Sunday Farm Dinners & Chef

Planning a Farm Dinner with Chef is very interesting, and brings me excitement and of course I also get nervous.

Usually when I work on these dinners I don’t have a station I just come to support the Chef cooking the garnishes or prepping and when the moment arrives I work on plating, and taking pictures at the same time.

Details that one would think are just meaningless become so important at the moment of the action, and by that I mean from heating up the plates hot enough the food goes to the guests deliciously hot, but not hot enough to burn anyone, sauces on the temperature, steady hands when you’re plating, follow the rhythm, don’t stop (most of the times for these dinners 6 cooks are working on each dish, one slices the meat, the other one spreads a sauce, etc), and then we put the plate on the window, and the Runner takes it to the waiter/waitress.

The process starts from the moment Chef decides what’s going to the be Farmer’s dinner about.  This time I asked, “Chef what’s the theme?”, Chef responds “Game”, I say “Yay” (then think, what do I even know about game).

I go home and google the word “GAME”, run the library to check out tons of books and people think I’m some sort of crazy hunter who has lots of wild rabbits, squabs & buffalo meats at home.

For this particular dinner I didn’t suggested anything to Chef, I had my mind in other things and it makes me sad, but it’s ok I did ask for the Menu and he shared the draft with me, (in my little head I usually plan a Farm dinner and what I would serve to people).

At the end Chef always amazes me and I realize, yes I’m creative and I think I have good taste, and I have read so much and cooked for so many people, but the life of a Chef, takes you where my boss is, developing ideas where it knocks your head off and you think, this is the work of a genius.  You know the person who’s called Chef among the rest of the cooks has earned that name, not because of school or because he/she yells louder than the rest of the kitchen staff, but because that person, the Chef, knows his shit, and knows it well.

I used to think my best Sundays were the ones when I wake up early to make bread, or go and hang out with Family and cook for them and fool around, or even the ones I would play volleyball for hours, now my favorite Sundays are the ones where I go, watch, help and learn from Chef on these Farm dinners.

Thanks Chef.

Now back to work.
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Venison Carpaccio, herbs, Pickled Ramps & Black Pepper Vinaigrette (1st course)