Reading, Researching, and Learning

Guess I could say I've been pretty busy!
So, Lately when I have free time outside of work, school, and helping with dance classes. I have been reading and researching anything and everything about the culinary world. I've really taken an interest in the work of Grant Achatz he just opened up a new restaurant called next in Chicago. I love his concepts and cooking methods. He uses a duck press which I think is incredibly awesome. Come to find out that is some old school cooking! It's amazing how much passion and drive he has. I really want to read his book called "Life, on the Line" I was watching a video of a speech he had done after winning an award. He discussed working in the French Laundry and how when he first went there he was amazed at the passion everyone had. In his book it states the chef always explained for the others to look at the big picture. I feel the same when Im working at Overlook all the chefs there have drive and passion for what they do. So do I, but I have some serious learning to do still! I find Chef Grant as an influential person who I can follow there work.

The two books I'm currently reading are; The Proffessional Chef 8th Edition from CIA. and Mastering the Art of French Cooking by Julia Childs. They both are awesome! I find myself reading them both and taking them everywhere I go. I was watching a video of how Chef Grant built dishes. He took his main ingredient and did what they call flavor bouncing. It was neat! So, reading both these books has really opened my eyes. I'm working on creating dishes, well trying. I lack at being able to construct a dish by that I mean make one up on my own. So, I've decided to read about it.

Soon, I hope to start building more on my knife set; Seeing as I only have two knifes. Yet they both are used daily. I am looking into my next knifes as being another chef knife that's not as heavy as my Wusthof and a Granton Edge as well. I'm really enjoying all the learning :)