The real deal: Make a soup, a salad, an entree ... for a chef

(Note: The California Culinary Academy requires that students do a 6-week restaurant externship to complete the culinary arts certificate program. I am seeking a placement, from mid May to late June. I won't disclose names of restaurants to which I am applying until my externship is secured.)

Having cooked thousands of meals, I have little problem using what's on hand. Sometimes my meal is memorable; sometimes it's very good; less often, it is just satisfying; rarely has it been bad.

SERIOUS STOVE TOP TIME: My skills will need to be at their peak to cook for the chef at whose restaurant I hope to do my 6-week culinary school externship.

Now, with six months of culinary classes behind me, cooking with what's on hand is almost second nature. Want soup? Get stock and a pot; soup's on soon. Salad? Greens, complementary ingredients and a good vinaigrette I will whip up with ease. Entree? I will grill, roast, saute or braise about any meat, fowl or fish, plus make an appropriate sauce.

In my pursuit of an encore career, I will within the next two weeks cook a meal -- soup, salad and entree with starch, vegetable and sauce -- from what's on hand. It will be one of my more important cooking efforts in quite a while.

This meal I will prepare in a San Francisco restaurant kitchen, serving it to the executive chef. He is considering taking me on for an externship.

"I need to see if you can cook," he said during an interview on Wednesday. "Come in to see if you are comfortable here and to see how we do it. Then come back and cook for me. I want to see if you can season, cook to temperature and present a nice plate."

Daunting, to say the least.

He eased the anxiety a bit when he said: "I advise you to keep it simple." some taking this test try to get fancy, and when it doesn't turn out, they are left making excuses rather than making good food, the chef said.

Best get my knives and skills sharpened. I'm going to need them.

Posted By: Michael Chihak (Email) | April 01 2010 at 06:45 AM

The real deal: Make a soup, a salad, an entree ... for a chef

A great, healthy snack recipe is to spread Neufchatel cheese on a whole wheat tortilla, add sprouts, carrots and bell peppers, and roll up the tortilla with the vegetables inside. Cut the rolled tortilla into pieces for a more appealing presentation with advice from a private chef and caterer in this free video cooking lesson.

Expert: Gabi Moskowitz
Contact: brokeassgourmet.com
Bio: Gabi Moskowitz works as a private chef and caterer, and began writing about cooking in July of 2008.
Filmmaker: Sam Lee

Duration : 0:1:48

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Ofcom upholds complaints against the BBC after a chef on Saturday Kitchen Live was heard to curse before the watershed.

Comedian Jimmy Carr has been cleared of breaching broadcasting regulations after referring to the pope as "king of the paedophiles", but BBC1's Saturday Kitchen Live has been censured after a chef swore when he spoiled an omelette.

Saturday Kitchen Live chef, Tom Kime, said "fucking hell" under his breath when he realised his omelette was sticking to his frying pan in an edition of the BBC1 show broadcast on 5 December last year.

The BBC said the programme's presenting and production team had not heard Kime make the comment until alerted after the show, so had not apologised on air.

Later the BBC confirmed to media regulator Ofcom that Kime would not be returning to the show, and apologised to viewers who had contacted the broadcaster to complain. Ofcom said the broadcast breached rules which prohibit the broadcast of the most offensive language before the watershed.

A total of 25 viewers complained to Ofcom after Carr made the comment on his Channel 4 quiz show Eight Out of 10 Cats on 2 February. However, the regulator cleared the broadcaster of breaching regulations on religious offence.

In a separate incident, six viewers complained to Ofcom about an incident on ITV1's Alan Titchmarsh Show after the daytime programme featured a package on sex toys in the run-up to Valentine's Day on 10 February. the regulator said it had not breached broadcasting rules on sex and nudity.

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Ofcom censures BBC after chef swears on Saturday Kitchen Live

Favorite Chef

This list was compiled by our best Chef Jury. The geographic region is from Cape Neddick, Maine, to Hampton. Don't see your favorite chef listed? use the Write-in box. Vote online at seacoastonline.com/spotlightvote through April 2.

