Day 157: Passing

Since the Stokehouse is closed for renovations for 6 weeks, it seems like Donovans is picking up the slack. We have experienced our busiest Monday and Tuesday this year being fully booked over both nights doing over 160 covers.

This was my last shift on the pass for a while. I decided to make Spinach and Ricotta Tart, veal meatballs wrapped in prosciutto and some Grilled Eggplant Sandwiches.

The tart filling was great but, the ricotta pastry, let’s just say I need to work on that, my first tart ended up looking like a dogs breakfast but the one after was much better, though I left it for the pass to use the day after.

School Day 15: Stocks Soups & Sauces COMPLETE!

Having a late night watching the finale of Master Chef (Congrats to Adam) I woke up late for my assessment. I quickly showered and ran up the hill to school, to find our teacher was also running late.

We started off straight into the kitchen, with our deadline at 2PM, me and some other students took the opportunity, confident we could finish in time to take a quick smoke break. I came back to realize that there weren’t enough big pots for me to follow my running sheet so I threw it out and winged it.

I got my chicken stock on and started to clarify some butter. I headed to the fridges to get my mirapoix and other vegetables and aromatics for the soup and reductions.

After my mirapoix was done for my chicken and consommé, my reductions were ready to come off. I did my burre blanc 1st then hollandaise with my derivative with whipped cream making it a Mousseline. Next I put my pumpkin and carrot into the combi, did my roux for my béchamel and fish veloute, separating the roux because I hadn’t started my fish stock yet. Next my béchamel and mornay were done.

My chicken stock could be strained now and I could use my pot to for the fish stock. Next would be my consommé, because this would take the longest, after I got that on my veg were roasted off and I pureed my soup with the remaining chicken stock in the thermo-mix and served it with goat cheese and celery cress.

With two things left I was well ahead of the rest of the class and the time was 11PM, being commended with my speed by the teachers, I finished my fish stock off and make the veloute. Went for one more smoke break and whilst I cooked off some mince in the oven and came back in time for me to put my consommé to be finish at a early 12:15PM first done with some quality stock soups and sauces!

Roast Pumpkin & Carrot Soup with Goats Curd

Fish Stock & Veloute

Day 156: Pass Panic

After returning from my extended weekend, I forgot my shift was on the pass. Sunday lunches are normally smooth but a miscommunication between front of house and the kitchen caused a major problem. There was 2 minutes till function time, they realized a entrée had been made with pork products, when the whole function was pork free. With no back up involtini. The sous chef went to make a dish from the chicken meant for the pies that night.

With my lack of experience I couldn’t direct service while she was making the dish and I had to be helped by main course to get the tables out in time. I got in trouble for not being able to provide the support for the section I was put on. Overall a bad day for me. 

Restaurant Review: Duck Duck Goose

After much anticipation, the Kam Fook Group’s Melbourne foothold has finally landed and nested in a large space in the QV complex on Artemis lane. This beautifully designed space by BURO who also designed the new Press Club has created something which has the look and ambiance of a Michelin starred hotel restaurant somewhere in Asia.The restaurant roughly sits around 200ish people, with fine dinning and bar on one side, and casual yum cha on the other, joint by private dinning “rooms” which run adjacent with the kitchen in a giant “U” shaped layout. Some of the most attractive features of the restaurant are the massive water pond in the main dinning room which acts as the center piece providing tranquil experience for all, and also at the main entrance is are corridor of stunning black arches which lead to a large open area where the bar is situated looking beautiful with ambient light coming off the liquor shelf and the metallic curtains on the opposite side of the room, bathing the area in a faint gold glow.

Service here is definitely impeccable with general manager Anthony Langdon heading up a team of well trained and knowledgeable staff who are polite and humorous. The kitchen state of the art, built in Europe and shipped over, with its most impressive feature being the extraction ceiling, normal kitchens using commercial extraction canopy’s the whole roof is 1 big ventilation making it a cool environment and somehow very quiet. In charge of all this are Chef Harunobu Inukai, and Chef Yoshitaka Kojima who are protégé’s of Iron Chef Sekai.

