My Gastronomy...

Kitchen Knife Forums

Help Support Kitchen Knife Forums:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.

bieniek

Banned
Joined
Apr 12, 2011
Messages
1,432
Reaction score
1
Im thinking of some stuff here...

Its hard to explain. I dont like where the modern gastronomy is going. Or the worlds cuisine. I would like it to be more chefs crazy about the food more than cooking fancy shite.

I dont think you could ever get to perfection, or even very good, but by constant repetition of the few things you like to do, and by thinking about them all the time, you can get that little bit better.
I also think, spreading your focus on too many things get you nowhere. Use your energy wisely.
Chef to me means great care. I am not good enough to care greatly about all there is to the food.


I came to think of it, when preparing for sundays little party for 20 pax.

I like to bake bread.
Here are some baguettes early in the morning, for them to rise overnight, then next day Id roll them again and twist. Rise, add some stuff on top, and bake

Zdjcie0277.jpg

Zdjcie0277.jpg

Zdjcie0279.jpg

Zdjcie0280.jpg

Zdjcie0282.jpg


Now, taking the dough right isnt enough. The baking is as important as every single small detail

Zdjcie0292.jpg


Youre not worth a damn if you dont eat your food :)

On second starter I have ravioli, here is king crab meat I just picked with salmon I took apart day ago, mixed with dill stalks, french red garlic, lemon zest, expensive virgin and bay leaves.

Zdjcie0274.jpg


My oven is clean :D

Zdjcie0275.jpg


Slowly slowly
Zdjcie0276.jpg


Afterwards I leave it overnight in the pack. To be chopped the following day. The flavours are so strong it needs just little fat, I used philadelphia, seasoning and its done! I thought I would add some mussels but the mildness-sweetness wouldnt go right and got lost.

Zdjcie0283.jpg


Decent stuffing cannot be followed by lousy shite pasta. I take great care of my pastas and have huge heart for it. If I overcook it, I would cry in front of the guests.

Look at the colour! You can see through that ring, yet its very solid, the pasta after boiling didnt changed the colour at all, just got shiny.

Zdjcie0291.jpg


Now, with the maincourse goes pressed confit duck legs meat. Flavoured with oyster sauce, and parsley. :spiteful:

Zdjcie0284.jpg


And a duck breast, can you score your duck?

Zdjcie0287.jpg


Nice and crispy golden brown

Zdjcie0288.jpg


The duck gave me some fat, why would I waste it? Instead, I boiled herbs in duck fat-noisette.

Zdjcie0289.jpg


Zdjcie0290.jpg



Its just food, but HEY its a food. Every single element is as important as your momma!
 
With you 100%! Your photos always look like something that would be absolutely wonderful to eat. And it's "look at that fabulous salmon"--you can almost taste and smell the dish just by its appearance. Your cooking seem to be a celebration of the best ingredients prepared with loving care. When I see "unidentified foam" or "this tastes bad but the chef wants you to expand your boundaries", I start to twitch and get the urge to run around screaming "The emperor has no clothes."
 
Nice post. Your passion and personality really comes through in your food.

I really dislike trendy names and fads, but I would say that what you appreciate is "slow food" over "micro gastronomy. "
 
Wonderful pictorial bieniek! :thumbsup:

Need to book a flight to Oslo, toot sweet (right away)!
 
When I see "unidentified foam" or "this tastes bad but the chef wants you to expand your boundaries", I start to twitch and get the urge to run around screaming "The emperor has no clothes."

Maybe some are like that but not all. This guy spent several hundred hours preparing his ultimate "dish" until he reached what I would call perfection. On top of that he spent 1000's of dollars on the best ingredients. Became 3rd, runner up and eventually a winner. In my world this guy is what it's all about = love and passion for food!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PVrPJWFdx54
 
That's great. I agree with you 100%, There is to much focus on flash these days and not enough on the flavor and passion from earth to table.
 
