Why Vatel inspired the blogs title?

Work is a bit mental at the moment week before last I was left with only 41hrs to sleep and live in. So sadly neglected the blog the last couple of weeks, the one problem with being a mercenary is you have to take it when it comes.

So just a short one back to my inspiration for mine and the blogs title.

Buried in the pages Great Chefs of France by Quentin Crewe and Anthony Blake is the story of Vatel. Now in my poking around, I'm at a loss for the book addresses him as Henri Vatel yet others Francois. I've even seen some suggestions that he didn't exist at all. Whether he did or didn't the story highlights the passion and drive of a good chef.

With words of honourable, and a legacy of more than the organisation of many a feast and building reputations of great houses, stories of organisation skills that many an executive chef would envy and go well beyond the skill set needed. Bosses that are powerful men creating events of such grandeur that the king decides that to create such events can only be done by someone corrupt and intolerable. So in creating his own dismissal and poverty, leaving him searching for another boss.

So finally making it back after a period of searching, back to a house who's fallen on bad times, whose fortunes turn and once again an opportunity for extravagant and exuberant celebrations. So things begin to unravel, little things undermining the first day. We then get doubts for the fish delivery, looking for reassurance and being greeted by a little delivery, when he needed hundreds of fish. To his room retired, took up his sword and ended his life.

Well I was partly inspired for this post by a place I've worked at with a broken kitchen. I suspect I'll write a blog about the dynamics of a professional kitchen for sadly it isn't just about cooking.

So Passionate Chefs Die I tend to find my passion ebbs and flows but when ever its low I find a few pages into this book with plenty of stories, facts and anecdotes of inspirational chefs, inspires and reignites my love for my profession.

So long live Vatel be it just a story or a man of history.

Egg or the Chicken(PR brings success or Success brings PR)

The Enigma

I've always been fascinated by this recently I've seen a few things on twitter around this theme.

Now going back in history and an author any self respecting foodie will have on his book shelf, we arrive at Curnonsky - Maurice Edmond Sailland. I've always been fascinated by this enigma mainly I suppose having worked places where the next level was unachievable. Now this leads to the question if we take the Prince of Gastronomy here was a man voted by 3000 chefs as Prince-élu de la Gastronomie, what came first? Now personally I suspect as his writing attracted followers he became a person the industry couldn't ignore.

Going back further we get to Alexandre Balthazar Laurent Grimod de La Reynière and L'Almanach des gourmands which from my minor research alludes to the self promotion and self recognition to being the all seeing and great authority on gastronomy. Now this would seem to be a recurring theme as does that of pandering to the critic/gastronome, and accusations of under hand deals done.

Now-a-days in the days of the internet and for me personally in conflict, I find it's so easy to become that critic. For me whilst I write reviews, these are little more than notes on my experience. I loudly applaud anyone to never take one critics view point over others but to assess them as mirrors reflected. 

This then leads me onto another aspect on a rather complicated subject with the birth of the internet we have crowd reviewing such as places like tripadvisor. Now working in the trade I suspect I read through them more thoroughly. I never will take a simple star rating as a guide but will digest several pages of reviews to try and grasp some kind of reflection on the establishment. You see this touches the fact people are sheep, working in the trade I can tell you if one of theses crowd reviewing sites is getting negative reviews the crowd is just as likely to down mark and vs versa should they have favourable reviews. These become self evolving as sheep follow along for ever fearful of standing out.

So going on the above paragraph what we really are talking about is social psychology with group dynamics focusing on social identity theory. Pheww can you see I have a mild intrigue to psychology I have to admit that was a mouthful to comprehend.

So we have the self-aggrandisement of the critic/blogger/reviewer/gastronome the crowd socially appeasing the self proclaimed title. Yet this doesn't really lead us to the answer what does come first? Now I have seen this in my own career, one of my mentors had a famous book come in to review, this was the early days of science in a pan cooking. Now the reviewer slated him, really for not following the trend or fad, thankfully the editor knew better came back and saw through the fad/trend reviewing. Now this chef is extremely good I've eaten in a few very good restaurants I suspect he probably is still around about in the top 40-60 according to the good food guide, yet other guides rate him unfavourably for not following fads and trends.

