May 26, 2008

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Nebraska Beef

2nd Nebraska Beef Cutting Demonstration at the Hospitality Industry Training and Development Centre (HITDC)

By Andreas Muller

Another packed day of training for our 60 participating Trainee Chef in the Raw Food - and Western Food Production Classes was organized on 22 May 2008 by the Hospitality Industry Training and Development Centre, welcoming Colorado based Guest Chef Jay McCarthy who demonstrated the cutting techniques on Nebraskan Beef.

The 2nd Nebraska Beef Cutting Demonstration was sponsored by the Nebraska Beef Council with Mr. Greg Ibach, Director of Nebraska Department of Agriculture and Mr. Stan Garbacz, Nebraska Agricultural Trade Representative of the Nebraska Department of Agriculture attending the event.

Chef Jay McCarthy introduced an in-depth history of Nebraskan Beef processing including number charts, the essence of perfect Beef and its breading style.

The cutting demonstration on a 12 kg Nebraska Beef Shoulder Blade took centre stage during the 3 hour demonstration whereby Chef Jay elaborated more in detail on the usage and cooking methods of individual centre cuts.

We were able to sample several cuts as Chef Jay cooked to order a selection of Feather Steaks, Iron Steaks, Skirt Steaks, and a Roast. All these cuts are preferred cuts in the USA due to rising Beef costs and an alternative selection on current menus and new trends.

After sampling all the meats, it did not take us long to understand and fully agree with Chef Jay that certainly Nebraska Beef is for many the preferred choice.

With several question and answer sessions we concluded the afternoon demonstration and certainly had a better understanding on the cutting techniques Chef Jay McCarthy demonstrated for us.

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WACS news Myanmar and China Catastrophy

As discussed in Dubai, we have asked Country Associations who wish to donate to Myanmar & China disasters to forward money to WACS Treasury so that we can consolidate and be clear who has donated what and where and when the monies will be released.

Please indicate clearly when you donate to mark your payment for either China or Myanmar.

Please direct payments to the following.


Credit Suisse
P.O. Box 1058
CH-6002 Lucerne / Switzerland
Account No. 4463-225836- 82


 
IBAN: CH35 0483 5022 5836 8200 0
 
SWIFT ADDRESS; CRESCHZZ80A

 
Please be guided accordingly

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Molecules

Cooking is chemistry, the rest is garnish.

Christopher Gallaga

I was glad to see that the HITDC demonstration kitchen on Pok Fu Lam Road still looked like a kitchen. When one hears such high sounding terms as “molecular gastronomy”, one is tempted to imagine Willy Wonka hovering over test tubes in his lab, and in a sense that would be correct. While those who closely follow food news know that this trend is waning in the places it began, becoming just another tool, it is still heralded in far parts of the globe as the next big thing in the culinary cannon. A philosophy that will transform cooking as we know it.

The workshop on molecular gastronomy was provided through the HITDC and presented by Carlos Tejedor and his team of visiting Spanish chefs. Rather than being an education in the chemistry of cuisine (something I am fond of) it was more of a demonstration of possibilities in food presentation, using twenty-first-century binary gelling agents. To be sure, melon “caviar” that bursts in your mouth, or a mock “thousand year egg,” made from rich stock gelled around a lightly poached egg yolk then served as soup, can make a surprising new way to present classic recipes. But in the end, it is more an exercise in dramatic art, than in reaching new heights in the craft of cooking.

Chef Tejedor, an honest practitioner, and humble instructor of these methods, said as much throughout his presentation. Time and again he admonished all that this is just a way to add a little more, a way to engage the dining public in a new sensation. But his frequently stated caveat, harkened back to the statement set fourth by Adria, Blumenthal, Keller & McGee (and reprinted by the March 03/08 HKCA News Flash) to wit: the fundamentals must first be the absolute best. If you do not make the best stock, what matter is it that your soup is served in the form of a gelatinous egg? Innovation is only as good as its contribution to heightening our foundations.

In the end, while I admired the art, and as a cooking-geek will no doubt try these techniques, it seems to me that this is the newest version of garde manger; which by its nature is always on the cutting edge of presentation. All in all the lecture was interesting and educational, but I did not walk away with the feeling that a culinary revolution is taking place.

and for those with interest to try this out, there is a new collection of hydrocolloid recipes available for free download at Khymos' Blog http://khymos.org/recipe-collection.php

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Obituary

Todesanzeige

 Alles hat seine Zeit,

sich begegnen und verstehen,

sich halten und lieben,

sich loslassen und erinnern.

Ein Weltenbummlerherz hat aufgehört zu schlagen und wir müssen Abschied nehmen von unserem Bruder, Schwager, Onkel, Cousin und Götti

Andreas Späti

11. Oktober 1933 bis 20. April 2008

 Nach einem spannenden Leben in der ganzen Welt, durfte er in seiner Wunschdestination auf Koh Samui seine wohlverdiente Ruhe finden. 

 Seinem Wunsch entsprechend, findet die Kremation auf Koh Samui statt und seine sterblichen Ueberreste werden dort der Natur übergeben

 Um ihm zu Gedenken findet ein Trauergottesdienst am 9. Mai 2008 um 10.00 Uhr in der katholischen Kirche in Kriegstetten statt.

