ProChef360- An Introduction

The Evolution of “Our” Network-

A Web Based Network of Passionate Chefs

Australian Chef- Matthew J.G. is the mastermind/ think tank and/ or brains trust behind the formation of the “Our” Network concept. August 2007 saw the establishment of the ultimate chef network- casually and unofficially known as Global Chefs, Culinary Faculty, “Our” Network and Passionate Chef. Even to this day the network continues to grow at a rapid pace. We as a group of culinary professionals remain global and passionate. The network has evolved, and from this point forward will be known as ProChef360.

A live online presence is presently being established. The domain is hosted, in fact why don’t you visit http://www.prochef360.com. This very blog was initiated to provide an overview of the network from the humble beginnings in August of last year to this very day. The blog itself will be updated periodically. Please feel free to leave your comments at the bottom of the page.

In the short term in addition to the blog and formulating the content for the forthcoming web page I am in the process of establishing a series of 3 subjective weekly newsletters which will be sent via email. If you are not on the emailing list be sure to send an email to culinaryfaculty@gmail.com or globalchefs@gmail.com requesting to be added to the mailing list. I will personally take care of proceedings.

Monday- Travelogue  :- A newsletter geared towards travel ideas, experiences, suggestions, reviews etc etc etc  

Wednesday- Job Focus  

1) Positions Vacant

2) Positions Wanted

3) Career Sleuth- Q&A

4) Get the Goss from the Chefs That Have Been There & Done That

5) Chefs on the Move

6) Monthly Salary Survey

 

Friday- ProChef360 Weekly Wrap

 

We take an in depth look into the week that was in the chef world.

• The Passionate Chef of the Moment
• The Week That Was
• Top 3 “Cheffie” news Stories of the Week
• Cheffie Link of the Week
• Weekly Geeky Link
• And a whole lot more……………

The Vision, Mission, Goals, Core Values and Beliefs are grand- all will be revealed within the coming weeks.

If you haven’t already with the network be sure to send an email to culinaryfaculty@gmail.com or globalchefs@gmail.com and you will added to the growing list industry professionals.

Tastefully yours,

Chef Matthew J.G.

ProChef360

Founder

Cuisine is Art ; Art is Passion

Cuisine Focus- The Mediterranean

From food gathering to an appreciation of fine food

The Mediterranean is the deep, blue heart that provides life to the countries that encircle her. The remarkable geographic and ethnic diversity of the Mediterranean have laid foundations for the regions culinary identity. Drawing on a range of ingredients and cooking styles the culinary minded have infused these influences into a fresh and unique style of cooking.

The Mediterranean is well equipped with natural resources. But for the food lovers the greatest blessing is a range of climates, ranging from alpine to sub tropical. Add rich, ancient soils, some of the purest waters on the planet and guaranteed sunshine and the result is an endless feast of produce.

Combining the rugged flavors of the land with a cosmopolitan sophistication, it is not surprising that Mediterranean cuisine has tantalized the senses and captured the imaginations of those fortunate enough to have experienced it.

From a few simple ingredients such a wonderful cuisine can be presented for even the most discerned diner. Ingredients commonly utilized to produce dishes in this cuisine are as follows:

Legumes- Borlotti beans, cannellini beans, chickpeas, fava beans, lentils

Nuts and Seeds- Almonds, chestnuts, hazelnuts, pine nuts, pistachios, sesame seeds, walnuts

Herbs (Dried and Fresh) – Basil, Chives, Coriander, Dill, Lavender, Marjoram, Mint, Oregano, Parsley, Rosemary, Sage, Tarragon, Thyme

Seasonings- Anise seeds, bay leaves, bitter orange peel, black peppercorns, capers, cardamon, cloves, coriander seeds, cumin seeds, fennel seeds, ginger, nutmeg, olives, orange flower water, paprika, rose water, saffron, sumac, tumeric, za’atar
Oils- Grapeseed oil, hazelnut oil, olive oil, truffle oil, walnut oil

Vinegars- Balsamic vinegar, red wine vinegar, white wine vinegar

Vegetables- Artichokes, arugula, asparagus, bell peppers, broccoli, cabbage, carrot, cauliflower, celery, chili, cucumber, eggplant, fennel, garlic, leek, olives, onions, potato, pumpkin, radicchio, romaine, spinach, tomato, turnip, wild mushrooms, zucchini

Fruits (Dried and Fresh) – Apple, apricot, cherry, currant, dates, figs, grapes, lemon, lime, melon, oranges, peaches, pears, plums, pomegranates, quinces, raisins, strawberries
Meat- Goat, lamb, pork, rabbit, venison

Poultry- Chicken, duck, guinea fowl, quail, squab

Fish- Anchovies, mackerel, monkfish, mullet, sardines, sea bass, tuna

Shellfish- Clams, crabs, cuttlefish, lobster, mussels, octopus, oysters, shrimp, squid

Cheeses and Yoghurt- buffalo mozzarella, feta, fresh and aged sheep and goat’s milk cheeses, mascarpone, ricotta, yoghurt

Sweeteners- Honey

The above list is not exhaustive- there are many other items used to produce Mediterranean menu items.