(Left) Entrance Archway (Right) Menu Design

 The menu is set out in sections being entrée, soups, mains, fish, accompaniments and deserts with some interesting choices such as Parsnip Soup with Truffle Ice Cream and Hazelnuts, Fish of the day with Butter Foam, Beet and Fennel Puree with Lime Oil.


My girlfriend and I decided to have the 6 course degustation menu and my parents just to order separately.

Amouse: Brioche, Peach Jam, Foie Gras Parfait.

This was a cute way to start the meal, these little burgers had wonderful flavor, the sourness of peach really helped awaken the appetite. This amouse is definitely much more complex than many other palaces which offer a free starter.

Oysters: quince vinaigrette, finger lime

The quince vinaigrette was definitely different, the sweetness complimented the tart finger limes providing a great balance.

Aromatic Seared Quail: Crispy Porcini Risotto, macadamia, five spice.

Gently Poached Marron, Truffle Ravigoat Sauce: Orange, Asparagus and Lemon Jam, Quail Egg, Iberico Ham

Wonderfully poached, freshest ingredients, like art on a plate

Alaskan King Crab "Royale": Flan, Carot Ginger Sauce.

This was my favorite dish of the night, the delicate taste of crab stood out beautifully in the carrot and ginger soup, great texture, very tasty and at a good price.

Miso Seared Ocean Trout: Pickled Vegetables Egg Yolk Marinade

The Salmon was cooked wonderfully on this dish, but as a usual prefrence most things miso are to salty for my liking, though the intresting use of egg yolk on the plate was diffrent yet the flavours all worked together.

Parsnip Soup: Truffle Ice Cream, Hazlenuts.

For me this tasted nothing like parsnip, the earthy flavors of the root vegetable was completely washed away by the cardamom, cream and truffles. it tasted more like a dessert than a soup.

Spice Crusted Lamb: Truffled Gnocchi, Black Garlic.

This looked a little messy but the lamb was cooked to perfection, the truffled gnocchi were like tiny gems on the plate, crispy on the outside and meltingly smooth inside. the black garlic didn't really do much for me but this would be a beautiful meal with a glass of red.

Roasted Venison, Sauce Calvados and Espresso: Pear, Chestnut, Caramel Apple

The meat again cooked perfectly on this dish, the sauce was rich and complimented the venison well, though the accompaniments could have been more plentiful.

Porcini Chocolate Fondant: Orange Confit, Beer Ice Cream, Olive Oil. 

Apparently this is called porcini only because it looks similar to the mushroom but I don't see it. The fondant was a definite fail there was no oozyness that masterchef told us it should have. but the orange and beer ice cream was delightful I could eat buckets of the stuff.

Opera: Black Current Jubes, Rose Syrup, Vanilla Ice Cream.

Classic Opera cake, no complaints here.

Petite Four: Soft Caramel, Nougat, Lemon Tart, Pistachio Cake, Chocolate Tart.

Overall great meal. This place is exactly what Melbourne needs, a twist on classic Asian! This is a definite go to spot for me, even if your not up for the complex flavors, hang at the bar for some cocktails and maybe after a few you’ll be up for it. Come check it out, even if it's just for a drink, or a casual meal on the other side.

Address: 31-37 Artemis Lane QV Melbourne VIC 3000
Phone Number: (03) 9005 0888
Website: http://www.au-ddg.com.au/
Hours: 11AM - Late

Day 154 - 155: Contagious Chilli Crab

This week I’m only working 3 days, I’ve requested some time off to spend some QT with the girlfriend and hopefully get a booking at the much anticipated opening of Duck Duck Goose at QV.

This week I had two splits before my break, on Wednesday I was asked to make a sauce for some blue swimmer crabs for the four tastes. From memory I had a sauce I randomly came up with earlier last year, a variation on a sauce used for chilli mud crab. Though it was slightly more Asian than they usually like for Donovans I was allowed to use it on the tastes. That night we had 100 booked and we sold at least 50 tastes. I really hope it was the crabs that made it the main selling point.

Wednesday morning I was actually on the pass. When chef got in I already was setup with most of my tastes set up for lunch and dinner. For lunch I had bresola with olives and radishes, swordfish with pickled fennel and coriander with salmon roe, braised red and yellow peppers and pumpkin, pine nuts and spinach frittata.

