Chef's Kitchen Blog: Lotus Root California Inspired Cuisine

How a dish comes to exist, Closiot

2010-12-16T14:23:00.001-08:00

I do not want to portray a bunch of Foodies who know best, but an experience leads to different thinking.... Or how a certain experience can lead to another...

This does not say anything about the quality of that experience, but everything about how one can perceive an experience, even at my own restaurant.....

A couple of months back we went dining at Per Se (NYC).

Not to mention the enormous amount we payed it was a pity that one of the things most remembered of the whole night was a magnum of 2004 Sea Smoke. (2008 Ten now available at the Root, even tough I wouldn't want to serve it quite up yet)

Not that the rest wasn't good, far from it, but somehow we (pretty much half of the board of JRE Belgium + that one crazy Belgian chef up in Washington) all thought the Foie, which was excellent, could have been placed better, rather then before the Main Coarse, to serve it AFTER the Main Course, just like in Old School Escoffier Days.

That set me thinking...., yet not too busy with it all....

Onto another experience on our next holiday:

My wife spreading a good old Peanut butter & Jelly sandwich for our Belgian Wine Vendor Friend Peter Nachtergaele (General Stores, .. he didn't like the combination by the way..).

Now I am thinking of Foie, after the Main Coarse with Peanut Butter & Jelly.....

A month later, same wine vendor, brings a Sauterne over, and mentions that besides a Moelleux (which of course I served with it) it goes great with Foie... AFTER the main coarse, yes, as in Old Escoffier days.

Mind you that he knew nothing about our experience, so the confirmation of this makes me trigger into completing the thought/dish I had.

Meanwhile we have been serving the dish for nearly a month, and while I do not cook classically, we don't serve French wines, we have been serving up the Chateau de Closiot

(1997, 2000 and 2001) as if we own it.

Apparently I wasn't the only one it set thinking, because after listening to my colleagues it seemed they also paid attention and serve this as it should, after the main course.

Customer's reactions are great, and it seems we will be serving this dish in the six and nine courses for a while. (recipe available on demand)

The funny thing is that I recently stumbled upon our menu of the night at Per Se, and that the Foie we had turned out to be an interpretation of... Peanut Butter & Jelly....

While completely not remembering, it somehow must have connected,

I find it rather interesting on how things can connect, but not always the way you think they would....

Recipe to follow ..... But the premiere goes to Chateau Closiot, for making me do classic things I wouldn't have done before.....

Restaurant van het Jaar O-VL: Pittig Magazine Oost-Vlaanderen

2010-10-20T16:38:00.000-07:00

In de tweede editie van Pittig Oost-Vlaanderen werden we geselecteerd als Restaurant van het Jaar.

Akteur Roel Vanderstukken gaat proeven, en zo werd ook ons restaurant gerecenseerd.

Lees het artikel op lotusroot.eu

Recepten Demo with Peter Goossens @ Art of Cooking by Unilever

2010-10-04T23:13:00.000-07:00

The Recipes

Shime Saba & Tako (Octopus) with citrus vinaigrette

SHIME SABA/GEZOUTEN GEMARINEERDE MAKREEL - 7˚C: 2 x 30 minutes

3 eetlepels keukenzout
2 makrelen, gefileerd vel aan.

De filets 1 uur voor het doorgeven goed bestrooien met keukenzout en 30 minuten laten intrekken. Afspoelen met koud water. 30 mintuten marineren in rijstazijn, zuurtegraad 4.2°.
Mooi afdeppen, en met een klein tangetje de visgraten verwijderen.
Het vel afhalen, losmaken aan de kant van de kop, en voorzichtig naar de staart trekken, het rugteken patroon intact laten. Niet te hard en te snel om scheuren te voorkomen.

De vis met een sashimi-mes zeer dun versnijden en op het bord op de brunoise van komkommer plaatsen.

LEMON GEL
225 ml citroensap
250 ml suikersiroop 1/1

7 gr agar

7 gr gella

Citroensap opkoken met suikersiroop, binden met agar en gellan, laten opstijven.

Glad mixen tot een gel in de thermomix

SHERRY GEL OF LUSTAU’s Manzanilla Pasada

750 ml Lustau Manzanilla Pasada

5 gr agar Sherry inkoken tot 500 ml, binden met 5 gr agar, laten opstijven en afdraaien in een thermomix.

TAKO - 50˚C: 20 minutes

2 tentakels Italiaanse pulpo citrus vinaigrette grof zout sansho pepper

MARINATED CUCUMBERS

100 gr brunoise komkommer

Rijstazijn Mitsukan zuurtegraad 4.2°

Mirin

Komkommer op smaak brengen met rijstazijn, grof zout & mirin. Op het bord leggen, in een klein lijntje. Garneren met de plakjes makreel en octopus schijfjes. Afwerken met de citrus vinaigrette, gemalen sansho pepper, shiso, en gels van citroen en Lustau sherry.

SCOTTISH LAMB LEG, EGGPLANT & SU MISO, QUINOA, UMEBOSHI JELLY,

LAMB JUS WITH BONITO FLAKES

SCOTTISH LAMB LEG
2 bone-in suckling lamb shoulder
2 tbls olive oil

Maldon/kosher salt
Vacuum bag with the olive oil/salt + seal.
Immerse in bain-marie at 63°C for 24 hrs. Temp not to exceed 70°C.
Cool rapidly to a core temperature of 3°C in less than 90 minutes, using an ice water bath.
To regenerate: bain-marie at 60°C for 10 minutes.
Searing: quickly on a very hot pan, ensuring core temp not exceeds 63°C.
Open the sous-vide bag, reserve the cooking liquids, and debone the leg with a spoon, leaving the muscles whole.
Sear the exterior in a very hot pan.
Emulsify the cooking juices with olive oil, using a handheld blender, salt to taste.

UMEBOSHI PUREE
100 gr umeboshi pruimen
100 gr porto
Alles goed samen mixen.
3 ripe black plums
75 gr sugar
2 grams apple pectin
QS Umeboshi

Cut the flesh away from the core. Put in a bag in a single layer. Vacuum-pack on medium.
Cook at 90 C for 60 minutes. Puree in a Thermomix, and strain if needed Combine with the sugar and pectin. Bring to a boil while stirring in the sugar. Cool over an ice bath to preserve the color. Makes about 200 grams

UME SHU JELLY
750 ml Ume Shu
6 gr/liter agar toevoegen al roerend tot 70-80°C brengen, en in een bakje storten,

laten afkoelen, afdekken en in de frigo plaatsen.

FRIED NASU (EGGPLANT)

2 aubergines met een uitsteek ring de gewenste grootte uitsteken en de rondjes kort frituren, laten afdruipen en overtollige olie afdeppen op keukenpapier.
Garneren met Miso Su en getoaste sesamzaadjes

SOUS-VIDE NASU (EGGPLANT)

2 aubergines goed marineren met olijfolie look of sesam olie, p & z, thijm.

Optioneel Hondashi, bonitoflakes, sansho pepper, etc.

3 uur garen op 85-90 C, laten afkoelen en uitsteken met vorm.

Lichtjes opwarmen en garneren met Miso Su en getoaste sesamzaadjes

MISO SU
1/2 eetlepel wasabi
1 eetl water
2 eetlepels rijst azijn
3 cl sake
3 cl mirin
100 gr white miso
50 gr sugar

LAMB STOCK (not used in demo)
2 kg lams beenderen
1 ½ cups grof gehakte ui
¾ cup grof gehakte selder
¾ cup grof gehalte wortelen
¾ cup champignon afval zoals stelen,…
1 bol look, gehalveerd
1 tomaat, grof gehakt
Tomaten pasta
Peterselie stengels
5 twijgjes thijm
2 laurierbladen
½ eetlepel zwarte peperkorrels
½ cup rode wijn
20 cups water (5 liter)

Plaats de beenderen in een grote pan en roast op 170°C gedurende 30 tot 40 minute, draai geregeld om.
Transfer naar een grote marmiet. Deglaceer de pan met de wijn en voeg aan de fond toe.
Plaats uien, selder, wortelen op een plaat en roast voor een 20-25 minuten, tot wanneer gecaramelizeerd.
Voeg aan de fond toe.
Voeg de rest van de ingredienten toe en sudder voor een 6-tal uur, of wanneer gereduceerd tot 11 cups. (3 liter)
Verwijder van het vuur en passeer door een zeef.
Zeef door een fijne puntzeef en koel af.
Plaats in de frigo voor maximaal 5 dagen of vries goed verpakt in voor maximaal 3 maanden.

BASIS FOND - UME & KATSUOBOSHI SAUCE
1 liter kalfsjus Knorr
1 2-cm lang stuk gember in grove stukken gesneden
2 teentjes look, gehalveerd
¼ theelepel venkel zaadjes
¼ theelepel coriander zaadje

Zachtjes opkoken op matig vuur en warm houden tot wanneer nodig.

UME & KATSUOBOSHI SAUCE
1 ½ cups Basis Fond
Basis fonds door een puntzeef passeren, een goed hand bonito flakes bijvoegen en 1 doosje umeboshi pruimen toevoegen.
Tot maximum 1/4 laten reduceren op een matig vuur. De jus mag niet te sterk doorsmaken, met een mooie zuurtoets, doch niet te overdreven zuur. het grookte karakter van de bonito flakes moet mooi naar voor komen.
Zeef door een fijne puntzeef en warm op net voor het serveren.

Guest Chef in Restaurant De Mineral

2010-08-05T14:23:00.001-07:00

Op 17 augustus zijn we te gast bij De Mineral in Gent, en mag ik voor een avond de keuken overnemen.

Valentina Gatti is niet aan haar proefstuk toe wat guest chefs betreft.

Eerder waren reeds een resem bekende mensen aan de beurt, waaronder Daniel Termont, Maria Landis & Yves Desmedt, Eric Boschman, ...

Niet dat we daartoe behoren, maar het pad is geëffend.