• Benjamin Baily, Hagan's Grill, Hampton

• Ron Boucher, Chez Boucher, Hampton

• Charlie Cicero, Anneke Jans, Kittery, Maine

• Julie Di Tursi, Zampa, Epping

• Phelps Diecks, Green Monkey, Brazo, Portsmouth

• Dan Dumont, Wentworth, new Castle

• Kevin Hahn, Pepperland Cafe, South Berwick, Maine

• Adria Hanley, Radici, Portsmouth

• Ben Hasty, Epoch at the Exeter Inn, Exeter

• Kurt Holzweiss, The Barn, Dover

• Doug Johnson, The Rosa, Portsmouth

• Matt Kline, Rudi's, Portsmouth

• Chris "Koz" Koslowski, Orchard Street Chop Shop, Dover

• Simon Lambert, four, Portsmouth

• Josh Lanahan, Fresh Local Bayside, Newington

• Jethro Loichle, Ristorante Massimo, Portsmouth

• Matt Louis, Wentworth, new Castle

• Garth Lyndes, Sheraton Harborside, Harbor's Edge, Portsmouth

• Karl Mace, Union Grill at the Union Bluff Hotel, York Beach, Maine

• Evan Mallett, Black Trumpet Bistro, Portsmouth

• Rajesh Mandekar, Tulsi, Kittery, Maine

• Scott Massidda, The Dolphin Striker, Portsmouth

• Stephan Mayeux, Cafe Mirabelle, Portsmouth

• Desi Moonsammy, Oar House, Portsmouth

• Christine Prunier, relish, South Berwick, Maine

• Terrence Remick, Blue Mermaid Island Grill, Portsmouth

• John Rieger, The Library Restaurant, Portsmouth

• Gregg Sessler, Cava Tapas and Wine Bar, Portsmouth

• Matthew Sharlot, The Wellington Room, Portsmouth

• Jonathan Shaw, Frankie and Johnny's, Cape Neddick, Maine

• Craig Spinney, Robert's Maine Grill, Kittery, Maine

• Todd Sweet, The Portsmouth Brewery, Portsmouth

• Gerry Walsh, River House, Portsmouth

• James Walter, Pesce Italian Kitchen and Bar, Portsmouth

Meet the Best Chef nominees

These events are still a month away, but I'm telling you now because visiting chefs don't get much bigger than this and these are sure to sell out quickly.

Chef John Ash, one of the nation's top experts on food and wine, is coming to the Akron area for cooking classes and a wine dinner.

Ash will spend April 26 and 27 teaching two sessions at the Western Reserve School of Cooking in Hudson. The first, Menu for Spring, will include curried wild mushroom and tomato chowder with parsley pesto; risotto with asparagus, roasted garlic and lemon; grilled spiced spring lamb chops with butter braised spinach; and flourless walnut cake with first-of-the-season strawberries.

The second, Contemporary Seafood Dishes, will include grilled brined shrimp with tomatillo and avocado salsa; Thai-style tomato soup with mussels; soy roasted salmon with Asian greens; and roasted Achiote sea bass with citrus salsa.

Both classes are from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. and are $90 each, or $170 for both. Call the school at 330-650-1665 to register or visit wrsoc.com.

Ash concludes his visit on April 28 at Piatto Novo in Cuyahoga Falls, where he will be joined by farmer Lee Jones from the Chef's Garden in Huron for an evening of wine and food along with Piatto Novo chef Roger Thomas.

The dinner of celery root and apple salad with smoked salmon; wild mushroom beggar's purses; Alaskan halibut in a spicy coconut broth; grilled beef tagliata with rosemary, capers and lemons; and ginger, fig and cranberry semi-freddo with blackberry sauce is $125. Call Piatto Novo at 330-920-7530 for reservation.

Ash's books will be available for purchase and signing at all events.

Ash served for many years as the culinary director for Fetzer and Bonterra Vineyards. he is on the faculty of the Professional Wine Studies Program at the Culinary Institute of America's Greystone program in California, where he is chairman of a new program for home cooks called the Sophisticated Palate.

He is the author of three books. His latest, John Ash Cooking One-on-One: Private Lessons in Simple, Contemporary Food from a Master Teacher, was published in 2004 and won a 2005 James Beard Award.

In April 2008, Ash was voted Cooking School Teacher of the Year by the International Association of Culinary Professionals.

Nut roll on sale

Just in time for Easter, St. Michael's Byzantine Catholic Church, 847 Crouse St., Akron, will be selling nut, poppyseed and apricot rolls on Friday, from 9 a.m. to noon.

They are $10 each. Advance orders aren't required; simply stop by to purchase.

For information, call Sue Irving, 330-673-9142.

Kudos to UA chef

Chef Mark Kent, operations manager of the Crystal Room, the dining room for the University of Akron's School of Hospitality Management, has a nice new feather in his chef's toque.

He was one of three chefs recently awarded the American Culinary Federation's Cutting Edge Award, given in recognition of leadership and service to the culinary profession.

