He said the rough bottom edge works just as good as a whetstone when you are in a rush, has anyone else tried that trick with their own knives?
Started a gig at a busy spot downtown last month. First thing I saw was a dozen squeeze bottles in the walk-in, all labeled but half empty and crusty. The chef before me used to mix random leftover sauces into new batches to "save money." Took me a whole afternoon to dump and sanitize everything. Any of you deal with a kitchen that just won't throw anything away?
I had a leftover ribeye from a catering gig last Friday and wanted to try something different. Usually I rest mine in a pat of butter on a warm plate, but I had some homemade bone broth left over from prep. I dunked the steak in the broth for about 5 minutes before slicing. The crust got a little soggy, which I was not expecting, but the inside stayed super juicy and had this deep savory flavor that butter never gives. The broth seeped into the meat a bit and made it taste like a slow braise even though it was grilled. Not sure I'd do it for a fancy plating, but for family meal or a quick bite it was solid. Has anyone else messed around with different resting liquids for steaks or other proteins?
I used to always blanch then shock like they taught in culinary school. Then I worked a stage at a spot in Portland where the chef just threw raw beans straight into a smoking hot cast iron pan with butter. Came out way crisper and greener than my soggy shocked ones ever did. Now I only shock stuff like spinach or peas that really need it. Anybody else ditch the ice bath for certain veggies?
Finally saw a guy at the New Fulton Fish Market break down a striped bass in 90 seconds flat and realized I'd been mangling the collar and leaving way too much meat on the frame the whole time, has anyone else had a 'wait that's how you do it' moment watching a pro?
Last month during a prep shift at the diner, I kept losing grip on my cutting board because it was soaked from washing lettuce. I grabbed a damp paper towel, folded it flat, and slid it under the board. The board stayed put through 3 hours of chopping tomatoes and onions without sliding once. Has anyone else used this trick or do you have a better fix for wet countertops?
I was at a cramped sports bar near the Strip District last spring and watched a guy on the flat top handle a 50-ticket rush without breaking a sweat, flipping burgers and talking trash to the server at the same time. Anybody else ever pick up a trick from watching someone in a totally different kitchen environment?
I spent 5 years using dried basil in my marinara because it sat in the cabinet and I was lazy. Last Tuesday I grabbed a bunch of fresh basil from the farmers market for 2 bucks and threw it in at the end. The difference was like night and day, my wife actually asked what I did different. Has anyone else had a moment where switching to fresh totally changed your mind on a recipe?
I always added cold stock to a hot pan and wondered why my sauce was always gritty until this kid at a brunch shift last Sunday showed me to let the pan cool for 30 seconds first. Has anyone else been doing it the hard way this whole time?
I was stuck with a pan full of burnt bits after searing duck breasts last service, and my stock was already prepped for something else. Someone told me to try adding a splash of pickle juice instead of wine, and it worked BETTER for pulling up those browned bits without overpowering the sauce. Has anyone else used unconventional liquids like this for deglazing?
I was a total skeptic about making fresh pasta from scratch, thought dried box stuff was fine. But after a chef buddy made me taste a bowl last Tuesday, I get it now. Anyone else change their mind on something in the kitchen after trying it firsthand?
Honestly, I always thought longer brining was overkill. But after I left a batch in salt water for 12 hours last Sunday, the texture was way juicier and the seasoning actually got all the way through. Has anyone else experimented with brining times for dark meat vs white?
I fell for all the hype from those food blogs about how sous vide changes everything. Bought a Joule for $150 last spring. Used it for a steak and some chicken breasts. Then it just sat in the drawer. The steak was fine but not worth the setup time and bag waste. Anyone else have kitchen gadgets that looked good online but flopped in real life?
I used to think mis en place was just about being super fast, like a race to chop everything before service. But this old chef I worked with at a diner in Portland told me I was missing the whole point. He showed me how it's really about reducing mental load during the rush, not just looking busy. After 3 shifts watching him prep calmly and still crush the dinner rush, I completely flipped my view. Has anyone else had a mentor totally reframe a basic kitchen skill for them?
I had a set of Wusthof knives I babied but they kept getting dull fast. Last week a line cook at the place I work grabbed my knife and said my edge was rolled from using a honing rod wrong. He showed me I was going at too shallow an angle and dragging the edge sideways instead of straight. I had to watch him do it three times before I got it right. Has anyone else had that moment where you realized some basic skill was just totally off?
I used a pull-through sharpener for like 4 years and thought my knives were fine. Then about 2 months ago I grabbed a King combo stone from a shop in Portland for 35 bucks. The first few times I tried it I thought I messed up, but once I got the angle right it's night and day different. Has anyone else noticed how much better food prep feels when the blade actually bites into tomatoes instead of squishing them?
We were slammed from 6 to 10 PM with a full reservation book at Le Petit on Main Street. For once, every ticket came out clean, no fires, and the line cooks nailed their temps on all 42 covers. Even the sous chef gave me a nod, which almost never happens. Anyone else have a shift that just clicks like that out of nowhere?
He swore by it from working at a steakhouse in Chicago but after I started talking to other cooks online they said I was basically stripping the seasoning every time with dish soap, so who's right here, the old school guy or the new school crowd?
I used to temp every pan sauce at my station in Portland, but last month I started going purely by look and feel after a 15-year line cook told me to try it. Ngl, I stopped overcooking my beurre blanc and the consistency is way better now that I just watch for the bubbles to change size and the liquid to coat a spoon. Has anyone else ditched thermometers for pan sauces or am I the only one who thinks this actually works better?
Last Wednesday during service, a line cook knocked over a cambro of chicken stock and it flooded under the reach-in. Took us 20 minutes to mop it up with the one towel we had, and I realized I should stash a stack of bar mops near the cooler door. Has anyone else had a close call like that mess up their flow?
I used to fight with a standard griddle that had hot and cold spots, always burning one side of the hashbrowns while the other side stayed raw. Then I dropped $180 on a Lodge cast iron flat top that sits right over two burners on my line. After seasoning it for a weekend and running it through a dozen shifts, the heat retention is INSANE. I can now fire a full order of eggs, bacon, and pancakes in under 4 minutes without adjusting anything. Has anyone else seen a big jump in speed after switching to cast iron?
She said I was losing a third of my water volume before the pasta even hit the pot, which meant my salt concentration was way off, and after measuring it once I realized she was right - how do you adjust your salting when you know your water's boiling down that much?
I kept a jar on the back of the stove and used it for everything, eggs, potatoes, even some stir fry. After 2 weeks everything started tasting like burnt rubber, even the fresh veggies I threw in. Anybody else run into that wall where you push a good thing too far?
I dropped my chef knife collection at a shop in Portland that claimed 'professional Japanese waterstone sharpening' but they came back with rolled edges and uneven bevels. My cheap King stone at home gives me way better results. Has anyone else had a pro sharpening job that actually ruined your blades?
She watched me for 30 seconds and pointed out I was curling my fingers inward instead of using the claw grip. I fought it for a week, felt slow and stupid, but after two months of forcing the claw, my speed actually went up by like 40%. Anyone else have a simple correction that took forever to stick?