Cooking Session with a Real Life ‘Topchef’
A few days ago i went to visit my friend Olivier who agreed to do a little cooking session for us. Olivier has worked for some of the finest French chefs out there like Alain Ducasse and Michel Guerard to name a few. More recently he was executive sous-chef for Daniel Boulud at his flagship restaurant in New York before getting a job as a private chef. Olivier is also thinking about starting his own blog. Do you think it’s a good idea? Tell him what you think in the comments.
This is a little sneak peak at what’s going on in the kitchen of the rich and famous. That’s what you would call a ’simple’ weeknight dinner at home if you had a few billion dollars in the bank. I’m really looking forward to have Olivier make old school French dishes like Becasses en Sarcophage for us when winter comes, you’re probably familiar with that one if you’ve seen Babette’s Feast but it takes a true expert to make it right.
The menu after the jump…
Salade de Langouste d’Australie
Légumes de la Méditerranée
~~~
Côte de Veau Roti
Légumes Vert des Paysans de New York
Sauce d’une Laitue
~~~
Coupe de Cerises Frappé, cuite et granitée. Créme Fouettée Kirschée
The first course is a Salad of New-Zealand Spiny Lobster with fresh raw vegetables like radish, baby fennel, baby artichoke, baby cucumber, red onion, green pepper, candy beet as well as fresh chickpeas, purslane and tomato confit. The vegetables are thinly sliced on a Japanese mandoline. Fingers aren’t listed as ingredients so watch out.
The Spiny Lobsters legs have been cooked. The meat has a mother-of-pearl shine to it. The taste is sweet. They go first on the plate with part of it sliced. Then the vegetables, purslane and tomato confit are artfully arranged around it until you get an harmonious ‘painting’. Who said (good) chefs weren’t artists?
This guy is pretty pissed or maybe just jet lagged from his long trip from Australia. Olivier explained to me that spiny lobsters are shipped in airplanes inside big thick air balloons with a little water to avoid any stress. Stressed Lobster = Nothing to eat for you. They have a layover in Los Angeles where they take a big bath in salted water and relax overnight. Then to New York the same way. That’s like first class for lobster and he still looks pissed. I don’t get it! Anyway, i’ve never seen a spiny lobster with a head the size of my head before. Impressive, isn’t it?
An emulsion sauce made from greek yogurt, cucumber, mint, green pepper, olive oil and salt and pepper is made and drizzled at the last moment with an extra touch of olive oil. A hot dried chili pepper powder is then sprinkled over the top. I feel almost guilty.. i ate the whole salad. Myself. [gulp]
The flavors are bright and pure with a touch of heat combined with the briny and sweet taste from the spiny lobster. The creamy dressing with the slight tanginess from the greek yogurt and the floral notes of fresh purslane brings it all together. Nice balance and textural contrast. Fantastic to look at.
Olivier, i promise i won’t make fun of your receding hairline anymore!
Next course is a Roasted Veal chop with a Veal Jus, a Lettuce-Brown Butter Sauce and Local Farmers Vegetables. Look at those beautiful copper pans. Too bad they’re a bitch to maintain but i love them anyway.
The veal chop is tied and roasted with garlic and thyme. The ratte potatoes are cooked separately with aromatics then cooled in the liquid so they absorb all the flavors. Then they are peeled and added to the roasting pan along with cippoline onions and garlic confit. The veal chop is glazed with foamy butter at the end.
It’s been a long ride to get here. Let the veal chop rest for a while. Shhhh..
The veal chop is then sliced against the grain and sprinkled with sea salt and freshly ground pepper. Once again, fingers aren’t part of this preparation so try to keep them attached to your hand.
The rest of the garnish goes in… snow peas, sugar snap peas, fresh peas, asparagus, cippoline onions, ratte potatoes, girolle tête de clou (literally translates to ‘nail-head chanterelle/girolle’) and heart of romaine with creme fraiche and cracked pepper. The veal jus is drizzled over and around the plate.
