I'm a chef - AMA!

[sharkirasharkira]

Just that really, anything anyone wants to know?

How clean/dirty are restaurant kitchens?

Any tips for injecting lots of flavour into things like stews, chilli etc..whats THE magic ingredient?

@Hometimetoday it really depends on the place! I've worked in a kitchen that was so filthy it got shut down by the EHO (after I left) because the owners refused to pay anyone to stay after the kitchen closed to do any cleaning. So things got missed. Also the head chef was too busy trying to shag the waitresses. He would relabel food so much it would start going mouldy. Only then would he throw it away!

But the vast, vast majority are fine, they have to be or it will get picked up on by the EHO. They are very strict, even having a spotless kitchen but missing a little bit of paperwork can result in the loss of a hygiene 'star'. Those are a pretty good indication of cleanliness - anything 4 or above should be clean and hygienic.

How to add flavour to salads ..not using dressings

@GoodFortuneAttendThee it's hard to say really, it depends what you are making..

Chilli - I always use a 4 spice combo, cumin, chilli powder, smoked paprika and chilli flakes, plus salt & pepper, garlic & onions. Sometimes it's a little too beefy or tomatoey so I'll adjust either way with a spoonful of gravy powder (or similar) or ketchup/tomato purée. I find a little bit of dark chocolate or instant coffee adds a nice richness.

Curries - TAKE YOUR TIME!! Slow is key, roast whole spices (onion seeds, mustard seeds, cumin seeds etc) in a little oil until they pop, then add onions. These need to be cooked quite a long time to really soften and sweeten before anything else is added. Tikka masala paste + cream of tomato soup makes a great curry sauce as the cream is stable and won't split! I really prefer using spice pastes + liquid (coconut milk, tinned tomatoes, whatever you're using) as opposed to jars of curry sauce, you get a much better depth of flavour.

Stews - brown the meat & onions first. Cook low & slow. Add lots of herbs, maybe a bouquet garni or similar whole herbs to be taken out before serving. Add any veg in nearer the end or it will be mushed into nothingness by the time the meat is done (unless you want that of course!). Add wine/ale etc for flavour near the end or it will all cook away.

I love using ketchup in tomato based sauces because it adds a nice acidity and has seasoning in it already.

Herbs and spices are your friend, use them liberally! Often if things taste bland it's because they are under seasoned.

@melse2964 try putting the bulk of the flavour on the protein, if you can. Once it's all mixed together you should taste it throughout. If you're having a 'wet' topping like tuna mayo that can act like a dressing.

Are you trying to avoid fatty dressings? Balsamic glaze (the thicker, reduced version of balsamic vinegar) is really strong so adds a lot of flavour without lots of wet 'sauce' and is low cal.

Thank you, that is very helpful..I have a lot of trouble getting flavour into beef based dishes for some reason!

If food is sent back to the kitchen for whatever reason, have you ever seen a chef spit on it (or worse) before sending it back out?

What is the secret of a good poached egg? I keep trying and watching YouTube videos but they always end up floaty like dementors.

@chicola honestly, I've never seen that happen anywhere. They might have been a bit pissed off but not to that extent. I don't think people really do that anymore, most kitchens have cameras in them now so if you did, you would probably get caught and fired. I've worked in several open kitchens where the customers can see everything so obviously you have to be very careful in there.

I have seen people drop stuff (accidentally) occasionally, but it went back in the fryer/pan/oven after to try and kill anything that was on it. Trying to minimise the risk but without having to waste the product! I've never done it myself though.

@ElizabethinherGermanGarden I find a few things help:

'Acidulating' the water by adding just a drop of acid - lemon juice, vinegar, just literally a tiny drop. Helps the egg coagulate.

'Spin' the water (with a spoon) to create a whirlpool effect, then quick as you can drop the egg in the middle. If need be, crack the egg into a bowl in advance so you can just slip it in and not have to faff with eggshells while the water is swirling If you can chill the eggs too that might help.

Don't let the water get too hot - it should be simmering, so tiny bubbles rather than boiling. Big bubbles will break the egg up.
It won't take long to cook, maybe a minute or so for a nice runny yolk, it should still be wobbly if you poke it.

You will probably always get a small amount of egg stringy bits whatever you do. Basically just be gentle, they are fragile little things! If you really can't get the hang of it you can use a poaching pod or pan!

