The perfect pizza

Personal preference aside, the perfect pizza is all about the balance of ingredients. I'm not a fan of gobs of toppings, this Margherita is a great example of Pizza Perfection.

Menu In the Making

When I was the chef of Lindbergh's Crossing (in Portsmouth, NH) in the 90's, I had no idea what lay ahead. Our menu changes consisted of some intense brainstorming sessions (usually accompanied by wine) and then a day or two of prep to get ready. Boy was I spoiled. My first menu change with Bertucci's shares only one thing in common - the brainstorming. Not to bore you with details but here's a few bullet points of what trainspired over the last 6 months to get to where we are today:

• Step One: Strategy presentation to the executive team


• Step Two: Presentation of tactical steps to meet the strategy


• Steps Three - Six: Tastings with the executive team on each section of the menu, sharing recipe concepts


• Step Seven: Online surveys and focus groups of menu item concepts


• Step Eight: Recipe Development (including sourcing, operational concerns, etc.)


• Step Nine - Eleven: Begin Implementation process - now we get to the fun stuff when we add in the finance, marketing, training and regulatory departments.


• Step Twelve: Take a deep breath


• Step Thirteen: Produce media content: menu pictures, digital video, ad campaign materials, etc.


• See the picture above - that's me getting ready to film a session of on line media.


• Step Fourteen: The launch - starts this March with some kick-off events, restaurant level training and a media push.

Amazing process: we've developed 29 new recipes a whole new menu layout and a new and evolved culinary voice for the brand.

Funny thing is, we will be starting the process all over again in a month as we begin working on the Summer and Fall recipes.

Stay tuned for more pictures and details of the launch.

Cheers,

Jeff

The Perfect Meal...The Sandwich!

Don't underestimate this seemingly simple and "common" meal. This is a cautionary tale however; not an endorsement for your local sandwich shop. Keep it simple, respect the ingredients and learn the balance. Don't over do it with funky fillings!

If you start with great bread then the carrier can become the focal point - Good olive oil or butter to griddle the bread to golden and toasty. If this is the case then stick to the 4 ingredient rule: a spread, a crunchy element (think pickles), something creamy and something meaty. The picture here is a classic pairing: smoked pork, goats milk brie, pickles and grainy mustard - the Bread is a Tuscan Boule griddle with olive oil. Don't be afraid to use salt and pepper - sandwiches are not exempt. And when ever possible, a balance of hot and cold temperatures add to the overall experience.

The next time you build a sandwich...take your time, respect the ingredients and build with intention.
Enjoy!

Cinnamon Roll Exploration

OMG...gooey, delicious and the perfect way to start a Sunday morning.
My favorite version so far is a brioche based dough, sugar glaze and lots of butter and cinnamon.

Candy Land...

Hard Candy...only 4 ingredients, a little danger and lots of fun. Today's experiment; orange...

At home in the kitchen

Something happened a few months ago in my house that has both present and future significance. My daughter has taken a genuine interest in cooking...well that's not entirely accurate. Her interest is more specifically in baking. For anyone that knows my daughter, its common knowledge that she's a picky eater. Lot's of kids are; but for a chef and foodie, its a bit of a bummer. The good news is she loves almost everything in the pastry world...breads, pastries, candies, etc. The reason this is good news has nothing to do with nutrition of course but instead for learning the art and craft of cooking. Over the last few weeks we have tackled a handful of recipes: cakes, breads, donuts, meringues, and even stepped into the savory kitchen to make gnocchi. That's what this entry is about. Great friends of ours were coming to stay for the weekend and a request was made for gnocchi with mushrooms, peas and truffle. The light bulb went off in my head...its just like making any other dough, my daughter will dig this....

Granted she never tasted the final creation but hey, that's not really the point.
I mentioned this has significance...here's why. As my daughter learns the skills of frosting cakes, rolling out doughs and much more, she is opening her eyes to possible career paths. It's a creative outlet and skill that really can pay the bills and after almost 25 years in kitchens, I can tell you that you never go hungry and you'll always have friends.

Tomorrow we are making hard candy and you can bet she'll be trying that....

2011 - a new era

2011 is a year of change! After nearly 5 years as the Corporate Chef for Legal Sea Foods, I have ventured off to see another side of the industry. My current role as Chef, Product Development and Commercialization is about as far from what I pictured for my career as I could get. As a budding chef and restaurateur in the late 90's, my image of career growth was centered around the growing accolades for culinary execution in small, alluring and popular restaurants. So now I am a chef for an International Food Manufacturer based in Buffalo, NY. We produce over 2000 products in over 50 manufacturing facilities across the globe...incredible.

So with the change in jobs, I am re-committing to regular posts to this blog. My goal now is to include the audience (of whatever size) in the behind the scenes journey of development for a global manufacturer. Hopefully we will explore the world of food together and see what it takes to take a concept to market on a massive scale.

Next Stop - Buffalo, New York...