Now for the secret sauce, a whole head of lettuce is blanched and cooled rapidly. The excess water is squeezed out and the cooked lettuce is then blended with brown butter. It’s then strained and seasoned with salt and pepper. At the last moment before serving cream is whipped and incorporated into the lettuce-brown butter sauce along with some veal jus. Incredibly good.
The sauce is drizzled around the plate and served immediately. I feel almost guilty… again. I ate the whole thing. [re-gulp] Where do i start? The veal was cooked to perfection. Pure tenderness. This whole dish in fact was harmony. The combination of veal jus, lettuce-brown butter sauce and cream created something so luscious that it’s hard to describe, but it hits all the right notes. The vegetable bounty was spot-on and the perfect accompaniment for the tender veal. When you’re done eating you’re just happy. And that’s what it’s all about.
Olivier, once again, i promise i won’t make fun of your receding hairline anymore. This was fantastic.
The dessert course was a combination of cherries, some cooked and some granité, with a Kirsch-flavored whipped cream. The cooked cherries were cooled into their own syrup. Doesn’t it look good?
The cherries go first at the bottom of a martini glass. The cherry granité goes on top with a spoonful of kirsch whipped cream. Make a run for your camera now. Can’t waste a second.
The verdict is… delicious! Once again, it doesn’t get much better than this. One of the best way to enjoy cherries as far as i’m concerned. The combination of soft, icy, chewy, creamy is perfect. It doesn’t take long to get to the bottom of the glass. Yup that one too! I didn’t share with anyone. [re-re-gulp]
Have the chef write the recipes for you. Make a few wise-ass comments about his receding hairline. Forget the recipes on the kitchen counter. Shake hands. Go home feeling like a billionaire. Receive a phone call later telling you what an asshole you are (the recipes!) - to which you answer: YES CHEF!
Merci Olivier.
Tags: Famous chef
July 12th, 2009 at 11:12 pm
That lobster looks out of this world!
July 12th, 2009 at 11:51 pm
I would love to see a sitcom about your cooking adventures someday. Beautiful photos and story-telling.
July 13th, 2009 at 12:19 am
Olivier devrait vraiment commencer un blog!
Super menu, belle combinaison pour le déssert, mmm et le roti de veau: a beauty!
July 13th, 2009 at 1:08 am
Still trying to get over the kitchens & cuisine of the rich & famous. WOW…I love the art of bringing all this together. Each sauce is a winner & the dessert is indulgent. This is real top stuff!!
July 13th, 2009 at 2:20 am
Please please please do a blog, It would be amazing with recipes like these.I am stunned by these sauces, and the presentation. Absolutely inspirational.Best of all,Olivier,in the blogosphere nobody can hear your hairline recede.
July 13th, 2009 at 7:15 am
Yes he should have a blog, but I will continue stopping by yours even with the receding hairline jokes!
July 13th, 2009 at 7:53 am
That food was all so fresh-looking and mouth-watering. It’s easy to see how you ate every bit. He must do a blog. But did you push too far with your receding hairline comments?
July 13th, 2009 at 8:45 am
My dream is to have a private chef! I kind of have one (the husband) but I don’t get three course meals that look like this one. I guess food miles aren’t really an issue when you’re rich…
July 13th, 2009 at 9:03 am
Monsieur Fancy Pants, if you would’ve joined us yesterday, I served the same menu on the patio!
July 13th, 2009 at 10:53 am
wow. very beautiful. i can’t get over how beautifully green that lettuce brown butter sauce is. that’s why we blanched the lettuce in our lettuce soup b/c it really retains the lettuce’s green color.
i’d say to your friend to go ahead and blog. we need more creative cooks who aren’t afraid to take risks in this ever-grown food blog community. i’m ALL for it! and if he can be a wise-ass…even BETTER.
July 13th, 2009 at 1:03 pm
Magnificent. 3 stars Michelin and 2 thumbs way up.
Yes, I think Chef Olivier should totally start a food blog. I wanted to see more of his beautiful food and recipes!
July 13th, 2009 at 1:13 pm
Everything looks delish!!!