Thanks Sharkira! I think I may have been adding too much vinegar, plus I have never got the hang of the spinning thing. Will have another go tomorrow (or go to a café).

Are you a control freak in the kitchen!
Dp is a chef, if I cook he can't help turning the heat down. Or suggesting an 'easier' way! I lived many years without him and can cook fine. I have now not cooked for many years as I find it easier to let him get on with it!
He gets a bacon sandwich in bdays and fathers day! Even then I see him glaring at the heat!
He also has OCD so I expect it is harder for h to not say something!

No problem Elizabeth! Let us know how it goes 😄

@Iputthescrewinthetuna I'm not really but I suppose I do have a tendency to give advice a bit too much! I can take a step back and leave others too it though. I do criticise people's knives though, a lot of people have terribly blunt knives which are more of a risk than sharp ones, and are harder to use. Most people don't sharpen their knives enough, and store them improperly.

I don't have OCD but when I'm at work I am a bit of a clean freak, I'm constantly wiping things and sanitising everything in sight! Can't stand dirt and mess while I'm trying to work.

Oh yes! The knives! When he first came to my home he immediately started sharpening my knives. (There is something sexy about a chef sharpening knives by the way)
He can't work in a disorganised or dirty environment. He does have OCD, but to be honest, working with food in a clean environment is just good practice!

I applaud any chef! The pressure is crazy

Thank you very much .. Yes was after low cal , getting bored of using light mayo all the time, can i make my own low cal dressing ,what would you suggest to do this???
Thanks

How do you get so many different things ready to go out at the same time? Like if you're serving a table of 8 and they all order different things?

I always wonder at big banqueting events like weddings where they offer choice of say salmon/beef how does the chef predict ahead of time how much salmon to prep and how much beef to prep?

Is there much waste?

Are you a shouty chef?

How do you properly store knives?

Have you ever entered a televised cooking competition?

At what age did you start cooking?

Do you still use cookbooks or look at recipes online?

@melse2964 yes of course you can!

I either would use vinegar based dressings with a very small amount of oil to help it emulsify, but if you want something creamier you can use Greek yogurt and vinegar as a base and add whatever combinations of herbs, spices, mustards, citrus (lemon/lime) and flavourings like garlic and ginger you like!

If you like Asian flavours try using a tiny bit of sesame oil in your dressings with some lchilli to give it a kick The key is adding flavours without the fatty oils.

If I asked you to make me something really delicious and filling but also very healthy as I'm trying to lose weight what would you rustle up for me?

Bearing in mind I hate seafood, can't eat curries and love carbs

@bargainbin it's all about timing, so you put on the things that take the longest then leave the quickest stuff till last. Lots of multitasking, and a lot of it is prepared in advance so all you have to do is reheat it. It does depend on what you are cooking though, some stuff can't be reheated and has to be done fresh to order (like most seafood).

Generally for big events you will have numbers in advance or it would be impossible to guess how much you'd need. Then you just buy in stuff accordingly, so there is little waste. But yeah in general there is a lot of waste in kitchens. I hate waste but most stuff has a maximum of a three day shelf life for h & s reasons.

No I'm very unshouty, only when I really have to be. In fact most people I work with struggle to hear me but I think I am very much not the norm in that regard.

@insufficientlyfeminine No I haven't, I don't think I'm good enough for that! They are a much higher calibre of chef than me

I've always cooked really, I grew up doing it so when I studied professionally it was just learning how to do things 'correctly', learning the h & s and adapting to a commercial environment.

I do look up and use recipes but I tend to use them for inspiration or as guidelines rather than sticking to it completely. Unless it's baking, that's a completely different ballgame!

Knives should not be stored in a drawer or a block because the constant movement of being pulled in and out blunts them. Ideally they should be on a magnetic strip or magnetic block, somewhere where the edges aren't getting scraped all the time. You shouldn't use a glass or stone chopping board for the same reason, only plastic or wood.

Hmmm....ok I would probably do something like a massive bowl of ramen soup with udon or rice noodles, with either cooked chicken or thinly sliced beef and loads of veggies - Pak Choi, bamboo shoots, water chestnuts, beansprouts, baby corn, mangetout, that sort of thing

Thanks sharkira!