The following images provide an introduction into the beauty of the Mediterranean region and selected ingredients and dishes that you may find on Mediterranean menus in today’s society:

 

A Few Dish Ideas Mediterranean

Buffalo mozzarella salad with tender asparagus and roasted tomatoes
Rocket and salsa verde add a pleasant crisp to the dish
***
Ravioli of sweet potato and roasted garlic, wilted spinach
with a delicate saffron cream sauce and walnut praline
***
Linguine cooked with Atlantic salmon, slow baked red bell peppers and basil
Finished with cherry tomato vinaigrette
***
Tender breast of chicken filled with spinach mousse, seared scallop,
horseradish crushed potatoes and red wine Jus
***
Fillet steak and king prawn, wild mushroom polenta cake.
Beetroot jam and madeira glaze are the backdrops for this dish
***
Pan seared tapenade brushed snapper fillet
with clams and chickpeas in a herb broth
***
A variety of imported cheeses served with freshly baked bread,
water crackers, candied walnuts and fig salami
***
A Trio of Lemon. Lemon Tart, Lemon Sherbet and Lemon Curd Filled Crepe
***

Cuisine Focus- Cuisines by Region Listing

Europe
• Italian
• French
• Dutch
• English
• Irish
• Scottish
• Welsh
• German
• Austria
• Hungarian
• Swiss
• Scandinavian
• Norwegian
• Danish
• Spanish
• Portuguese
• Belgian
• Greek
• Polish
• Turkish

 
China
• Shandong
• Guangdong
• Sichuan
• Hunan
• Jiangsu
• Zhejiang
• Fujian
• Anhui
• Beijing
• Dongbei
• Uygur
• Huibei
• Hui
• Tibetan

India
• Awadhi
• Mughlai
• Bengali
• Rajasthani
• Konkani
• Udupi
• Malabari
• Punjabi
• Hyderabadi
• Sindhi
• Marwari
• Chettinadu
• Dogri
• Kashmiri
• Marathi

 
Asia- General
• Japanese
• Korean
• Mongolian
• Taiwanese
• Thai
• Isaan
• Cambodian
• Singaporean
• Vietnamese
• Filipino
• Malaysian
• Indonesian
• Balinese
• Nonya
• Pakistani
• Macanese

Other
• American
• Canadian
• Australian
• New Zealand
• Russian
• South African
• African
• Moroccan
• Brazilian
• Latin American
• Jewish
• Lebanese
• Polynesian
• Caribbean
• Cajun Creole
• Cuban
• Hawaiian
• Mexican
• Tex Mex
• Middle Eastern
• Mauritian
• Maldivian
• Persian
• Afghani
• Georgian
• Ukraine
• Kazakh

 
Cuisines by Specification
• Mediterranean
• Modern European
• Contemporary
• New York Grill
• Avant Garde- Molecular Gastronomy
• East meets West
• Fusion
• Californian
• Vegetarian
• Cypriot
• Organic
• Spa
• Historical

The above list was compiled with the valuable assistance of no less than 24 passionate chefs from around the globe.

It is my endeavor to update this section on a regular basis by providing a detailed analysis of selected cuisines from this very listing. Who knows we might very well make our way through the entire list and discover more cuisines to add to the list along the way………

The next cuisine we will feature, or should I say cuisines are the selection filed under the China section within the above listing. You will be provided with a detailed analysis of each particular component of this extremely diverse cuisine.

 

Wenchuan Earthquake, Sichuan, China

I had no idea what the time it was when the monster hit……………… as it turns out it was in fact 2.28pm.

I was sitting at my desk in the pre-opening office working on a kitchen training power point presentation when all of a sudden everything around me started to frantically shake.

I was the last to leave the building- oh by the way my office is on the 6th floor of a relatively aged 8 story building. The stairwell is close by, as it turns out my regular journeys up and down the stairs for health purposes assisted me in my mad dash to escape from the trembling surroundings.

