[FairfieldLife] Re: New Job
Thanks Kirk! Now that was an in-depth reply -- gotta love your positive energy. You drew a nice portrait of your circumstance, and I think you're onto something there. Hope it all gels as you hope. And, hellfuckingyeah I'd love to walk into your restaurant and get a blast of the presentation's shakti. My family was in the restaurant business -- not your finest kind but the industrial lunch bucket type, and I've worked in four star restaurants, so I have experienced a whole range of presentations in my past, and, this gives me a basis for resonating with your write-up of your restaurant's eventual embodiment's energy. Me want some! And, yeah, Kirk and Curtis, I was being twitty to question what you could get out of yet more spices. I salute your commitment to continuing education. What's the pricing going to be for your menu? Sounds like $20 - 30 range. Big wine list with a sommelier? Maitre 'd? How many seats? Window views nice? Outdoor seating? Got an address for us to do Google maps and see your location location location? Big dessert menu? A bar? What kind of decorations? -- paintings, hangings, plants? What garb for the waiters? -- tuxedos, uniforms, bow ties, aprons, or pirate shirts? Hee hee. Edg --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, Kirk kirk_bernha...@... wrote: I'll try to answer (read in). - Original Message - From: Duveyoung To: FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com Sent: Wednesday, April 22, 2009 9:27 AM Subject: [FairfieldLife] Re: New Job --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, Kirk kirk_bernhardt@ wrote: Hi guys I am starting to work at a new and fascinating restaurant in Exchange Place in the French Quarter. Kirk, What kind of research do you do to be on top of the restaurant scene in NOLA? Is there local coverage via newspaper columnist, or TV show, or tourist guidebooks? Of course there is coverage but I care little for it. Word of mouth is the main thing. Plus being a cook and having worked so many places I know pretty much what is going on in the city. Fine restaurants in general wont hire me because I cost too much. My resume isn't good enough for me to claim chef at any of them. They demand CIA or equivalent education. And, fine restaurants around here all pay homage to Cajun/Creole food or French and few (or none) really break out and go wild with their concepts. For instance, one can freeze coconut milk and then serve excellent rum on coconut ice cubes. Sometimes simple and obvious things take a really alert chef to make notes and then enact. The chef Chris Debarre is a genius and for once I stand to learn a lot of new cooking ingredients and techniques. All these years you've been a passionate chef yourself -- can there really be ingredients that you can say are new to you? There's always new ingredients. To use Curtis' analogy, one can be a great blues player and yet there will always be new songs and varieties on style which are even more aluring having had some background in the first place. Also, as Curtis said, ethnic cuisines are various and discrete and proper use of ideal ingredients makes all the difference. My background is mostly New Orleans Metro French and Creole. Almost exclusively. So I still have alot to learn. How do you know that Chris has the mojo -- has ya eaten in other places he's been the chef? Actually I haven't but word of mouth from friends of mine say he's cool. And I have met him and started work there so I know him. I am one of his sous-chefs so I am helping to formulate the menu and implement it from scratch. I am even helping remodel the place! All this makes me more integral and feel more important. That's usually the most important aspect of the job for me, that is, to not feel like a mere useless appendage. But his menu is the mojo, and between us we can tweak stuff to be entirely delicious and not merely stuck up and unusual. Seems to me that your intellect is capable of taking up your skills a notch by hanging with another genius, but from my side, as an inventor myself, you surely must be at that stage where you can turn out a new dish every single time you cook, and it'll be as creative and savory as any dish that any chef can create. 98% of the customers surely wouldn't have the chops to say that your menu is less inviting than this chef's menu, so what's your goal? -I can write menus from scratch and they would be unique, but working with even more unique or more worldly chefs still broadens my purview. I can't lose by expanding my range. I can only win. Moreover, I work best as partners with others due to my own lack of motivation. My goal is to be associated with one of the most avant garde chefs in the country. The fact that he isn't known yet means little. I have faith that he will make
