How to avoid the stock market crash….become a chef on split shifts !
In the last month banks and stock markets around the world have been collapsing….along with our own savings at the bank ;-( ! Turn on the telly or go to any newspaper web site and it’s pretty much the headline every day. However, these last few months I have managed to find the perfect way […]
Summer in Newcastle – Get out there and buy more rare breed pork……
Rare breed pigs…..don’t you just love ’em !!! Just to be clear on one thing before going any further – I am not an expert on rare breed pork, far from it. However, having tasted rare breed pork from 2 different farmers in the North East, I can certainly say that the pork is magnificent […]
Conversion from Consultant to Chef : phase 2
It’s almost 1 year to the day since this incredible, crazy, passionate and sometimes stressfull conversion process began. The first step was my “Initiation” – 1 CAP Cuisine (infact my actual diploma only arrived this morning !), 6 restaurants / caterers, umpteen cookery / chef books (of which my latest is a true gem – […]
Chefsdiary job hunting back in Paris….
After over 2 months of working in Terry Laybourne’s kitchen at Jesmond Dene House in Newcastle Upon Tyne, I am now back in Paris and have spent the last 5 days looking for work. This is to be the kitchen where I will settle down for the next year or so, so I want to […]
Next steps for Chefsdiary….
Yesterday I had a much needed discussion with my wife (whilst the kids were jumping around in a softplay castle with hundreds of other little Geordies) about the next step after the end of my time here in Newcastle. There’s a bit more than 1 and a half months to go here in Newcastle before […]
Chefsdiary resurfaces in Newcastle….
Just a quick note to let those interested know how I am getting on over here in Newcastle at Terry Laybourne’s flagship restaurant “Jesmond Dene House”. It’s now been almost 1 month (remember that I’m here for 3 months) and I am now pretty well integrated into the Meat section within the team. There are […]
it’s official – 80% for my CAP Cuisine
On the day of my departure for 3 months work at Terry Laybourne’s “Jesmond Dene House” in Newcastle, I received my official CAP Cuisine results. Overall, a decent mark, but I’m disappointed with the practical exam score (15 out of 20). Anyway, it’s all pretty academic, as we say….the main thing now is the real […]
pressé de volaille aux parfums thais / thai chicken in its tomato and coconut sauce
Time to write in English, I think, because the last few posts have been in French. This weekend I wanted to try a technique that I saw whilst working at my first caterer’s – namely, rolling a piece of meat (in this case, a roll of chicken breast that I had prepared the day before) […]
Tomato, Celeriac and Emmental tarte – a taste of summer
Last w/end I prepared a couple of tarts, something that I’ve not done for quite some time since it’s just “too easy”….not real cooking, not a real discovery…..yes, stupid to think that “real cooking” only consists of fancy, complicated dishes with an elaborate sauce presented carefully on a large plate !!! So, a session of […]
Progressing at the caterer
Just a quick note to say that, after 9 days of working at a famous Parisian caterer, I think that I’m progressing pretty well. That means, I’m remembering what different dishes look like and what ingredients are required, and who to go to see to get them. I kind of looked after 2 students this […]