Really nice presentation. The duck is a visual feast for the eyes! thanks for thinking of us with the post - keep them coming!
 
The video was amusing. Give him 20 years and he will understand the true meaning of what we do. Or sooner if he is smart.
 
Im thinking of some stuff here...

Its hard to explain. I dont like where the modern gastronomy is going. Or the worlds cuisine. I would like it to be more chefs crazy about the food more than cooking fancy shite.


I feel the same way. It's not because I feel that it's beyond me (which may be, because to quote Harry Callahan " A man has got to know his limitations.") but because I can't reconcile 'slow food' & 'molecular gastronomy'. It would be like reading a work co-authored by Sartre & Evola, with each writing alternate sentences.



Youre not worth a damn if you dont eat your food :)

Quote of the year. :thumbsup:
 
I love cooking simple things and putting my own twist on them. I do the same with my desserts I take something you know and elevate it, I am not all about molecular gastronomy and powders and foams. Though I do play around with them for my own know how and the fact I love learning new things with food. But awesome pics, and I wish I could have tasted it.
 
Great looking food in any language. :doublethumbsup:

Hax the Cook CLEAVERS RULE!!! :D
 
The video was amusing. Give him 20 years and he will understand the true meaning of what we do. Or sooner if he is smart.

Nothing beats the great Salty huh :whistling: Posting a few cutting videos doesn't make one a champ/great chef you know ;)
 
Nothing beats the great Salty huh :whistling: Posting a few cutting videos doesn't make one a champ/great chef you know ;)

:D lol
i loved the video, shows real passion and commitment, i bet he isn´t overcooking his shells
 
Bieniek, great post and Peco, very cool video. I am a big fan of cutting edge cuisine as well as technique but make no mistake, I also appreciate simple well-executed cooking. In fact, the most important factor is the taste at the end of the day. I really don't care about how a chef achieves the end result (slow cooker to sous vide) as long as the flavor is great.

I went to a restaurant last week called Boca http://www.bokachicago.com/ and the most amazing dish on the menu was the focaccia that was brought out first. You could really tell whoever baked it really spent time perfecting it as it had an amazingly very thin exterior and this buttery smooth interior that was to die for. It was simple bread and butter but executed at such a high level that it overshadowed the other great dishes we had that night. In fact I've been thinking about it every day since we had it and now I am going to try to bake my own focaccia this week.
 
Maybe some are like that but not all. This guy spent several hundred hours preparing his ultimate "dish" until he reached what I would call perfection. On top of that he spent 1000's of dollars on the best ingredients. Became 3rd, runner up and eventually a winner. In my world this guy is what it's all about = love and passion for food!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PVrPJWFdx54

Once I got past the "I am deep! I like sheep!" And I skateboard, too!" intro (set to dramatic music, no less) the food looked good. Seems like there's a fine line between a dish that's about the food and one that's about the chef showing off--and it's very subjective. When it becomes more about the chef than the food I lose interest.
 
Once I got past the "I am deep! I like sheep!" And I skateboard, too!" intro (set to dramatic music, no less) the food looked good. Seems like there's a fine line between a dish that's about the food and one that's about the chef showing off--and it's very subjective. When it becomes more about the chef than the food I lose interest.

I understand your point and I agree. That said, this was an introvideo made for the chef who represented Denmark at Bocuse d'or (other countries made their own as well). In real life this guy is very humble and rather quiet (at least in public where I've seen him on several occations)!
 
He was not very humble or quiet, when he was complaining about not getting any stars though..

Lars
 
That's called ambition and dissapointment ;) ... also it does not make sence not to give stars to a world champ - I would complain too!
 
Sorry for messing up your thread B, admins are welcome to delete my responses, will not post any more comments. Great food by the way :D
 
Thanks for all responses, I have no problems about where the discussion is going, if it only doesnt go the personal attacking way.

This is forum peco and here I think its for dialogue.

But into the subject.

I knew someone would brought this up or some other uncomparable stuff. What I mean is.