Reserveer nu alvast uw tafel via valentina@demineral.be

Het wordt een 5-gangen menu aan 55 euro, glaasje bubbles vooraf.

Caroline verzorgt haar passend wijn assortiment.

See you there !

Aan tafel bij de sterren van morgen

2010-05-23T14:42:00.000-07:00

In de zaterdag bijlage Sabato van De tijd vond u dit

weekend Le Nouveau Vague 2010:

een eigenzinnige selectie van 50 jonge en vernieuwende chefs aan de hand van Jan Van Hemeledonck.

De belangrijkste criteria voor deze selectie:

"De chef is circa 35 jaar oud en is van goede opleiding.

Hij is creatief, hij voldoet aan hoge kwaliteiscriteria en verleist het visuele aspect van het bord niet uit het oog."

Heel wat JRE's (12) werden opgenomen in de gids.

Ook wij mochten aan het mooi gesorteerde rijtje wat kleur geven.

Lotus Root op Vitaya

2010-03-04T16:31:00.000-08:00

Op 03/04/2010 om 19:40 airt op Vitaya de 3de aflevering van Kookstrijders. Daarin komt Jan Verhelst uit tegen Ralph Woerde van Restaurant Spring uit Amsterdam.
Beiden hebben een inventieve internationale kookstijl die voor vuurwerk zal zorgen, kijken dus!

Hierbij het uitzendschema:

Afl 1: 20 maart : Choix du Chef (Stephan Nijst) vs. D'Hoogheschool (Jelle Temmerman)

Afl 2: 27 maart : Lambermon's (Michel Lambermon) vs. Belga Queen (Tim Boury)

Afl 3: 3 april : Spring (Ralph Woerde) vs. Lotus Root (Jan Verhelst)

Afl 4: 10 april : Nederlanden (Wilco Berends) vs. Auberge du Pecheur (Axel Colonna)

Kookstrijders

ZA 19:40

ZO 09:40

ZO 18:45

MA 21:50

DI 16:25

DO 02:50

VRIJ 12:20

ZA 05:45

TOTAAL: 8x/week

On 03/04/2010 a TV show airs on Vitaya (Belgian Lifestyle channel) Jan Verhelst cooks vs. Ralph Woerde of Restaurant Spring from Amsterdam.
Both chefs use an international and inventive style which will result in culinary fireworks !

Movia

2010-02-08T14:31:00.000-08:00

For a while now we have known about Movia, first by the occasional menu wine, that we liked very much, followed by an "accidental" (?) visit at Movia in Slovenia, while attending a European Board Meeting for the JRE. (Unfortunately, Caroline decided to stay home on that trip... DOH !!)

I then had the luck that Ales was in town for a tasting at Matthijs in Brugge, and on that eve of the degustation, Ales and his wife stopped by the restaurant, where I opened my first Puro with my own Purista, which he had brought in his car.

I was thrilled to be able to serve Ales and his wife Vesna, my cuisine,

and to have them in the restaurant, unfortunately Caroline was abroad on a wine trip.... DOH !!!

I knew back then a Movia Rhizome Dinner would follow, but until today, that yet has to happen, and it will....

Here is Movia's Ales Kristancic, showing off the new Purista 2.0, and while at it,

his new thight shirts with his very own life creedence: "Cak, cak ...."

Enjoy ! P.S. I want one !

janverhelst.com

2009-11-24T13:29:00.000-08:00

http://janverhelst.com

The Latest Shoot: Kris Vlegels

2009-11-17T15:05:00.000-08:00

http://krisvlegels.be

Finally !

2009-11-12T23:49:00.001-08:00

Finally ! After three years I have flowers on my Pineapple Sage !

The first time hell froze them over during the winter,

The next winter I decided to keep them in pots inside, where they died & dried,

This year I didn't do anything but plant them in full ground, maybe a little bit earlier then the first year.

This was one of the reasons for me wanting the sage, the other being the great sent of the leaves.

Gault Millau: 14/20

2009-10-27T09:32:00.000-07:00

Dit jaar werden we beloond met een extra punt in de Gault Millau editie.
Uiteraard zijn we er blij mee.

Ook de volgende JRE kregen een extraatje:
Damien Vanderhoeven, Le Coriandre +1 (16) & Grote van morgen voor Brussel.
Wouter Van der Vieren, Clandestino (15) Beste Groentenrestaurant Benelux.
Didier Galet + 1 (16)
Vertige des Saveurs + 1 (15)
Vin Perdu + 1 (14)

Meteen kregen we ook terug lokale belangstelling in het Nieuwsblad. Mooi meegenomen.

Ambiance Professional

2009-10-20T04:58:00.000-07:00

GAIA BRACHT ONLANGS DE CRUSTASTUN IN DE BELANGSTELLING WAARMEE KREEFTEN PIJNLOOS GEDOOD KUNNEN WORDEN. BENT U VOORSTANDER VAN EEN DERGELIJK TOESTEL?

Ambiance Professional legde deze vraag voor aan:

FREDERIK DECEUNINCK - SEL GRIS (DUINBERGEN)

ALEX CLEVERS – HOSTELLERIE VIVENDUM (DILSEN STOKKEM)

JAN VERHELST – LOTUS ROOT (EKE-NAZARETH)

DIRK WITTEBROOD – DE WATERMOLEN (KASTERLEE)

JAN VERHELST – LOTUS ROOT (EKE-NAZARETH)

Ik kom uit de tijd dat een kreeft nog levend werd doorgesneden met het mes. Mijn gevoel bij dat toestel is eigenlijk dubbel. Ik heb wel begrip voor het dierenleed en ik vind dat je het lijden van een dier niet nodeloos moet rekken, maar langs de andere kant wil ik mijn manier van werken ook niet zo maar gaan veranderen. Vooraleer hier grondige uitspraken te kunnen over doen, zou er heel wat meer onderzoek moeten gebeuren en zou ik er ook moeten kunnen over lezen. Het doet mij denken aan de Japanse keuken. Daar wordt de ruggengraat van vissen met een naald kapot gemaakt omdat dit de textuur ten goede komt. Het is dus misschien wel mogelijk dat door een dergelijk toestel te gebruiken, de smaak of de textuur van de kreeft beter wordt. En daar gaat het voor mij over. Ik ben niet van plan om zo een toestel te kopen. Als er zou aangetoond worden dat het de smaak ten goede komt, zou ik er wel voor open staan, maar niet omwille van het eventuele dierenleed. Ik begrijp dat men het lijden van dieren in de gastronomie wil verminderen, maar je moet er ook niet in overdrijven. Zo eet iedereen toch ook graag foie.

Johan Kafkot

bron: http://www.ambianceclub.be/content.php?hmID=18

Ambiance Professional

2009-10-20T04:47:00.000-07:00

'Het stagesysteem zoals het tegenwoordig door de overheid wordt opgelegd, voldoet niet meer aan de noden van de sector. Wat is de visie van de hotelscholen hierover ?'

De opmerking die chef Verhelst van restaurant Lotus Root maakt over de stages, hoorden we de laatste tijd wel vaker van verschillende chefs.

De oorzaak van het probleem is een rondzendbrief van de overheid uit 2002, die van toepassing is voor alle TSO/BSO scholen, dus niet alleen de hotelscholen.

Hierin worden de stages aan strenge regels onderworpen. De hotelscholen hebben wel een aantal uitzonderingen op die regels gekregen.

Zo mag er tot 11 u ’s avonds en ook één zondag op twee gewerkt worden. Echter, de stages in de tweede graad zijn door deze omzendbrief verboden. Aangezien deze situatie al bestaat sinds 2002, leek het ons raar dat vooral de laatste tijd dit fenomeen onder de aandacht wordt gebracht door verschillende chefs.

Wij gingen voor duiding bij dit gegeven praten met Raf Sonneville. Hij is directeur van Hotelschool Ter Duinen in Koksijde.

Raf Sonneville :

‘Het is inderdaad zo dat door die bewuste omzendbrief de stages in de tweede graad verboden werden. Echter, wij zijn ze toch blijven organiseren. De inspectie heeft dit ook altijd oogluikend toegestaan. Echter, op het moment dat ze dan een effectieve doorlichting van de school doen, dan stopt het. Bij ons is dat vrij recent gebeurd en sinds dit schooljaar hebben we de stages voor de tweede graad dan ook moeten stopzetten. Dit verklaart waarom dit nu vooral in de actualiteit komt.

Ik vind het echt jammer dat vijftienjarigen geen stages meer mogen doen. Ik heb er alle begrip voor dat dit niet meer kan voor veertienjarigen. Dit is Europese wetgeving om kinderarbeid te verbieden en dat lijkt me logisch. Echter, vijftienjarigen mogen wel op leercontract of als jobstudent aan de slag gaan. Daarbij worden ze meestal niet goed begeleid en er gebeurt achteraf ook geen enkele vorm van evaluatie. Ik ben ervan overtuigd dat dit voor de leerlingen minder goed is. Wie niet als jobstudent gaat werken, wordt pas op latere leeftijd met de realiteit van het beroep geconfronteerd. Als ze dan vaststellen dat het vak hen niet echt ligt, is het al laat om nog van richting te veranderen. Binnen Ter Duinen komen we nu aan die situatie tegemoet door binnen de school, nog meer dan vroeger, een realistische werksituatie te creëren. Hierdoor laten we de leerlingen ondervinden hoe het er tijdens een stage aan toe gaat, maar dan binnen de schoolomgeving.

Ik weet dat er vanuit de sector zelf ook heel negatief gereageerd wordt op deze situatie. Dit is voor een deel uit eigenbelang natuurlijk. Chefs zien stagiairs als een goedkope hulp, die meer competentie in huis heeft dan een gewone jobstudent. Daarnaast denken ze natuurlijk ook terug aan de tijd toen ze zelf als veertien- of vijftienjarige op stage gingen. Onze oudleerlingen beseffen heel goed dat dit voor hen een grote meerwaarde had. Enerzijds omdat ze op technisch vlak het beroep beter leerden kennen. Maar daarnaast was het ook een confrontatie met de realiteit en leerde het hen om zich aan te passen aan het leven in de horeca.

