I can’t remember if it was here or Facebook where I kept seeing either hella rare or overcooked duck breast, so I decided to post what it should look like.

Lobster prepared with a classic 7 minute blanch, then heated up in a garlic butter.

For the sauce I used a base of sautéed shallot, garlic and a vanilla pod. I then flambed some sake, burning the alcohol and to that added equal parts dashi and fish stock.

Reduced the liquid by 80% roughly, adding heavy cream and bringing it to a boil. I then roasted the lobster shells and infused them into the sauce for 20 minutes.

To plate I made a miso and yuzu ponzu glaze and gave it body with quite a bit of soy sauce.

The garnish is a few sprigs of dill, some drops of mint oil and a radish veil.. voila

Took everything out of mine to clean my bag. Did not realize it was this packed. 😅

I used goya canola oil

Hey everyone,

I'm a 30-year-old guy currently living in the Netherlands. About a year and a half ago, I made a major career switch from being a supply chain planner to becoming a cook. I hold a Level 2 basic chef's diploma and am currently working on my Level 4 (highest vocational level here) degree.

Right now, I work in a busy grand café, which is best described as a high-volume bistro-style restaurant. I started out on garde manger, moved up to expo/the pass, but my clear ambition is to move to the hot line (rôtisseur / mains).

I have expressed this ambition to my Head Chef multiple times. Every single time, his response is: "We will get you on there when the new menu launches."

Well, last week I finally got to run the hot line for one shift. It went well, and we explicitly agreed that I would take over the hot line every Monday to get my hours and experience in. Fast forward to this week, and it already didn't happen. I'm back to square one.

Honestly, I’m getting tired of waiting. I know I have the skills, I take full ownership of my work, and I am actively studying to push my career forward. I don't want to waste months waiting for promises that aren't kept.

What do you guys think? Am I being too impatient, or is it time to look for a kitchen that will actually give me the station time to grow?

Appreciate any advice or tough love you chefs can give me.

I have been working in a new city for 5 years now at various high end places. A friend who works as a freelance chef approached me about a popup, and we have a space scheduled next month (free!). We are asking $50 for a three course meal dinner party, and the theme is Italian.

People would show up and be encouraged to mingle and order wine, but you can bring your own wine. Ideally people will mingle 30-45 mins or so.

I haven’t done too much off-site work, but I’m confident.

An Italian theme is out of my comfort zone. But here’s what I came up with.

Hors d’ouerves: meatballs with finely sliced parm flakes
First course: autumnal composed salad (ricotta, pumpkin puree, walnuts, anchovies, charred lettuce cooked in chicken jus, seared pearl onions)
Second course: choice of tomato sauce (battered fried chicken and parm with fresh basil) or pesto (chicken or vegetarians get dry-seared mushroom, garlic, fresh basil and parm)
Third course: Tiramisu

Edit: want to clarify that I have worked with many male chefs who respect and value me but despite this the industry overall does not reflect this

been a chef for ten years now. I've been a head chef, run my own business and worked incredibly hard to get where I am, yet I still find myself being spoken to like a little girl who doesn't know what she's doing.

What's frustrating is that I don't even think a lot of men realise they're doing it. It's this unconscious sexism, the automatic assumption that you know less, that you're less capable, and the genuine surprise when you demonstrate otherwise. I feel like I have to work twenty times harder just to be taken as seriously as the men around me.

I think I'm noticing it more as I get older and gain more experience, and honestly, I'm tired of it.

But I don't really want this to just be a rant. I genuinely love being a chef and I'd like to make some sort of difference, however small. Are there any groups, initiatives or movements trying to change things in professional kitchens? Or other women who feel the same and would like to do something about it?

I'm sure I'll get some negative responses to this, but I don't particularly care. If even a few women who understand what I'm talking about see it, then that's enough for me.

Please help, I’m pretty desperate for a job and I could really use this one. But I have zero experience so I have no idea how to interview for a job in a restaurant.

Any advice would be appreciated.

Thinking about taking a prep cook job at a steakhouse. For anyone who has worked in a fancyish steakhouse - do you get steak on shift meal? Cheaper cuts, maybe? Or is all the meat off the menu? And how much of it, I’m assuming a portion they’d serve for a dish. Thanks!

Just started hot side kinda confused on the internal temp of the steaks?

Rare - ?
Medium rare - ?
Medium - ?
Medium plus - ?
Well done - ?

Chefs!

This is a long one to give some context.

I need assistance!

I'm currently on the hunt for a suitable position. I recently moved to a city but I'm staying in a hotel while I find a place to work and live. Of course I can't really have one without the other. All of my things are in a storage unit and my hotel room only has a tiny fridge and microwave.

Previous tastings I would set up my kitchen, bust out the food bible and any other cookbooks and go to town on research and pairings. Do a trial run on at least a few of the items I plan on making to make sure I nail it. I don't really have that luxury right now and I'm stressing just putting things on paper and imagining how it will taste and flow.

The restaurant is a fine Italian spot. No Michelin star but is still recognized in the Michelin guide in the area. The food doesn't have to be 100% authentic Italian but should be recognized as Italian. I don't need Nonna's secret Bolognese recipe or something. ha Also doesn't have to be specifically Northern or Southern regions.

I was asked to do three courses. App/Starter, Pasta Dish, "Main". Two plates each.

This is what I have so far. Let me know if this sounds like a good use of ingredients/knowledge and possibly what I could do for added garnish. I'm just giving broad strokes with descriptions.

Starter:

Branzino Crudo, Fresh and lightly pickled grapes (concord? red seedless?), Fresno, Basil oil, Simple Orange dressing as base. Garnish?