For dinner there was grilled quail salad, carrot and mint fritters, chilli blue swimmer crabs, and the braised peppers again. Everything sold well again that night with them having to be refreshed multiple times.

Pumpkin, Pine Nut and Spinach, Frittata.

Ingredients

11 Eggs
1 Onion,Finely Sliced
150 Toasted Pine Nuts
1/2 Butternut Pumpkin, Julienned
Handful of Baby Spinach
500ml Thickened Cream
1 Cup Parmesan Cheese

Method

1. Preheat Oven to 175

2. Sweat off onion in a pan till colored and soft

3. Add in julienned Pumpkin and Pine Nuts.

4. Add Spinach and cook out till pumpkin is soft and the spinach is wilted.

5. Mix eggs and cream together.

6. Add in Pumpkin and Onion mixture with a cup of Parmesan and combine

7. Season to taste.

8. Pour into non stick pan and bake for 30 minutes or till set.

9. Let Frittata cool for 10 Minutes and turn out onto baking rack.
 

School Day 14: Revison Day..

Not many showed up this week, we had a tight group of 9, it was probably too cold for everyone, but I’m definitely glad I attended this one. As we walked into class we were surprised to be given our assessment sheet for next week’s class. Apparently it’s time for our 1st big practical assessment.

We were then told that we had the whole day to practice any stock, soup or sauce required to pass next week. We could ask for demonstrations, practice theory, cook, or write our prep lists and running sheets for next week.

Required within the given 5 hour time period of the assessment is:

- Standard fish stock -> From this make a Fish Veloute.

- Chicken Stock -> From this make a clear consommé with appropriate garnish.

- Any choice of a hot pureed soup with appropriate garnish.

- Produce 3 portions of Burre Blanc Sauce (100 ml ramikins)

- Produce a Hollandaise and 1 derivative

- Produce 500ml of Béchamel. Turn ½ into a derivative.

I practiced my Burre Blanc, Mornay, Hollandaise and derivative and started a running sheet for next week’s task. 

Burre Blanc (White Wine and Butter Sauce)

 Mornay (Béchamel with added Parmesan and Cream)

Sauce Andalouse (Hollandaise with a Tomato and Brunoise Red Capsicum)

Day 152 - 153: Tomato Tart Tantrum

On the pass again for a lovely cold Saturday morning, wasn’t to busy the sous chef in charge took care of 3 tastes whilst I helped back section clean whiting and muscles. When I was finished all I had to do was the last taste which was pork loin and pickled cherry and apple coleslaw.

Lunch afternoon got pretty busy, hot entrée was in the weeds and I was left alone on the pass, with 3 big tables coming up, others came to my aid helping plate what they cooked, whilst waiters held tables while the food was plated, overall it was quiet the experience, with only 1 casualty, a nasty burn for the chef on pastas.

In the PM I was in larder and I had my staff meal. I did a traditional Vietnamese braised caramel pork belly, which I remember my mother making a lot for me when I was younger.

Dinner service was massive for everyone, we sold 9 tomato tarts which is a lot compared to our normal 4, and we were forced to make tarts to order with roasted tomatoes instead.

After a huge night I arrived at work on the Sunday knowing the size of my prep list and was dreading it. Upon arriving I saw that my dear friend from larder who was doing a pass shift was very hung over from celebrating Collingwood’s win yesterday.

At 11:50 we were informed that our bookings had dropped due to the weather and now we would have a cruisy 90 for lunch and 60 for dinner. I was home before I knew it.

Day 151: Meh! Friday.

As always Friday and Saturdays are crazy busy. Even our lunches are! Well this week anyway. Why is there never is a week without a function, though we always hope. Last night a fellow Larder chef was on the pass. He looked like he was having fun, it good to get a break now and then from the same section.

We stayed back late all together prepping things to make Saturday easier. I got a bit of help cutting up my pork belly for my staff meal Saturday whilst discussing the sharpening of knives, especially my ever dulling Shun’s. 

Day 150: A PM with chef

I arrived expecting the worse, that he would be in a bad mood and I would have the worse night of my working life, as such as my traumatizing 1st time on the pass. But 4 months have passed now and I can actually be helpful up there these days.

