Chefs, who cooks at home?

[Ochazuke]

If I cook for friends I spend way more.on ingredients than if I were to take them out to a restaurant...

For example, for last tailgate party (dolphins vs patriots game) i spent over $100 just for burgers.. I didn't even eat one as I was completey wasted from shotgunning beers and chugging vodka cocktails..

Me toooo! I spent my restaurant life bouncing between izakaya and sushi bars. Many of my friends ask me for sushi parties (and they have no idea what they’re asking for). As others have mentioned, cooking in a commercial kitchen is an entirely different beast than a home kitchen. I almost always say no when I’m asked to make sushi for friends at their house parties.

The last time I did was as a favor for a recently married couple and I dropped $700 just on ingredients. It would have been waaaaay cheaper and easier just to get some party platters from a local sushi joint, but they wanted experience of somebody making it in their home.

 

[Ochazuke]

Also, as a reply to the general gist of the thread, I’m in to pickling, especially nukazuke. So when I got off of work, my normal food routine was rice, miso soup, salad, homemade pickles, and whatever fish I couldn’t use from the restaurant. Sometimes I throw in other random sides.

It takes me maybe 15-30 min to put together (I make large amounts of dashi a couple times a week just to have around). Also, rice cookers with a timer make the world go round.

 

[Chef Doom]

Why are you so nasty? We are having a nice conversation here, and the guys that have posted are like real people with a decent outlook on life.

I have seen this question asked before and you would be surprised how many women I have met that were fooled into thinking that their husbands who are chefs would bring wonderful daily meals to their home only to complain that they almost never cook at home. People in general think how awesome it would be to date a chef to get the same level of cooking for free rather than going to a restaurant but the reality is most people do not like to bring their work home, at least not on a daily basis. Things change when there is no dedicated dishwasher to make all of the pots and pans that you used disappear and reappear with cleanliness.

 

[Chef Doom]

@Chef Doom and what do you cook at home, or does your wife/partner do most of the home cooking? What is your favorite meal to make? Do you do the fast cutting when at work? ever at home?

Steak. I pull it out of the ice box. Heat up an iron skillet. Salt. Sear on both sides to rare or medium rare if it is on the thinner side. Bon Appetit.

Replace steak with chicken breast, pork loin or lamb for kicks and giggles.

 

[Chef Doom]

If I cook for friends I spend way more.on ingredients than if I were to take them out to a restaurant...

For example, for last tailgate party (dolphins vs patriots game) i spent over $100 just for burgers.. I didn't even eat one as I was completey wasted from shotgunning beers and chugging vodka cocktails..

This is the bane of my existence. Nobody is going to appreciate the dry aged ground chuck, raw chedder chees, gourmet organic ketchup and brioche buns you brought to the barbeque.

 

[Chef Doom]

Fixed it for ya

 

[Chef Doom]

View attachment 62125 my dinner tonight: guinness and rye

This is man's dinner. I need to try this one day.

"What did you eat today?"

"Bourbon...with a cigar on the side. Cocaine for dessert."

 

[panda]

This is the bane of my existence. Nobody is going to appreciate the dry aged ground chuck, raw chedder chees, gourmet organic ketchup and brioche buns you brought to the barbeque.

i did grass fed ground chuck and hand chopped ribeye mix. vermont white cheddar, home made pickles, mushroom ragout, dijonnaise, fresh baked sesame seed buns from a local bakery.

 

[lowercasebill]

Also, as a reply to the general gist of the thread, I’m in to pickling, especially nukazuke. So when I got off of work, my normal food routine was rice, miso soup, salad, homemade pickles, and whatever fish I couldn’t use from the restaurant. Sometimes I throw in other random sides.

It takes me maybe 15-30 min to put together (I make large amounts of dashi a couple times a week just to have around). Also, rice cookers with a timer make the world go round.

I have been lacto fermenting for years. Any thing with enough carbs. I have seen many vids of nukazuki but have not tried as i don't understand how it maintains anaerobic environment .
Any advice?
Also try misozuke egg yolk on rice or ramen.

 

[atb]

This is the bane of my existence. Nobody is going to appreciate the dry aged ground chuck, raw chedder chees, gourmet organic ketchup and brioche buns you brought to the barbeque.

Know your audience. Every experienced chef should know this. Kids in the swimming pool? get your local grocery store premade 80/20 burgs with too much ketchup and kraft singles on one of those buns with 5 sesame seeds that tastes like paper towel. watching the Game with the guys from the restaurant or some close friends? They would love that ****. They like helpin out or bringing some of their own ingredients they may be working on. long as it's good and rich no problem. just cause you cant hang doesnt mean we aint ballin out.

 

[Ochazuke]

I have been lacto fermenting for years. Any thing with enough carbs. I have seen many vids of nukazuki but have not tried as i don't understand how it maintains anaerobic environment .
Any advice?
Also try misozuke egg yolk on rice or ramen.

I’ll give it a shot!
Honestly, I don’t understand the science of how it works, but like most pickling adventures just jump in! I definitely failed my first couple attempts and my pickle bed got moldy, but eventually I managed to get crunchy, earthy, pickled goodness. Just make sure to stir it everyday. Nukazuke relies on daily aeration.

 

[Chef Doom]

Know your audience. Every experienced chef should know this. Kids in the swimming pool? get your local grocery store premade 80/20 burgs with too much ketchup and kraft singles on one of those buns with 5 sesame seeds that tastes like paper towel. watching the Game with the guys from the restaurant or some close friends? They would love that ****. They like helpin out or bringing some of their own ingredients they may be working on. long as it's good and rich no problem. just cause you cant hang doesnt mean we aint ballin out.