People were gathered in the alley below the building- I began to make my way to the apartment building whereby Maria my fiancée was located. I was desperately trying to get hold of her on the telephone to no avail; the lines were cut and/ or jammed. The city was in a made panic, I was lucky to flag down a taxi, I showed the driver the address, which I have written in the local lingo on a piece of scrap paper. It was a mere miracle that I managed to get a taxi. Chengdu has a major taxi shortage at the best of times. I reached the apartment in limited time, there was ruble scattered all over the road.

I gave the driver the money for the fare and ran into the building and found Maria. She was beside herself- in fact she was talking to her mother on the telephone when the magnitude 8 hit. We gathered some of our important documents and ran out of the building and waited downstairs. The neighborhood was gathering on the footpath area wondering what was going to happen next. After some time waiting and thinking about what to do next, mind you there was no information provided in a language that I could understand. 

We went back into the building and started to arrange the personal belongings, packing a number of bags of essential items and left them nearby the door ready for evacuation.  The electricity was cut, however the gas was still available. I began to prepare some penne bolognaise and there was a knock at the door- the person – in Japanese suggested we should leave the building due to the fact that the tremors would soon arrive. My instinct has got pretty good dealing with the language barrier on a regular basis.

 We ventured downstairs with the previously prepare bags of essential items. At this point it was difficult to know what to expect. Would I see my cookbook collection again? Would I be able to find my collection of documents easily? The mind was racing. 

At the base of the apartment building we were greeted by the English speaking Singaporean Spa Director from the same property I work with. He suggested that we go with him to the stadium- about a 30 minute walk away; we briskly made our way to the stadium with him. We stayed there overnight- afraid to sleep, it started to rain at 4.20am. 

We moved onto the nearby Sheraton Hotel and waited in the lobby. It was at this time that we began to realize the extent of the earthquake via CNN. Devastating, whilst in the Stadium we heard the death toll was 70, CNN were reporting 10,000 deaths. The epicenter was a mere 90 km away- we both realized how lucky we were. So many thoughts were going through my mind during the previous hours. We trekked back to the apartment to gather a few items and went to stay in a fairly new local Hotel. We ended up staying there a couple of nights, all the utilities were available including the electricity.

A number of staff from my place of employment has family members that were directly affected by the tragedy. They seem to be handling the situation quite well under the extreme circumstances. 

There have been some huge aftershocks- some 6.5 magnitude. You could almost call them additional earthquakes. Record has it that more than 7,000 have been experienced. In fact at the time of writing this report a 5.4 magnitude aftershock hit followed 20 minutes later by a 5.7.

The Chinese authorities need to be complimented on the way they have handled this catastrophe from the heartrending outset until this very day. In addition support has come from near and far away destinations- basically numerous nations have rallied together and answered the call for help without hesitation.

To this day the drama is still unfolding – numerous flood alerts have been issued due to formation of the so called “Quake Lake”, 100’s of thousands of people were evacuated from the region, landslides caused by torrential rains, a disastrous helicopter crash with claimed many lives.

The death toll continues to rise- it currently stands at near to 70,000 and is expected to rise to over 80,000. It is said that well over 370,000 people were injured and more than 18,000 are still listed as missing.

It has been stated that the reconstruction will take over 3 years to complete. The quake caused major damage in an area covering 100.000 square km, 19 out of the 21 cities and towns in Sichuan have been affected, a total of more than 5.47 million people have been left homeless.

From a personal viewpoint- Maria and I honestly realize that we are both extremely lucky. 

Matthew and Maria 

Chengdu, Sichuan, PRC

Note:- This is an updated post which was previously submitted on web.

The Subjective Matters That Count

Over the past few months many topics have been raised for discussion. The subject items are listed in no particular order. They include but not limited to the following:

PS- I have added a few comments, actual subject request and/ or my reply to the individual subjects raised during the lifespan of “Our Network”

•  Positions Vacant

We managed to reach the depths in this department. From HR Directors, VP’s, GM’s, DFB’s, Chefs, Owners the list goes on and on……………………………………

• Position Wanted

Many chefs have passed on their CV’s for circulation through the network

• Korean Style Crockery

We were successful in tracking down the relevant contact courteous of a networker that had “been there and done that”

• Kitchen Training

Ongoing project, been put on the back burner (a very mild simmer mind you)

•  Stainless Steel Specifications 

This particular subject generated a lot of interest and the specifications were passed on accordingly

•  Hakka Indian Cuisine 

The following was the answer received in relation to this request

 

Greetings Kelvin,

Hakka- Indian Cuisine has become synonymous with Indian style Chinese food, at least for the people of sub-continent India. Though the staple food and dishes are from a Chinese platter, what makes the Hakka style unique is the elegant fusion that occurs between Indian and Chinese styles of cuisine.