In heel deze situatie kan je natuurlijk de vraag stellen waarom de overheid dergelijke maatregelen neemt. Ik denk dat dit enerzijds een gevolg is van de algemene tendens waarbij jonge mensen meer en meer gepamperd worden. Dat is volledig in strijd met de visie van onze school. Wij kiezen er nog altijd voor om de leerlingen keihard te doen werken. Dit gaat misschien in tegen de tendens van de tijd, maar het is wel de sleutel van het succes van veel van onze oudleerlingen. Daarnaast komt het initiatief van de overheid ook voort uit het feit dat er in het verleden toch af en toe misbruiken zijn geweest. Hier moet de sector eigenlijk een beetje de hand in eigen boezem steken. Bepaalde patrons durven nog middeleeuwse praktijken toepassen. De ouders pikken dit niet en schrijven dan brieven naar de inspectie om deze toestanden aan te kaarten. Op die manier wordt de kat natuurlijk de bel aan gebonden.

Wat mij betreft, moeten we er naar streven om de stages terug te laten invoeren voor de leerlingen van het vierde jaar. Al die leerlingen hebben de leeftijd van vijftien bereikt op het moment dat ze op stage zouden moeten vertrekken. Er is dus geen enkel probleem met de Europese wetgeving op dat vlak. Om dit aan te pakken, lijkt het me noodzakelijk om met een aantal andere grote hotelscholen te gaan praten. Ik ben ervan overtuigd dat het mogelijk moet zijn om voldoende medestanders te vinden. Het is wel zo dat niet alle hotelscholen hiervoor vragende partij zullen zijn omdat stages toch een belangrijke workload teweeg brengen voor een school. Maar het is in het belang van de leerlingen. Nadien moeten we met de overheid gaan praten. Hierbij zal het belangrijk zijn dat we voldoende garanties kunnen geven dat de leerlingen correct zullen behandeld worden tijdens hun stage. Hiervoor zijn er al bepaalde initiatieven aan de gang. Het is de bedoeling om restaurants als officieel leerbedrijf te laten goedkeuren, als er voldaan wordt aan bepaalde regels. Het correct naleven van de stagecontracten zal daarbij een belangrijk onderdeel zijn.’

Het is dus duidelijk dat de bezorgdheid van Jan Verhelst gedeeld wordt door directeur Sonneville. De hotelscholen en de sector zitten wat dit thema betreft dus blijkbaar op één lijn. Nu zal het belangrijk zijn dit bij de overheid bespreekbaar te maken. Wil je dit laten lukken, dan moet je kunnen aantonen dat dit initiatief gedragen wordt door veel of bijna alle scholen. Directeur Sonneville staat open voor een gesprek met zijn collega’s van andere hotelscholen. Wij kijken uit naar het vervolg.

Johan Kafkot

Lustau East India Solera Wine Gums

2009-10-15T10:46:00.000-07:00

At a recent banquet by the Jeunes Restaurateurs,
lead by chef Franky Vanderhaeghe from St.-Nicolas,
I tasted a Wine Gum with Rhum, by Franky.
The texture and just the fact that I LOVE Wine Gums,
led me to think about the endless possibilities of it.

A caramel, deglazed with alcohol, and stirred with gelatine,
being the chosen way of preparing,
the caramel is the basic flavor to be matched,
but from there on on, endless...

Rhum & Coke
Caramel & Salt
Spicy Caramel (Chili)
Coffee
other dessert liquors such as Grand Marnier
etc etc etc

So after not being completely satisfied with all the essence's and flavorings I found,
I decided to go with clean flavors and a top product.

East India Solera Sherry from Lustau

Short brake-down:
A blend of an aged dry Olorosso and an aged sweet Pedro Ximenez made from sun dried grapes.
After blending 1 year in American oak, producing a smoother and more complex wine with a greath depth in character.

East India Solera originated in the 16th century, when barrels of Sherry were sent, on the decks of sailing ships, to the Indies. From the long sea journeys, the wines benifited considerately.
Great as an aperitif, or at the end of a meal with sweet puddings, creme brulee, chocolate or cheeses.

In our case paired with the caramel, and maybe some fleur de sel,
but preferably Maldon Salt, to go in the line-up of coffee mignardises.

Recipe:

5 cl cold H2O
150 gr S2
120 gr Fructose
14 sheets gelatine
1 dl East India Solera
1/4 tsp Citric acid

Stir sugars together with the H2O, place pot on the burner on high heat,
boil until the temperature reaches 140-150 degrees C, depending on the desired firmness.
Remove the pot and cool down to 110 C, before adding the soaked, squeezed gelatine, then the sherry. Keep stirring until completely dissolved. (Optional colouring and flavoring)
Blend thouroughly through the mixture, but do not whip.

Pour into molds or a pan, and demold after a couple of hours, overnight, or about 12 hours,
at this point you can shape them more with baking paper, or cut into different shapes.
They can be coated in sugar, or even dried further for 8-10 days, and can be eaten for around one month.

Jan Verhelst

2009-10-14T03:56:00.000-07:00

janverhelst.com

Next to the restaurant name, I also want to go forward with getting

my own personal name out there as a chef.

I believe to have gained enough experience to start contributing to the ever rapid

changing restaurant/food scene out there. Time to return the favor on the growing demand.
People, businesses/brands can soon enough utilize my services as a food professional,
food styling, demo cooking, cooking classes, and more...

together with janverhelst.com

I have also secured following domains to go with it:

janverhelst.eu

janverhelst.be

lotusrootconsult.com

be prepared ...

Belgian TV in NYC

2009-09-29T09:16:00.001-07:00

Horeca Life: Art of cooking

2009-09-28T08:13:00.002-07:00

Na het succes van Art of Cooking Live in 2008, organiseert Unilever Foodsolutions dit jaar de Art of Cooking Masterclasses.

Deze staan volledig in het teken van "garen op lage temperatuur". De combinatie van temperatuurcontrole en vacuümtechnieken heeft op gastronomisch vlak immers geleid tot een nieuwe generatie technieken.

Tijdens de demo's, waaraan o.a. Peter Goossens, Yves Mattagne, Wout Bru en de Jeunes Restaurateurs d'Europe hun medewerking verlenen, leert u de finesses van deze nieuwe kookprocedés kennen.

Het aantal plaatsen is beperkt; wacht dus niet om u in te schrijven!

ZONDAG 4 OKTOBER
11.30 U. - 12.30 U. (Nederlandstalige sessie)

Peter Goossens (Hof Van Cleve***)
Paul Hendrickx (Aneth*)
Alex Heeren (Unilever Foodsolutions)

ZONDAG 4 OKTOBER
16.30 U. - 17.30 U. (Franstalige sessie)

Yves Mattagne (Sea Grill**)
Damien Van Der Hoeven (Le Coriandre)
Alex Heeren (Unilever Foodsolutions)

DINSDAG 6 OKTOBER
15.30 U. - 16.30 U. (NL + FR)

Wout Bru (Chez Bru**)
Jan Verhelst (Lotus Root)
Alex Heeren (Unilever Foodsolutions)

Wenst u zich in te schrijven? Klik hier

Early fall in NYC

2009-09-28T08:13:00.001-07:00

Early Fall in NYC

POACHED OYSTER WITH BARLEY & MATCHA APPLE CONSOMME

Gepocheerde Oester met Gerst & Groene Thee Appel Consomme

HEIRLOOM TOMATO COMPOSITION

Compositie met Tomaten

CHAUD-FROID OF GOOSE LIVER WITH POMEGRANATE,

PUMPKIN & EARLY FALL FLAVORS

Chaud-Froid van Ganzenlever met Herfstgarnituur

BLACK SEABASS WITH DIRTY GRAPE COULIS & COCOA NIBS

Zeebaars met Druiven & Cocoa Nibs

BLACKFEET CHICKEN WITH CITRUS VIENNOISE

Zwartpootkip met Citrus Viennoise

GROUSE WITH QUINCE, BELGIAN BLUE CHEESE, GOLDEN CHANTRELLES

& TAMARINDE SAUCE

Sneeuwhoen met Kweeperen, Belgische Blauwaderkaas Eierzwammen

& Tamaride Sauce

CHOCOLATE CHILE CAKE WITH FIGS & DEVILS FOOD CAKE

Starchefs ICC NYC 2009

2009-09-24T03:01:00.001-07:00

While summer seemed less interesting to write about, the last trip to the States is, however.

The ultimate culinary highlight as planned, was Starchefs.com International Chef Congres in NYC,

which was packed with many culinary highlights, meeting very cool people, lots of chats with the top chefs, and a wide range of great demos. This all backed by a bunch of Leffe, as AB InBev was supporting the thirsty chefs.

We do make the best beer in the world, dammit, and we should be proud of it.

Due to a cancelled red-eye flight I missed a panel discussion with  Charlie Trotter, one of my big heroes, who apparently lashed out at some culinary bloggers... "Charlie Trotter broke out and exclaimed, "Who in the hell has the time to go online or have your own pathetic blog? Do you have a job? What do you do for a living?"

Turns out two of my other heroes, Jean-George Vongerichten en Manresa's David Kinch also have their own blog.

So Charlie ol' pal, hate to break it to you, welcome to the new age. I do have to say however that in some ways I do agree on some of the content of these blogs nowadays. I do think of it as my culinary thinkpad, which is easy to refer to, i.e when people ask me to go eat I often refer to my notes on last year's trip, or same goes for some posts I did in the past on products. Nonetheless I do not pretend that it is the most accurate piece on any of these things out there.

Back to the congres...

