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Tag Archives: recipes

THE FALLACY OF RECIPES

30 Monday Jul 2018

Posted by harvestamericacues.com in Uncategorized

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chefs, cooks, culinary, kitchen, recipes, restaurants

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Let me begin by setting the stage for this articles title: I do believe in the importance of recipes, but…. they are not the answer to consistently great cooking. Recipes fail in the following ways:

  • Recipes do not factor in variances in the quality of raw materials based on freshness, maturity, the impact of soil and climate, storage and handling of those ingredients, etc. etc.
  • The skill and experience of the cook
  • The passion and commitment of those same cooks
  • The palate and eye of the person who developed the recipe

The intent of a recipe is typically to ensure that whoever follows the steps as outlined will be able to produce that product at the level expected by the person who wrote the recipe. I would guarantee that ten cooks given the same recipe and the same ingredients would produce ten slightly different results.

So, where does a recipe fit in the big scheme of consistency? There is tremendous value to the creation of recipes: they provide the operation with the basis for determining likely costs of production and in turn – accurate selling prices. And the recipe is a superb communication tool that defines what ingredients are included in the production of a menu item and which methods of cooking are used in its production. But consistency is hardly ensured simply because a recipe is well developed.

I recently read a post from a young restaurant cook who asked the best way to study and learn new recipes to be used at a line station. This was a great question that cannot be answered without changing the cook’s focus entirely. Memorizing recipes will never result in great cooking or consistent dishes. The ability to cook anything well is a result of understanding methods and technique and having a real appreciation for the dish and its history. So, here is my answer to that cook:

  1. KNOW YOUR INGREDIENTS

I am not just referring to being able to identify an ingredient visually, but      rather KNOW your ingredient’s flavor profile, changes by season, texture, storage, how it changes when heat is applied, optimum ways to preserve its characteristics, and even more importantly – what to do when the ingredient is not at its optimum.

  1. UNDERSTAND THE PRIMARY COOKING METHODS

Understanding refers to knowing the steps and process in the same manner             that you know how to breathe. When you know it, the process is automatic and you understand how to control results. Know the steps in proper braising, know that sauté is a delicate process, know that a plancha will result in different results than if you were to grill the same piece of meat or fish, and know the difference between poaching and boiling, and when to use either in the process of preparing various ingredients. When you truly know how to apply the foundational cooking methods then you are in control of the results – not the recipe.

  1. BUILD YOUR PALATE

An educated palate is the key to creating memorable flavors. When the         combination of taste buds and olfactory receptors are trained through experience then it becomes possible to adjust a process or the amount of certain ingredients to replicate the expected flavors from a dish. There are far too many variables to simply rely on a recipe to accomplish this goal.

  1. KNOW HOW THE DISH SHOULD TASTE

One of the most important keys to becoming an accomplished cook comes from understanding how a dish should taste. In this case the old adage that “experience is the best educator”, certainly applies. A solid cook needs benchmarks to aspire to. You MUST taste and savor a dish numerous times and catalog the taste, smell, and texture of the dish so that you are able to re-create it time and again.

  1. KNOW THE HISTORY OF A DISH

Most times the missing ingredient in a memorable dish is a connection           beyond the physiological aspects of eating. Knowing how a dish came about, the root of its existence, why certain ingredients were initially put together, what cultural influences came into play, and something about the people who   made those early decisions is essential in building memorable flavors.  History is important to a cook.

  1. KNOW HOW THE DISH CAME TO FIND A PLACE ON THE MENU

The best cooks do not simply accept that a dish is on the menu – he or she    takes the time to talk with the chef or person who designed the menu in an          effort to understand the “why” and even the objectives associated with a      dish. Does it pair well with certain wines, is the item there as a place card    holder or does the chef expect that this will be one of those signature items, are there certain appetizers and desserts that the chef feels are important complements to the dish, and is there some type of tradition associated with this dish or maybe it holds a place in the chef’s personal history. The more the cook knows the better he or she is prepared to do it justice. What is the story behind each menu item?

  1. KNOW WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU DON’T UNDERSTAND THE ABOVE

When that dish is prepared without a deeper understanding as stated in this           article – then what happens? A good exercise would be to start by having a cook prepare the dish from a recipe without digging deeper into process, technique, understanding of flavor, researching history, and determining how important the product is to the chef and the operation. Smell it, taste it, critique it and have others talk about the experience of eating that dish. Is it lacking, is it boring or exciting, is it what the chef expects? Odds are that the dish will fall way short until a deeper understanding is present.

How does a cook memorize all of those new recipes and preparations? Memorization without understanding is very shallow and will always fail to produce the results that are expected or needed. Anyone can memorize and follow a recipe, but a true cook is much more than a technician.

PLAN BETTER – TRAIN HARDER

Harvest America Ventures, LLC

www.harvestamericaventures.com

Restaurant Consulting and Training

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THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A COOK AND A CHEF

14 Sunday Jul 2013

Tags

chefs, cooking, cooks, cuisine, culinary soul, recipes

THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A COOK AND A CHEF

A few years back I read of an interview with a prominent chef who was asked: “what is the difference between a chef and the millions of cooks throughout America.” The response, to me, was a perfect definition: “Most reasonably intelligent people can follow a recipe with mixed results, a chef can be given a basket of ingredients and is able to create something wonderful.” Although this is an over-simplification, there is a real element of truth to this statement. A chef is certainly a manager and a leader, a cost accountant and a marketer, a social scientist and an organizational guru; but above all, a chef is a passionate and accomplished cook.

The ability to “create something wonderful”, stems from a persons ability to draw from his/her flavor memory. A serious cook must be a person who has experienced a full array of flavors, taste combinations, foods at their peak of maturity, seasonings, and texture combinations. Without this “data bank” it would be nearly impossible to create magic with food. To go even further, chefs have life experiences that are filled with an understanding of history and various cultures. It would be difficult to cook wonderful Spanish foods without understanding the culture of Spain, it would be challenging to understand classical French food without studying Ferdinand Point, Larousse, Escoffier, Careme, Bocuse, Robuchon and Verge. To cook French you must feel like you are French, to cook Italian, Mexican, Scandinavian, or Thai, you must understand the culture of those countries and most importantly have cooked with those who were born into those cultures.

“A recipe has no soul…..” was a quote from Thomas Keller, truly one of America’s great chef’s of the past few decades. This should not be viewed as an endorsement for kitchens without structure; just the contrary. I am sure that Keller has his own version of the standardized recipe, however what he and most accomplished chefs know is that a recipe does not create a cook. The recipe is a reference, but the cook must draw from his/her flavor memory and understanding of culture to build the recipe into a great dish. There are just far too many variables that come into play (seasonality, maturity, size, terroir, brand, shipping, storage, etc.) to rely on a recipe as the consummate guide in cooking. Some of the best cookbooks that I have used such as: “Le Repertoire de la Cuisine”, only list the ingredients in a dish without procedure or amounts. The ingredient list is a reminder for the chef who knows, though experience, what a dish should look and taste like, and the method of cooking that is appropriate for the outcome of that dish.

Those who have a desire to become great cooks and chefs must live the following: taste everything, experience as many different cooks work as possible, travel and experience cultures, read about the history of food, learn from the best, taste again and record your experiences. Keep recipes as a guide but cook with your soul.

Kudos to Thomas Keller for getting it right.

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Posted by harvestamericacues.com | Filed under Continuing Education for Food Professionals, Tips for the Teacher

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