March 6, 2012

A very interesting day combined with a talk with Garrett Harker, Owner of Eastern Standard and Island Creek Oyster Bar, in Boston and cooking lessons from Chef Sewall. Garrett spoke to the class about the restaurant development process of Island Creek Oyster, the design concepts, food type, and the many aspects of restaurant management. I knew about the process of going through restaurant design and the attention to detail.  I have been lucky enough to be given tours of Spago, Chinois and Granita by my godmother and designer and restaurateur, Barbara Lazaroff.

Garrett's Pointers:
-look at the big influences in the area
-understand the type of diners
-hit a note with serious foodies
-every aspect of the restaurant must be unique, from touch, smell, look, and feel (the texture of the bar to the art hanging on the walls)
-restaurants are a collaborative effort
-story board for restaurants
-work with architectural structures of the space to develop mood, form, and function
- "A restaurant is a narrative"
-important to train the restaurant staff with more information than needed

The kitchen is another story - a hectic but productive day.  We learned how to throw together steamed clams and mussels using a liquor, herbs, garlic, oil and butter - amazing how different liquors and herbs can change a dish! Furthermore, we learned how to cut up a whole duck, confit the legs, make crepes, sear off duck breasts and make a lovely risotto.  What a day!!

Key points:
-be kind to the risotto, sweat onions in oil, toast the rice, add the stock to just cover.  Stir only with a wooden spoon or rubber heat resistant spatula - metal will break up the rice. Once the liquid is absorbed add more etc.  The rice should be tender enough that it squishes on the roof of your mouth
-to cook duck breast - scar the duck breast skin - helps to render fat. In a pan put salt and the duck breast skin side down
-duck confit means to cook in own fat. So cook the duck legs and thighs in duck fat (cover it with duck fat!)
-Crepes are easy, but need to be thin and will take practice - remember there are savory and sweet
-mussels take a short time to cook - be watchful!
-remember the order of ingredients (it is logical) - cook the ingredients that will take longer to cook first and add the fresh herbs at the end (normally). i.e onions, garlic, mussels, liquor, herbs