Mr. Olivier, should not only have his own blog (which with no doubt, i’ll be a follower) but his own restaurant!!!
All the best…
cheers
July 13th, 2009 at 2:00 pm
Incredible. Such amazing looking food - clean, crisp, bright. Very modern and thoughtful.
Fantastic photos too mate, really great light quality to them.
July 13th, 2009 at 3:29 pm
Don’t know much about food so I’ll say what my grandmother told me; eating begins with the eyes, this blog has done that. Having the recipe posted would have been nice. The pics are professional quality, imho. Action video would probably be a nice addition.
July 13th, 2009 at 3:42 pm
Bravo Chef Olivier!!!
Everything looks so great, i’m in mood for Veal now…it reminds me what you use to make me taste.
The pics are beautiful too, which photographer did you use?
Best,
P.
July 13th, 2009 at 3:59 pm
beautiful. wait, i didn’t think spiny lobster had leg meat?–thought it was all in the tail.
July 13th, 2009 at 4:03 pm
Superb! Great photo, humor of the writer, enjoyable to read and look! That blog idea of yours is genius, to highlight your talent! Keep going! Impatient to see the next session! Hey, forget about the receding hairline and focus on your this project. You made me “hungry” for more…..success to you on the worldwide web! ;o))
July 13th, 2009 at 4:04 pm
Man, that spiny lobster looks mean, but i’d take him on (or even 10 of them) to have a taste of that salad.
July 13th, 2009 at 4:11 pm
Yes, Olivier start a blog!! We promise we won’t compare you to our beloved Zen Chef…we won’t compare recipes, wit or hairlines. Promise! The meal looked stellar.
July 13th, 2009 at 5:40 pm
What an irresistible menu!
We need your blog Olivier!!
Splendidly prepared and combined. Great work!
July 13th, 2009 at 6:27 pm
Just one question. Is Oliver… single? Just wondering, ahahahah…
July 13th, 2009 at 6:30 pm
Finaly a real chef in NYC, better hope for some of them he stay aout of the market, can wait he open is own place
July 13th, 2009 at 6:31 pm
this is what i calling coocking, this should be show is the school.
July 13th, 2009 at 8:24 pm
Wow!!! Everything looks absolutely amazing!!! Where can I sign up?
July 13th, 2009 at 8:46 pm
Just had dinner and still could devour everything in those pics!! Chef Olivier, start your own blog and show us how the rich and famous dine!!!
July 13th, 2009 at 9:28 pm
WOW! elegant dishes!
July 13th, 2009 at 9:37 pm
Superb! And very meticulous food.
July 13th, 2009 at 10:23 pm
You’d be pissed too if you were sitting on a towel ready for dissection! That first photo especially is like a beautiful flower arrangement. Great food, commentary & pics.
July 13th, 2009 at 11:07 pm
wow…great job on the photog and GREAT color saturation!!
What’s with all these “fingers” in the food references? Some dude told me that if the knives were sharp enough, sliced fingers weren’t an issue!! He was telling me stories, wasn’t he??
So, is it fair to say that if you became a bajillionaire you’d hire Chef Olivier as YOUR personal chef? (Voting yes to blog, by the way)
July 13th, 2009 at 11:16 pm
Olivier, please start a blog. And you have a good guide in Stephane.
July 14th, 2009 at 9:08 am
Olivier mon petit chat, Stéphane est jaloux, c’est pour ça qu’il se moque de tes cheveux. Ta salade de langouste a l’air sensass. On attend les cailles en sarcophage le coeur battant.
July 14th, 2009 at 3:58 pm
That salad is a gorgeous work of art, but the photo of the lobster almost made me run from the room screaming. Have I mentioned before that I’m terrified of crustaceans?
I am in love with that brown butter sauce. It’s like nothing I’ve seen before.
So Olivier did all of this despite you making fun of his hairline? What a guy!