Hope the above is of assistance for you.

Best regards,

Matthew

•  Christmas Giveaway Ideas 

Chef Pathma was in the hunt for some fresh ideas. He certainly got enough ideas for the Christmas in question along with the many that follow J 

• Spa Documentation

Greetings All, 

Does anybody have any documentation in relation to setting up a Spa within a Resort? i.e. P&Ps, manuals, etc 

All materials gathered will be circulated amongst the Network.
Best regards,

Matthew

PS: Some very interesting documents came forward.

•  Theme Buffet Dinners

WOW. Did this open up a can of worms, so to speak? With over 400 menus submitted- each and every contributor was sent the complete package. A healthy selection of menus from all parts of world was put together. Not only limited to the original request. 

•  Lobby Lounge Nibbles 

Here are a dozen of the items submitted

• Cajun spiced popcorn
• Tom yam spiced cashew nuts
• Honey chilly glazed chicken bites
• Chicken popcorn spiced with lemongrass and paprika
• Coconut flakes with Cajun
• Sea salt crusted grissini
• Paprika and parmesan grissini
• Chilli and ginger grissini
• Tapioca crackers
• Honey candied banana crackers
• Caramelized walnuts with sesame
• Paprika lotus root chips

PS: There were in fact a lot more ideas brought forward. A number included the associated recipes. The full list was emailed to all of those that provided input.

• Kitchen Safety

It is a top priority. The particular questions were answered. We will go into further details on this particular issue over the weeks, months and years that follow.

• Vacuum Pack Machine Supplier- Dubai 

The information was sourced and forwarded to the relevant person accordingly

•  Fruit and Vegetable Prices- Dubai

Many chefs were forthcoming in opening their hearts and provided the necessary information

•  Tasting Menu Course Headings 

Out of 15 responses- we got 18 different versions ………… Oh, I am joking a little bit. It is a wonderful collection of ideas.

Can anybody help out with the following?

MG

Hi Matthew,

I am preparing two tasting menus- a 6 course as well as an 8 course.

If the course headings for the 6 course menu are:

To Begin,  Salad,  Appetizer, Sorbet,  Main, Dessert
What would the headings be for an 8 course set menu?

RS

Anyway, the actually responses are as follows:

1) You should not have headings on a tasting menu but if you really think you need it then you can do this:  to begin with, appetizer, salad, fish, seafood, sorbet, meat, dessert- MS 

2) You could use, Amuse Bouche, Fish, Intermediate, Intermezzo Chesses, pre-dessert,

3) Hello, for an 8 course, I would have a pre desserts and a cheese. We did that often in Singapore.

regards- jean-luc 

4) Matthew, Surely that would depend on the food served. If there was, for instance, a pre dessert, then sometimes that is classed as a course and would be named as such.

What about the fish and soup courses?

Regards- Graham

 

5) Begin, Salad, Appetizer, Soup, Sorbet, Main, Dessert, Cheese

HK

 

6)  Hi give 2 appetizer or one pre appetizer. Or add cheese, or add a pre dessert

Regards- S

 

7) Hi Matthew, Suggestion: 

-Amuse Geulle

-Cold Appetizer or Salad

-Soup

-Hot Appetizer

-Sorbet

-Main course

-Dessert

-Cheese or Petit Fours 

-Best regards

S 

8) For an 8 courses dinner you have:

- Amuse Bouche

- Starter

- Soup

- Fish course

- Sorbet

- Meat course

- Cheese platter

- Dessert

G

9) In my opinion you should include soup, fish, cheese, and sometimes coffee counts as a course.

P

 

10) Dear Colleagues, how about

Amuse Bouche,starter,Appetizer, intermezzo,sorbet main cheese dessert 

regards- J

 

11) Some ideas out of the box. 

• A. Temptation (amuse bouche)
• B. The beginning
• C. Too start with (first main)
• D. Liquid (soup)
• E. From the sea (second main)
• F. Intermission (sherbet)
• G. The Final
• H. Sweet ending
• I. Something form the mountains (cheese)
• J. Herbal organic tea and coffee selections  

MH 

12) Before we can help with the name, we would have to know what is being served right. 

A 

13) Hi Matthew,

Amuse Bouche, Salad, Soup, Appetizer, Sorbet, Main, Rice and Dessert 

This is what I do at here.

 

14) 8-Course

-Amuse Bouche,Appetizer,Soup,Fish,Sorbet,Main,Pre- dessert and Dessert

U

 

15) Hello All, You can do a cheese course after the main and a pre dessert before the dessert. If you want add the amuse bouche as well on it. Or even add a soup or a consommé after the appetizer. 

