Tuesday, October 25, 2005

Education= Bits of PAPER?

Today I was speaking to a friend about a new course I begin on Thursday with the John Hopkins University School of International Public Health, in USA via the internet. The course will last the Autumn semester and is in International Food Security, Production and the Environment. He asked me why I would want to do this particulalry when I expalined that I didn't think there was certification at the end of it. I said, 'But education isn't all about bits of paper!'. He replied, 'Of cause it s!'. I retorted, 'No, education is about aquiring knowledge', he replied, 'No, it's all about getting bits of paper'. We had to agree to disagree on this one.

The certificate is surely irrelevant. Do I study a degree for the letters after my name? Well, yes, that is a big part of it! It certainly adds credibility, prestigiousness, but in itself that is the wrong way to go about things. Education, in its purest sense is about gaining increased understanding and applying what you learn to become wiser, more knowledgeable, in affect- better at what you do. That is why I study and seek to gain more education. A certificate at the end of the process is a bonus. A nice thing to have, but by no means at all, is it a requirement.

So, life at Uni? I have to be honest and say that I am continually dissapointed. Possibly because I am not putting in all I should, but mostly because I simply do not think I am being stretchted to capacity. I am simply not learning enough- not hearing enough new things, not being challenged sufficiently. I expected to be stretched and I have no doubt that will come. For the time being I am busy enough with other things to do the miniumum and wait until I need to work harder. Possibly not the best approach but at the moment- the most practical one.

I am learning. If I wasn't I wuld not be here. But I have to wonder, I am learning enough to make this all worthwhile? Who knows?

Possibly only time will tell?

Tuesday, October 04, 2005

Waterside Lunch!


Sometime ago I meant to post this entry about my visit for lunch at Alain and Michel Roux's 'The Waterside Inn', Bray. Just before I left the Fat Duck in August, I decided to dine at the village's other three Michelin starred restaurant, 'The Waterside Inn' and I arrived with great expectations.

The Waterside Inn calls itself 'un restaurant avec chambres', in typical French style- literally, a restaurant with rooms. Not that I could ever afford to stay there, mind you. As I arrived, slightly early, I was warmly greeted by a tall French man with thinning white hair and suddenly I realized that I was shaking hands with Michel Roux himself. I was invited to sit in the lounge area beside the reception desk and sat back in a large comfortable sofa. I began to speak to a well-dressed American couple sitting just opposite me. I asked them if they had travelled far and they 'matter of factly' detailed how they had last night been staying in Hamburg on the Queen Mary, a luxury cruise and were due to fly back to New York at 4PM. It was already nearly 12:30PM and they were still at least an hour away from Heathrow. They told me that since they were in London, they thought that they would come for lunch. But I mean, why not?

I ordered an aperitif and began to read the Lunch Menu. Inside, the first page, reads a message from Michel,

'Whatever the meal, we believe in cooking and eating the best produce available. Usually this is as simple as respecting the seasons and the result of a good working relationship with a supplier. Now that summer has arrived, we cook inhaling the aromas of English tomatoes and peas, asparagus grown in the salt marshes in Cornwall, peaches and strawberries from Kent, each served with delicate light sauces. Rose petals from our neighbour Mandy's garden flavour the sorbet. Scallops, lobsters and wild salmon arrive from Scotland daily. We source our oysters from Colchester, Aberedeen Angus beef from Speyside and New Season lamb from the West Country, usually flavoured with herbs from our garden...
We should follow nature's recommendations, as there is no doubt that she knows best!'

When shown to my table in the airy, spacious restaurant area, I was almost immediately presented with a large dish of delicious canapes. These included a delicate cheese brioche, Melba toast with chicken liver pate and sultana, filo pastry with broccoli, green beans, cauliflower and celery wrapped in a slightly spiced tomato dressing, fresh Halibut with horseradish carefully enveloped in bread and a baby courgette with mixed vegetables. This impressive selection was accompanied simply by a small Beetroot masterfully sculpted in to an elegant flower and a single piece of flat leaf parsley. It truly needed no other work.