Snot nosed finicky brats be damned! My pride as a foodie is all that matters!

 

[atb]

lol

 

[Luftmensch]

Why are you so nasty? We are having a nice conversation here, and the guys that have posted are like real people with a decent outlook on life.

Dont worry @Angie. @Chef Doom is your friendly forum provocateur. I choose to interpret his comments and 'doom' themed humor. His comment history and avatar are designed to not let us know... but I am sure he is a big softie in the flesh...

 

[Luftmensch]

I know where you are going with this and I can clear some things up.

I think you are half with me.

Chefs will produce pro style meals from time to time. Mostly for events being held by non family members. For the wife and kids at home? Hotdogs, hamburgers and cereal. With an occasional slow cooker meal.

This isn't where I was going (but I can see how this theme would be a common and irritating question). Generally all of us put in that little bit extra when we entertain. While pro chefs may have an advantage here, it isn't part of the daily routine that I am interested in.

Professional chefs do not produce food at home with the same degree of precision that they do at work due to a lack of staff, tools, equipment and willingness to toss food away.

This is the crux of my question... I guess commercial kitchens are designed to be productive.

Chefs are just as prone to fast food, frozen, sugary snacks and pizza pockets as the next man. Being a professional chef does not protect one from their deep human desire to poison themselves with the colorful bags and boxes you find at the local store.

No doubt! Whether it be cup ramen, bourbon...with a cigar on the side and cocaine for dessert.... or artisanal single origin grass clippings

 

[Chef Doom]

.... or artisanal single origin grass clippings

Some of the best tea I have ever had. You could really taste the essence of earthworm eggs and a hint of loose bird feather.

 

[Miso-Mustard91]

As a chef I’m pretty lucky because so too is my wife!

When I cook it’s generally different things as oppose to our usual staples, trying new flavour combos/techniques/presentations for up coming menu changes etc, or obsessing over recipes to fine tune then to the point of over kill.

My wife on the other hand is also a chef but she has nailed our “home classics”...
- green Thai curry
- soba noodles with edamame and pickled ginger
- spag bol
- chicken soup
...just to name a few

We do cook pretty simply but then again maybe something simple for us is not always simple for someone else

Side note, take out or fast food is definitely not frowned up by us at all, we do partake in the occasional pizza and burgers.

 

[Chefgibson]

Loving this thread. I cook family style comfort food 50+ hours a week. I still love cooking food at home on days off and am always learning and exploring different rabbit holes. Try to help with meal prep and kids lunches for the rest of the week too. There are nights I will eat the cheap ramen noodles or have a beer and tequila or stiff glass of rye. Today I'll be prepping a regular beef chili and a pork chili verde for the fam.

 

[Chefgibson]

As a chef I’m pretty lucky because so too is my wife!

When I cook it’s generally different things as oppose to our usual staples, trying new flavour combos/techniques/presentations for up coming menu changes etc, or obsessing over recipes to fine tune then to the point of over kill.

My wife on the other hand is also a chef but she has nailed our “home classics”...
- green Thai curry
- soba noodles with edamame and pickled ginger
- spag bol
- chicken soup
...just to name a few

We do cook pretty simply but then again maybe something simple for us is not always simple for someone else

Side note, take out or fast food is definitely not frowned up by us at all, we do partake in the occasional pizza and burgers.

If possible DM me that soba noodle recipe. My kids are loving edamame and soba and ginger are my jam

 

[Edge]

Dont worry @Angie. @Chef Doom is your friendly forum provocateur. I choose to interpret his comments and 'doom' themed humor. His comment history and avatar are designed to not let us know... but I am sure he is a big softie in the flesh...

Thanks, that makes me feel much better.

 

[Edge]

Steak. I pull it out of the ice box. Heat up an iron skillet. Salt. Sear on both sides to rare or medium rare if it is on the thinner side. Bon Appetit.

Replace steak with chicken breast, pork loin or lamb for kicks and giggles.

I'll take one of those steaks! Sounds yummy. So does the rest.

 

[Edge]

@Miso-Mustard91 how to you cook with pickled ginger? Or are you using fresh ginger roots? I love food with ginger in it.

 

[Chef Doom]

I'll take one of those steaks! Sounds yummy. So does the rest.

The general rule is to let steaks rest until brought to room temp but this is only effective with minimum 2.5 inch steaks. I find I like thinner steaks to be cold.

Also been using ghee for the past few days. I like it. My place still smells like seared beef regardless hahaha

 

[ecchef]

I’ll jump on this.
Yes, I sometimes do cook at home on days off. Why?...because eating at home with my wife is worth it, even with all the associated mess and washing up. And it’s a two way street. She cooks just as often as I do, usually with more detail and planning since her cuisine is more labor intensive. We appreciate each other’s effort to spend time together. Of course, there are days when we just want to go out for pizza or a burger. Some days, when I get home very late, I’m quite alright with a PB&J and a glass of ice cold milk.

 

[Miso-Mustard91]

@Chefgibson DM coming your way!

 

[Miso-Mustard91]

@Angie Generally we use the pink pickled ginger found at local Asian supermarkets, it’s sweet and has nice tang and best of all if you buy the 1kg pack and decant into smaller containers it can last forever....or u til you smash through them

Consider using ginger in sweet items too!

 

[YumYumSauce]

Don't like calling myself a Chef quite yet but I try to think of interesting things to cook or practice different techniques on my days off. And yeah I dont mind cooking for friends and whatnot, just have them pitch in with supplies, prep, or dishes ha.
Regular cooking I usually keep it simple, fried rice, miso soup, curry, pasta with meatsauce, stir-frys, etc.