DN

• Asian/ Fusion/ Mediterranean Style Menu Ideas 

With our eclectic crowd we were able to produce a healthy listing of ideas.

•  Checklist for the Opening of a New Kitchen

Basically a critical path sample document was what we were in the hint for. You guessed it- we got a number of versions to ponder over. 

• Children’s Recipes and Children’s Cooking Classes 

This was interesting- the original question was concerning recipes suitable for serving children. The project ended up being split into two- taking in cooking classes for children as well. Well, we ended up with suggested website links, recommended books, SOP’s, recipes, class outlines etc

• Modern Presentation for an A la Carte Menu

There was a fairly tame response

• Does Anybody Know the Process for Making Good Quality Ice Blocks

Dear Mathew,

Could you please help by circulating to the network? 

Question Please:

Does anyone know the process for making good quality Ice Blocks?  As if you wanted to use it to do carvings etc.

I need to be able to freeze some water with Ingredients in it for an upcoming Perfume Launch. 

But I need it to be crystal clear – as when you buy the blocks for carvings.

I have tried to freeze regular water and it becomes cloudy. Or has Fault lines in it. 

I have tried Distilled Water but it does not seem much better. 

Any one out here who can help? 

Cheers Andrew   

PS: Great question indeed. The response was overwhelming

• Non Fruit Amenities 

We do
I alternative to the old fruit plate or basket

1) marzipan praline (little pears, apple, banana etc made by marzipan)

2) chocolate truffle and pralines

3) cookies

4) assorted cold tapas (5 pieces), that can stand for few hours in the room

5) cheese with rye crackers, and sour fruit jelly o sour jams or aromatic honey

of course the presentation is very important… therefore not presented on common square or round plate

ciao- G 

PS: The above response to the call arrived within a matter of minutes. In addition there were more than 200 more ideas to follow from fellow chefs.

•  Innovative Ideas for Breakfast Beverages 

For an energy kick, there’s nothing like a fruit smoothie. To bump up the nutritional value, use fresh-squeezed orange juice.

Total Time: 5 minutes

You Will Need
3/4 cup orange juice
1/2 cup sliced banana
2 teaspoons packed brown sugar
1/8 teaspoon almond extract
2 ice cubes
Fresh mint sprig, for garnish

What to Do

1. Combine orange juice, banana, brown sugar, and almond extract in a blender.

2. Add ice cubes and blend until thick and smooth. Pour into a serving glass and garnish with a mint sprig, if desired.

Serves: 1 

MH 

PS: The above is one of many responses. Complete with recipe. For the record I in fact tried this recipe out. It works!!!

•  Mediterranean Restaurant Name Ideas

From Solar to Sea Breeze, Marco Polo, Sunshine, Mezzaluna, Mediteraneo, Casa Luna, Lucia, Florence, Venice, La Gondola, Vitto, Sicilia, Cosica and a load of other suggestions. 

PS: I forgot to find out what the restuarant in question is named

•  Shop Ideas for Hotels and/ or Resorts

We ended up compiling a listing of more than 100 shop ideas.

 

•  Culinary Competition Web Pages
• 1. Best to go through the Chef organization in each place & country do a web site search ………
• 2. I do not have the website but if you google bocuse d’or or coupe de monde you will get the links to both……… 

A couple of good answers were presented

• Storeroom Policy an Procedures 

A couple of sample documents were brought to the table

• Healthy Dessert Options

Hi Matthew,

Please find some healthy Desserts…..

Soya Milk Panna Cotta, Organic Rice Pudding, Low Fat Yoghurt Mousse, Low Fat Yoghurt Ice Cream, Butter Milk Ice Crème , Butter Milk Mousse, Buck Wheat Pan Cake

Best regards- HJ 

PS: The above is a selection of the ideas submitted 

•  Bonus Structure

Dear ALL,

I would appreciate help in setting up a bonus structure or coming to an agreement to one in regards to my contract. 

All the normal expat stuff is already in the contract housing, medical, flights, etc. Salary is good to very good. 

It is a free standing new to open restaurant fine dining, with a combined total of 130.

What kind of bonus structure do you feel is reasonable and how should it be set up in regards to amounts and payments? 

The only thing to really base it up on in this setting is food cost. This restaurant is in an Asian country that is not popular. I am the only expat chef in a city of 10-12 million. This is something new for me and I do appreciate all feedback. 

Mike

 

PS: Mike got the answers that he was looking for and was able to proceed accordingly

• Christmas Cookies

100 ideas were put forward and a healthy list of web pages was compiled

• Herb Seed Supplier Contact

 

Hi Matthew,

 Maybe one of our chefs can help me with this. Does anybody know any supplier in Indonesia for seeds for herbs like basil, thyme, rosemary, chives, mint etc? 

