…a new restaurant owner’s guide to mania….

As one used to navigating the perversity of the fates it came as little suprise to me when my restaurant opening was delayed for a couple weeks by forces beyond my control. But as we, we happy few, we band of buggers all know even a little suprise can rock the foundation of a bootstrap startup.

Tonight it was all about the dessert.  Having worked on it for a day in advance I wanted to make a real nice Panna Cotta and top it with a honey strawberry jam.  So come with me through the assembly of the Panna Cotta.

First the 2 cups of cream are heated and infused with half a vanilla bean, split and scraped, 1/3 cup of cane sugar and a couple teasp... Read More

I have been cooking quite a few of the Rachael Ray Recipes.  My daughter and son are away at college so the wife and I try out things that might work for them down at college.  While many a chef are not members of the Rachael Ray fan club.  I am, I am in favor of anything that gets this new generation cooking and paying attention to a balanced diet.&nbs... Read More

Tonight’s dinner was designed to use up a piece of leftover halibut from earlier in the week.  Sometimes the fishing boat guys in Alaska package a little heavier than I expect.  So a pound of halibut was thawed out for just the wife and I.  Little bit to much!  So I decided to do fish tacos, so this is my version of Baja Fish Tacos with Cilan... Read More

I wanted to discuss the importance of your own quality standards for food.  The quality of the food you serve is very very important in the commercial cooking world.  It is "Who You Are" and what market you are going to serve.  One of the things I have concentrated on for years with the catering business is the development of specific items th... Read More

Perhaps the most miss understood preparation of eggs is the Basted Egg.  Requesting basted eggs is a little like being a tea drinker in the USA.  If you are a tea drinker and request tea either with breakfast or after dinner, you know what I mean.  The system is not designed to handle such requests.  If you go with the system you could have 6 cups ... Read More

So, well wishers, haters, sceptics and walkers of the long thin culinary mile… here I am at The Hot Gates.

Some of you know me well from 4+ years of posting and hate me, or feel fond of me, or feel embarrassed to be listed in the same species as me… and some of you are new to this site and wonder why in the name of unmitigated dicketry I would ever,... Read More

Well we started our new a la carte menu this evening, It was the quietest night of the week so we tested our cooking and serving technics. Ive had a torrid time over the last 4 weeks or so with initially writing, costing training and cooking off the menu. Im so happy its finally up and running and im actually cooking my own food and not an inherited menu. We had some ... Read More

When pork tenderloin goes on sale.  I usually pick up a couple packages.  I have found it is one of the items I can prepare on the grill and then freeze individually for later use.  They come back up to temperature nicely without drying out.  I pulled one a few days back for the wife and I to enjoy.  However since we are now cognizant of porti... Read More

Its been four weeks now since i finally got my job, alls going fine and im really enjoying myself. I have cooked off all of my new a la carte menu which was received very well. I had the odd problem with my existing staff, which i think ive sorted. My sous chef had applied for the position of head chef and was declined so there is a certain amount of animosity there i... Read More