 Wir bitten, dem Verstorbenen ein ehrendes Andenken zu bewahren und ihm die letzte Ehre zu erweisen.

                                                                                    In herzlicher Verbundenheit:

                                                                                   

                                                                                    Die Trauernden

                                                                                    Verwandten und Freunde

 

Traueradresse:

Rolf Späti

Dorfstrasse 8

4558 Heinrichswil-Winistorf                                                                          

An Stelle von Blumen gedenke man der Foundation Childrens Hospital Kanta Bopha von Dr.med. Beat Richner, Postkonto 80-60699-1

 

 

Chef Soren died very recently in Vancouver, and a local colleague of his asked me if I could pass word back to the chef community in HK in case there was anyone there that wanted to pay their respects. Could you kindly let the HK Chef's Assn know so that they can mention it on their website, if they so choose? Soren was also a member of Chaine des Rotisseures, if they have an HK chapter or website.

He was very well respected in Vancouver, and had recently been Culinary Director at Arts Institute, a culinary school. Before that had been Chef at 'C' Restaurant and 'Seasons in the Park' in Vancouver. He is survived by his wife, and she can be reached on fakstorp@shaw.ca

 

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Great Chefs of Australia Exposed

http://www.greatchefsofaustralia.com/
 

Australian chef James, (Jakob) Mussak was born in Switzerland, his Swiss trained culinary career has completed a full circle, being head-hunted for a specialised chef position in the 5 star hotel industry in Sydney a few decades ago, now a highly successful chef recruitment specialist himself, specialising in the 5-star chef recruitment area and has also become a well-known Australian culinary consultant, and products promotion & marketing specialist. Now he is writing books about Australias top chefs and suppliers.

         

James speaks fluent 5 languages, including Danish and he has acquired an enviable culinary expert background working within the culinary industry for over 4 decades; Switzerland, Denmark, Australia, Middle East and Asia.  James was a commercial contract caterer, Dip. Teacher / Lecturer, at Ryde Catering College (TAFE) & former East Sydney Technical College.
 
James has a life-time of cooking, teaching & catering experiences and was a sales and marketing executive, an airline and a 5-star hotel executive chef, and managing very large catering venues, producing 1000 of meals daily. He was personally cooking for Head of States (presidents) and caterer to many high level politicians, movie, music stars and VIP business people, cooking for many 1000’s of people year in year out.

James is the founding president of the Sydney Chefs Association, a former committee member of  Les Toques Blanches International, in Sydney and the Philippine Chapters, and a long standing member of the Australian Culinary Federation, the Restaurant & Catering Association and belongs to the prestigious Swiss Ambassadeurs Gastronomiques Suisses a l’Etranger.”  

With his pleasant personable style, James has forged many life-long friendships on both personal and professional levels. As an International Salon Culinaire judge, judging 5-star hotel & restaurant chefs, in Sydney, Thailand, Philippines, he is a trade magazine columnist; for Open House Food Service Magazine, New Asia Cuisine Magazine, Rolling Pin International and Leading Edge (Bakery) Magazine.

James has employed, worked with, and educated 100’s of professional chefs. He has active contact to many chefs associations local & world wide, he plays golf with no less than 144 executive chefs and culinary experts from all over the world. James has his own Chef & Food & Beverage Newsletter, and he advises and counsels 1000’s of people year in year out, perhaps earning his reputation as “the world’s best connected hospitality consultant”

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Champchefs

By Maurice Flynn

A Legacy, International Teams over five Decades

This historic archive has been guided by a spirit of respectful inuiry. Its purpose is to capture the Chef's tradition to endeavour, achievement and esprit de corps. While many teams may not have stood on the podium each nations team will have made a comitment to excellence and are therefore invited to join this archive in future updates.

http://champchefs.com/

There are several HK teams listed on this website, and i am sure its a nice browse through history for many of you.

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MLA Black Box Culinary Challenge 4th Global Grand Final Dubai 13-14 May, 2008

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HKCA team goes for competition again

There will be again a HK team going, this time to Penang to join the 3rd Penang Chefs Challenge 2008, 27-29, June 2008

The Team comprises of:

Team Leader:

Mak Kam Kui

Company : Hong Kong Disneyland Hollywood hotel

Team Member 1:

Francis Lo

Company : The Hong Kong Young Chefs Club

Team Member 2:

 Chow Chi Kan (Ken) 

Company : VTC and The Hong Kong Young Chefs Club

Team Member: 3

 Lam Koon Lun ( Martin)

Company : Hong  Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre

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How do you get to Erfurt? Practice.

By: Christopher Gallaga

The first tasting of the HKCA Culinary Olympic Team was held at the beautiful Watermark restaurant at the new Star Ferry Pier. We 20 gourmands met to sample this first trial run of the menu as prepared by our team.  The dishes were tasty and presented well to be sure, but it is a long road to Erfurt in autumn and trying to prepare world champion cuisine will demand significant work in the months ahead.

The team took significant notes and feedback from all the tasters and will continue to hone their menu and preparation through long Hong Kong summer - Stay tuned for more testing dates and news on our Hong Kong Olympic Bid

 

   

   

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