TOP CHEF RECAP

As I wrote two days ago, my first experience cooking outside the FCI kitchen, L'Ecole, was Tuesday with Chefs Harold Dieterle ahd Stephen Asprinio at the Tribeca Grill. I returned yesterday at 11 a.m. to help out again before class at FCI.

So here's the inside scoop folks, it was a fun first experience in profesional kitchen and it was certainly an honest day's work but boy when this day ended I was beat. I started where I left off Tuesday, doing more brunoise for a dish Stephen had coined called, "Tuna Nicoise," described on the menu as Olive-Oil Poached Tuna Loin, Nicoise Brunoise & Nicoise Water."

Brunoise was my business. Other volunteers were peeling, deveining and flattening shrimps with the bottom of a frying pan for a "Shrimp Cocktail," Ruby Red Shrimp, Avocado, American Sturgeon Caviar & Lemon Verbena Vinaigrette. When I told Stephen the amount of brunoise we had and explained we could get done what we needed but that I'd be on brunoise detail all day, he agreed and my fate was sealed. My brunoise mission: two quarts red bell pepper brunoise, two quarts celery brunoise ("Do you know how to do celery brunoise?" he asked and then demonstrated) and one quart of cucumber brunoise ("You're going to be the master-general of brunoise before the day is over," Harold said. "You'll always remember your worst job. This one's pretty bad. Mine was mashed potatoes. Man I hated that.") I couldn't find the pepper brunoise I'd done the day before though I looked through all the low-boys (fridges below our work-stations) and even asking someone else to look through them too in case I'd just missed them. I got busy cutting some more ("Hey, hurricane, stop talking so much," Harold said, smiling. "I'm just trying to cut these brunoise quickly without cutting my finger off," I answered. "I like the way you think," his reply).

Well, after we'd done an extra quart of the brunoise when Harold was organizing the mise in the kitchen, the bell pepper brunoise reappeared, "Always in the plastic containers," he said to me as he pulled them out.

There wasn't time for lunch and that was kind of understood with the later start. But when we moved to the downstairs kitchen (so they could prep and organize the kitchen near the private dining room they'd be using for the 120-person dinner) and one of us the volunteers cut some bread, we grabbed some, smuggled some butter and had a little something to tide us over. Towards the end, I had some help with the celery brunoise while I finished the cucumber quart and Harold was lightly roasting the shrimp from one side through with a blow-torch and Stephen came by to check in on us and noted that I'd probably be cursing his name because of all the brunoise. Chef Lee Anne was also there in the afternoon working on some of the dishes but it was 4:15 p.m., my back was killing me and I still had a class to get to so unfortunately I wasn't there to see the final cooking, serving and the end result.

Both Harold and Stephen were both very gracious and thanked me for helping out but, dear readers, when you're on deadline for service you don't exactly start asking to pose for pictures so you'll have to take me on my word here (as though this were something glorious to make up...).

In case you think it's all glory in the kitchen (!), at left, a burn from pulling lamb bones out of the convection oven where they'd been roasting for stock. Below, I sliced off the tip of my thumb while doing brunoise at the same place I'd badly cut myself in Level One. Here I'd thought I'd learned something.

The cut wasn't anything that prevented me from working, just slap a bandaid on and a glove and keep cutting. Just don't cut any closer. Keep that thumb back!

I looked around on the internet a bit to see if I could find out how service went but alas, nohting. For your interest and perusal, their full menu:

A Summer Evening with Stephen Asprinio, Chef Harold Diterle & Chef Lee Anne Wong at Tribeca Grill

"Canapes" by Chef Lee Anne Wong
Oysters Mignonettte, Happy Family Foie Gras, Ham & Apples, Kampachi & Cucumber Soba

Guava-Yuzu Margaritas, G. H. Murrith Cordon Rouge Champagne NV & Passion Fruit-Vanilla Mojitos

"Guess Who?"... Harold or Stephen?
"Shrimp Cocktail"
Ruby Red Shrimp, Avocado, American Sturgeon Caviar & Lemon Verbena Vinaigrette
Ruggeri Prosecco "Gold Label," Veneto, Italy NV

"Tuna Nicoise"
Olive Oil Poached Tuna Loin, Nicoise Brunoise & Nicoise Water
Pegasus Bay Sauvignon Blanc/Semillon Waipara Valley, New Zealand 2005

"Duck A L'Orange"
Duck Breast Tataki "Sous Vide," Celery Leaf-Duck Crackling Salad & Tangerine-Ponzu Variations
Domaine Audoin Marsannay Rose, Burgundy, France 2004

"Steak Au Poivre"
Grilled Colorado Lamb T-Bone "Au Poivre," Sunchoke-Creamed Spinach, Cnanterelle Mushrooms & Red Shallot Puree
Col Solare, Columbia Valley, Washington 2002

"Cheese"
Trio of Prima Donna, Robiola Rochetta & Roaring 40's Blue Cheeses with Garniture
Mission Hill S.L.C. Riesling Icewine, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia 2003

"Creme Brulee"
Saffrom Creme in White Chocolate-Kirsch Mousse, Rainier Cherry Compote,
Pistachio Brulee & Rice "Crispies"

Hosted by Drew Nieporent & Myriad Restaurant Group