Parts of the hotel and restaurant are distinctively traditional, fairly elaborate and formal in decor, whilst the restaurant itself is surprisingly different in ambiance. It is extremely simply in furnishings- plain white table cloths with small floral decorations and simple wooden chairs. There are no exaggerated fittings; I sat at a small circular table beside the window and yet nothing needed to be overstated.

The General Manager had spoken to me briefly earlier and when discovering that I was a Catering student, he had declared in a heavy French accent, 'Well then, let us surprise you!'. No order was taken, I simply received course after course.

I began with a Chicken Consomme garnished with a fine julienne of chicken breast, diced red and green pepper, tomato and herbs, including fresh tarragon and chive, with a swirl of truffle flavoured cream. The clear, translucent soup was chilled and slightly set, so that when cut with a large silver soup spoon, the consomme flowed gently into the cream. And when tasted, each flavour could be appreciated collectively and a lone. The consomme was filled with subtle flavours and left a clean, smooth taste and texture in the mouth. This was a superbly light and enjoyable beginning on a warm, late summer afternoon.

Next, I was presented with a small silver tureen resting on a little porcelain dish. The waiter removed the lid to reveal a lobster tail and claw, sitting in a port and vegetable sauce with a slight hint of ginger. The tail was meaty, slightly chewy, but well cooked. At first, I was uncertain how to tackle the claw (this isn't really the kind of place where one can use your hands, is it?). But I discovered that it was so well prepared and cooked, that by simply inserting my knife carefully between the shell and meat, it pulled easily and cleanly away from the claw, revealing a tender and equisite pink piece of fish. There was a marked distinction in both taste and texture between each piece of fish, with the claw being significantly more tasty and firm.

I gazed out of the window over looking the River Thames and a large weeping willow gently swaying in the breeze. Occasionally a small boat would pass by, birds glided through the sky, the sun reflected on the rippling water, the setting was perfect.

Several minutes later, I enjoyed a single seared Scallop accompanied by a small herb salad of parsley and coriander with baby squid, accompanied by a refreshing seaweed tartar dressing with a few toasted sesame seeds. The scallop was an attractive golden brown and when cut revealed a soft, delicately cooked centre. There were no dominant flavours- everything seemed well balanced and in perfect proportion to each other. There were subtle after-tones and interesting combinations of taste.

I sipped on a refreshing Pink Fruit Cocktail, served with straws, ice and thin slices of orange and lime. I sat back, relaxed and paused.
Service at the Waterside Inn is personal and attentive. Each dish is not only carefully placed, but explained at length. At times it may have felt to me that there were slightly too many waiters hovering around, however this feeling may have been increased because I was eating alone and slightly more aware of their presence. This being said, the ambiance of the restaurant is certainly comfortable, relaxed, friendly- yet slightly formal.

My main course (also a complete surprise) was served on a large glistening plate with a huge silver cloche. Once removed, I was presented with thinly sliced lamb, slightly pink, served on a sweet tasting vegetable puree, surrounded by carefully turned carrots, halved broad beans and mange tout, with a crispy golden rosti, watercress and a thin jus.Everything here was again- absolutely delicious! The lamb was perfect- cut easily with the edge of my fork. The vegetables were just cooked, soft, yet maintaining all their beautifully bright, natural colours and taste. The rosti was a perfect accompaniment, offering something slightly crunchy and crisp, to an otherwise delicate, soft dish.





A young couple in a table near by to me ordered a whole French Duck which was presented on a trolley, then carved and served at their table by two waiters. The young man made me smile, as he exaggerated his reaction to each course. Whenever asked, the food was always, 'Fabulous..magnifacent..marvelous..wonderful!'. I wanted him to declare that it was 'stupendous', or to use a long string of compliments in one full swing, sadly (to my extreme disappointment) he did not.


I chose desert from the Menu Gastronomique and thoroughly enjoyed a dark luxurious Chocolate and Raspberry roulade. Following dessert, I was presented with an impressive array of petit fours including soft peppermint marshmallow, fruit jellies with sugar, toffees, nougats and tartlets filled with patisserie cream and passion fruit. At least 10 sweet delights, sadly far too many for one! I left at least half of them.



Following my meal, I sat reflecting for a minute or two, before leaving the table and sitting outside on the picturesque decking beside the water's edge.

