trhee's Food Porn...

[trhee]

I've decided to put all of my food pics under one thread instead of making separate entries.

My current position as the Private Executive Chef for the U.S. Ambassador is one that affords me a great deal of creativity as well as latitude when it comes to cooking. I'm not restricted to a certain set menu and I get to write up a menu for each event at my discretion. Although each menu has to get official approval from the Ambassador or the Madam, the number of times I've been asked to change a certain aspect of the menu can be counted on one hand. It really is a dream position for any creative Chef.

As such, I've been taking photos when I have the time to do so of each dish that goes out. Sometimes I have the time to do so while other times I don't depending on various factors. The photo quality will vary depending on whether I'm using my Canon 5D Mk.II, a Ricoh GR Digital III or a Samsung Galaxy S4 smartphone.

Anyways, I'll start this thread off with a luncheon I did for the Madam earlier today for 4 lady guests.

I only had time to photograph the 1st and 3rd course today, which were:

1st Course:
"Shitake Mushroom w/ Caramelized Onion & Oven Roasted Baby Tomato... Age Balsamic Reduction"

3rd Course:
"Simple Spring Salad w/ Caeser Dressing, Parmigiano-Regiano & Bacon"

 

[John James]

I'm looking forward to this!:yes:

 

[Fran604g]

Very nice! I understand how challenging it is to document one's work with photos. The single largest regret I have of my 25 years as a Chef are so few "records" of my creations.

Good luck and keep sharing your talent with us!

 

[jimfet]

I'm looking forward to some great new idea's.

 

[mfhale]

Your presentations are gorgeous.
They look delicious, too.

 

[toxcrusadr]

The Shiitake plate looks more like art than food. Too nice to eat!

Although if you put it in front of me, I would. :yes:

 

[trhee]

Sometimes, it's the simple things in life that give us the greatest joy. There's no better example of this in cooking than a perfectly roasted whole chicken.

IMO, Chef Thomas Keller's (French Laundry, Bouchon, Per Se) approach to roasting a whole chicken is probably one of the simplest and best ways I've seen in a cookbook. My approach is pretty identical to Chef Keller's in technique. Where we differ is in how we season the bird. Chef Keller keeps his ingredients down to a bare minimum of salt, pepper, butter and fresh thyme whereas I use a 13-spice dry rub with butter and stuff the bird with lemon and fresh thyme.

Here's my, "Simply Roasted Chicken" served with just a wedge of lemon.
(This is a 2 pound chicken, as I prefer using smaller chicken's for whole roasting because they're more succulent, juicy and flavorful. Another added bonus is that they cook faster!)

 

[zebra03]

This all looks so great . And thanks for trying to help with my Crab and Cheese tortellini in your other thread .

This should be a great thread .

 

[eteller]

I need to bookmark this!

 

[trhee]

I know exactly what you mean. The only thing I have to show for from years past are all my journals full of recipes, ideas, sketches, etc... The only photos I have from years past are the ones that were taken by others or food styling photos from a few projects many years ago.

I just recently, in the past five years or so have started photo documenting my work on my own and more seriously in the past two years due in part to a few projects that I'm involved with.

Very nice! I understand how challenging it is to document one's work with photos. The single largest regret I have of my 25 years as a Chef are so few "records" of my creations.

Good luck and keep sharing your talent with us!

 

[chefg1]

:thmbsp:

 

[jhtstone]

:thmbsp:

 

[trhee]

Sometimes, inspiration for a meal comes from the strangest places...

My girlfriend and two other ladies were invited to come over for dinner at my apartment even though I had no idea what to cook for them. Then as I was staring at a framed picture of one of my photos that I took at Mohonk Mountain House located in the Hudson Valley area of upstate NY, I decided to do a "surf & turf trio" of rack of lamb, shrimp and scallop, using the colors from the fall foliage.

Getting set up with my "mis en place" which of course includes drinking some wine while prepping (only at home though).