As I walked in, I ran in to another Jan, the executive chef at the Belgian embassy. I thought he was Bart, quickly introduced me as Jan, with Laurent, and as I walked off Jan wondered why in the hell this Flemmish sounding idiot would start talking to him, and by the way, who is this ????? No worries, plenty enough Jan to go around for the next three days.

Second was Bart Vandaele, chef/owner at Belga Cafe, here to represent Belgium's fine beers, and we will have known it.

Bart immediately jumped on stage to help Pierre Gagnaire with translating, since the original translator stumbled in awe and kept silent. Gagnaire who was fully in trance with the food and focused on creating his dishes a la minute, seemed extremely happy with Bart's appearance.

There is definite Belgian hype movement that is happening right now in Washington. (and East Coast)

And Bart is in the midst of it, together with Jan from the Embassy, and also a friend of Bart, The Waffle Guy.

Next to the Beer Garden that AB Inbev had planted at the congres, there were authentic Belgian Waffles, from Waffles & Dinges (The Waffle Guy)

Bart served authentic Flemmish Stoverij, which was found excellent by many great chefs, such as Juan Mari Arzak, whom enjoyed his with 2 Brown Leffe's.

I believe that's the only way to have it, sir !

It was great to see the smile on his face when he heard Jeunes Restaurateurs d' Europe, as we told him we (me and Laurent VDV) are part of the organization and we are looking forward to the next European Congres of the Jeunes in Spain.

Day 1

A St-Canut milk fed piglet was the centerpiece for April Bloomfield's Main Stage butchery showcase. The Spotted Pig chef broke down the animal into its primal cuts, including the head, shoulders, legs, loin, and belly. She then created her belly-centric dish of Slow-Poached St-Canut Suckling Pork Belly with Onion Puree, Garlic Confit, and Chives.

Using only the ingredients in a mystery basket that was revealed to him moments before his presentation, master of creativity Pierre Gagnaire and his team created six innovative on-the-fly dishes. In the most packed session of the day, the audience sat on the edge of their seats watching the chef in a flurry of slicing, dicing, searing, and sauteeing. Chef Bart Vandaele was a humorous narrator for the event, describing play by play what Gagnaire was doing, and commented a few times that it was clear that Gagnaire's wheels were turning up until the moment he plated each dish. It was fascinating to watch his creative process in the works.

At night we had dinner at wd~50. Seemed there were many of the other visiting chefs that chose this restaurant. Dinner was great, but maybe our expectations were a bit to high, (I decided to wait and see...), yet some of the dishes were right on, others missed some zang too it. But nonetheless we enjoyed our night in one of NY's dining destinations.

photos: starchefs.com

Rhizome Dinner: Leesa

2009-07-12T10:57:00.001-07:00

A Dinner party Inspired By a DJ

Another Rhizome Dinner is needed,

for one of Gent's young vibrant & talented DJs

has struck at the Root.

This time it it not a product, nor a chef or cuisine,

but merely a very new talented DJ from our hometown Eke.

Leesa is worth checking out,

and why not doing so featured with dinner party & menu,

inspired by Leesa,

featuring our renewing cuisine in a trendy setting.

Bio Leesa

Having seen every quality club in Belgium at age 17 and working at trend setting clubs Make-up and Culture Club, Leesa caught the deejay microbe and developed a sharp sense for the better electronic music.
Prancing between mnml techno/deephouse, her aim is to bring quality tunes to appreciative crowds.
Only a few months in, she won the vi.be DJ contest, winning her a spot opening for Monica Electronica at Nijdrop.

Her first gigs include Tijuana, Suite16, Trancefusion, and the list is expanding fast.

http://leesa.be

Listen

July 2009 mixtape | download

Older sets

April 2009 Mixtape | download
March 2009: Here I Am | download
January 2009: Here I Go | download

Reservations via Rhizome@lotusroot.eu

65 eur per person

Dress to impress

Let us know you're coming through Facebook !

Restaurant Week

2009-06-10T03:17:00.000-07:00

RESTAURANT WEEK 8-14 JUNI 2009

Aji Sashimi
Soy Lime Ginger Vinaigrette – Daikon julienne – Shiso green/red – Shiso small red
Aji (Horsmakreel) - Garlic Ginger – Green Onion Slivers

Upgrade:
Asparagus, Beets & Lamb Sweetbreads
Asparagus – Egg Yolk 65° - Beet Puree – Fried Sweetbread – Chopped Peanuts –
Butter-Sesame Emulsion – Red Beet Jelly – Fleur de Sel
15 eur incl wijn

Iberico & Niepoort Tawny
Iberico Neck with 5-Spice – Yuzu Semoule – Gomassio – Fried Lotus Root –
Italian Parsley – Peas & Shiitakes

White Chocolate Mousse & Citrus
White chocolate Mousse – Citrus Gel – Citrus Ice Cream

Lavender Panna Cotta
Panna Cotta – Basil Gel – Lemon Verbena

27 eur 3-course
60 eur all-in
37 eur 4-course (including upgrade)
75 eur all-in

Flavors of the moment

2009-05-30T04:51:00.000-07:00

Aji Sashimi
Soy Lime Ginger Vinaigrette – Daikon julienne – Shiso green/red – Shiso small red
Aji – Garlic & Ginger – Green Onion Slivers

Veggie Option:
Gnocchi with Bellpepper & Goat Cheese
Gnocchi al burro – Bellpepper strips – Julienne Red Onion – Goat Cheese – Chopped chives

Soft Shell Crab
Passion Fruit Beurre Blanc - Coconut - Coriander - Macadamia Nut Mix - Sakura Cress - Tobiko Caviar

Rouget
Yellow paprika & Tomaat

Nasu Miso Su
Eggplant – Miso Su – Shiro Goma (White Sesame Seeds)

Tuna
Marianted Tuna – Oregano & Togarashi - Roast Red Bellpepper Puree – Herb Salad – Aloe Vera

Foie
Grand Marnier & Orange

Upgrade:
Asparagus, Beets & Lamb Sweetbreads
Asparagus – Egg Yolk 65° - Beet Puree – Breaded & Fried Sweetbread – Chopped Peanuts –
=Borage Cress – Butter-Sesame Emulsion – Red Beet Jelly – Fleur de Sel

Hungarian Mulard Duck
Fresh Lychees & Ramboutan - Chinese Broccoli - Ginger & Plum

Iberico & Niepoort Tawny
Iberico Neck with Pork Spice – Yuzu Semoule – Gomassio – Fried Lotus Root –
Italian Parsley – Peas, Shiitakes & Broccoli

White Chocolate Mousse & Citrus
White chocolate Mousse – Citrus Gel – Citrus Ice Cream – Fresh Mint – Mojito Siphon

Lavender Panna Cotta
Panna Cotta – Basil Gel – Lemon Verbena

Restaurant Week 8-14th June 2009

2009-05-04T10:59:00.001-07:00

Tijdens de 4de editie van Restaurant Week kunt u tegen een zeer gunstige prijs kennis maken met culinaire hoogstandjes van veel toprestaurants in Vlaanderen en Brussel. Tijdens deze smakelijke week betaalt u voor een 3-gangen lunch slechts 20,- euro (*) en voor een 3-gangen diner 27,- euro (*). Reserveren kan vanaf 13 mei alléén via www.restaurantweek.be ! Niet per telefoon of e-mail.

Lotus Root is tijdens die week geopend op maandag-, dinsdag-, woensdag-, donderdag-, vrijdag- en zaterdagavond, vrijdag - en zondagmiddag. (8-14 juni)

Via schenkt het restaurant schenkt ook 5 dinnercheques weg, telkens voor 2 personen.

> Klik hier om naar de website van de Restaurant Week te gaan

> lotusroot.eu

Niepoort Tawny Dee

2009-05-04T08:07:00.000-07:00

Op vraag van Bleuze Interwine trok ik de keuken in met een fles Niepoort Tawny Dee,

en stortte me vol overgave op het onderwerp. Hierbij het resultaat :

5-SPICE MIX IBERICO WITH NIEPOORT TAWNY, TAMARIND & YUZU SEMOULE

Tryptique - Jean Jacques

IBERICO

2 stukken Iberico (aguja, solomillo, lomo)

5-spicemix:

2 black lime, Iraanse limoen,...

sechuan pepper

cardamom

kaneel of 5 spice poeder

clove

allspice

De kruiden droogweg lichtjes toasten tot de aroma's vrijkomen.

In een koffiemolen fijn malen.

Het vlees goed afkruiden met een theelepel van de spice mix, thijm, laurier, look, gemberolie

en in een vacuumzak luchtledig trekken.

Garen op 65 C, gedurende 20 minuten.

Uithalen, controleren op gaarheid en goed afkruiden. Aansauteren in een hete gietijzeren pan en mooi aankorsten. Laten rusten alvorens te versnijden en op het bord schikken.

YUZU SEMOULE

1 cup semoule

3 cups kippenfond

scheut room

yuzu sap

Het griesmeel met de kippenfond draaiend gaarkoken in een thermomix, room toevoegen en afsmaken met het yuzu sap, p & z. (100C – stand 3)

NIEPOORT TAWNY DEE

Een deel Niepoort inkoken tot een mooie reductie. Bijhouden op kamertemperatuur.

Een handvol blauwe rozijnen drenken in Niepoort Tawny. Bijhouden op kamertemperatuur.

Een deel tamarinde paste (verkrijgbaar in Aziatische winkels zoals Sun Wah) met een deel Niepoort Tawny mixen, en door een zeef wrijven om de pitten te verwijderen.

YUZU GOMASIO

1 tsp Yuzu zout, of grof zee zout

24 tsp wit of zwart sesamzaad, goed gewassen, getoast in een droge pan,

tot wanneer deze beginnen te poppen en makkelijk kruimelen wanneer geplet tussen index en duim.

In een surabachi (geribde kom), met houten pestle, zachtjes de zaadjes en het zout kneuzen tot wanneer de massa tot 75% poeder is gemalen. In een luchtledige doos bewaren voor dagelijks gebruik.

