Archives Under "jack yoss" (RSS)
Rival Flavors to Waltz, No Intermission
19 June 2008 | Ten 01, creative presentation of the week, eating, food, jack yoss | 2 Responses
Another Spirit dinner hosted by Kelley Swenson and Timothy Davey. The two passionate mixologists poured Italian bitters, and Jack and Anthony were cooking in the street. The sun sunk low in the sky and filled The Cleaners with an ethereal light. At the door we were handed a tall orange cocktail which refreshed us thoroughly. We sat at he head of one side of the large L shaped table. Godfather footage was being projected onto the wall. The Chefs laid down some sweet courses and the bartenders offered educational interludes with the drinks. A bright and fresh tuna tartare with rhubarb and pine nuts, a tea smoked duck breast that I can still taste if I think about it. A Compari cocktail that I knew Tony 2 Fingers was drinking in the back. Jaybill and I enjoyed the food and cocktail pairings, the conversation at the table was nerdy, and laughing, we sipped our drinks. Third course was a trio of scallops, Foie, and pork belly paired with three shots. This was a really fun dish. The richness of each of the items washed down with a syrupy spirit. The infused herbs and vegetables in the bitters trumped us. My head was buzzing with delight. I felt an elation that would last the rest of the night. As our lamb T-bone floated over, I floated in my seat. Elbows hit the table, and the tiny bones were chewed clean without looking up. I almost forgot my drink as I took a breath. Delicious!! A weird sensation coursed through me as I thought about my day so far. Getting to work and spinning ice cream and baking cookies, I picked mint as Jack and Tony prepped. I helped Jack set up the Foie mousse, and when my brother met me at the restaurant I carried it down the street. A few months ago I was thinking about getting out of this business, and now I’m carrying little votives of pureed Foie Gras across Burnside. Attending a nerdy white tablecloth foodie dinner where I actually know a few people. Chef introducing me to the crowd as I sit there half-drunk, waving. “That’s right…I make the cookies!” Jack waved me over to verify mint plouche placement. We fell into a methodical rhythm of plating. I smiled as Chef scooped, and Tony and I sandwiched the cookies onto the plates. I returned to my seat and gulped at my mini Fernet cocktail. I took a bite of the ice cream sandwich. I slowly nodded my head. Then we peaced.
Thanks Arturo.
28 May 2008 | Ten 01, chef, delicious, jack yoss, people, pig, squab | 2 Responses
Here’s a pork loin sandwich created by Ten-01 sous chef Arturo Lopez. Brined and slow roasted pork loin with provolone, pickled shallots, and pea tendril salad. Arturo puts such love and concentration into everything he cooks, I love when he cooks me food. For example, on this sandwich, he puts the shallots in between the slices of cheese so they don’t slide around. He thinks about shit like that. He’s got the love, simply put. He always sends extra food my way or over to the dishers. Like Thai-Style Pork Ribs. Lately I’ve been enjoying the new Lamb set, with the ever-delicious goat cheese gnocchi (which Arturo always makes) and artichokes. I watched him cook me one up the other night. He knew it was for me but he still bent over it in concentration, standing up the pieces just right. Arturo is the kind of chef who watches all day. He even observes when I don’t eat, and then brings me some food. “I saw you ate some fries but…” He knows the mise on my station, so he’s always asking me if I need this or that, and if I know about today’s party. He’ fucking on it. Chingon. I’ve learned so much working with this him that I feel like I’ve known him for years. He humbly knows all I know, and if he doesn’t know he can still do it better than me. He’s always got a better way, from the simple to the complex. Chef and he have been working together for a long time, and I can see why. It’s like father and son almost. Also coming off Arturo’s station is Chef’s new Squab Dish (below.) The legs are meticulously de-boned and stuffed with foie-gras torchon. Then they get bacon wrapped. I haven’t eaten this one yet, but I’m keeping my fingers crossed.
While I was gone.
28 April 2008 | Ten 01, jack yoss, news, review | 3 Responses
While I was climbing Monte Baldo, Food Dude released a review of Ten-01 on his website, Portland Food and Drink. Somehow, this guy has become the definitive voice on the Portland food scene, and his highly anticipated reviews seem to knock newspapers and food publications neatly in behind him. If a restaurant gets a good review from him, more than likely this sentiment will be seen across the board. He gave Ten-o1 3 1/2 stars (out of 4,) and he had this to say about my desserts:
Pastry chef Jeff McCarthy is a recent addition to the staff, and he’s infused the desserts with a whole new decadent passion. It’s one of those menus where many items are as good as they sound - “chocolate whiskey cake brown butter caramel, toffee-caramel ice cream”, or my favorite, the “chocolate chip banana bread pudding with a rum/caramel.” The latter is the best bread pudding I’ve ever had. The caramel has a nice rum flavor without being overpowering, and the balance of chocolate to bread is nearly perfect. Other desserts which rotate on and off the menu are also excellent. A recent standout was the peanut butter crème brûlée, with its crispy crust, nice custard, and a layer of really good jam underneath. It was like a decadent peanut butter sandwich (all $8).
Wow. Thanks, Food Dude. Glad you liked it. You can read the entire review here. And boy, those pictures look great! Some of my other favorite quotes were about Chef and his food, such as”… the goat cheese flavor went beautifully with the lamb. The combination laid waste to any other lamb I’ve had in Portland” and: “Jack Yoss has completely revamped the kitchen, making it one of the most sophisticated in Portland.” It’s true. We’re fucking sophisticated. Come down and eat.
