ideas in Food. I found a interesting recipe for what they called squid crackling, this basically looked like a recipe for prawn crackers using squid.

Ill try it out maybe after the weekend when it more quiet, there’s trailers in again this weekend, a ex MLC girl and a American guy with a really sexy knife, They were pretty good on their trial both qualified I guess they will start next week, as part of the crazy season shifts which start at 6 AM.

Thursday, November 11, 2010

Day 217 - 219: Kitchen Chef Shuffle

Kitchen Reno is in and the new layout is a vast improvement, the kitchen is now completely open and everyone is visible, the calls can be heard from everyone. Although larder is much hotter with a new salamander in and flat top the back corner is now as hot as BBQ.

This week is the last week before the kitchen chef shuffle, two of whom I think are the best chefs in main course and front section are leaving. I guess we’ll all move on at some stage but working with them has been awesome ill be sad to see them go.

Thursday, November 4, 2010

Day 213 - 216: Hey Hey Hay Baked..

We were supposed to have the kitchen renovation this week but it was postponed to the week after. I was recommended by a friend to take some vitamins which may help with concentration of those days where I just don’t get enough sleep and focus is just hard. Hopefully it helps.

There are new people starting this week two in Larder for the upcoming months of pure Christmas chaos, they are both fresh as I was when I started almost a year ago, I know how they must feel with all the overwhelming information and having 10 people with their own opinions on how to do things.
I’m probably still not the most qualified in larder to teach them properly but I’ve been there the longest so I guess I do hold some responsibility there.
Next week we have someone leaving and another starting and someone back from annual leave, it going to be a very full kitchen.
There’s a new function menu up which consisted of hay baked chicken, crispy ricotta stuffed zucchini flowers, crispy baked lemon potatoes and Caesar salad, a nice change from our more hearty function winter dishes.

Thursday, October 28, 2010

Day 211 - 212: Imminate floods of both kinds..

While some come back from annual leave others are taking the last few weeks before the busy season really kicks in off. Another kitchen change up is coming up soon. I see more experiments with new dishes every day, changes to salads and the best selling item at the moment the Barramundi.

The week nights are beginning to pick up again now and it’s 3 more weeks till I’ve been at Donovans for a year now.
There are new people coming in and out for trials all the times, just guess we’re looking for the right person. Prepping after service is becoming more and more frequent just to get ahead of the day after. Won’t be long now till the funky lists are packed with Christmas parties day and night.

Main Course and Barbie boys. Fondling the Lup Cheung (Kaffir Lime, and Pork Belly Sausage)

Birthday weekend for me this week only doing 2 days, 3 off and another split on the sunday. I heard its raining too.