Feeling

2009-05-01T01:08:00.000-07:00

Bij de laatste Feeling Magazine van mei 2009, stak de Feeling resto gids er bij als supplement. De gids werd deze keer samengesteld door chefs, oenologen, culinaire recensenten, en andere kenners.

Helaas weinig JRE opgenomen in de lijst, maar gelukkig kozen zij voor volgende JRE: Yves Mattagne kiest voor Jaloa in Brussel, Hilde Jonckheere voegt Lotus Root toe

en Marc Declercq heeft Clandestino opgenomen in zijn lijstje.

Vlegels in the spotlight

2009-04-17T16:42:00.000-07:00

Deze maand in Nest, Kris Vlegels met eigen werk, een zelfgekozen beeld dat zijn stijl typeert.

Niet toevallig werd dat bij ons geschoten, op ik denk toch wel onze sterkste shoot ooit.

Kris en ik kennen mekaar nu een kleine 7 jaar, toen die voor het eerst voor Uit-magazine op reportage kwam.

Eigenaardig genoeg werd die 7 jaar nogmaals overgedaan met een nieuw artikel in Uit, en voel ik ondertussen wel een hechte band met de kerel.

Een goedlachse dude, die helemaal plots, camera in de aanslag op zijn buik duikt, om net dat ene detail dat hij wil vastleggen, te kunnen vastleggen op film.

That's it, daar draait het 'em om. Timing en vastberadenheid.

Te vroeg te laat te scheef te krom te zwak te sterk te slap te rond te dof te lomp, etc..., het deugt niet

Niets van dat die keer dus, en ik moet ook wel zeggen dat ik die dag Kris ontving met voorbedachte rade, met als doel zoveel mogelijk kanjers van een beelden vast te leggen. Toegegeven, niet altijd het beste ideaal om te hebben net voor zo'n shoot.

Het vergt enorm veel geduld en timing om alles perfect te hebben.

Maar los daarvan hebben we ook gewoon fun, daar draait het wel altijd om.

Het heeft me altijd geïntrigeerd dat iemand zoals Kris zo gebeten is door het product, net omdat ik ondertussen al een vrij groot pak fotografen de revue heb zien passeren. Zonder iemand zijn botten te willen breken, steekt Kris er torenhoog bovenuit.

Het zij persoonlijke voorkeur, de drang naar product, zin voor detail, speelsheid in opdracht, eindproduct, het gevoel, wie weet.

Een zonde voor wie zichzelf respecteert als kok en het niet durft te overwegen om hem minstens eenmaal in te huren.

Maar bon, ik wijk af, zo gaat dat soms.

Een half uur per foto is soms niks.

Maar die dag, gedreven door product en stijl, mochten we er toch wel aardig wat leuke werkjes mee neerzetten.

Het viel me op, na de zoveelste keer, dat de synergie er wel degelijk was. Uiteraard speelt dat ook enorm mee, nieuwe fotografen maken op den duur ook geen schrijn van kans.

Soms ook wel een strijd tegen het licht, want dat zit ook niet altijd mee.

Ik geloof niet dat er die dag uiteindelijk veel geluncht werd, al was dat wel de bedoeling,

maar het leverde wel een knoerd van een beeld op.

You go Kris !

het artikel: http://www.lotusroot.eu/docs/press/nest.pdf

de shoot: The Best Shoot

Yakitori Blackfeet Chicken: The Recipe

2009-04-02T12:10:00.000-07:00

For weeks now we've been serving the UIT-menu, comments have been great, as well the amount of people.
I must say this is really the first time in seven years I have come to serve chicken in the entree.
But this time around, it was inspired by the Rhizome Dinner we did earlier this year, and found it worth a try.

Because it has been a long time since I posted a recipe, I decided to put up the Yakitori recipe, it is kind of easy, but then again requires a little skill, not to burn the soy.

CHICKEN YAKITORI WITH LIGHT SOY AIR, WASABI POTATO, PARSNIP PUREE.

QUINOA

300 gr quinoa

600 ml water of gedeeltelijk

vervangen met groentenbouillon/fumet/etc aanhankelijk de bereiding

1 lepel boter

p,z

lente-ui, gesnipperde rode ui, groene kruiden

Het water aan de kook brengen, lichtjes gezouten, de quinoa toevoegen en zachtjes laten sudderen voor ongeveer 25 minuten onder deksel. Een lepel boter doorroeren.

Uitstorten op een plaat en afkruiden, net voor het doorgeven terug opwarmen met een beetje boter, afkruiden en fijngesneden garnituur en lente-ui toevoegen.

Eventueel net voor het serveren een beetje fleur de sel doorroeren.

Het vlees afkruiden en bakken en op het gemak laten rusten alvorens te versnijden.

PARSNIP

2 middelgrote pastinaken (natuur en bio winkels)

1 eetlepel room

p & z

De pastinaak schillen en pareren.

De gepareerde stukken gaarkoken en pureren met de room tot een gladde massa, afkruiden.

YAKI TORI

Kippenbeenderen

1 wortel in stukken gesneden

2 teentjes look, gehakt

2 cm gember, in plakken gesneden

3½ cups (800ml) Dark Soy Sauce

3½ cups (800ml) Mirin

1 ½ cups (400ml) Sake

7-9 oz. (200-260g) Rock Sugar

½ cup (120 ml) Tamari Soy Sauce

Bruin de beenderen af tot goudbruin. Plaats in een grote marmite, voeg water en kombu toe. Breng aan de kook en verminder het vuur.

Verwijder onreinheden. Reduceer met 50%. Zeef door een puntzeef.

Combineer de rest van de ingredienten met de kippenfond in een grote marmite, en reduceer 10% op zacht vuurtje (ong 1 uur).

Steek door een puntzeef. Bewaar in een luchtledige container.

WHITE SOY AIR

1 eetl druivenpitolie

2 sjalotten, fijn gehakt

2 teentjes look, fijn gehakt

2 cm gember, fijn gehakt

½ steel citroengras, gekneusd & fijn gehakt

¼ cup (witte) soja saus

1½ cup melk

z & witte peper om af te smaken

In een sasupan, de citroengras, gember, look aansauteren in de olie tot wannneer glanzig.

Voeg soja en melk toe, smaak af p,z en bring tot aan het kookpunt.

Laat afkoelen tot kamertemperatuur. Zeef en zet weg.

Warm op net voor het serveren en schuim op met een handblender.

ASSEMBLY

Op het bord een streep pastinaak aanbrengen. Daarnaast wat lente-ui en shiitake plaatsen, alsook de quinoa.

De kip versnijden en dresseren en garneren met gefrituurde lotus wortel en een streepje reductie van soja.

7 jaar Lotus Root

2009-03-21T13:23:00.000-07:00

Op zaterdag 21 maart was het exact 7 jaar geleden dat we de deuren openden, en Lotus Root het licht zag.

Dit jaar geen grote festiviteiten, we dachten eerder onze aandacht te vestigen op het aanbrengen van verbeteringen hier en daar.

In de keuken betekent dat ook weer een kleine heropfrissing, een laagje verf, een nieuw aantal toestellen, het terras wordt dit jaar terug voorzien van tal van kruiden waar we deze zomer ook weer hopen mee uit te pakken.
We blijven trouwens heel de zomer open, en hopen dat het weer goed meezit.

Voor diegenen die het misschien een heel klein beetje waren vergeten:

Lotus Root - California Inspired Cuisine
Jan Verhelst & Caroline Buensalido
Stationsstraat 33, 9810 Eke

woensdag tot zaterdag vanaf 19u
vrijdag en zondagmiddag vanaf 12u

Tel: +32(0)9 2800 777 • Fax: +32 (0)9 2800 778
http://lotusroot.eu • http://lotusroot.be • http://lotusroot.net

Lid Jeunes Restaurateurs d'Europe
http://jre.eu • ://jre.be • http://jre.net

Message in a bottle ....

2009-03-04T17:06:00.000-08:00

For weeks now I have been wanting to throw that bottle in the wide open sea.

The idea is to send something... a journal, a book, a ledger, to all JRE collegues.
Main purpose is to reach as many JRE members as possible and gather anything it can...
Grasp culture, atmospheres, styles, blurbs, ideas, thoughts, memories, feelings, frustrations, short stories ...
Anything people want to add.

At first I thought of ten journals (ten countries), and tried to organise it all, but that is a lot of work, and afraid for a not so authentic feel, I decided to as part of a test just throw that one example into the JRE water and see what would happen...

Through a friend I got to know about 1000journals.com, a similar idea in experiment that was brought together as a collection and is now showing at the SFMOMA.
A direct following of that is 1001journals.com, and under that flag I decided to give this idea some shape.

I'm sending the journal out quite soon. Major idea is that I invite the next ten people, and send it to the first, who then sends it to the second person etc...
These people read the journal, add their own content, scan their content, and upload it through the site, after registration, and on their turn send it on to the next person.
If you have no scanner or so, you can send me the a copy by post/mail. I will scan it and add.

Interested JRE members can mail me at chef@lotusroot.eu. An invite for the journal will follow....

The journal's content can be followed at: http://www.1001journals.com/journals/3462/

to be continued...

Winter Illness...