July 14th, 2009 at 10:51 pm
gorgeous spread
but these guys need to try a hot bowl of instant noodles (shin ramyun) eaten right outta the pot in front of a bad tv. hehehe
okok…u can top it off with tonka beans LOL
July 15th, 2009 at 3:33 am
extremely interesting; on en a de suite l’eau à la bouche: very suggestive pictures and an amazing description. when can we have a real taste?
July 15th, 2009 at 12:57 pm
If I weren’t completely smitten by my hubz already, I’d be on the next airplane to come bang on your door! Amazing post, pictures and write up!! I am clearly in the wrong business (if I have one that is)!
July 16th, 2009 at 6:52 am
Oui, à quand le site personnel? belle créativité.
July 16th, 2009 at 2:18 pm
Now I know my mistake… Colloquial Cook, c’est une demoiselle, et l’Homme de l’histoire, c’est toi… Je me suis toute emberlificotee dans le detail, oups !
Mais sinon, je te lis tous les jours
July 16th, 2009 at 4:55 pm
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July 16th, 2009 at 5:40 pm
He should start a blog! But be forewarned blogging takes over your life:)
Your photos are just gorgeous!:)
July 17th, 2009 at 5:38 pm
What a great post! Gorgeous shots and terrific write-up. And that is one freaky cool looking lobster.
July 17th, 2009 at 5:57 pm
Bravo Chef Olivier!
Beautiful pictures! It would be nice to see a blog with someone as informative, experienced and knowledgeable as yourself!
July 18th, 2009 at 12:15 am
Tut tut, shame on you for teasing him about his hairline! Who cares about hair when you can make dishes as inspiring as these?
Who indeed said that good chefs weren’t artists? Everything here is a classic!
July 18th, 2009 at 11:31 am
Bien évidemment, tu dois absolument ouvrir ton blog.Succès garanti.
La simple vision de tes plats a fait frétiller les papilles de toute la famille.
Artistiquement parlant nous ne sommes pas loin des oeuvres d’art de Kandinsky.
Bref, je n’aurai qu’une conclusion à tout ça : quand est-ce que tu nous fais ça à la maison ?
July 18th, 2009 at 12:11 pm
Hello. First, the spiny lobster looks a little scary- it looks like a half-head staring at you with those eyes. I had to scroll back up a few times looking at it with a dropped jaw. Second…the food is just perfect, one could almost taste the grains of salt on the tender veal chops. Amazing food. All of it! Credit goes to the photographer as well. And lastly, yes, Chef Olivier, you already have a fan way before you start a blog. (But please write your posts in English
)
July 20th, 2009 at 2:02 am
You had my hopes up that there would finally be a dish with a finger or 2 in it. Perhaps a special you can create for me when we meet, love.
Beautiful post as usual. Your photo skillz are improving dramatically yo.
July 21st, 2009 at 12:21 am
I should start playing the mega million - the only ticket to have my own personal chef!
I agree with Mel - your photos are looking faboosh!
July 21st, 2009 at 5:40 am
Wow, remind me to fly home with the lobster next time I visit Australia
Very delicious, as per usual. Olivier should totally start blogging.
July 22nd, 2009 at 12:14 am
oh my… *swoon*
this is keeping me up past my bedtime, but at least I’ll have pleasant dreams. Dis a ton copain que s’il veut commencer son propre blog, je serais une lectrice fidele!
July 24th, 2009 at 6:49 am
gosh this are such a superb meal! drowning with such a desire to taste!
July 26th, 2009 at 12:27 pm
I’m going to be a good girl and tell you how much I truly enjoyed reading all of this. And learning how delicate this lobster really is.
You were very lucky to have/cherish this opportunity.
July 28th, 2009 at 2:24 pm
Olivier,j ai hate de gouter a ces delicieux plats que tu as realises!!
fais un blog,tu auras beaucoup de succes!We vote for you!
January 14th, 2010 at 7:36 pm
Qu’attend- tu pour faire ton blog?!? tu aurais un réel succés
allez, au boulot!!!!!
January 15th, 2010 at 7:47 am
Lance toi dans ton blog!!! tes reves sont à la mesure de ton talent!