While walking on a tightrope. :) Not really. I was asked in another thread when I was opening a restaurant. Truth is, I couldn't handle it for several reasons, one of which is that I suck at multitasking when cooking. I just can't keep up with 3 things going on the burners, something on the grill, something in the Instant Pot and a couple of things in the oven. Actually, I think my tolerance is about 2 things at once, lol. I do my best to minimize problems- I try to plan things I can make in advance, I make sure I never have multiple things that need different over temps (I put in a second over this year). I try to have things, ala Ina Garten, that don't need to be cooked at all. But here I am today (btw, it's Pacific time here). I've got 5 people coming for dinner. I've got Tasso ham on the smoker (albeit for another day), burnt ends in the sous vide to warm until they go in the smoker in 10 minutes. My brisket then goes in the sous vide to reheat. I've got the Instant Pot ready for mashed potatoes, and one oven set for roasted veggies, which I'll put in at different times cause they don't all cook at the same rate, and another set for a tomato tart on puff pastry. I've got to microwave cream and butter for the potatoes, and sweet and sour sauce, which I made in advance, for the brisket. I've got to get an oven set to warm, for things that finish early. And it's all compounded by the fact that I drink too much wine while I'm cooking. I give the restaurant guys a ton of credit. I often wonder wtf I'm doing it for. Anyone got a number for DoorDash? Anyone have similar experiences or horror stories?
You were just making sure we were paying attention, right?
That would be a serious food crime.
You were just making sure we were paying attention, right?
That would be a serious food crime.
I don't joke about food, lol. Made it, had it, and still like it.
Yep, I write out a timeline every time. It's still stressful, though, at least for me. Tonight actually went pretty well. I just forgot the horseradish in the mashed potatoes.
Sous chef, lol? I chase my wife out of the kitchen. I don't do well with someone else working around me, or getting in my way, as I see it. :)
That might be my next menu :)
I'm not sure I'd want to talk to someone who eats that shit, lol. :)
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Your sous chef. I can pull a lot of things together but I do sit down for an hour the day before and write out the timeline, temps to build, prep work, Plating strategy, etc. It just takes patience and discipline
Sous chef, lol? I chase my wife out of the kitchen. I don't do well with someone else working around me, or getting in my way, as I see it. :)
LOL!! I like to cook with friends. My wife? Ehh....she asked me once a long time ago what she could do to help and I said "Leave the kitchen". She's not good in the kitchen, and she knows it, and accepts it.
HTH
My mother was an awful cook. My dad taught me to make eggs. I don't know if you ever watch Jacques Pepin on TV. It's such a pleasure watching him cook with his young granddaughter. Lidia Bastianich really likes cooking with her grandkids, too, but they're older. Very nice and well mannered, tho. At least they come off that way on TV :)
I love to cook. I love to entertain. I like putting something in the smoker and hanging out on the patio with a few beers waiting for the slow breakdown of connective tissue to result in meat that melts in the mouth. I like the creativity of mixing different spices and sauces with a protein. But I would not want to do that on demand, night after night, for a bunch of people I may not know.
If cooking is a passion, the quickest way to ruin it is to have it turn into a business where cooking may offer a refuge, but staffing, food and liquor ordering and portioning and waste all has to be tightly controlled to eke out a profit. Then there's the pesky thing about how to take time off
So many restaurants fail, even if they are filled each night because of poor management that I just want to cook for family and friends and save a massive headache and probable financial ruin.
Yeah I agree, how the hell do you do that for 12 hours a day and a hundred plus meals out quickly and perfectly.
I love to cook. I love to entertain. I like putting something in the smoker and hanging out on the patio with a few beers waiting for the slow breakdown of connective tissue to result in meat that melts in the mouth. I like the creativity of mixing different spices and sauces with a protein. But I would not want to do that on demand, night after night, for a bunch of people I may not know.
If cooking is a passion, the quickest way to ruin it is to have it turn into a business where cooking may offer a refuge, but staffing, food and liquor ordering and portioning and waste all has to be tightly controlled to eke out a profit. Then there's the pesky thing about how to take time off
So many restaurants fail, even if they are filled each night because of poor management that I just want to cook for family and friends and save a massive headache and probable financial ruin.
For a while, I was making different types of sausage every weekend. Problem is, I'm the only one in my house (of two now, alas) who eats it (other than the chorizos or andouilles, etc which are add-ins to other dishes). I toyed with the post-retirement idea of a farmers market or food truck thingie but I'm wary that hobbies become PIA jobs when you have to do it for a living. Also, I'm would be worried about the liability in case someone got sick from something I made (hasn't happened yet, though).
But as you mentioned, rare we don't prep 1-2 dishes early and then let them sit in fridge or on counter. That way you can keep the pre-dinner cocktail glass in your hand and still pull it all together...
