Chef JoAnna's Rule of Eating Abroad

Long before I had even considered culinary school, I've had very good luck at choosing restaurants and with ordering food from strange places. I came up with a rather obvious philisophy after a trip to France. I will share the stories below, but first, I offer this rule, and this corollary:

• RULE: If you see people of the ethnicity of the restaurant's cuisine both eating the food (as customers) and serving the food (as cooks & waiters), you're probably in good hands
• COROLLARY: If you're still in doubt, order appetizers or a first course, and hold out on ordering the rest of the meal until you've judged the appetizers

When Kelly and I were in Paris in the Spring of 1999, we were near the Place des Voges and it was dinnertime. Since it was a 3-week trip, and we we'd had our fill of steak frites and sandwiches au jambon (pour lui) and au camembert (pour moi) we were looking for something different. We came upon this little Chinese restaurant, and even though I'm fluent in French, I was a bit anxious about eating food I didn't understand. My big fear on vacation is that I eat something that makes me sick, and causes me to spend vacation time in the hotel instead of at the places I'd rather be visiting.

We looked in the window and saw Chinese people animatedly enjoying their dinner, served by a middle-aged Chinese w. "That's a good sign," is said, but I was still anxious. I suggested, "Let's just order appetizers and see if we want to order real food after." Kelly agreed. Once we opened the door, and smelled the savory air, i knew we'd be happy. The appetizers were excellent, and we ended up having one of the most enjoyable and memorable meals of the vacation.

This rule was NOT followed when we went to an allegedly Mexican restaurant on Rue de Mouffetard. Before we even placed our order, the ubiquitous chips and salsa were offered by a skinny French waitress who looked very out of place. The chips were greasy and the salsa was little more than chunky ketchup with cilantro in it. We should have just paid for our beers and left, but we were tired, hungry, and it was late. We ate a comically bad replica of Mexican food (and consider, we were Chicagoans at the time!) and, uh, regretted it the next day.

We redeemed ourselves with a trip to a Greek place a bit further up Mouffetard, an spot with long tables and paper placemats with swarthy waiters and a couple of happy Greek fellows seated near the door with half-devoured plates of food. They couldn't have had a better advertisement if they had placed them as a prop. The place felt right, smelled right, looked right, and food was great.

The lesson has served me well since that trip, I hope it proves useful for you!

Technorati Tags: Food and Drink in Los Angeles

short term workers create long term problems

I have had two events booked for over a month, and suddenly, one guy who was to have worked two events is backing out. grrr...

He got a job at a restaurant, but he said a month ago that there wouldn't be a conflict. Okay, fine. Today he calls and says that he suddenly can't work the days he'd already committed with me. So of course, I'm upset... and more than a little... YES I know that the restaurant is a steadier gig, and YES I know that the work I offer is temporary and occasional, but crap, if you make a promise, keep the promise!

Of course, he played the hand he's holding, which is to say that the promise of regular work at the restaurant means a lot more to him (and his wife) than the 2-3 days per month he'd work for me... and that he doesn't want to jeopardize the relationship with the restaurant by saying he can't work for them on those two days.

...but I bet he didn't even mention his previous commitment with me to his employer, which sucks. I'm sure he'd have tried to get out of it if it were for an audition, but priorities are different for each people.

I just don't know how I can get myself up on the priority list of someone who would only work for me those 2-3 times per month.

Anyway, long story short, I re-staffed the events in about two hours, and I'm pleased with the people who responded. I just don't like having to waste the time re-doing work I thought was done.


Last thing I ate or drank: egg and bacon breakfast burrito with swiss cheese, because that's the kind of cheese that was open.

Technorati Tags: Food and Drink in Los Angeles

Jobs I wouldn't want: personal chef for an NBA player.

According to this article the Orlando Magic basketball team has recently employed a personal chef for Dwight Howard, their prize rookie, to ensure that he consumes at least 5,200 nutritional calories per day.

2.5 times what the US-RDA of calories is for the average man? That would be a full-time job... but likely this guy shares the same culinary persuasions as Shaq: Hamburger Helper, Kraft Mac & Cheese, and stuff like that. Sure, you're cooking for a celebrity athlete, but so what, where's the fun in that?

Last thing I ate or drank: a few bites from the chocolate crêpes I served to tonight's personal chef client. They probably ate 5,200 calories tonight!

Technorati Tags: Food and Drink in Los Angeles

alton brown drinking game

Click here

Last thing I ate or drank: a handful of altoids. I'm hungry!

Technorati Tags: Food and Drink in Los Angeles

"My test is tomorrow....can I have your recipes?"

On 3/1/05 9:10 AM, "Jon Doh" wrote:

Hello, my name is Jon Doh. I am currently enrolled at ____ Culinary Institute in Oklahoma City, OK. Tomorrow I have a final in my garde manger class. I was looking at your website and saw the Mystery Basket Composed Salad . It looks absolutely beautiful. Just by going from the picture I think I can figure it out, but I was wondering if I could use your picture as a guideline for part of my final? Also could you send me a recipe, should you allow me to mimic your work. Thank you so much for your time. Please respond to this email at _____@aol.com thank you

Chef to be

Jon Doh
---------------------------------

Dear Jon,

Thanks for the compliment. That salad is one of my favorite photos of my work.

The nature of a mystery basket is that there IS no recipe! I made it up on the spot. That was so long ago, I don't remember what I did, specifically. Each of the items was marinated in its own vinaigrette that complimented each specific veggie, I can tell you that much.

Consider this: If you aspire to be a chef, don't copy my work, be inventive and figure out how to make something attractive and delicious yourself! :-)

In my opinion, that's what defines the difference between “just a cook” and a chef. Cooks follow recipes. Chefs create them.

Good luck on your finals. Let me know how you do!

Last thing I ate or drank: latte. Today's latte had no gnats, so I enjoyed it a lot more than yesterday's latte!

Technorati Tags: Food and Drink in Los Angeles