Top Chef 1.1

When I first started toying with the idea of doing a blog, I was thinking of a hook of sorts; like those numerous blogs that work their way through a cookbook posting their results etc. Then I thought of Top Chef. I love top chef. I own all the seasons that I can get off itunes (7 regular seasons and 2 top chef masters). I constantly have them on in the background and really enjoy the challenges that they put the chefs through. So I was thinking that I could use that as a hook and go through all the seasons and their challenges (I would be so excited to do the final ones of top chef masters). And now I have a blog, so why not try?

So I load up the first episode from the first season to see what the first challenge and I realize that it might be one I have to skip. I know that I would have to shift some of the rules and definitely ignore time limits on some challenges, but this one was difficult to even tweak.

The contestants had to spend 30 minutes on the line at Chef Hubert Keller’s Fleur De Lys in San Francisco. For obvious reasons, I wouldn’t be able to do that. I figured that I would just have to skip it and move on to the next challenge.


Then I got the call. (Doesn’t that just sound so dramatic?)


A chef I had crossed paths with in Montréal had gotten a call from a restaurant that was in a bind for that night, he couldn’t help out, but knowing that I’m looking for work/got time on my hands, he tossed the ball to me and told me to do him proud and not fuck it up. So I made my way to the resto about a ½ before service, which was the regular a la carte menu as well as a special party of 20. And wow did it just feel good to be back in a kitchen and on the line.


They were also short staffed for the next night as well, so I came back to help out with a private party for 60.


And I guess the best way for me to prove that I succeeded at this challenge is that I left there with a job. I’ll be workin’ at San Lorenzo, an Italian restoruant in little Italy, Thursdays and Fridays, my off days from the Burger Bar (once it opens…).


Next Top Chef Challenge: Showcase your signature dish.

Sunday Night Dinner 4.15.11

Sunday night dinner, chef's table for 2 @ squiggs, 5 courses

A friend pointed out to me that if i really wanted dinners at my place to be something special, i should be looking at things beyond just the food. so i did a bit more then the usual clean up and stuff and tried to create some ambiance.

There were 2 friends coming over for dinner, so i set up a chef's table of sort facing on to the kitchen. I had ran out to dollarama to grab napkins and a table cloth. It was also suggested to me to grab a candle, so i got a sturdy manly candle and a mirrored plate for it to sit on. The only thing i forgot about was water glasses. I also thought about what music to play, deciding to go with the chemicals brothers dj mix cd. a nice upbeat music that can easily be ignored.




Bread Basket: Lavender Bread
Due to having a lot of time on my hands recently, i've started to bake a lot more. The buns were cooked in muffins tins which gave them a somewhat rustic look that i wasn't too sure about, but the guests enjoyed the unique shape.








Amuse Bouche: Oyster/Strawberry/Ice wine Vinegar
I'd picked up this really nice ice wine vinegar and was wondering how to best showcase it and this dish worked well. The sweetness of the vinegar played off nicely to the saltyness of the oyster.








Soup: Spicey Mint Cucumber soup/Smoked Salmon/Mandarin Orange

The spicyness in the soup was a happy accident. Apparently in the container that i pureed the soup in, there was some residue left over from the homemade hot sauce that confused at first. The heat works well with the coolness of the other ingredients. This was also where i realized there were no water glasses.





Braised Pork Short Ribs With Asian Flavour/Kimchi Fried Rice/Baby Corn/Broccoli Stalks
Decided to serve the pork 1st of the 2 proteins/mains due to the lightness of the asian flavours used. Kimchi is pretty much Korean fermented cabbage that is just so packed with flavour, I highly recommend that you check it out.














Braised Rabbit/Blueberry Sauce/Morel Mushrooms/Mixed beans/House Cured Bacon
This was served as the 2nd protein because of the woodsy/foresty notes of it felt to me to be a bit heavier, er go, later in the course. The strip of bacon underneath was my first attempt at curing bacon and it was taaaaasty. i was seriously impressed with myself.








Dessert: Strawberries/Blueberries/Lime Curd/Chat Longue Cookies
Nice, light and clean dessert. Variety of textures and something that i could throw together in one afternoon.















Thoughts from the Diners

Thanks again so much for a lovely evening.

I would just say that I'm grateful for happy accidents - the soup was delish and surprising and went really well with the Lavender buns - the muffin tin gave them a nice shape.

My other fave was desert - the lime curd was amazing and my multiple helpings undid a good few weeks at the gym.

almost forgot the kimchi - really everything was amazing but those were probably my highlights

Quick hit: Art Square Cafe

Artsqaure cafe

During a weekend trip to toronto, i was able to check out this little cafe across from the AGO for brunch with fellow blogger Lindsay of threehundredsixtysixdays.com. (look at that, i'm already part of the blogger community with blogger friends doing stuff to blog about!) Upon entering it, one could feel that the designer had put in sometime in and the investors had put in some money. The front half is a sleek looking gallery featuring a number of different photographers with a cafe in the 2nd half specializing in crepes and chocolate truffles, with a strong Turkish influence.

The menu is intriguing and somewhat exciting, with a couple odd pairings, especially on the savoury side; (chocolate and chicken, blue cheese and shrimp).

Both of us decided to go with the Canadian breakfast crepe, 2 sunny side eggs with 2 strips of chicken bacon on a crepe filled with mozzarella and a side of home made jam. linds opted for the soy latte, me a 2nd cup of coffee since i had finished the one i ordered while i waited for linds to arrive.

Food itself was quality, it was the finer points of service that they need to work on. The edges were rough, but you could tell they were trying hard so instead of it being frustrating, there was a certain cuteness to it. plus since we both lean more to the benefit of the doubt and weren't in a rush, we let things slide.

there were little things that was off, like adding a 2nd milk container to the table for coffee when the first one was far from finished (they do warm the milk though) or serving a latte that was on the wrong side of boiling, which is things that one could let slide. On the other hand, when we are the only 2 people in the place, order the same food at the same time, it's expected to arrive at the table at the same time. Unfortunately that didn't happen. It feels like if they ever get more then 3 orders at a time, they'd be smoked.

Strong menu and decor, with the errors in service something that could be easily improved, i suggest checkin' it out.

3 squiggs out of 5

Guest Blog Comments from Lindsay of threehundredsixtysixdays.com

During Date Month (31 Day 31 Dates - check it out on the blog), I look at everywhere through the filter of "would I bring a date to this place?". The food was enjoyable and they were trying really hard, but I agree with everything Robin said. The fine details were missing that could make the experience great. That being said, the relaxed atmosphere made it easy to chat and therefore I say that yes, I would bring a date here, as long as I wasn't in a rush!