Re: [FairfieldLife] Re: New Job
I'll get back to you on the questions and I'll file this away. We will start working on cooking things and presentation this weekend and get into the other details later. As with most new restaurants we are working on the liquor license. The cooks will also wait tables in an odd twist. The chef wishes for the cooks to retain all the potential cash from the operation. Again, I'll keep this letter and get back to you about this in about two weeks with some menus and so on. We have an alley in the French Quarter to sit tables in. Otherwise the building is presently 170 years old. Galleries up and down the block including popular local artist Michalopoulos. - Original Message - From: Duveyoung no_re...@yahoogroups.com To: FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com Sent: Thursday, April 23, 2009 10:27 AM Subject: [FairfieldLife] Re: New Job Thanks Kirk! Now that was an in-depth reply -- gotta love your positive energy. You drew a nice portrait of your circumstance, and I think you're onto something there. Hope it all gels as you hope. And, hellfuckingyeah I'd love to walk into your restaurant and get a blast of the presentation's shakti. My family was in the restaurant business -- not your finest kind but the industrial lunch bucket type, and I've worked in four star restaurants, so I have experienced a whole range of presentations in my past, and, this gives me a basis for resonating with your write-up of your restaurant's eventual embodiment's energy. Me want some! And, yeah, Kirk and Curtis, I was being twitty to question what you could get out of yet more spices. I salute your commitment to continuing education. What's the pricing going to be for your menu? Sounds like $20 - 30 range. Big wine list with a sommelier? Maitre 'd? How many seats? Window views nice? Outdoor seating? Got an address for us to do Google maps and see your location location location? Big dessert menu? A bar? What kind of decorations? -- paintings, hangings, plants? What garb for the waiters? -- tuxedos, uniforms, bow ties, aprons, or pirate shirts? Hee hee. Edg --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, Kirk kirk_bernha...@... wrote: I'll try to answer (read in). - Original Message - From: Duveyoung To: FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com Sent: Wednesday, April 22, 2009 9:27 AM Subject: [FairfieldLife] Re: New Job --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, Kirk kirk_bernhardt@ wrote: Hi guys I am starting to work at a new and fascinating restaurant in Exchange Place in the French Quarter. Kirk, What kind of research do you do to be on top of the restaurant scene in NOLA? Is there local coverage via newspaper columnist, or TV show, or tourist guidebooks? Of course there is coverage but I care little for it. Word of mouth is the main thing. Plus being a cook and having worked so many places I know pretty much what is going on in the city. Fine restaurants in general wont hire me because I cost too much. My resume isn't good enough for me to claim chef at any of them. They demand CIA or equivalent education. And, fine restaurants around here all pay homage to Cajun/Creole food or French and few (or none) really break out and go wild with their concepts. For instance, one can freeze coconut milk and then serve excellent rum on coconut ice cubes. Sometimes simple and obvious things take a really alert chef to make notes and then enact. The chef Chris Debarre is a genius and for once I stand to learn a lot of new cooking ingredients and techniques. All these years you've been a passionate chef yourself -- can there really be ingredients that you can say are new to you? There's always new ingredients. To use Curtis' analogy, one can be a great blues player and yet there will always be new songs and varieties on style which are even more aluring having had some background in the first place. Also, as Curtis said, ethnic cuisines are various and discrete and proper use of ideal ingredients makes all the difference. My background is mostly New Orleans Metro French and Creole. Almost exclusively. So I still have alot to learn. How do you know that Chris has the mojo -- has ya eaten in other places he's been the chef? Actually I haven't but word of mouth from friends of mine say he's cool. And I have met him and started work there so I know him. I am one of his sous-chefs so I am helping to formulate the menu and implement it from scratch. I am even helping remodel the place! All this makes me more integral and feel more important. That's usually the most important aspect of the job for me, that is, to not feel like a mere useless appendage. But his menu is the mojo, and between us we can tweak stuff to be entirely delicious and not merely stuck up and unusual. Seems to me that your intellect is capable of taking up your skills a notch