So in touching fads and trends this touches another thing the promotion of the latest new thing. For me I've always felt fine dining approaches closer to the art world. You see and I'm sure you'll have seen it yourself there is many a great musician, great artist who just hasn't been taken up, or had promotion from the self-aggrandised authority on said field. Yet I'm not to say all are self-aggrandised for sure some have earned the merit.

So to try and bring some kind of conclusion, honestly I'm no clearer to my thinkings in regards to does the self-aggrandising authority bring followers in the form of sheep? You see, for sure without the self-aggrandisement of establishments this can't preclude the review. This in its self in conflict with the service industry where the aim is to serve not to be selfish.

My honest opinion is find a critic you like, who naturally will be self-aggrandising but most importantly always look at the mirrors reflected and try to get a more rounded feel to the review. The most important is to to judge for yourself and in context for it's pointless judging a pub to michelin stars.

On a final note just because somewhere/someone doesn't follow the fads and trends doesn't make it bad, for a good tailor will always be a good tailor. Not to mention it may just be the next fad/trend for just like fashion/art history will repeat it self.. Is the pen mightier than the sword? For a good restaurant will bring reviewers but reviewers will bring followers.

Ingredients:- Beef

Beef

Well this should give you a good indication I eat meat and I'm not a complete vegetarian. Now whilst I can assess a good piece of beef in eating qualities and shopping qualities unless I missed it there isn't a quality scheme in the UK. There is quality assured but unlike the American equivalent it doesn't actually grade the meat. Where the Americans would use prime in the UK this would be used for the prime cuts i.e. Sirloin, Fillet, Rump and Ribeye.

Then we get to breeds now I have to admit to being a little naive in regards to these, for years I've just accepted Aberdeen Angus as the de facto best. Now having come across some of the other rare breeds I'm very intrigued I do know I had one recently at 5 weeks old and water bathed my comment was it's flavour profile reminded me of hanger steak.I suspect in the next few months I'll research more. My initial thoughts are that in the hunt for leaner, larger animals with larger gains has led to a dictation of breeds used. Having seen some fantastic pics on @frostybutcher tweets all I can say is I wish they had been on my plate.

Another interesting fact is different countries butchers, butcher meat differently even in regards to chef cuts sometimes differences are found.

Choosing-

As the pics on @frostybutcher time line what you notice is mature beef has lost the bright red of supermarket beef and is approaching a burgundy. Next you notice some fantastic marbling for some reason we keep getting lean meat forced upon us. The fat is an important factor in choosing good beef as it aids tenderness and moisture whilst it's cooking. Some of the pics are actually approaching kobe beef standard, I honestly wish I'd actually had a taste of those pics to determine it for myself. 

As alluded to earlier in regards to the burgundy colour and maturity good beef is always hung, now I certainly look for a minimum of 21-28 days hanging. Now once again I know the reasons we hang, to aid tenderness of the meat as to how long once again in my naivety I'd presume this will also develop the flavour and gaminess. As to which is best I suspect this will be determined by breed and person specific. In regards to breeds my initial thought would imply in how the breed is kept and raised probably has as much significance as the breed. I see a culinary adventure over the next few months as I hunt down a few breeds and see if I can get different hanging times too.

Preparing-

Preparation really for the consumer should be little if you have a good butcher. As a chef you get removing the chain and silver skin(Fascia), maybe boning out a whole striploin, looking through the stewing steak for the worst bits etc..

Cooking-

As for cooking the basic is if you start with good beef you can't really go wrong badly cooked good beef is still good beef. Now bad beef has to be well cooked. To a certain extent the cheaper cuts are harder to screw up with just cook till tender. The prime cuts now personally for me I'm quite happy with rare meat but though I am for ribeye just needs that little more taking it to medium rare  just to start working on that fat and breaking down the collagen. With all steaks best results will be a good cast iron pan smoking hot extractor hood going in till good colour turn over and colour again looking for a good maillard reaction for me this makes a steak. As for seasoning blahh! now a days they say after to stop the salt drawing moisture I say it'll make minimal difference, just season well.

As for the tougher bits I have to admit this is where I really want to play with a waterbath. As long and slow is the best way, the idea is to break the collagen but not draw the moisture out from the protein. The faster you cook these type dishes you'll notice the meat is drier. Just cook till what we call spoon tender.