2009-03-02T08:03:00.001-08:00

Mystery illness closes Heston Blumenthal’s Michelin-starred Fat Duck - For more hospitality stories, see what the weekend papers say

(02 March 2009 09:49)

Celebrity chef Heston Blumenthal’s Fat Duck, one of just three UK restaurants to hold three Michelin stars, closed its doors last Wednesday after up to 40 guests were afflicted with a mystery illness after eating at the restaurant in the Berkshire village of Bray. Blumenthal called in environmental health officers after a stream of customers had been ringing the restaurant over a three-week period describing flu-like symptoms, vomiting or diarrhoea. But the first round of tests on ingredients for food poisoning bugs and virology tests on his 60 staff found nothing. Blumenthal said he had made a ‘moral’ decision to close the restaurant because he was deeply upset that his passion, the Fat Duck, was making people ill. But by Sunday, a day before he expected to be given the all-clear from the final batch of tests, Blumenthal was wondering if he had made a costly mistake that lost him £100,000 in lost bookings. There is now speculation that an outbreak of norovirus, the winter vomiting disease, may have caused the sickness. 28 February and 1 March, Read the full articles in the Independent and the Independent on Sunday >>

Article from http://www.caterersearch.com

www.quiquedacosta.com

2009-02-21T01:29:00.000-08:00

Il Projecto

Terug een hebbeding, of eerder een boek/project door een chef die verder denkt dan het boek,
en net ook hetgene omvat waar ik ook reeds een tijdje mee rondloop.
Of eerder iets in dezelfde richting, dat ik nog net niet kon aanwijzen.

Het is een aanwijzing dat het koken gebaseerd is op kennis, culinaire ecologisch systeem, research,
de hits van het restuarant en historische betekenis van de chef.
Kortom quique's universe:
U1 + U2 + U3 = Hi > HS

Buy the book, you'll know that that means.
But there's more, the book comes with an access code to the site, that gives you a deeper look into Quique's world of El Poblet.
I'd say, buy the book and go see for yourselves...

Cooking with De Boomhut Kids

2009-02-10T13:46:00.000-08:00

Today we cooked a gastronomic menu with the kids of leerschool de boomhut.
Stone & Skye, our own kids, go there & it is a great school, where kids learn while doing it along the way.
This time the project chosen was "restaurant". Needless to say I did feel rather connected to show these "jeunes restaurateurs" the world and ways of a real restaurant.
After visiting these youngsters at the school and stuffing their brains with restaurant propaganda,
I invited them over to do their end product at the restaurant.

The kids showed up, decked out completely with chef hat & apron. I gave them each a towel after sanitizing their hands, and we were on our way to becoming real star chefs.
Accompanied by teachers & helping moms, the kids helped with the bread, vegetables, fish & crustaceans, and chicken.
Even the chocolate lollies were made with the kids, and they all got to taste them later that night.

At 18:00 pm the parents arrived, while the kids were standing in the receiving line, decked out in chef's costumes and waiters habits.
Here's the menu served:

Tsunomono
Oyster with Soy & Ginger
Almacenista Egg
Miso Soup
Chicken Kara age
Potato Gnocchi with Goat Cheese + Sun dried Tomatoes
Vegetarian Soup
Vegetarian Stir Fry
Scallop with Celery Root & Ecuadorian Chocolate
Tender Tako
Mahi Mahi with Coconut, Cryo Passion Fruit & Sakura Cress Salad
Cryo Nespresso, Callebaut Capuccino & Toasted Sesame Parfait Lolly
Cryo Chocolate Meringue with Jasmine

Jasmine was the secret ingredient, and one parent was able to pick it up and mention it, so they were the lucky winners of a dinner for two at the Root.

Maybe it ended a little late for the children, but tomorrow is a short day anyway, and if it were up to my advice, they should be watching "Ratatouille".
I had a great time, and I am pretty sure the new Jeunes Restaurateurs of the Boomhut did too.

See ya next time !

Avondje Uit

2009-02-02T09:25:00.000-08:00

Deze maand (februari) staan we in Uit-Magazine's Avondje Uit.
Het speciale menu dat we brengen aan 55 euro inclusief hapje, aperitief en wijnen wordt normaal gezien geserveerd tot en met 14 maart.
Aangezien reservaties nu reeds tot maart oplopen, hebben we besloten de lezers van Uit niet in de kou te laten staan en verlengen we de aktie tot en met 19 april.

U dient daarvoor wel de originele bon mee te brengen en "Avondje Uit" te vermelden bij het maken van de reservatie.

86 Liquid Nitrogen

2009-01-29T10:44:00.000-08:00

Today we experimented with some "Marsala Tet'n" or "Chocolate Parfait Kisses".
One makes a chocolate parfait, filled with Marsala shots, dips it in the nitrogen, and covers it with Callebaut Origine Chocolate. In this case Sao Thome.

But then I was supposed to experiment some more, but I 86'ed tonite. Dangit.
Afraid I won't have any shipment in till next week. I guess I might order a tank of Helium (sunset) with it as well.
And a bag of balloons while were at it.

But no worries, we still cook regularly at the Root. And so we presented our Cannelloni of Braised Veal Cheeks with Ginger & Lemongrass, with Sun dried Tomatoes, Goat Cheese & Potato.
Also good for a great dish.

Lotus Root goes Liquid Nitrogen: Day 2

2009-01-26T00:40:00.000-08:00

During the weekend, we had a chance to experiment some more, this time the Snapper & Passion Fruit was completed. Picture to follow.
It resulted in Snapper with Passion Fruit Coulis, Sauteed & Black Bean Marinated Razor Clam, Coconut & Coriander, Soy Gelee & Cryo Sakura Cress Salad with Passion Fruit Shots.
Happy with the result.

Second important result this weekend was the lolly/ice praline.
Since the beginning I had always wanted some kind of lolly or ice praline. Just recently I started with one that holds a Sao Thome center, coated with white chocolate & toasted sesame seeds.
It goes over well. Sometimes though, went the timing & or temperatures are off, the coating can be a real pain, and it either takes forever, or the result is not what it should be.

I recently also made a Java Milk chocolate version, though the center turned out just a tad too soft, in comparing to the dark chocolate center.
So when the liquid nitrogen arrived, the soft centers were dipped into the nitrogen for a couple of seconds, then into melted Sao Thome (50C) and finished with toasted white sesame seeds.

Result is a very crispy chocolate layer that stays crisp, with a very soft milk chocolate center. Problem solved.

As a second test I also ran Cryotof's Nespresso Ice Pralines, from his latest book, and those as well turned out marvelous. So once again, the nitrogen seems to be a great new addition to the style of cooking we already take at hand.
For now we will keep to experiment on certain things, for example with green herbs that were left over this weekend, froze them over with nitrogen, sous-vide and froze them in. On wednesday i will see how the color and taste intensity works for sauces or vinaigrettes or so...

Lotus Root goes Liquid Nitrogen

2009-01-22T23:35:00.000-08:00

After long hesitation, and due to blitz intros by Kristof "Cryotof" Coppens, Liquid Nitrogen showed up on my doorstep, a little like the box of wood snips showed up at Danny Horsele's.

So, all preconceived notions set aside, time to experiment, literally.
Because liquid nitrogen is such dangerous goods, caution is most necessary.

Proceed with caution!

Today's tests will include:
Passion Fruit Snapper with Coconut & Cryo Sakura Cress Salad
Liquid Nitrogen Oyster Shooter
Nitrogen Fresh Lime & Ginger Ice Cream
...

I ended up using the Passion fruit set up as well with the Snapper as well as Soft Shell Crab,
cryo shots of passion fruit coulis, Cryo Sakura Cress Salad with Argan oil & Passion Fruit Beurre Blanc.

Quite fun and I do think the idea caught on with the customers,
who have not been introduced to this style here before yet at all.

I think it does bring back fun to the kitchen, the fun of new experiment and gadgetry, which is always a good state to be in, because then u can thrive on positive energy and great things come from that.
I had those times when I introduced Pacojet, Thermomix, Esidri, etc, into the kitchen, and I must say I have no regrets bringing either one of those items into the kitchen either...

Important is that at this stage I am using it soly in the kitchen, and not yet for tableside preparations...
I think you need to master it before expanding upon it too quickly, just as with everything else in the kitchen...

Which leads us to the Liquid Nitrogen Oyster Shooter.
Which I tried in several ways (for the first time): (trial stage)

Hitting the shot glas first with nitrogen before filling it up,
hitting the quail egg and ikura first with nitrogen, then sake & all,
hitting the quail egg with sake, then with nitrogen, then ponzu & all,
hitting it pretty much after the shooter was prepared,
up to garnishing a regular oyster with cryo garnish of green onion, Kaiware Daikon & Sakura Cress.

I had a video of these stages, which I erased on accident, now,
if it were that interesting I would record it over.
Since I just did describe it all, I think experimenting before serving is the only way to go.
The balance of warm/cold has to be perfect, for every recipe over and over again.

I notice also density is of importance. If I take an ice cream base that I useally turn off in the Pacojet, and hit it with a good half liter of nitrogen under a beating mixer, beating for another 30-40 secs, it still remains pretty soft...
Where as I would think it should do the job.
So that one also has to be tested later...
If on the other hand, we dip a piece of spongecake (siphon method) into the nitrogen, is chills out perfectly and holds the cold a lot longer, also when biting into it, you get the whole dragon-steam-into-the-nose-thing, which is part of the sensation of it all...

An apple espuma that would be not that firm, kinda flattens out, where I expect that you need more firmness and fluffyness to hold up the texture while freezing it in the nitrogen.

Mister K, Cryotof Coppens uses Sosa's Prospuma.
Also in what seems higher quantities (I sense this product needs more then Texturas in general..)
For example, if a fruit puree espuma holds puree, sugar + N20, I usually put about 2 sheets of gelatin, not much more. it holds up pretty well....
When using sosa, I still am wondering if 30 grams of prospuma on only 300 ml asparagus soup base doesn't seem overkill...
That is one of the reasons Sosa never really seemed to work for me...
But I guess it is the next step of the experiment.
In this case it might need it.

That kinda concludes all for now, pictures later...
All things considered, I'm already very happy with the addition.

Kitchen Bitch of the Week: Ben Roche - Moto Chicago

2009-01-17T02:36:00.000-08:00

I met Ben (Restaurant Moto) at the Flemish Primitives in Bruges, and the day after he was at Apriori jamming all day with Kristof "Cryotof" Coppens.

Video P magazine

One of the techniques covered that day was the balloon egg, which Ben shows in both videos.

