The Sweet Life

Today the company executives came for an all-day meeting.  They had the Continental breakfast, lunch, and cookies for afternoon break.  I started creating this dessert on Friday, and finished execution today.  I have to say that this is the first dessert I have been happy with upon completion.  Usually I find fault with my desserts almost immediately after plating and sending it out.  Even my Chef was very pleased.  The execs were impressed and I got great feedback! I am calling it Spring? temporarily because for the most part, it has been grey, rainy, and chilly and it's almost May!  I can't wait for the days to warm up and the farmers markets to be open!  I am excited to get out and buy local produce again and cook fresh veggies and fruits!  The browns are earth tones, and the muted green of the lime "caviar" and the tender leaves of the micro basil are tentative signs of approaching spring weather. Originally I had planned and was fina...

Yesterday I did a tasting for a prominent Chicago couple's personal chef. They're having a dinner at our facility for other "prominent people" in the next couple of months.  It just so happens that this chef worked at NoMI, but left just before me, so I really don't know him, but I know of him. It is one thing to have your boss critique your desserts.  After a while you build a relationship and learn each other's style and you learn his/her expectations and you work from there.  Tastings for people who are on a committee choosing a menu for the umpteenth gala isn't so bad either.  Especially when you are doing something that other banquet facilities don't do.   But doing a tasting for another chef is different altogether. Chef D introduced me and upon hearing my name, "Chef B" looks at me intently.  "Why does that name sound familiar? Did you work at NoMI?"  I nodded and we established that he was on his way out as I was on my w...

Hello. For those of you still tuning in, I am still alive.  I have not won the Lottery and run off to Paris to live blissfully, getting fat on croissants and Paris Brest.  I have not been abducted by aliens. I have been promoted. After returning to work from my trip, I was asked into the office by the Chef de Cuisine.  They are happy with what I'm doing, and they wanted to offer me the position of pastry chef, which I accepted.  I'm still in shock, and when introduced at tastings as " . . . my pastry chef . . ." It takes a couple of beats for me to realize he's talking about me! I'm really enjoying things, as much as I can.  We're short-staffed, and I've had people in for interviews, stages, and soon, paperwork.  It's quite interesting being on the other side of the interview.  It's also a challenge to lead a staff, to monitor and figure out what to do in certain situations.  But it's also exciting!  I'm looking forward to what my...