Pasta:

Short rib Tortellini, Seared Porcini and Miatake, Braising liquid, shallot, cream, creme Fraiche, black pepper, Garnish?

Main:

Chicken Scarpariello(yes I know it's Italian/American), Braised boneless/skin on chicken thighs, hot Italian sausage, red/yellow bell peppers, Onion, garlic, sweet and hot pickled cherry bomb peppers, Castelvetrano olives, sage, Chicken stock, White Wine, Garnish?

What do ya'll think?

Feedback is greatly appreciated.

Thank you!

For context I am from South Africa 👩🏽‍🍳 and competed against home cooks.

For reference- A bunnychow is South African and traditionally consists of a hollowed-out loaf of white bread filled with curry, commonly mutton, chicken, beans or other varieties.

I feel cooking competitions are about more than just the food. They test your ability to think on your feet, adapt, problem solve and make the most of the ingredients available to you.

I was challenged to create a dish using a selection of ingredients and spices, without the dairy or coconut milk one might ordinarily reach for when developing a rich, creamy curry. I chose to make a butter chicken and naan dish, using potato to add body to my gravy and introduce my own creative twist.

Was potato a traditional ingredient in butter chicken? No. But the challenge called for creativity, and sometimes creativity means stepping outside a traditional recipe while still respecting the identity and flavour profile of a dish.

Interestingly, the judges themselves remarked that they thought I had added butter or cashew because the dish tasted like actual butter chicken. That was a compliment I appreciated, especially considering the limitations I was working with. They did not provide dairy, or nuts. One judge told me to use butternut in my dish which I did not agree with based on the flavors I was working with.

However, one piece of feedback left me thinking. I was told that adding potato to my curry and serving it with bread or rice amounted to “starch on starch”.

This raises a genuine culinary question for me. If potato is considered an issue when used in a chicken dish served with bread or rice or naan, would the same principle not apply to a mutton curry containing potato and served in a bunnychow or with rice or naan? I was the only competitor preparing chicken, while the other competitors made mutton bunnies, so the dishes were different. Nevertheless, I believe culinary standards and criticism should be applied consistently, with consideration given to the dish itself, its execution and the brief.

I understand that potato is not traditionally found in authentic butter chicken. I also understand that a chef may have a different approach to building body in a sauce. But there is a difference between offering an alternative technique and presenting a culinary preference as an absolute rule.

Another thing I took away from the experience was being told that studying at a specific culinary institution which has a reputation these days, meant I wasn't really a chef and wouldn't have the necessary knowledge. I am proud of where I studied, the experience I have gained and the work I continue to put into my craft. I have worked in international kitchens tpp which I am proud of.

There is always more to learn. I welcome constructive criticism, different perspectives and opportunities to improve. But qualifications alone do not define a chef, and neither should one person's opinion.

I walked away with third place, and while I know there is always room to grow, I am proud that I stepped up, adapted to the challenge and put my skills to the test.

Creativity does not mean abandoning technique. Equally, technique should not become a reason to dismiss creativity. The best culinary conversations allow room for knowledge, reasoning, respectful disagreement and learning.

I will continue to learn, create, question and grow. My journey as a chef is far from over, and one competition will never define it.

Onwards and upwards. 👩🏽‍🍳✨

First day at an Italian place in Belltown Seattle tomorrow coming from working in Texas/Mississippi in kitchens that all had equipment you could grab/ wash and put back on magnet bar in the kitchen. How does this look for a knife bag/ tools that would be used on the line. What should I add/remove and any tips/ recommendations? Thanks in advance

Hello fellow chefs! Need help on this bread issue.

Im about to do a popup and thought it would be fun to make some custom button down approns, with a logo on the back and some names stitched on the chest. I am not seeing any good shops online.

Hey- Busy restaurant, strikingly limited refrigeration (small walk in and a reach in). We usually have about 8 different fresh herbs that are usually purchased by the pound or half pound (thats around 225g-450g for those of you in the civilized world of measurement). Something that works for a reach in speed rack? A good quality box of drawers? I need more space to do more dope shit...

Hi everyone,
I’m currently working as a cook in an Arabic restaurant in Dubai, and I also have previous experience working in restaurants back in my home country.

Cooking is something I genuinely enjoy, and part of me still dreams of becoming a chef someday. I’ve already invested time, energy, and effort into this career, and I know I still have a lot to learn and room to grow.
But lately, I’ve been questioning whether this is really the path I want to follow for the rest of my life.

The reality of working in a kitchen is that it can be physically exhausting, mentally draining, and demanding. Sometimes, I feel like so much of my time and energy goes into work that there’s barely anything left for myself. I want to have more time for my family, explore other hobbies, learn new skills, and experience life outside the kitchen.

At the same time, I’m afraid of making the wrong decision. What if I leave cooking and regret it later? What if I stay and eventually burn out? I don’t want to give up on something I’m passionate about, but I also don’t want to spend my entire life working without having enough time and energy to enjoy it.

I’ve started thinking about exploring other industries and developing new skills that might give me better opportunities, a healthier work-life balance, and more freedom in the future. However, changing careers isn’t easy, especially when you’ve already spent years building experience in one field.

Right now, I feel stuck between pursuing my dream of becoming a chef and choosing a different path that might give me a better quality of life.

Bluefin tuna seared in korean spices, watermelon ponzu, bruleed oranges, topped with crispy chili oil, wasbi oil, and micro cilantro.

In dessert and pastry section during service, it’s a pain to handle golden sheets to put on desserts cus it clings everywhere or the whole sheet comes with it.