[FairfieldLife] Re: New Job
--- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, Kirk kirk_bernha...@... wrote: Hi guys I am starting to work at a new and fascinating restaurant in Exchange Place in the French Quarter. Kirk, What kind of research do you do to be on top of the restaurant scene in NOLA? Is there local coverage via newspaper columnist, or TV show, or tourist guidebooks? The chef Chris Debarre is a genius and for once I stand to learn a lot of new cooking ingredients and techniques. All these years you've been a passionate chef yourself -- can there really be ingredients that you can say are new to you? How do you know that Chris has the mojo -- has ya eaten in other places he's been the chef? Seems to me that your intellect is capable of taking up your skills a notch by hanging with another genius, but from my side, as an inventor myself, you surely must be at that stage where you can turn out a new dish every single time you cook, and it'll be as creative and savory as any dish that any chef can create. 98% of the customers surely wouldn't have the chops to say that your menu is less inviting than this chef's menu, so what's your goal? I can understand working with another chef, and hoping to secure a stable position of respect there, but as for you as an artist, I can't see you becoming more creative -- only creating more dishes in this chef's cuisine. Are you searching for your inner cuisine -- your artistic style or genre? And, the really important question is, aside from your excitement at the new prospect, and other than your intuitive powers (which are potent if your posts are any indication,) what has you assured that this chef's personality will be harmonious with yours? Isn't that as important as the chef's credentials and skills? Edg He has made the menu partially vegetarian and explores uses of exotic fruits and juices as well as ethnic cuisine. We are sure to spark a new culinary enthusiasm in the city. I will write the menu down for you when it is finalized. Peace for now. Loves Yahs. I think you've posted your menu descriptions more than once here, and everytime you've made my mouth drool, so I have to ask: What amount of drool are you trying for? I had to drink a bottle of Gatorade after reading your last menu just to replentish the loss of fluids.
[FairfieldLife] Re: New Job
--- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, Kirk kirk_bernha...@... wrote: Hi guys I am starting to work at a new and fascinating restaurant in Exchange Place in the French Quarter. The chef Chris Debarre is a genius and for once I stand to learn a lot of new cooking ingredients and techniques. He has made the menu partially vegetarian and explores uses of exotic fruits and juices as well as ethnic cuisine. We are sure to spark a new culinary enthusiasm in the city. I will write the menu down for you when it is finalized. Peace for now. Loves Yahs. Excellent news Kirk! As has as you have to bust your ass in a commercial kitchen, it must be great to have someone worth working that hard with. Your enthusiasm shows. Fantastic.
[FairfieldLife] Re: New Job
--- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, curtisdeltablues curtisdeltabl...@... wrote: --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, Kirk kirk_bernhardt@ wrote: Hi guys I am starting to work at a new and fascinating restaurant in Exchange Place in the French Quarter. The chef Chris Debarre is a genius and for once I stand to learn a lot of new cooking ingredients and techniques. He has made the menu partially vegetarian and explores uses of exotic fruits and juices as well as ethnic cuisine. We are sure to spark a new culinary enthusiasm in the city. I will write the menu down for you when it is finalized. Peace for now. Loves Yahs. Excellent news Kirk! As has as you have to bust your ass in a commercial kitchen, it must be great to have someone worth working that hard with. Your enthusiasm shows. Fantastic. Add my congratulations to the round of applause, Kirk. This is really great to hear.