The biggest secret is get a good butcher...!

Review:-Mughli

Having given them a day to get back to me after my email all I can do is post my email they clearly have no idea of customer service...

I hope never to encounter a review as bad as this one sadly the bad points way out weigh the good. I stand by my initial tweet if you want good Indian here is not the place....! People raving about this people have no concept of good food and are nothing more than sheep. My email which as stands is my review..

To Whom it may concern

Firstly I admire the damage limitation after the night shame it was barely addressed on the night...

I really don't know where to start there was a catalogue of errors.

1)2 of the chutneys were little more than components mixed with cheap ketchup(Red Onions, Chili imli a quick look suggests I should of encountered some kind of tamarind chutney, red onion chutney would imply paste not ketchup(But I can forgive this as this the standard British fare)).
2)The indian salad was tired

So already not looking good...

3)The greasy onion bhajias come out first, with a bit of a delay waiting for the Samosa Chaat one of the 2 staff hovering uncomfortably right next to our table says you can start Mmmm! yeah I know but we're waiting for the other one.
4)I straight away notice the chickpeas on the chaat are souring/off
5)The yoghurt dip accompanying the Bhajia clearly was also off had the souring of milk taste, not the yoghurt sour.

I'm still wondering about the chickpeas then it's confirmed...

6)Whilst still eating our starters one of the servers asked could he take the serving dishes as we'd cleared them to our plates. Certainly gave the impression you didn't have enough dishes in the kitchen. Still standing right next our table uncomfortably!
7)Now I'm not an impatient man I work in the trade, but a lot longer than I tolerate, to the point where I break for a cigarette whilst waiting for the main. I actually finally make a comment and ask.

8)So main arrives the vegetable sindhi I don't even know what to say, I straight away notice this is very wrong. I know what's wrong the prepared sauce has been left festering on the side in the kitchen souring, as had the chickpeas this was now confirmed in the chickpea tamarind side, my initial feeling correct on the starter.
9)For the first time in my life I actually send something back. I call over whom I presume is the manager and ask him to smell the sindhi and would he serve it to his family? This shouldn't of even made the pan let alone a customers table had the chef given a shit.

10)So reluctantly I guess the sindhi was removed from the meal I should bloody hope so I didn't even eat it.
11)I muttered about the chickpeas to the server when he was clearing and asked if I enjoyed it to which I said "NO" but to be honest these where tolerable and by this point I'd reach lets just finish and get out of here.

12)So really there was nothing to done to appease me except the removal of an item from the bill which I didn't even eat.

I have never in my life sent anything back to the kitchen, as a chef I do my damn hardest to clear my plate alas last night I not only left food, sent something back, and said No I didn't enjoy it neither did I leave a tip(Had I had 30p I wouldn't of even left the 20p). I have never done any of the preceding as I work in the trade and do know the warts and all of the industry. Up till this meal my worst comment to did you enjoy your meal was "It was OK". Sadly not only did I encounter bad service but also a bad meal. If you're going to make a customer wait for a main course(A sin in my book better to make sure once you start some ones order that it flows naturally) then make sure it's the bloody best you can produce. If a customer complains of course he expects it to be taken off his bill but true customer service would of been to exceed their expectations.

Honestly I can forgive the 2 waiters hovering right next to my table, and the ketchup driven chutney tray and even the bhajias but some of the rest, simply put was dismal! I would of expected this down the road at Punjab Tandoori I suspect your kitchen has a higher scores on the doors rating than them. I have never have encountered what I encountered last night and as for comparing you to Sanskruti! I suggest you take the time to eat there and learn in how to exceed a customers expectations and produce authentic food rather than generic food fit only for the masses who want a trendy restaurant to eat in.

A very dissapointed
PCD_Blogs

Never ever again will I visit again...

Service 2 out of 5
Food 2 out of 5

Feel welcome to follow food bloggers that rate this restaurant but they are nothing more than sheep who like the in thing and have little value on the industry!

Reactionist vs Scientist(Dynamic vs Recipe)

During my career I've met many chef's that are what I call recipe chefs! Now I'm not one to condemn the recipe for on the opposite side the throw it together guys are terrible. As chef's our one main guide is consistency.