Ben is a little crazy, as a great (pastry) chef should be, and he likes to burn and torch stuff... and brings the title mentioned above, for the very first time going to a chef outside the Root ! Kudo's Ben!

Another great article added by Ben about Moto with some video and all is this one: http://www.flypmedia.com/issues/17/#3/1.

New menu 06/01/2009

2009-01-08T08:01:00.000-08:00

SLOWPOACHED TAKO & IKA WITH GARLIC,
OPAL BASIL VINEGAR & BRAISED L/G VEAL CHEEK

SNAPPER WITH SOY & COCONUT, RAZOR CLAM & CORIANDER

NUT-CRUSTED SPIDER (SOFT SHELL CRAB) WITH SUNDRIED TOMATOES, BUTTERNUT,
SPICY SRIRACHA DRESSING, CACTUS FIG EMULSION

PIGEON WITH RUTABAGA, GREEN ONION & SHIITAKE,
QUINOA & PORT-WINE DEMI-GLACE

BLACK SESAME SPONGE CAKE,
FRESH LIME & GINGER ICE CREAM, YOGURT TUILE

The Flemish Primitives

2009-01-08T07:55:00.000-08:00

Op maandag 05 januari was het concertgebouw in Brugge het decor voor een internationaal food pairing event met de creme van de Belgische gastronomie, alsook absolute wereldtop met chefs als Heston Blumenthal, Albert Adria & Sergio Herman. Ook de JRE waren present.

Uitgerekend ook die dag maakte Rougie bekend dat Paul Hendrickx van restaurant Aneth meedingt naar de 1ste plaats op de Bocuse d'Or in 2011. Daar krijgt hij ondersteuning voor van Serge Vieira, een van de elf topchefs die meewerkten aan het event, en winnaar van de Bocuse d'Or in 2005. 's Avonds was er ook een walking dinner bij restaurant Aneth om dat voor te stellen.

http://www.foodpairing.be
http://foodpairing.blogspot.com/

Horeca Life: Art of Cooking (Oyster Shooter)

2008-12-26T14:17:00.000-08:00

Merry X-mas and a Happy New Year

2008-12-25T06:51:00.000-08:00

A Merry Christmas to all of you, wherever you are in the world.
A prosperous New year as well, with the best of all to follow.
Above all a good health, and fortune within your family.

Have a good one,

Jan, Caroline, Stone + Skye

Studio Brussel - Brussel Vlaams

2008-12-13T08:09:00.000-08:00

Op Studio Brussel, bij Steven Lemmens in Brussel Vlaams, werd onze aktie voor Music for Life met An Pierle & White Velvet extra in de verf gezet en belde hij ons op voor een interview.

Stubru interview: http://lotusroot.net/docs/press/stubru.mp3
Lees meer op Stubru: http://www.stubru.be/node/77467

Uiteindelijk bracht de gehele avond 510 euro op, na het diner zakten we met z'n allen af naar het huis.

An Pierle in het Glazen Huis met Sing Song Sally: http://www.stubru.be/node/79044

Helium Sunset Dinner: The Menu

2008-12-11T02:49:00.000-08:00

Op zaterdag 20 december gaat het diner door met An Pierle & White Velvet,
de gelukkigen moeten nog opstaan, we zoeken een koppel, maar hier alvast het menu:

MUSIC FOR LIFE: HELIUM SUNSET – 20 DECEMBER 2008
A dinner with An Pierlé & White Velvet

TSUNOMONO Japanese Cucumber Salad
OYSTER WITH PASSION FRUIT & GINGER
WHITE VELVET MOUSSE Cauliflower with Purple Potato Chips

OYSTER SHOOTER
(Oyster, Quail Egg, Ikura, Green Onion, Daikon Oroshi,
Shiso, Sake & Soy)

KATSUO TATAKI SALAD WITH FRIED GARLIC, SHISO & PONZU
Sashimi van Bonito Tonijn met Shiso & Ponzu

SOFT SHELL CRAB WITH SUNDRIED TOMATOES, “S&S” BUTTERNUT & CACTUS FIG EMULSION

OLIVE OIL POACHED HALIBUT WITH BUDDHA FINGERS LEMON CONFIT & WHITE SOY AIR

HELIUM SUNSET (Umeshu, Campari, Grapefruit, Shiso)

FOIE SAKE KASU & NASU DENGAKU Foie Marinated with Sake Lees & Eggplant Dengaku

SOBA NOODLE PASTA WITH UNI, NORI & SHARAKU

TEXAS BEEF WITH GLAZED NAPA CABBAGE, AVRUGA & OYSTER JAVA MILK CHOCOLATE FLAN WITH LAPHROAIGH WHITE CHOCOLATE MOUSSE WITH YUZU ICE CREAM

Accompanied by Premium Wines & Sake

SMWS 25 yrs & restyled

2008-12-09T01:45:00.000-08:00

For the 25th anniversary of SMWS, the society refurbished
with a fresh new look for the website as well as packaging &
the monthly magazine 'unfiltered'. The magazine is a glossy, full color,
36-page quirky magazine that draws you in with
inquisitive articles & a great feel.

Music for Life: Met An Pierlé & White Velvet aan tafel bij Lotus Root

2008-12-03T02:41:00.000-08:00

Tijdens de StuBru actie, Music For Life, gaan we per opbod een diner "schenken" aan de hoogste bieder.

An Pierlé & White Velvet schuiven voor de gelegenheid mee aan tafel. Het wordt niks minder dan een Chef's Tasting voor 2 personen met een minimale waarde van 300 euro Het bieden kan dus beginnen aan 350 euro.
Het bedrag gaat integraal naar Music For Life.

During Studio Brussel's Music For Life, Lotus Root is "donating" a dinner for two to the highest bidder.
An Pierlé & White Velvet will be present as your guests. The restaurant is presenting a Chef's Tasting menu for two with a minimum value of 300 euro. May the bidding start at 350 euro.
The total amount goes to Music Lor Life.

An Pierlé & White Velvet op StuBru

Culinaire Hersenspinsels van een Bordendrager

2008-11-27T00:30:00.000-08:00

Tijdens mijn laatste bezoek aan Rock Fort in Brugge (aka Bruges, it's in Belgium...)

kreeg ik een klein receptenboekje in mijn hand, ontsprongen aan het brein van Peter Laloo,
the Rock en tevens bordendrager van Rock Fort.

Peter en Hermes zorgen samen in Rock Fort voor een smakelijke eigenzinnige mix van puurheid en inventiviteit. Fantastische produkten gepaard met schitterende wijnen, en vaak machtige smaakcombinaties doen het hem elke keer weer opnieuw.

Culinaire Hersenspinsels van een Bordendrager
Een 11-tal schitterende ideeen aan het brein ontsprongen van Peter Laloo, fotografie door Tom Swijns,
te koop voor 12.00 euro bij Rock Fort.

Soba Noodle Pasta with Uni & Sharaku

2008-11-26T16:20:00.000-08:00

Soba Noodle Pasta with Uni & Sharaku

Handful soba noodles, cook and rafraichir in advance
1tbls uni per person minimum, marinate with 1 tbls per person Sharaku, Junmai Daiginjo
1 sheet Nori
sesame seeds
sesame oil
mirin
fermented garlic
salt & pepper if needed

Start a handful of noodles in a warm pan, but not hot and add the oil, mirin, uni pacotized with the sake, fermented garlic vinegar. Season to taste with s,p and other ingredients. Garnish with nori strips, scallions and sesame seeds if desired

Wine pairing: Tenzan Shichida Junmai Namazaki, Ogi, Japan.

Piet heeft een nieuw boek uit !

2008-11-25T15:44:00.000-08:00

Der Piet heeft een nieuw boek uit !

Sedert een paar maand heeft Stone (4 jaar) een nieuwe passie,
en dat is elke zaterdag, naar S.O.S. Piet kijken.
Nu moet ik zeggen, niet helemaal Piet-fan zijnde, dat ik daar gemengde gevoelens bij had.

Maar evengoed, vader en zoon dingende doen, (das toch wel mooi West-ABN ?),
begon ik wel een beetje Pro-Piet te worden.
De aflevering met de truc van het ei, en de steak tartare moeten het hem gedaan hebben.
Waar der Piet ook iets geleerd heeft uitermate. Super.

En Stone geniet nog steeds met volle teugen, zelfs vandaag toen hij leerde hoe hij eend moet bakken (met bier papa !) en ook frietjes van pompoen...

Opeens dacht ik bij mezelf dat er godverdomd nog veel programma's zijn op TV waar ze nog vele minder leren, die kinderen van ons.
Dus, Piet mag er wezen !

Shoot !

2008-11-25T02:02:00.001-08:00

Just a couple of mondays ago we had another shoot out in the kitchen.

It was a good one. Here's the result of intense concentration and determination. Sorry for the mess ;)

Some highlights:

more Kris Vlegels & Lotus Root

Kitchen Bitch of the Week

2008-11-25T01:53:00.000-08:00

For those who thought we forgot all about "The Kitchen Bitch of the Week", ........ NOT !
We even brought back Niles for a guest-appearance, the Supreme Kitchen Bitch.

Niles was our sous-chef in the year 2005,
almost a life-time ago in kitchen time minutes.
Happy to see him appear on our sides, keeping The Kitchen Bitch section alive we salute Niles.

R.E.S.P.E.C.T.