But as you mentioned, rare we don't prep 1-2 dishes early and then let them sit in fridge or on counter. That way you can keep the pre-dinner cocktail glass in your hand and still pull it all together...
yep....
Yeah I agree, how the hell do you do that for 12 hours a day and a hundred plus meals out quickly and perfectly.
My wife does holidays. Sometimes she'll ask me to make a specific thing, but basically I'm not involved. Oh, yeah, I do have to get down on the floor and expand the dining room table :)
We'll make the sides we can ahead of time and then there is a delineation from there. My wife handles all the baking and I handle all the cooking. I try to do as much on the grill and smoker as possible to keep the oven free for baked dishes, especially if anyone brings something and it needs to be heated up
My favorite show
The judge gave and amazed look and said are you kidding it would be no contest he even beat me
My favorite show
We enjoy that as well. Flay is the king of pulling it all together, even on dishes he has never done.
Just really can't fathom when a competing chef tells him their signature dish is some kind of steak or southwestern dish. They have no chance of beating him.
Gotta go with some type of baking thing or asian dish...
While he was discussing how hard it is to make a restaurant succeed, he said that a lot of people make the mistake of opening a restaurant because their family and friends tell them how good a cook they are.
His point was that being a good cook (even if that part is actually true) is a very small part of what's needed to make a restaurant succeed.
While he was discussing how hard it is to make a restaurant succeed, he said that a lot of people make the mistake of opening a restaurant because their family and friends tell them how good a cook they are.
His point was that being a good cook (even if that part is actually true) is a very small part of what's needed to make a restaurant succeed.
Yeah, for sure. Being a great cook doesn't guarantee a successful restaurant. Otoh, being a lousy cook will probably doom you :) And as someone mentioned, doing it for a living can probably take some of the fun out of it. At least it adds a layer or pressure I don't need.
yeah, but it must be nice to have someone doing the prep work for you :)
Beat Bobby Flay. Next! (lol sorry, had to do it!)
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for about a month. I just got tired of it. He's a great chef, but he gets to be too much of a one-trick pony on the show. Everything has pomegranate molasses and Fresno chiles. He's a master of bold flavors, but half the time he doesn't even make the dish he's supposed to- he just makes something with the same protein that tastes better than the other guy's authentic dish. And the judges let him get away with it. And, yeah, it's a little nuts when people challenge him to something that's chile based or a brunch item. I've got a bunch of his recipes, but I almost never make them cause when I look at them, the ingredient list scares me off.
Beat Bobby Flay. Next! (lol sorry, had to do it!)
Just to clarify this, our own Drew/smshmth did beat Bobby Flay in a Throwdown. Kudos :)
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for about a month. I just got tired of it. He's a great chef, but he gets to be too much of a one-trick pony on the show. Everything has pomegranate molasses and Fresno chiles. He's a master of bold flavors, but half the time he doesn't even make the dish he's supposed to- he just makes something with the same protein that tastes better than the other guy's authentic dish. And the judges let him get away with it. And, yeah, it's a little nuts when people challenge him to something that's chile based or a brunch item. I've got a bunch of his recipes, but I almost never make them cause when I look at them, the ingredient list scares me off.
Beat Bobby Flay. Next! (lol sorry, had to do it!)
What's the episode named and what did you cook?
Beat Bobby Flay. Next! (lol sorry, had to do it!)
What's the episode named and what did you cook?
Maybe Drew has something better, but I just found this short recap
Link - ( New Window )
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Beat Bobby Flay. Next! (lol sorry, had to do it!)
What's the episode named and what did you cook?
Maybe Drew has something better, but I just found this short recap Link - ( New Window )
I don't think this video mentioned it, but the judges were Darryl Dawkins and Gloria Gaynor
I'm not messing with Bill in UT!
I know I'm late posting this, so I'm not sure if it is going to be read by anyone! The whole 'Throwdown' was a promotion by the NJ Governor's Office 'Stronger Than The Storm' Campaign. It was filmed, but the tv show Throwdown wasn't in production, and our footage was never aired on Foodtv, as Bobby Flay started another show. I really didn't do Amy of the planning, they basically told me what to do, and when to do it, so I just went along from the ride.
A few things that I do remember was that Bobby Flay was an awesome guy. I spoke with him for a bit, and he was genuinely a down to earth guy. I had heard that he would take part of the promotion, but I have heard that he had a few stipulations. First, he would only do it against a Chef/Owner who lost their business to the storm. I have heard that he was being pressured to do the throwdown in a more visible location, but he apparently said that I was the guy, or he wasn't doing it. Secondly, to fit his schedule it was during a weekday, which was fine by me! We wound up doing the throwdown in front of about 2000 people, and needless to say, the exposure for my business was tremendous. I will always have utmost gratitude & respect for Bobby Flay. He showed up, signed tons of autographs, and talked with people, he couldn't have been a nicer guy, all on one hell of a hot day, I'm pretty sure it was over 100 degrees.
thx