One of the sous chefs stayed back to explain everything in detail for me just in case. I got my 4 tastes up, which consisted of squid with ancho aioli, prosciutto with olives and sun dried tomatoes, caponata on garlic flat bread and cauliflower fritters.

There was 130 booked and as I expected I was pushed to be faster, cleaner and more organized. Just being up there is very intimidating and I know his pushing is only going to help me improve but the mental stress was killing me.

When it came around to the end of the night he showed me how to carve a flower from carrots, spring onions and an apple. 

No pans thrown at me or screams. I think it went pretty well,

Restaurant Review: Ocha

Chef and owner Yasuhiko Yoshida first opened Ocha in 1994 by and after 14 years they have moved to big and better premises in hawthorn, the expansion has not stopped the hoards of loyalists and new customers trying to get a table at this suburban gem.

Booking on a Tuesday night we assumed that like many restaurants on a weekday it would be quiet and intimate but on arrival Ocha was completely at full capacity. The pass was full of food and the kitchen teeming with the action of a busy service.

The food is tasty and at a reasonable price. Though the service was a bit slow that night the menu is full of traditional flavors and more modern interesting things to try if you’re sick of the same things many other jap restaurants offer.

The mostly Japanese floor staff are friendly, knowledgeable and very helpful even on a busy night they are attentive and polite not forgetting last minute requests or queries.

Amuse-Bouche White and Green Beans in Seseme Paste

 Oysters with Yuzu Sorbet and Miso Partick.

The Yuzu Sortbet was a huge suprise the intense flavours really woke up the palate overall great start.

Grilled Scallop on the shell with Ocha style hollandaise
Beautiful, creamy and sweet at the same time but on a savory dish Mmmmm.

Special: Grilled Scampi

Seared kingfish sashimi with coriander and ponzu dressing

One of those new flavours I was talking about this was very nice, it reminded me of the soy you get on steamed fish but as a sashimi plater very fresh and tasty.

Traditional Sashimi Plater.
Amazingly Fresh.

Spanner crab meat wrapped in seaweed served with seaweed salt and tempura veg

Who doesn't love a plater of fried stuff. Especially juicy crab meat with a very intresting seaweed salt.

Pan fried duck breast pieces in miso pine nut sauce.

The dish I ordered incorectly, I was supposed to get the teriyaki but i said miso instead. the flavours were very diffrent from what I expected, the garnish on top was great pairing with the glazed duck. 

Great First Expeirence at a restaurant i've only heard of but never ate at. Would definetly return for  good prices, great atmosphere and the fact that it isnt traditional.

Address: 3 Church Street, Hawthorn Vic 3122
Reservation: (03) 9853 6002 

Website: http://www.ocha.com.au  

Hours: Lunch: Tuesday to Friday 12.00 - 2.30 Dinner: Tuesday to Saturday 6.00 - 10.30

Restaurant Review: Ezard

Under the boutique Adelphi Hotel on flinders lane lives a unique dinning experience going by the name of Ezard. A modern Australian restaurant with heavy Asian influences, the menu offers not any random fusion of the two cuisines but a perfectly executed and refined balance of both cultures. For 11 years this place has thrived with loyal customers spreading the word of the delicious creations prepared by head chef Teage Ezard who has also opened Gingerboy on Crossley St off Chinatown.

The dining room is long and clean, classy and elegant. Though I felt the tables were probably too close together. Our experience started with the bread served with a Parmesan and rosemary infused olive oil with several amazing house made salts.

Bonito and Wakame, Rock Sugar and Chili, Sichuan Pepper and Prickly Ash.

The Amuse-Bouche was a cucumber jelly topped with shredded shrimps and fried shallots. this came with our first starter which was the oyster shooter with a mini soba noodle nori roll. this had amazing texture while the oyster shooter definitely excited the taste buds.

Yellowfin Tuna Sashimi, Bonito Pannacotta, Sticky soy, Horseradish Aioli and Wasabi Foam.

Steamed Crab Dumplings With Cauliflower Cream, Curry Oil, Celery Cress and Yarra Valley Salmon roe

Open Wagyu Beef Burger with Quail Egg, Onion Jam, Cresses, Smoked Tomato and Truffle Oil Mayonnaise.

My favorite entree hands down! I think I could eat 10 of these and be satisfied.