I would like to plant my own herb garden.

Best regards

Siegfried

 

PS: Siegfried was successful in being put in touch with the relevant supplier 

•  Semi Breakfast Buffet Outline

A grand selection of ideas were brought forward

• Afternoon Tea Ideas

Afternoon tea menu ideas were firing in from all directions after this request for assistance was put to the group 

•  Praline Recipes

Dear Matthew, 

I have to add a praline shop to our pastry shop. Can you ask the friends for some recipes please? Their help would be highly appreciated.

Best culinary regards,

Herman

PS: Even though the response was limited. The results were on the ball 

• South African Dish Recommendations

This request produced no less than a dozen sample menus along with a huge selection of proven/ tested recipes

•  Chinese Banquet Menu Outline

Can anybody help out with the following request? MG

 

 Matthew,

I am currently reviewing my Chinese Banquet Menu Package.

Can anybody within the network assist me with a basic outline sample for the Chinese Banquet Package?

Thanks in advance- Mark

PS: This request had the answers flowing from all parts of the world

• Coffee Break Set Up Images

 

15mb of data was received in relation to this request. All of which was forwarded to the other contributors

• Food Cost Control Worksheet- Daily Consumption Analysis

I request- 4 samples received

•  Kumquat Confit Recipe

 

One of the answers reads as follows:

Matthew, 

If our colleague follows the following recipe, he will be quite satisfied.

Slice kumquats to the desired thickness and blanch twice in boiling water.

Make thick sugar syrup (1 kilo water/1 kilo sugar boiled together), add the kumquats and simmer until tender (up to a couple of hours.) If solution starts to get to thick through reduction – add more water. Do not let the solution boil too rapidly or the kumquats will break up.

A liquor of choice can be added for extra flavor.

Regards- Graham

•  Staff Canteen Budget

We got the answers from a few recipients. Varying from USD1- 3 

•  Club Sandwich 

1) For me it is not so much about the presentation but all about the filling. Try to break away from the norm and come up with something more exciting.We used to do a club that had smoked turkey, lyoner sausage and avocado (as well as the tomato, lettuce, mayo etc) and served it with plantain chips rather than French fries.I guess the filling can only be limited by one’s lack of creativity?

AB

 

2)Club sandwich with a twist

• Use crispy pancetta bacon instead of back bacon
• Smoked chicken instead of roast chicken
• Sliced avocado on top of the chicken and mayo mixture
• Use different breads
• Build sandwich up in a ring so it takes the shape of a tower for a point of difference.

 

3)I do it as a wrap or do it as a ciabatta sandwich with roasted garlic aioli and papaya salsa

Ray

 

4)Hi there, Served in a shot glass with fillings and soft pulp bread, eaten with a spoon…

Almost a trifle, definitely different… 

Cheers… M

5) How about a thin turkey roulade with the leg and breast meat intertwined wrapped and poached and then cooled.  Then wrapped in bacon (or turkey bacon) and blanched spinach and then wrapped again in brioche toast bread that has been cut and pressed. 

To order, the roll can be pan fried on a griddle and then cut on a bias and placed up.  Diced tomatoes can be used as a base and a “bacon fat” mayonnaise can be used to top the “sushi style” presentation.  A dried tomato could top the roll.  This could also be served on a bed of Iceberg lettuce or wrapped in Boston Bibb lettuce.

Just a thought off the top of my head!!!  

Enjoy!!!! A

•  Cuisines of the World 

A huge input was received from the fellow chefs. We managed to compile a HUGE listing. Please see separate article on this subject. 

•  Hotel Opening Gala Event Checklist 

This request proved to be a tough one. Seems that this information is difficult to get your hands on

•  Italian Dessert Ideas

Dear Matthew,

 As I would like to pep up our dessert menu in our Italian fine dining restaurant, I need some new fresh ideas on top of the traditional dishes which we have now:

- Canonoli
- Tiramisu
- Zucotto
- Macedonia
- Zuppa

 Any Italian chef has some great additional ideas?

 Thanks and best regards

 Chef

A number of images and menu suggestions were passed on

•  Valentine’s Day Menu Ideas

Dear Matthew, 

I am looking for 5 course special Valentines menu with modern style plating and menu, budget and country doesn’t matter as I am working for a very high profile resort in Middle East.

I hope I will get reply soon

Regards- Young Chef

He certainly did get his reply, along with a few sample menus to assist

• Italian Sushi

 

Hi Matthew

Could you please share with the network?

