Archives Under "people" (RSS)
IPNC pt.II
10 August 2009 | delicious, eating, people | 4 Responses
I can still hear the rapid-fire “smek smek smek smek” of bare feet on solid pour polyurethane. As he rounded the first bend I looked at myPhone’s stop watch and realized he was going to beat his time. He challenged himself to get 1:25 and he was way ahead. Chepe was running this track barefoot; and he was doing it fast, burning it. Moments before he sat on the edge of his seat, pysching himself up, amping himself. Moments after he had to lay on the ground, about to puke passionate, pumping vessels throbbing in his head. As he lay there panting, my mind rewinded the days events. The fun-as-shit-I-love-being-a-chef lunch dish up. A dip in the fountain, a boozy aftrnoon nap; a reprieve from relentless heat, a snorey slumber. Soon after as we lined up for salmon and started to spot other Chefs, enjoying service or fine wine; poured by more familiar faces. The fish roasted over a long trench I couldn’t get too close, I was sizzled, scorched. A trench of fire!! We ate salmon and salads in the sinking sunlight. There was also pork. We drank wine with decadent abandon; swilling with senseless pretention and simply sloshing out as the next selction sauntered up smiling. Our table mates included the former director of the American Heart Association, his friends and relatives. Behind us nearby eating; the Chef from Toro Bravo; we felt friendly in good company. Ditching our table at dusk we hit the dessert buffet and then the still scalding fire. A couple chasing each other around the trench made me grin. It was fast approaching the opening of the Library Wines so we turned to the center of the venue. Soon after we had more sips to swirl and ran into my old friend Jeremy, he had also worked the event and was now partying. After tasting so much wine it all began to taste the same we bounced, we knew of a secret stairwell somm soiree with more wine and friends. In a flash my head hits the present, the way-back machine having caught up with itself. Fuck I love days like this. My best buddy sprawled supine below trying to catch his breath, and me in the stands, reeling.
Chepe
14 April 2009 | chef, cook, faithful readers, jack yoss, people | 8 Responses
I’ve run into a diverse cross-section of chefs, and Mike Perez is one of the best I’ve known. He’s more gringo than Mexican, but he’s still a great cook. He’s got the humble pan pusher work-ethic, and the passionate drive to make the best food. We’ve got an easy raport that sometimes speaks volumes in a look, the kind of in-the-trenches kind of friendship that only true kitchen lifers know. Sometimes during service, deep in humping out food, he’ll just crack a sly smile. “Ain’t nothin’ to a boss!” Sometimes, he’ll look at me like Murderface, and I’ll know what he means; you nasty, girl! As a faithful reader, our jokes got jokes, laughter comes easy. I’m proud to rank him among the top people I’ve met in this business, and as a lifelong friend. As all cooks know, you run into those people in your careers; the kind of peeps you say you’ll work with again, maybe even open up your own place, and with Chepe it’s no different. With him I can almost see it actually happening. We both were privileged to be mentored by Chef Jack Yoss, and as anyone who has worked with Jack knows, that’s something. I’ve learned a lot working with Perez, watching him cook, lead the cooks. I’ve jumped down, I’ve turned around, I’ve picked a bag of cotton. I’ve been violated. I’ve enjoyed some long services, some outlandish circumstances. We’ve even spent some time together off the clock, riding the mountain, eating and drinking. Drinking, eating, cooking, drinking. The guy loves food. I recall once I was drinking creme anglaise out of the blender. Perez walks up and laughs, then asks for a hit. You really have to respect a guy that will drink creme anglaise out of a blender. Well…I do anyway.
7 days in Colorado.