[FairfieldLife] Re: New Job
--- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, Duveyoung no_re...@... wrote: He is gunna be jamming with another blues master. That always makes you up your game. Every human has a unique taste and approach. If Kirk says the guy is a badass, then that is the proof cuz it takes one to know one. As far as ingredients goes (and of course I am busybodying myself right into the discussion) have you ever walked into a fully stocked specialty market for Thai, then Korean, then Japanese,then each Latin America country, North and South India, Gujarati, then specialty African stores starting with Ethiopia... Western trained chefs don't get trained in how the cooks in these countries approach their ingredients. Each one can take a lifetime to master. I think Kirk was showing the proper respect that just because you can make a decent Pad Thai, it doesn't mean that you know the proper way to prepare dried shrimp paste by adding the chemical that comes from a certain water beetle that absolutely MAKES the sauce, transforming it from something that smells like old salty gym socks into on of the best flavors I have ever eaten. --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, Kirk kirk_bernhardt@ wrote: Hi guys I am starting to work at a new and fascinating restaurant in Exchange Place in the French Quarter. Kirk, What kind of research do you do to be on top of the restaurant scene in NOLA? Is there local coverage via newspaper columnist, or TV show, or tourist guidebooks? The chef Chris Debarre is a genius and for once I stand to learn a lot of new cooking ingredients and techniques. All these years you've been a passionate chef yourself -- can there really be ingredients that you can say are new to you? How do you know that Chris has the mojo -- has ya eaten in other places he's been the chef? Seems to me that your intellect is capable of taking up your skills a notch by hanging with another genius, but from my side, as an inventor myself, you surely must be at that stage where you can turn out a new dish every single time you cook, and it'll be as creative and savory as any dish that any chef can create. 98% of the customers surely wouldn't have the chops to say that your menu is less inviting than this chef's menu, so what's your goal? I can understand working with another chef, and hoping to secure a stable position of respect there, but as for you as an artist, I can't see you becoming more creative -- only creating more dishes in this chef's cuisine. Are you searching for your inner cuisine -- your artistic style or genre? And, the really important question is, aside from your excitement at the new prospect, and other than your intuitive powers (which are potent if your posts are any indication,) what has you assured that this chef's personality will be harmonious with yours? Isn't that as important as the chef's credentials and skills? Edg He has made the menu partially vegetarian and explores uses of exotic fruits and juices as well as ethnic cuisine. We are sure to spark a new culinary enthusiasm in the city. I will write the menu down for you when it is finalized. Peace for now. Loves Yahs. I think you've posted your menu descriptions more than once here, and everytime you've made my mouth drool, so I have to ask: What amount of drool are you trying for? I had to drink a bottle of Gatorade after reading your last menu just to replentish the loss of fluids.
Re: [FairfieldLife] Re: New Job
On Apr 22, 2009, at 11:14 AM, curtisdeltablues wrote: As has as you have to bust your ass in a commercial kitchen Mind giving us the English translation, Curtis? Sal
[FairfieldLife] Re: New Job
--- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, Sal Sunshine salsunsh...@... wrote: On Apr 22, 2009, at 11:14 AM, curtisdeltablues wrote: As has as you have to bust your ass in a commercial kitchen Mind giving us the English translation, Curtis? Sal What a weird thing to type! I must have let my fingers do the walking. Should read: As long as you have to bust your ass in a commercial kitchen.