Working Like A Borrowed Donkey.
22 February 2008 | Ten 01, creative presentation of the week, delicious, faithful readers, jack yoss | 1 Response
Damn I been busy. I have so much to tell you faithful readers, that I have no idea where to begin. I have been one busy pastry chef. I suppose I’ll start with decribing The Creative Presentation of the Week, pictured above. Chef Jack Yoss does it again with another incarnation of Bacon and Eggs. Here we have Quail Egg in The Basket, with Wigwam Virginia Ham and seared Foie. This was served as a special for a guest that often asks Chef to “make up something new.” I’ve been learning alot from Jack, most recently the invaluable assembly of the Foie Gras Torchon. They came out so beautiful and delicious, but I enjoyed it most served atop a piece of tuna. Business at the restaurant is picking up after the post-holiday lull, and It’s getting wild. This past Monday we did a Chartreuse Dinner, then Valentine’s Day, then a record Friday and Saturday nights. The Chartreuse dinner was fun, our bar manager Kelley and Chef created a menu with Chartreuse cocktail pairings. We had Arugula Salad, Glazed Pork Belly with Deviled Quail Egg, Duck Breast with Mushroom Coffee Jus, and Squab with Lobster Ragout. Every course was paired with a Chartreuse cocktail. My dessert, pictured below, was Chartreuse Truffle Cake with Mint Chocolate Sauce and Chartreuse Ice Cream. I pulled out the sugar for this one and made some leaves. It could have come out cleaner, but I was happy with the flavor. It’s been a while since I’ve used a modular mold, but they’ve got great potential. It’s cool seeing something come from concept to plate. Also made by me was a take on the Last Word cocktail, form of boozy syrup and lime sorbet.
We Deal in Delicious.
26 January 2008 | Ten 01, chef, delicious, jack yoss | 2 Responses
Here’s Chef’s Bluefin Tuna Sashimi and Hamachi Tartare with Yuzu, Kosho, Green Apple, Beet Chips, and Balsamic Brown Butter. This was the first course his Oregon Food & Wine Feast, which he did for the James Beard house in New York this month. This past monday we re-created experience for some PDX high rollers and media types. Chef commented on how the dinner was a little easier to pull off at The Beard House, as our back kitchen is a little tight on plating space. Also delicious was Seared Sea Scallop with Stewed Oysters, Buttered Leeks, Tarragon Oil, and American Caviar. There were some cool passed apps, but I only got a blurry picture of the Foie, ’cause we were busy plating. For the dessert course, he had me prep his bomber Goat Cheese Panna Cotta, pictured below. I was stoked to learn this one, because it had great flavor, texture, and was way easy to bank together. The brunoise pears took was time consuming, but well worth the effort.
Creative Presentation of the Week: Beef Tartare
18 January 2008 | Ten 01, beef, creative presentation of the week, delicious, jack yoss | No Responses
So we’ve all had Beef Tartare, or at least we all should have had it, but how many of us have eaten it from a crispy parmesan cone? Chef whipped this up as part of a five course dinner for his fiancee Meghan’s Birthday. The chorizo oil really makes this plate pop, but I wanted to eat that little cone so bad! I need to start taking pictures of the food that’s on the menu, it all looks as scrumptous as this. This week Chef was away in New York doing a James Beard Dinner , but us cooks held down the kitchen admirably while he was gone. Good training goes a long way, and so does confidence in your crew. I’m still eating very well, there often seems to be a random duck leg laying around, which I will happily take care of. Here’s one below prepared by saute cook Micheal, with carrots, mushrooms and sprouts.
Still Searching.
18 December 2007 | Ten 01, chef, genoa, jack yoss, jeff | No Responses
So I had two more interviews this week, Ten 01 and Genoa. Both of these restaurants are looking for a pastry dude. Meeting with the chef at Ten 01, and seeing the kitchen and dining room, man I want that job. Chef Jack Yoss runs a kitchen the way I like. Everyone that works for him wants to be there, wants to bust their ass for him. During the whole interview, he kept jumping back on the line and helping his crew knock out plates during a busy lunch service. He’s looking for a guy to implement a pastry program, and also help with whatever savory work there might be. Pantry plating, shucking oysters, banquets, etc. Perfect!! The pastry station is really awesome. The very expensive chocolate tempering machine, the proximity of the burners, ovens, and friers (all very close,) tons of freezer and cooler space, and a window that looks out on tenth avenue!!! I’m doing a tasting next week, but Jack invited me down to work on Sunday afternoon, they’re breaking down a whole pig to make sausage!! My interview at Genoa was a lot different. They were closed that day and the place was very quiet. I met with the chef, owner and wine director. They seemed very interseted in my command of classic technique, and my ability to maintain the time honored traditions of Genoa restaurant. After seeing the restaurant and kitchen, I don’t think this job is the right fit for me. The interview was a good experience, it really helped me contrast and compare and prioritize what I want from an employer. I mean, if I’m going to spend 60+ hours a week in a restaurant, everythings got to be just right. The perfect balance of buisness, personal, and environmental components (or -living/career/creative/ pastry/passion/kithcen/restaurant/people.)