A) I cook food people is going to eat, drink wine with and hopefully enjoy the moment to the fullest. He is cooking food for the jury to taste and the rest is going to hell.
So now, if there for example 20 teams, the jury have a pretty tough job.

B) He is a world champion? But who said so? Couple of old farts? Did you see books of Paul Bocuse? Do you like his style? [half a bunch of parsley and 6 carrots per plate?]
And in two years after winning he cannot compete, cannot defend the title. So someone else wins, is he worlds best no longer then?
Think a little, is the world really remember champions, or the Bocuses name? :D

You got some definition here wrong. I dont think Bocuse D'or is world championships.
Of course, You and I are from countries where chefs have small di ck complex, cause world was thinking and still thinks Scandinavia or eastern Europe is gastro shiteholes. So Its good for your ego to have "world champion".

In the same time I cannot help feeling really great chefs are too busy working their asses off in own restaurant/working for someone.
Im yet to wait for some 3 Star chef to start in the competition, but what would he gain?

And this brings us to C:
Why didnt he get stars? There are many factors why chefs dont, lack of consistency is one of the reasons. In restaurant business, is little different than when you have 2 years to prepare, isnt true?

on the other hand, when Ducasse opened few years back new place in London, first year gained 2 stars - which is already unusual. Second year got 3 stars already. This was quite big story as there was Marcus Wareing fighting for 3 stars and preparing few years for it. Didnt got it. Why? Think for yourself :D

As to the food from video, I think some stuff looks impressive, great clean and neat presentation, but the fried sausage-looking thing is grouse and the hat hes wearing, I hate chefs hats.
Its great he won, I think it would take a lot of motivating to work 2 years and not a single service, no excitement, just labour. So totally strong will on hes behalf. And big respect to the fella. Still, not a world champion for me, noone will ever beat Nico Ladenis in eating stuff. :p
 
B, good feedback.

Well, everyone has their own opinion about food and the guy preparing it. Also there are different opinions on the Bocuse d'or. Personally I think that it's great BUT not for all chefs - stars or not. You have to appreciate the element of competition to be great in this field. Maybe some 3 star chefs don't have the balls, guts, nerves etc. to particepate because of the huge pressure and time involved. Maybe they just want to work in their restaurant and try to maintain or get another star? Rasmus did both - ran his restaurant, prepared for - and particepated. Does it make him better - maybe not, but what he achived no one can take away from him = bronce, silver and gold ... he also got a star at one point as far as I remember.

Stars and chefs: Well as a Scandinavian you should know the worlds best restaurant NOMA, located in Copenhagen. Rene doesn't compete in Bocuse d'or. He compete with himself ... being innovative, thinking out of the box etc. Does this world title make him the best chef in the world? I don't know? But if you can make people cook their own egg and get paid well, at least you are very clever and innovative. Also he's a big part of why Nordic cuisine is back on the map - respect to him! Would I pay 2.000 dkkr to eat there? Well probably not.

I myself like a good steak, bread etc. what I would call "regular" food - as you showed in this thread. Still, when cooking stuff like this I feel like a guy from minor league when comparing food like this with food the major league guys presents/construct. Can those guys cook what you and I do - hell yaeh, they did that as apprentices - and I'm sure their outcome would be better than yours and mine!

Food can be discussed but many times it can't be agreed upon. We all have different taste and preferences. But that's what so great being a chef, you can study, play, be creative and maybe be "lucky" enough to create something new, tasty, goodlooking and grounbreaking food. Being a chef is not flipping burgers. In my mind it's science, skills and lot's of practise.
 
I love our Scandinavian forum members. They disagree in the most polite way. +1 for Nordic civility.

I'm just waiting for Oivind to drink a bit too much and come in and shake things up ;)

k.
 
I love our Scandinavian forum members. They disagree in the most polite way. +1 for Nordic civility.

I'm just waiting for Oivind to drink a bit too much and come in and shake things up ;)

k.

hehe :D
 
Back
Top