Re: [FairfieldLife] Re: New Job
I'll try to answer (read in). - Original Message - From: Duveyoung To: FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com Sent: Wednesday, April 22, 2009 9:27 AM Subject: [FairfieldLife] Re: New Job --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, Kirk kirk_bernha...@... wrote: Hi guys I am starting to work at a new and fascinating restaurant in Exchange Place in the French Quarter. Kirk, What kind of research do you do to be on top of the restaurant scene in NOLA? Is there local coverage via newspaper columnist, or TV show, or tourist guidebooks? Of course there is coverage but I care little for it. Word of mouth is the main thing. Plus being a cook and having worked so many places I know pretty much what is going on in the city. Fine restaurants in general wont hire me because I cost too much. My resume isn't good enough for me to claim chef at any of them. They demand CIA or equivalent education. And, fine restaurants around here all pay homage to Cajun/Creole food or French and few (or none) really break out and go wild with their concepts. For instance, one can freeze coconut milk and then serve excellent rum on coconut ice cubes. Sometimes simple and obvious things take a really alert chef to make notes and then enact. The chef Chris Debarre is a genius and for once I stand to learn a lot of new cooking ingredients and techniques. All these years you've been a passionate chef yourself -- can there really be ingredients that you can say are new to you? There's always new ingredients. To use Curtis' analogy, one can be a great blues player and yet there will always be new songs and varieties on style which are even more aluring having had some background in the first place. Also, as Curtis said, ethnic cuisines are various and discrete and proper use of ideal ingredients makes all the difference. My background is mostly New Orleans Metro French and Creole. Almost exclusively. So I still have alot to learn. How do you know that Chris has the mojo -- has ya eaten in other places he's been the chef? Actually I haven't but word of mouth from friends of mine say he's cool. And I have met him and started work there so I know him. I am one of his sous-chefs so I am helping to formulate the menu and implement it from scratch. I am even helping remodel the place! All this makes me more integral and feel more important. That's usually the most important aspect of the job for me, that is, to not feel like a mere useless appendage. But his menu is the mojo, and between us we can tweak stuff to be entirely delicious and not merely stuck up and unusual. Seems to me that your intellect is capable of taking up your skills a notch by hanging with another genius, but from my side, as an inventor myself, you surely must be at that stage where you can turn out a new dish every single time you cook, and it'll be as creative and savory as any dish that any chef can create. 98% of the customers surely wouldn't have the chops to say that your menu is less inviting than this chef's menu, so what's your goal? -I can write menus from scratch and they would be unique, but working with even more unique or more worldly chefs still broadens my purview. I can't lose by expanding my range. I can only win. Moreover, I work best as partners with others due to my own lack of motivation. My goal is to be associated with one of the most avant garde chefs in the country. The fact that he isn't known yet means little. I have faith that he will make it to the top and you will all hear about him within a few years, if not immediately. Then I can thumb my nose at all those who derided me. his smarts to hire me equal my smarts in working for him. I'm not sure how but we hit it off from the start and he has been entirely personable to me thus far. I can understand working with another chef, and hoping to secure a stable position of respect there, but as for you as an artist, I can't see you becoming more creative -- only creating more dishes in this chef's cuisine. Are you searching for your inner cuisine -- your artistic style or genre? -No. I have my style, but I am always seeking to broaden my range and become more eclectic and knowledgable. It's an insiders brag to know and use not only fine ingredients but to have a knowledge of and use of unique ingredients. This is about the only chance I have had in the last ten years to work with a fine chef, who isn't myself. Who really has a more extensive palette than me. And, the really important question is, aside from your excitement at the new prospect, and other than your intuitive powers (which are potent if your posts are any indication,) what has you assured that this chef's personality will be harmonious with yours? Isn't that as important as the chef's credentials and skills? ---Yes, well so far he respects me and defers to my input
Re: [FairfieldLife] Re: New Job
I forgot a few other points. First Green Goddess is the only place in New Orleans that is doing a partially vegetarian menu of new items which are not just trying to imitate meat dishes. I have been wanting to work someplace with a more sattvic plan and this is the only place there is. Also, the chef and the other owner were also punk rockers before in their life. One still plays in a couple punk bands so we have that in common. The fact that the chef's wife is Poppy Z Brite a unique local author means we will have press. I feel that this is the place for me. Oh yeah, I have lived a fairly social life, never eschewing a party or excuse to play around. But after all that I have heard myself talk until I am sick of hearing myself. In the same light, I have been chef about five times and twice getting to write my own menus and I have done prettymuch everything I have felt like doing, so I like to let other people take the reigns and to support them if they are genuinely interesting. This is such a case where I will be interested and the fact that the menu will not be written in stone, the fact that we will be making coctails with coffee bean juice and dragonberry, and cashew juice and so on is really fascinating to me. There's no limit to what we will do. Very few reataurants in the world can claim this. And we are in New Orleans where we do have already a native sense of propriety in cuisine so I am merely inspired. All bullshit aside, if I have to work I like to be cutting edge. I invite you all to step in when you're in town. Naughty or nice.