It was really a wonderful ending to a fabulous, magnificent, marvelously stupendous lunch!

So what do you think, Gordon?


What a humbling experience it is to come face-to-face with a Grand Master and find yourself wanting. So it was, when I presented my chosen dish to Gordon Ramsay on Saturday afternoon.It had been a horrendously busy preparation in order to be ready for the audition at Hammersmith and West London College.

I had been working all day at the restaurant in Birmingham on Friday and went shopping quickly for ingredients in my afternoon break. Finally, I was able to get away from the kitchen at about midnight and got home to begin cooking my dessert until about 5AM.This enabled me two hours sleep until I needed to get up again, tidy the kitchen (a little), pack the car and get on the road to Central London.

I arrived at Hammersmith, just after 12:30, in plenty of time for the audition.Gordon had already spent the morning with the other half of the contestants and now had to judge our own group of about 50 entrants. Many of those taking part were Chefs or catering students, but there were also a large number of amateurs. In fact, I don't like to use that word 'amateur'. Rather, they were not emplyed in the industry, they were simply driven by a love or sincere interest in good food. They were no less qualified for entering than anyone else!Gordon made a brief introduction to us before the competition began. He literally ran into the room, briskly striding into the hall, followed by two large television cameras and a man carrying a huge microphone. Wearing an immaculate white chef's jacket, with blue jeans and black trainers and his blonde hair swept accross his forehead, he said, 'Welcome' and then dispensed with any more pleasantries and got straight down to business...


"What I'm looking for..is (like) a needle in a haystack..And I've got to be brutally honest about this becuse we haven't got much time. Who's gonna cut the mustard? I'm not gonna mess around with any of you..It's very hard to say what makes a talented Chef?
Enthusiasm, energy, passion!
We're not going to spend much time together today- minutes, seconds...
I hope that we find that special person- whose got that little bit of 'wow'!
A little magic!
Remember one thing- you're here because you're good! Enjoy it!"

When it came to being judged, each of us lined up to present our dishes to the camera before making a long walk through the college to the audition room. The film crew followed us through the dimly lit corridors as we filed through the building.

In the room, were two rows of small square tables. We were asked to stand behind a designated table, with our dish infront of us and waited for Mr Ramsay and the judges to arrive. One by one, he and a few of his brigade, stopped at each table and inspected the food, whislt Gordon interrogated the contestant. We watched on as he made his feelings very clear...
"I don't believe you made this?" he remarked to one 21 year old Chef, "Swear to me on your mother's life that you made this pate!".
"Gordon, on my mother's life, I swear that I made this pate!".
"No, look into my eyes when you tell me" remarked Gordon.
"Chef, I swear on my mother's life that I made this pate!".
"No you didn't look into my eyes", replies Gordon, as the chef is distracted and glances away.
He moves closer, so that by now their faces are only inches away and the young man raises his voice and with a little desperation, exclaims, 'Chef, on my mother's life, I swear that I really made this pate!!"
"Say it once more, louder!".
And for a final time he shouts, "Chef, on my mother's life, I made this!". Finally, Gordon walks away, adding with a little saracasism in his voice, "Yes, but I still don't believe you!".
By this time, any small amount of confidence I had left, was very quickly dissapearing and I would be last, wouldn't I?

'it was my turn in the furnace..'

Well Gordon approached my table and we briefly shook hands and then it was my turn in the furnace. He suddenly picked up my dish from the table and raised it to his eye level. And then he began, first he took a spoonful, ate a rose petal (or at least took a bite). I plucked up the courage to ask, 'So what do you think, Gordon?'. Well, that was a mistake. For I don't remember him saying one positive remark. His final comment was, 'Basically, you just didn't light my fire!' and with that he just looked at me in silence and I looked back at him. And for what felt like a very long time, the cameras simply rolled on...



My 'Autumn Berry Pavlova' with fresh vanilla double cream, served with strawberry coulis and crystalised rose petals, created for the Cook Off competition of Channel 4's forthcoming series, 'The F Word', co-presented by Gordon Ramsay and Times Food Editor Giles Coren. To be screened from October 27th.