Now recipes give us this but for the recipe chef it becomes dogmatic. Whilst many times this will be fine, sometimes it just won't. For there are many many sources of recipes and some are just terrible.
Here is the problem recipe chef's generally struggle to think outside the box or think things through. It becomes this recipe doesn't work that recipe does. The thing is as chef's we work with an unpredictable product, nature's bounty is as varied as life its self. You'll get strawberries who's sweetness has been robbed by their lack of sun. Flour whose protein/gluten/water content that vary wildly etc..

Now to be honest in pastry/desserts/bakery recipes are king for they are scientific formulas. Yet the chef must still live with a little reaction for maybe the product will dictate it. The chef that looks at recipe and comprehends the ingredients and method will not only be able to modify it but fix the broken ones. A little example a dark and white chocolate mousse will have practically the same method and list of ingredients. The chef that comprehends will instinctively know white chocolate has a higher soft fat content. The clever ones may see the fix straight away, the intelligent ones may experiment till it works, the resourceful ones will hunt a recipe down, the stupid ones will replace the dark chocolate with white.

Else where for many sections in the kitchen recipes are less strict. The reactionist can work with the product. He can tweak add a little more of this a little less of that. Maybe even replace one ingredient for another. As mentioned earlier I'm not condemning the recipe but never forget recipes are "guidelines" react to the ingredients comprehend them and the method then cooking will become a lot more natural!

What is a chef?

Not literally we all know what they actually are, this is more than that, the bits that make a chef. The skills that many miss. You see it really is quite easy to stumble through this profession with little more than a set of scissors and a timer.

So what is a chef really well here comes the list... A cheesemonger, a butcher, a grocer, a fishmonger, a part time baker and scientist, a knife sharpener, a fashionista, an artist, a researcher, a critic and probably a few more.. Lets try to explain these away...

A cheesemonger now whilst no chef can become an expert in all these fields a chef aspiring needs to understand a lot of different fields, it goes way beyond just cooking and mixing and placing. You ask why a cheesemonger it's simple I see it many times and have been served it. If we aspire to give the best to our customers we have to have the skills to ascertain it is. For cheese this is the ability to judge whether the cheese is ripe, or in the correct state of maturity for keeping and serving. A simple explanation and a sin I've seen many times is the brie/camembert with it's chalky center served ice cold, at the other end cheese so musty and liquid it should of walked to the bin.

The butcher as chefs we need to be able to tell are we being sold the best has the beef spent too long in a vac pac bag slowly souring. Be able to tell whether a piece of beef has the correct marbling. Also you have the delivery of 30 lamb shoulders that should of been boned(Done this one). Be able to seam butcher a haunch of venison etc...

As for the grocer a chef needs to be able to tell whether that asparagus really is worth buying or is just a prize worn as a medal with little value. Understand, and I've battled this one many times, that whilst variety of potatoes have an impact on a crispy chip, life out of the ground probably has a greater one. I've seen this with mash, you have a variety of potato that mashes fine then it just stops, it's highly likely its down to starch turning to sugar.

On to fish again pretty much as the butcher be able to tell fresh from not, easy when it's stiff alive but not often you'll see this. Know how to gut and prep fish, be able to ascertain the diet of the farmed salmon and therefore the quality.

With the baker/pastry be able to determine again the quality of the product distinguish real sourdough from not sourdough. Be able to tell if your pastry chef is trying to pass of an over cooked brulee and on and on.

As for the scientist I'm not talking the Heston Blumethal potions and wizardry but the basics when the egg white sets why the egg yolk emulsifies, be able to determine why an ingredient is in a recipe etc... Sometimes you don't actually need to know! A prime example is the whisking of egg whites in a copper bowl, has been done for decades if not centuries knowing the science doesn't make it an less or better than the best way to do it.

Then a good tradesman never blames his tools therefore knowing how to look after them and even identify a bad one from a good knife is a paramount quality for a chef.

Fashionista here I'm not talking about the fads and trends many do follow. Here I'm talking about identifying what is the latest best, this may be crockery, a product. For if trying to produce the best we have to also set the environment with the best. A prime example and whilst still a fine product where Valhrona was the premier product and is probably still the work horse chocolate for many a fine kitchen, times have moved on and it's no longer king.