Anyone ever made some “Italian Sushi” would appreciate some feedback 

Regards

Max

BKK

We since found out that the name is Sushi Italiano thanks to a chef working in Seoul. He went to the trouble to provide a link to a story related to the subject along with a number of images. All of which was passed onto Max as well as the other contributors.

• Food Supplier/ Vendor Checklist

Many samples of the document in question were passed on

• Housing Pricing in Doha

The answers were provided in no time what so ever 

• Development Chef Salary Range in Dubai

This gave me an idea- I am not going to elaborate now on that idea. You will witness it in the not too distant future.

•  Drink/ Beverage List and Supplier Inventory

This request came from a fellow chef that was making the transition move to the service side

•  Ice cream Menu

There certainly are some interesting ways out there to serve ice cream hmmmmm

•  Ramadan Menus

Within 10 minutes of emailing this request out the responses started to flow

• The Spice Route

Dear Matthew, 

Can anyone help me out with some material about spice route? I want to do a theme buffet along the lines of spice route.

Regards- Indrajit

PS: The responses are trickling in basically as I am typing J 

The requests for assistance, offers of help etc continue to flow in. I will regularly update this posting. Matthew

 

Introduction to Our Network

So what is “Our Network” anyway? Well it is a domain for the culinary minded- a focal point for chefs from all parts of the world. It is the brainchild of Chef Matthew J. Goudge, an Australian Chef with no less than 20 years of culinary experiences. In a nutshell Matthew began to establish “Our Network” on the 25^th August, 2007 by initially sending out the following email to a number of fellow chefs around the Globe:

Greetings Fellow Culinarian,

Please allow me to give a brief introduction about myself. I am an Australian Chef with more than 20 years experience in the “Chef Field”. It is my endeavor to establish a network for chefs to exchange ideas, documents, experiences, circulate positions available/ wanted, voice opinions, seek assistance etc.

If you are interested in taking part in the Group please reply to this email with a simple acknowledgement and we can begin to establish a network. Feel free to forward this email to any chefs that you feel may be interested in joining the network.

Best regards- Passionate Chef

 

As a result the formation of “Our Network” began.

After receiving a huge amount of positive replies in relation to the first targeted email, I closely sent a follow up email to basically find out from the chefs what they wanted to get out of the network. 

The second email was sent as follows:

Greetings Fellow Culinarian, 

My name is Matthew- I am an Australian citizen currently working in China in the capacity of Executive Chef.

I am sincerely focused on establishing a solid focal point for fellow chefs. A place to share ideas, share documents, voice opinions, ask questions, seek assistance, offer assistance- basically there are no limits. The opportunities are enormous. I firmly believe that our beloved profession is the ultimate beneficiary by establishing this very network.

Knowledge is Power.

Our network is growing at a rapid pace. Please feel free to pass on the contact: globalchefs@gmail.com and we will continue to expand as time passes us by.

By reply email can you please provide the following details?  

1) Name:

2) Citizenship:

3) Current country of employment:

4)Position:

5) What to you endeavor to achieve by being part of our Chef Network:

Matthew

AKA- Passionate Chef

 

The expansion was and remains to be fast- as a result

Greetings to All,  

Are you missing out on culinary related information and assistance from fellow chefs all around the Globe?

Send a quick acknowledgement email and I will add your name to the growing list of Professional Chefs.

 

In recent times we have discussed kitchen training, coffee break set ups, salary survey, theme menus, and many more kitchen related issues. In addition numerous positions vacant have been circulated.

Don’t miss out any longer. Networking is an important aspect in the rapidly developing Culinary World.  

Send a quick reply email and I will add you to the Network. At anytime you wish to be removed from the mailing list all you have to do is advise me and I will not send anymore materials to you. (To date nobody has requested to be removed)

Welcome aboard- Matthew G

My passion and sincere commitment to establishing and maintaining this very network is obtaining positive feedback and results. I am dedicated to ensure the continued to expand the culinary horizons for the chefs within.  

The email campaign continued to capture more and more chefs to take part in “Our Network”- at the end of the day the more the merrier. 

Greetings Fellow Culinarian,

Sorry to bother you once again- however if you haven’t already done so I highly recommend that you send an acknowledgement email to globalchefs@gmail.com to ensure that you are not missing out on valuable information.

More than 20 positions vacant have been circulated in the past few days. So do not hesitate any longer. Be part of the Game. We have many projects planned for the coming months.

The Chef Family is growing at a rapid pace.

I am looking forward to welcoming you to the Ultimate Network of Chefs.