18 March 2009 | jeff, people, vail | No Responses
Kate and I took a short trip back to Colorado a few weeks ago. We had some wedding details to work out, so I added a few days to my trip to snowboard with my brother and party. The snowboarding was sunny and fast, I got a wicked burn sun-bathing afterward while eating sliders. Kate and I had a world class meal at Splendido, the restaurant where we’ll be wed. They sliced the foie thick and the room was subtley beautiful; dark and warm. My brother Thomas had a Skate Jam at his house, the band played and the kids skated. His apartment has a couple of quarter pipes and a pump bump running through it. The band squeezed into the living room, pounding out metal while I drank beers and watched the skaters. There were about fifteen people there which was perfect, any more and would it would have been to crowded to skate. We traveled to Denver at one point to see Coheed open for Slipknot, but missed most of the show because of a ridiculous mile-long line. The next day, back in the high country, I met up with some of my old boys and we hit up the Minturn Country Club. It’s a cook-your-own steakhouse, and they do prime rib-eye by the inch. I had them slice off a fatty and I grilled up mushrooms and onions to cover the top. I had about three too many 90 Shillings and two shots, but the huge steak kept me upright. It was a great trip that was much needed after a long couple of weeks. I finally got to meet my brother’s dog Bean, and his girlfriends dog Bentley. My boys at the restaurant held my station down for me, and it wasn’t all cook-handed up when I returned. At least not that badly.
If Anyone Deserves a Beer, it’s Miguel.
17 February 2009 | Ten 01, cook, people | 5 Responses
Miguel is the definitive hard worker. The only thing that out shines his work ethic is his pleasant demeanor, his unfailing smile. This guy arrives before everyone else; sweeps and mops the whole restaurant, puts away all the food orders, and dives right into prep-work; the whole time keeping the dish pit moving and the kitchen supplied with everything from sheet pans to deli-cups. After putting in 8 hours at Ten-01, he wheels across town and works the pantry station at Tabla. An inspiration to kitchen folk everywhere, Miguelito fucking rules. He always cheers me up when I see him, and does whatever anyone asks of him with a big-ass smile and methodical speed. Thanks Miguel, drink up!
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.
Happy Birthday Jen.
30 October 2007 | chocolate, fenouil, people | No Responses
This here is Jen. She and I are pastry assistants at Fenouil. I don’t often get to work with her because we cover one anothers off-days, and shifts over-lap infrequently. I always look forward to seeing her, we have such fun in the kitchen together, and a like-mindedness about pastry. Her chocolate work is some of the best I have seen in my career, the snap on her temper is spot on every time, and she comes up with some interesting flavor combinations for her truffles and candies. Chef Pascal recently asked her to start selling her chocolates retail through the restaurant. I hope they get that going. When Jen and I work together, the tasks become backround to the banter, which is more often than not conveyed in a brittish accent. So Happy Birthday Jen, you are so much more than a crazy-cat lady…you rock!! More Blood for the Master!!
Bob’s Famous Beef Bourguignon
28 September 2007 | people, pictures | 4 Responses
Rob is a Sous Chef at Fenouil. He’s made Beef Bourguignon so many times that as you can se here, he could do it with his eyes closed. I’ve seen Rob prepare many different dishes, and have learned a lot from watching him work. Working in a kitchen you meet a lot of strange people with sick senses of humor, and Rob is among the finest examples, if not the textbook definition of that “fringe element.” He once used a squeeze bottle full of water to “pee” on my foot in the mens room. His sense of humor is so perverse, one could imagine being damned to hell for being in the same room when he tells a joke. It’s proximity damnation. My frequent attempts to shock or disturb this man have always ended in ME being shocked and disturbed by his comeback. Understanding all this and looking at this picture I have to wonder: What is he thinking?
Simpsonize Pt. 2…McCarthy Bros!!
4 September 2007 | broken arm, jeff, people, photoshop | 1 Response
It’s a simple equation:
Simpsonizeme.com + Google Images + Photoshop= 10 hrs. closer to getting this god forsaken cast off my arm.
Dude on a Chopper Bike on the MAX
31 August 2007 | people, pictures | No Responses
I love Portland
The World is Your Hamburger…
30 August 2007 | broken arm, delicious, food, people, photoshop | No Responses
Once again in ultimate boredom, learning the intricate ways of Photoshop, I’ve brought forth the ultimate image! Mmmmm……Earth…