This was the main course of a 4-course menu I cooked that night for the ladies.
"Surf & Turf Trio: Thyme Dijon Rack Of Lamb, Jumbo Shrimp & Prosciutto Wrapped Diver Scallop w/ Wild Mushrooms, Asparagus & Kabocha Sauce"

 

[RT Fan]

Beautiful photos as usual chef, congrats on your new position. Having gone to SUNY New Paltz I am familiar with the Mohonk Mountain House and the surrounding Shawangunk area, very beautiful part of NYS, especially in the fall.

 

[Fran604g]

Beautiful work, Chef! I'm really liking the photos.

On a side note, our youngest daughter, a senior in HS, has difinitively decided to become a Pastry Chef. We have 3 much older children (12-29 years her senior) and none of them had the passion or desire to be in the biz. She is torn between Paul Smith's and the CIA in Hyde Park, speaking of the Hudson Valley.

Mama and Papa couldn't be prouder.

I will show her your posts to keep her inspired!

 

[trhee]

She might also consider Johnson & Wales (R.I.), French Culinary Institute (NYC) as well as Institute Of Culinary Education (NYC).

Not to take anything away from other schools, but FCI and ICE offer two key advantages:

1. Shorter programs with both being less than one year. Less time and money spent on school education and more "on the job training" which IMO, is far more important in the cooking profession.
2. Both are in Manhattan and offers better exposure to the top French restaurants with some of the best pastry kitchens, not only in the city, but in the world.

Something to think about.

Beautiful work, Chef! I'm really liking the photos.

On a side note, our youngest daughter, a senior in HS, has difinitively decided to become a Pastry Chef. We have 3 much older children (12-29 years her senior) and none of them had the passion or desire to be in the biz. She is torn between Paul Smith's and the CIA in Hyde Park, speaking of the Hudson Valley.

Mama and Papa couldn't be prouder.

I will show her your posts to keep her inspired!

 

[Fran604g]

We did look at FCI. I like the small classroom hands on practical approach, personally. I don't know if she could handle being in the city, though. I see the longterm advantage, and she should consider that element.

Is J&W much different than Paul Smith's curriculum-wise, I wonder, we'll look into that and I'll mention I.C.E. to her.

Thanks trhee, for the input, I appreciate it.

 

[toxcrusadr]

Truly gorgeous food indeed. That rack of lamb/shrimp/scallop thing, I could eat 3 of those...but I suppose in a multi-course meal you gotta pace yourself.

Re: cooking school, I'm just finishing up Anthony Bourdain's Kitchen Confidential. A fascinating look behind the scenes - and I'm not even a chef, just an amateur foodie.

 

[trhee]

Not sure how much you know about art schools but... my take on it is this...

Parsons School of Design is to CIA as Rhode Island School of Design (RISD) is to J&W.

What this means is, at least in my perspective, Parsons is probably the most well known of art schools and is indeed a top notch art school with a great reputation, just like CIA. However, IMO, Rhode Island School of Design is slightly lesser known to the general public but probably a bit more highly regarded for those in the know, as is the case with J&W. However, this is all academic since all schools whether it be Harvard, CIA or J&W is only as good as what you do with the time spent there.

BTW, this is coming from a Parsons alumni. And in case you're wondering, I'm not a grad of J&W or CIA, but instead I went to Peter Kump's NY Cooking School, before it became ICE. Back in the days when it was located in a 92nd St. brownstone instead of the 23rd St. modern facility.

I'd recommend visiting each of the schools and see which one she feels "right" to her.

We did look at FCI. I like the small classroom hands on practical approach, personally. I don't know if she could handle being in the city, though. I see the longterm advantage, and she should consider that element.

Is J&W much different than Paul Smith's curriculum-wise, I wonder, we'll look into that and I'll mention I.C.E. to her.

Thanks trhee, for the input, I appreciate it.

 

[trhee]

It's an entertaining read for sure. I like Bourdain but it's a bit ironic that he puts down a lot of celebrity chefs/cooks even though he is one himself, although he's more of a celebrity than a chef these days.

Re: cooking school, I'm just finishing up Anthony Bourdain's Kitchen Confidential. A fascinating look behind the scenes - and I'm not even a chef, just an amateur foodie.