Master Stock Fried Pork Hock, Chili Caramel, Spicy Thai Beanshoot Salad and Fragrant Jasmine Rice

Definitely the stand out most memorable of the night this dish was a perfect example of the genius of the chef with just the perfect balance of flavors to make this unforgettable.

Roasted Coral Trout with Moreton Bay Bug Ravioli and Spicy coconut Laksa

I thought the pasta of the ravioli was very tough and wasnt pleasent to eat at all.

This is the dessert tasting plate which consisted of all 6 desserts on their menu except for the cheese. They weren't amazing nor memorable.

The service was excellent with the dishes which were shareable plated separately for both parties to enjoy. I would definitely return to try the rest of the menu and maybe just for the pork hock.

Address: 187 Flinders Lane Melbourne
Reservation: (03) 9639 6811

Website:http://www.ezard.com.au/
Hours: Open Weekdays 12pm-3pm, 6pm-10:30pm; Sat 6pm-10:30pm

School Day 13: Jus Do It...

Back to school after the mid year break off to a shaky start with no dishwasher in the pot wash! We started straight off into the kitchen, which normally doesn’t happen because none of us are awake enough to be trusted handling our violently sharp knives at 9AM on a Monday morning.

We did a red wine jus and a hollandaise/béarnaise to go with our steaks and salmon. The orders arrived late so we choose to make either the steak or a salmon dish. I choose a salmon poached slowly in garlic fennel butter, served on a pickled fennel, micro herb and witlof salad with hollandaise.

The class was over by 2 with us all well fed and ready to go home after a hard days washing up. 


Oh yeah and Free CAKES!

Day 148 - 149: Di Near Miss

I finally got to go back for a shift of the stove side of larder, making hot sides and bliniiiiis. It had been 3 weeks since I’ve worked that side having to deal with the dockets during the training of the new staff. We had a nice busy Saturday shift with a nice 157 covers. I was teaming with excitement when I found out that Robert Di Nero was booked in for lunch on the Sunday! The day of my shift on the pass, maybe I would get to plate his food.

It was about 12:30 Sunday that a representative from crown called and asked to reschedule the dinner for another time; this was very disappointing to come so close. I mean there had been footy players, F1 drivers and singers in but a big name Hollywood actor would have been nice to see.

146 -147: Desire..

I was sent home on Wednesday, having a error in the roster meant there was 3 on when in the middle of a quiet week. Our junior sous chef is leaving to a job that’s no longer as time consuming so he can finish studying to become a landscaper.

The party last night went on to 5:30AM with ½ of us having work the next day. Most were hung over and very tired but managed to scrape through the AM before the PM crew rescued them.

The recent shuffle in positions in the kitchen has seen our pastry chef in the hot entrée section doing soups and deep fried things. Not handling that well, it seems that one of the larder chefs has enough experience just from watching the section run to do it better than he does. Looks like it wont be me who will move up next =(

Day 145: Relax It's Sunday..

I saw the ending of chaos as I walked into work on Sunday. The last few tables were about to be sent out and most of the PM crew was arriving. I asked what had happened and was told on top of a 162 lunch service, we were blessed by Chef Guy Grossi and his friends.

Unfortunately all the action happened in the day and the night was dull. I tried to make it interesting by doing the first rush alone of course I didn’t make it, but I rest easy in the fact that I came close. I finished at 10 no one felt like after work drinks so it was home for me after I dropped a few colleagues home.

143 - 144: Uh Oh...

There are good days and then there’s day that everything that can go wrong does. On Friday I witnessed chaos when the new hot entrée team had a few troubles like running out of buckwheat pasta and had to make it À la Minute, and during a busy Friday night this is unacceptable. Running out of prep is a big no no because it takes away from your ability to concentrate on cooking to the best of your ability and also slows you down. 

It was hell last night also when a few squids were overcooked and the duck pancakes fell apart in the oven, there was some serious yelling but Larder was fine because we had 3 on and we had been there the longest.

142: Thurzdaez of Thunder...

Thursday night training. It’s time to show the new guy the hot dishes in Larder. Thursdays are usually busy these days so there were 3 of us again. No troubles it was a relatively easy night it’s the next two I’m worried about, there’s 139 in the books Saturday.