Muffins for a cause

Main Street Gourmet is holding a No Muffin Left Behind Sale to benefit the Akron-Canton Regional Foodbank from 9 a.m. to noon Saturday.

The event will sell off Main Street's overstock, discontinued and imperfect products, which include cookie dough, muffins, muffin batter, brownie sheets, granola and other bakery products. All are sold for $1.25 a pound.

The sale will be at the food bank, 350 Opportunity Parkway, Akron.

For information, call 330-929-0000, ext. 222, or visit mainstreetgourmet.com.

Lisa a. Abraham can be reached at 330-996-3737 or labraham@thebeaconjournal.com.

Food Notes Chef to visit Hudson, Falls

Cajun Kitchen: Classes with Louisiana native Donnie Bulliard, 6:30 p.m. daily except Monday at Signature Kitchens and Bath's appliance center, 1826 Belgrade Ave., West Ashley. $60 including food, wine. Reserve at thecajunkitchen.tv or 225-2939.

Charleston Cooks!: Demonstration and hands-on classes, 194 East Bay St. Register at 722-1212 or charlestoncooks.com.

Coastal cupboard: Classes at 644-J Long Point Road, Belle Hall Shopping Center. Register at thecoastalcupboard.com. 6:30 p.m. unless otherwise noted.

An Evening with Baked of Charleston, pastry chef Melissa Fritz, Thursday; Indian Cooking and Lowcountry Seafood, chef Lavanya Sabin of Shashi's House, Friday; Gluten-Free Cooking, chef Jason Ulak of Caviar & Bananas, Saturday; Knife Skills, Adam Fischer-Wusth, 1 and 6:30 p.m. March 24; a Family Style Easter with a Southern Twist, chef Jason Murphy of Virginia's on King, March 26; Pie Dough, Pastry Dough, pastry chef-owner Lauren Mitterer of Wild Flour Pastry, March 27.

Culinary Institute of Charleston: Continuing-education classes at Trident Technical College. To register, call 574-6152 or visit tridenttech.edu.

6:30-10 p.m. Wednesdays and Thursdays, March 17-25, Master Mixology. $169.

6:30-9:30 p.m. Tuesday, Japanese Dinner. $59.

6-8 p.m. Thursdays, April 1-22, Entertaining Charleston Style. $99.

6:30-9:30 p.m. April 6, South American Dinner. $59.

6:30-8:30 p.m. Wednesdays, April 7-28, a Votre Sante. $99.

6-10 p.m. Wednesdays, April 7-28, Chocolates, Candies and Confectionaries. $349.

For kids

9 a.m.-noon. April 10, South of the Border. $99.

Janet Gaffney's Art of Cooking: Evening, daytime classes for adults. for kids only after school and Saturday mornings. Private lessons and event parties offered. call 971-7871 or e-mail janetgaffney@comcast.net.

Adult classes

Unless noted, classes are at 6:30 p.m. and are $55, meal included.

Today, Authentic Irish Cuisine.

March 24, Spring Fling.

10 a.m.-1 p.m. March 31, Bunny Bread to take Home.

April 7, Italian featuring risotto.

April 14, Spain's Tapas.

April 21, South American Barbecue.

April 28, 10 a.m.-1 p.m., French Fish Fare.

For kids only

Unless otherwise noted, classes are 9:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. and are $45, lunch or food included.

Saturday, Cajun, the Rhythm of Spices.

March 27, Easter Cakes for the Imaginative.

April 10, South Carolina Grains.

April 17, It's a Fresh New World.

April 24, Fans' Ball Park best.

The Sprout: An Organic Cafe and Juice Bar at 627 Johnnie Dodds Blvd., Mount Pleasant, the Sprout will offer an Organic Soup (vegan) participation class, 11 a.m. March 29, $50 per person or $90 for two; a Raw Cheeze and "Live" Crackers participation class, 11 a.m. March 30, $35 or $68 for two; and a Sprouting 101 demo class, 6 p.m. March 31, $15 or $25 for two. Register: 849-8554 or e-mail pleasantsprout.com.

Entertaining made Easy: European-trained chef Deb Howieson leads a seven-week Mediterranean series for spring. Demonstration classes 6:30-8:30 p.m. Thursdays April 22-June 3, designed for beginners and accomplished cooks. Individual classes are $30 each or $170 for the series. Held at James Island Community School, 1000 Fort Johnson Road. Register: 762-2793.

Send items to food@postandcourier.com. Deadline noon Fridays.

Cooking Classes