According to me a Chef contributes all together about 20-30 percent to churn out a dish.Why??For me all that really matters for a good pasta or a beef wellington or in that case even some thing as naive as mashed potato is nothing but the source and quality of your ingredients.Be it fresh produce like vegetables and meats or dry herbs,it has to be from the best and nothing less but the best place possible.
You might have a killer recipe but what good is it going to do if you get the ingredients that are not upto the standards.
The most fool proof way to get the best ingredient for your establishment or for home use is DIY(Do It Yourself),its like buying a luxury car and hiring a chauffeur for it.That is just being LAZY.I consider it therapeutic;going everyday morning to the local market and experiencing the sight,smell,sounds,fighting with the vendor for a good price,all this and more is a booster for the whole day.
At times choosing the right ingredient not only gives a perfect result but also helps in productivity.For example using a bit over ripe tomatoes for making Pasta sauce gives a more earthy and tangy notes to the overall taste and you end up using the right amount.Did you know that the meat from the cheek portion of a cow is one of the most tender cuts from the carcass. Similarly learn from your peers.Its a myth that no chef will share his/her secrets,they will, just that it will be hard to get it out of them.Because of the sheer hard work , sleepless nights that they have put into gaining that same knowledge themselves,they will make sure you learn it yourself so that you never forget it.
Picking the right product is indirectly responsible for each and every aspect in a food business.For example you pick up a good fresh fish and your grilled fish is going to be the best they have eaten,you pick a less fresh one like a day old one kept in the freezer its gonna be okay,you pick up older than that,ill be surprised if they pay the bill or leave without creating a fuss.
The very secrets of procuring the best ingredients is getting down to ground level,it all starts with you vendor.Trust me when I say this , the most experienced of chefs wont even know small secrets that a vendor will tell you about the ingredients that they deal with.
Yes at times you do bribe them(but for me its more of a token of appreciation for keeping a good fillet aside for you,or keeping the freshest rock lobsters for you rather than giving it off to somebody else).But its all required to make a good product and present it to the guests.
So remember DO NOT be lazy and but vegetables from a cold storage unit,make a trip to the local market and trust me you wont be disappointed.For all you know you might end up getting more than you thought you would and end up making a superb dish.
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| To get the best of the lot,go early morning to the market,just when the transport vehicles arrive to the depot/market. |
The most fool proof way to get the best ingredient for your establishment or for home use is DIY(Do It Yourself),its like buying a luxury car and hiring a chauffeur for it.That is just being LAZY.I consider it therapeutic;going everyday morning to the local market and experiencing the sight,smell,sounds,fighting with the vendor for a good price,all this and more is a booster for the whole day.
At times choosing the right ingredient not only gives a perfect result but also helps in productivity.For example using a bit over ripe tomatoes for making Pasta sauce gives a more earthy and tangy notes to the overall taste and you end up using the right amount.Did you know that the meat from the cheek portion of a cow is one of the most tender cuts from the carcass. Similarly learn from your peers.Its a myth that no chef will share his/her secrets,they will, just that it will be hard to get it out of them.Because of the sheer hard work , sleepless nights that they have put into gaining that same knowledge themselves,they will make sure you learn it yourself so that you never forget it.
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| Baby mustard sprouts growing in my kitchen on a bed of surgical cotton placed in a container.Great for salad garnishes. |
Picking the right product is indirectly responsible for each and every aspect in a food business.For example you pick up a good fresh fish and your grilled fish is going to be the best they have eaten,you pick a less fresh one like a day old one kept in the freezer its gonna be okay,you pick up older than that,ill be surprised if they pay the bill or leave without creating a fuss.
The very secrets of procuring the best ingredients is getting down to ground level,it all starts with you vendor.Trust me when I say this , the most experienced of chefs wont even know small secrets that a vendor will tell you about the ingredients that they deal with.
Yes at times you do bribe them(but for me its more of a token of appreciation for keeping a good fillet aside for you,or keeping the freshest rock lobsters for you rather than giving it off to somebody else).But its all required to make a good product and present it to the guests.
So remember DO NOT be lazy and but vegetables from a cold storage unit,make a trip to the local market and trust me you wont be disappointed.For all you know you might end up getting more than you thought you would and end up making a superb dish.
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