Many a discussion abounds whether it's art or science it's a little of both when taken in an artistic point of view I can think of no other art that can appeal to all senses. The sound and feel of the crunch, the sight of the plated dish, the smell and the taste of the food. Ok taking it to an extreme but in pushing boundaries and developing the extravagant, art is an element in cooking even if it's well adjusted with a good measure of science. I'll blog about this at another time for I've seen the pedantic recipe enforcer vs the natural reactionist both have strengths but neither are conclusive and both touch elements of the other.

The critic all the best chefs I've worked with have been their hardest critics yet neither fearing criticism for this is how we learn and adjust. Cooking just for ourselves would be so much easier but more often and not we're trying to/or will replicate or invoke that experience/memory be that a time or childhood favourite cooked by someone loved.

Review:-Sanskruti

www.sanskrutirestaurant.co.uk

Having eaten and found a fair few Indians I'm getting at quite good at distinguishing the generic vs authentic. Now for some reason at the moment Mughli is the in place honestly unless it's changed(2-3 years ago I thought it was best) it's nice but I'd still go to Punjab Tandoori over it. I suspect many are sheep following the trend rather than actually reviewing on merit. Personally food wise I'd say there is little to split Akbar and Mughli. Now Punjab Tandoori certainly doesn't look like a place you'd want to visit if food isn't your first concern move on head towards Mughli. Any way that's Rusholme and trendy vs authentic and tasty.

Sanskruti Restaurant beats them all hands down. I'm even throwing Bradfords Prashad into the mix here. For sure they all have some strengths and weaknesses.

Now onto the review poppadums stumbled across a lovely date and tamarind chutney for which I just had to ask about, others pretty standard with the exception of the green one. Now normaly this is coriander and mint firstly I didn't detect mint but a little kick of chilli. So let's start with the weakness the Dudhi na Muthiya now this had a lovely flavour but being a bitter gourd dumpling was very dense and doughy. Having nothing to judge it against not sure if that's how it's supposed to be! Pattra, I love Pattra don't know why we don't see this more often on menus having only eaten this a couple of times it certainly was the best one I've had. The other one was a safe one Aloo Tikki nice now having eaten a variety of potato fritters I've had more interesting ones but they where fine.

Onto mains and sides now a little weakness again I struggle not having anything to compare to but the Methi Thepla I just felt was a little doughy. I suspect it should of had the texture of a good chappati. As for the Jeera rice this stood up through the meal the cumin offering a lovely little note every now and again. The main course dishes all where great everyone of us having a favourite for me the saffron, cashew and paneer was fantastic. The aubergine, potato and tomato stepping up in the heat scale yet still relatively mild reaching a crescendo with the supposedly safe one. The vegetable harabhara a mixture of vegetables bound in a green gravy putting the heat on the table. As for the garlic Naan this was probably the best one I've had a little bit of crispy surrounded by a fluffy pillow of naan.

Onto dessert boy did I go off piste. The gajjar halwa was a warm dish of slightly sweetened carrot scented with cardamom topped with nuts. Honestly I've not been quite surprised by a dish for a while but that did(glad I shared it though). Sharing with gulab jambu these where lovely and delicate and hands down beat Prashads. The mango passion was the safe one more or less mango lassi with fruit.

With the bill came some Indian mouth cleansers wow a diverse mix. The slightly twisted side of me loved the flowery ones, even though it felt like I'd eaten pot pourri.

Would I go again:- Absolutely yes
For sure I've had some better elements else where i.e. A form of potato fritter at Prashad. I've probably had one that's felt a little more homemade(I'll eventually review that one). Honestly though I hate reviewing this one for you make this one popular. So just ignore this carry on visiting Mughli so I can just walk in and keep it as a hidden gem. I suppose I may have to revisit Mughli soon but honestly I'm not expecting that much of a change.

Starter:-

Poppadums
Aloo Tikki
Pattra
Dudhi na Muthiya

Mains:-
Vegetable Harabhara
Ringan Bateta
Zaffrani Paneer Korma

Sides:-

Jeera Rice
Methi Thepla
Garlic Naan

Desserts:-

Mango Passion
Gajjar Halwa
Gulab Jambu