Matthew G

AKA

Passionate Chef

 

The followers continued to join me on my “culinary crusade”; fact has it that only two (2) people have requested to be removed from the emailing list

 

Greetings Fellow Culinarian,

If you haven’t already joined the fastest growing Chef Network on the internet- do not fear it is not too late. 

Simply send a reply email with acknowledgement that you would like to be part in “Our Network” to expand our horizons within the “Chef World”.

To make sure you do not miss out on the opportunity to partake in send an email at your convenience.

Our network is growing at a rapid pace- currently there are more than 200 culinary professionals from various levels from all corners of the globe.

In recent times we have been discussing Kitchen Training, Spa Cuisine- over the past few weeks there have been numerous positions vacant circulated.  

Please feel free to pass on the contact: culinaryfaculty@gmail.com or  globalchefs@gmail.com and we will continue to expand. Knowledge is Power.

The Evolution of “Our Network” 

Greetings Fellow Culinary Minded,

I would like to take this opportunity to thank you for your sincere support over the previous months in respect to your involvement with “Our Network”. You have played a major role in the formation of this very network. You have contributed, you have participated, you have benefited, and you have witnessed the growth. Over the past few months we have developed and grown into what is possible the largest chef informal chef community.

The time has come for us to evolve…………

An exciting welcome addition is about to hit cyberspace in the form of a chef focused web page. The page is currently in the early development stage- trust me the wait is well worth your while.

As a culinary ambassador you have the opportunity to shape the chef domain for the next generation. You can partake in assisting to mould the way information is transmitted as well as assisting to formulate the actual content and structure.

At this point in time I encourage each and every one of you to introduce fellow chefs at the development stage of the web page in question. Pre launch participants will have access to additional benefits/ privileges etc.

Feel free to pass on this email to prospective “Networkers”. I will keep you posted as the situation progresses

Tastefully yours,

Matthew

culinaryfaculty@gmail.com

To date a remarkable amount of replies has been received in response to the above email.

The following are a number of emailed comments made by people involved within “Our Network“. Culinary Faculty/ Passionate Chef/ Global Chefs

There have in fact been many more positive comments over the past few months. For confidentiality purposes the contact details have been omitted from the following actual emails received from the concerned people.

Thank you to all of the people involved with “Our Network” your support is highly appreciated.

Matthew

16^th October 2007

Subject: Big Thank You TO YOU

Hi Matthew, 

I would like to thank you for the fantastic work you are doing mediating between all us chefs- fantastic job chef, keep it up and only too happy to support when necessary.

Paul

United Kingdom

27^th October 2007

Subject: Position Vacant: Executive Chef- Shanghai

Dear Matthew,

Many thanks for your kind help. I am looking forward to some good news.

Thank you and best regards

Walter 

China

 23^rd December 2007

Subject: RE: Global Christmas Wishes

All the very best to you Matthew

Thanks for the networking 

Yves

Macau

 2^nd February, 2008 

Subject: Our Network

Dear Matthew,

I would like to sign up and become a member of your network.

I look forward to hear from you.

Kind regards,

Chef Rene

Thailand

 13^th April, 2008

Subject: no subject

Hi Matthew,

Take my honest thanks and respect for your great idea for this “communication forum” which you are running. Good and helpful idea.

Culinary Regards,

Norbert

Saudi Arabia

19^th May, 2008

Subject: Colleague of Mine

Hey Matthew,

Just a quick note, recently I ran into an old chef mate of mine from the past and your forum/network came up in discussion.  I told him that I would drop you a line to get him on your mailing list. He and his wife are both culinary professionals with many years experience internationally and I’m sure will benefit from as well as contribute to your outstanding group.

It seems as though your network is having quite an impact as I have several times now run into colleagues that get your updates.  Keep up the good work and I can’t wait to see where you are heading with it. 

Cheers,

Brett

Australia

3^rd June, 2008

Subject: Network       

Good afternoon Matthew

Greetings from Dubai!

Let me introduce myself, my name is Andrea from Italy, at the moment I am working as the Executive Sous Chef in charge of operations at a Hotel in Dubai.

Your name was mentioned to me your name in regards to adding me on your network. It would be nice if you can include me in your Chefs network.

Looking forward to hearing from you.

Thank you

Andrea

Dubai

 22^nd June, 2008

Subject: Network

Dear Matthew, 

I am very lucky to be part of this forum, it is one stop place where you can reach plenty of chefs and information regarding culinary essence very easily and get information.

Whenever I need any information or to share information I get it.

Also, it is a good network where you can directly get in touch with the various employers and talk about the job.

Thanks and regards,

Indrajit

Republic of Djibouti

There are many more…………………………………………

Let’s keep up the good work and as a “TEAM” continue to expand our horizons …………