Hamachi Kama

2008-11-19T07:45:00.001-08:00

THE RHIZOME DINNER MENU

2008-11-17T07:33:00.000-08:00

KAKUREI JUNMAI GINJO NIGORI SAKE WITH MINT & MANGO

TSUNOMONO

SUSHI MAKI (California roll)

ASARI SAKAMUSHI

TOFU WITH CONDIMENTS

(tomato confit, yuzu, oshitashi, wasabi)

OYSTER SHOOTER

(oyster, quail egg, ikura, green onion, daikon oroshi, shiso, ponzu)

SASHIMI HAMACHI, TAKO, SABA, IKURA GUNKAN

Albarino Ca’ del Solo 2007 Bonny Doon, CA

TORO AVOCADO TOMATO ROAST TUNA JUS

Shimizu Vintage 2003 Daiginjo Suimutan, Suzuka, Japan (Barrel-aged)

FUNG SHUI COCKTAIL

(umeshu, campari, grapefruit, shiso)

FOIE SAKE KASU & NASU DENGAKU

Château Musar Blanc 2000, Bekaa Valley, Lebanon

SOBA NOODLE PASTA WITH UNI, NORI & SHARAKU

Tenzan Shichida Junmai Namazake, Ogi, Japan

YAKI TORI NO UMEBOSHI & WHITE SOY AIR

Pleiades XVI, Sean Thackrey, Bolinas, CA

WHITE SESAME BAR WITH CHOCOLATE SESAME PRALINE

WHITE CHOCOLATE MOUSSE & YUZU ICE

JAVA MILK CHOCOLATE FLAN WITH LAPHRPOAIG

Malvaxia MCMXCIX Passito Bava, Italy

SAKE IWANOI VINTAGE 1982 YAMAHAI & 18 MONTH OLD SWISS APPENBERGER (BERN)

Reminder: Rhizome Dinner

2008-11-12T10:09:00.000-08:00

foto: Kris Vlegels

Er zijn nog maar enkele plaatsen vrij...

THE RHIZOME DINNERS : SWAFFOOD JAPANESE PRODUCTS

In 2002, toen we startten met Lotus Root, stond kwaliteit voorop, het produkt centraal.
Om dat produkt nog meer te accentueren en toe te lichten, vonden we deze produkt dinners uitermate geschikt.

Daarbij komt de gekozen naam, waar we opteerden voor Rhizome, welke staat voor de familie waartoe de lotus wortel behoort.
Er wordt ook een beetje verwezen naar het zijdelings connecteren met soortgenoten...

In die optiek dienen de Rhizome dinners ook als plateau om er collega guest chefs op uit te nodigen,
en er een exlusieve avond mee te brengen.
Het is ook een aanvulling op onze Wine Dinners, waar het niet altijd even makkelijk is om de creme van de wijnbouwers op een geordend tijdstip te ontvangen in Belgie. Dit gebeurd ook meestal op het laatste moment.

About Swaffood:

« Japanse topproducten aankopen is geen sinecure. Het Japanse systeem is zeer zelfbeschermend en heeft vooral tot doel om ervoor te zorgen dat de eigen bevolking genoeg heeft van hun eigen beste producten, en dat de beste ingrediënten terechtkomen in de handen van de beste chefs.
Wanneer je in het westen een eenvoudig restaurant bezit is het relatief eenvoudig om aan onze absolute topproducten te komen, je moet er enkel de prijs voor betalen. In Japan zit dit toch iets ingewikkelder in elkaar... de producenten van de mooiste Japanse gastronomische producten leveren enkel in de hoogste Japanse gastronomische tempels. De puurste en beste producenten van ingrediënten zijn dan ook zo goed als onbereikbaar voor de meeste Westerse (top)chefs. Door een lange en intense passionele verhouding met de japanse keuken en vooral bezeten door de puurheid ervan, zijn we na lang overleg erin geslaagd om deze traditionele topleveranciers te overtuigen om enkele van hun producten te delen met de Belgische markt. »
SWAFFOOD

http://swaffood.com
http://swaffou.com

Het moet gezegd dat ik een intense band heb met deze produkten, en dat deze een mooie aanvulling zijn op onze keuken. Uiteraard zijn we intens vereerd om met ze te kunnen werken en ze aan u voor te kunnen stellen op een eigenzinnige manier, in combinatie met onze stijl & filosofie, harmonieus gepresenteerd met diverse wijnen en sake's.
Dit ultieme smaakpatroon past ook enorm bij onze nieuwe sake lijst, waarmee sommigen onder u reeds mochten kennismaken.

The Rhizome Dinner gaat door op zondag 16 november. Aanvang 17u30. Aan Tafel: 18u30
(Einde voorzien rond 22u30)

Be there...

Reservatie via rhizomedinners@lotusroot.eu
Kostprijs: 125 eur p.p.

In Memoriam: Jan Filliers

2008-11-02T04:15:00.000-08:00

Op de vooravond van 1 november, Allerheiligen, kwam Jan Filliers om het leven in een busongeval in Egypte. Hij bracht er samen met zijn echtgenote Dominique en hun vier kinderen, Valérie, Nathalie, Laurent en Benoît, een korte vakantie door.

Sinds 1990 was Jan, net als zijn neef Bernard, gedelegeerd bestuurder van Stokerij Filliers. Jan was meester-stoker en stond aan het hoofd van productie en R&D. Samen met Bernard, die bevoegd is voor het commerciële beleid en de marketing van de stokerij, vormde hij een geïnspireerd management-duo.

De voorbije jaren behaalden Jan en Bernard samen verscheidene opmerkelijke zakelijke successen. Onder hun beleid groeide Stokerij Filliers uit tot een toonaangevend bedrijf en werden talrijke nieuwe producten gelanceerd. Jan en Bernard omringden zich met bekwame en gedreven mensen, alsook met een sterke raad van bestuur. Hierdoor is Bernard vandaag perfect in staat de continuïteit van het bedrijf te verzekeren.

Vele mensen kenden Jan als een joviale man, een wijze levensgenieter. Zijn uitbundige lach en ‘joie de vivre’ werkten aanstekelijk, maar hij had ook een uitgesproken voorliefde voor onderzoek en analyse. Een proeverij was voor Jan nooit vrijblijvend. Hij maakte er een zoektocht van. Hij hield ervan smaken en geuren te ontcijferen en te begrijpen. Het waren de bouwstenen voor zijn creatieve werk.

Jan Filliers was ook een gevoelig man, een liefdevolle huisvader en een warme persoonlijkheid. Ooit beschreef iemand de jenever die hij stookte als ‘pittig, vol verrassende nuances, verfijnd, zacht en opvallend door zijn heerlijk lange nasmaak.’ Zo zullen wij ons Jan blijven herinneren: pittig, verfijnd, zacht en opvallend.

Proost, Jan, voor altijd.

www.filliers.be

The Rhizome Dinners: Swaffood Japanese Products

2008-10-15T04:05:00.000-07:00

http://swaffood.com

http://lotusroot.eu

Chef's Tasting Menu

2008-09-24T02:30:00.000-07:00

OYSTER

HAMACHI

ABALONE & TAKO WITH CHUKA WAKAME SALAD

BUTTERNUT SQAUSH SOUP WITH GINGER ICE CREAM

MEROU WITH PARSNIP, BLACK LENTILS & LEMON CONFIT, CRISPY PORK BELLY

SCALLOPS WITH TETE DE PORC, QUAIL EGG & KORIANDER HOLLANDAISE

GROUSE WITH CUMIN-BEET QUINOA, ROAST BELLPEPPER JUS

AUSTRALIAN BEEF RIB EYE WITH BLACK SALSIFY, MEDJOOL DATES, GINGER & APRICOTS

CHEESE COURSE

ROCKY ROAD MARSHMELLOW WITH GRENADA CHOCOLATE ICE CREAM

Art of Cooking: Horeca Life

2008-09-22T15:59:00.000-07:00

De culinaire fine fleur van België leert u de laatste kooktrends en -innovaties en biedt u een verrassende kijk op ingrediënten, producten, bereidings- en presentatietechnieken. Deze demonstraties worden gebracht door topkoks ... voor topkoks.

Schrijf u in voor deze "Inspiring moments" die plaats vinden op HORECA LIFE - 5, 6 & 7 oktober 2008 - Tour & Taxis, Brussel.

Deelnemende koks :

Damien Vanderhoeven van restaurant Le Coriandre, Jan Verhelst van restaurant Lotus Root, Paul Hendrickx van restaurant Aneth, Alex Clevers van restaurant Vivendum, Kristof Coppens van restaurant Apriori, Laurent van de vyver van restaurant du Four à la Table, Alexander Heeren van Unilver Foodsolutions, Peter Goossens van restaurant Hof van Cleve en Wout Bru van restaurant "chez Bru".

Inschrijven kan via onderstaande deze l i nk .

Artikel overgenomen van blog Jeunes Restaurateurs Belgie: http://jre-belgium.blogspot.com/

De Standaard: Sake voor de kenners

2008-09-21T10:32:00.000-07:00

Dit weekend een kleine vermelding in een artikel in DSM over topsake's.

Het gamma van Luc Hoornaert slaat in als een bom, ook in de pers.

We mogen ons onder de gelukkigen prijzen die ermee tewerk kunnen.

Ik herinner me nog de eerste post over sake, waar ik me luidop afvroeg of de sake's wel zouden aanslaan.

Nadat ik er voorzichtig 7 uit het gamma selecteerde, kan ik na de eerste er try-out vlotjes een vijftal bij op de lijst plaatsen. Daar ben ik nu volop mee bezig. Zoals steeds zijn de dagen korter dan we zouden wensen. Maar het produkt is er reeds.

DSM 20/09/2008

Introducing the Rhizome Dinners

2008-09-17T15:38:00.001-07:00

THE RHIZOME DINNERS : SWAFFOOD JAPANESE PRODUCTS

Since we started in 2002 it has always been the intention to find the best ingredients possible.

A chef always has the option to either work with bulk ingredient or top-of-the-line product: i.e. farmed fish or line-caught, the list goes on and on from vegetables to seafood, to poultry and meats. The same goes for Japanese products.

It has to be said that that choice comes within time, at least it did for me, because your customer still needs to be prepared to pay that price as well.

Recently I understood that, likewise as with the wine dinners, we can set up a couple of events during the year, which reflect and celebrate the product we work with. That could be an endless list of possibilities: the seafood, poultry, certain vegetables, sake, you-name-it….

It was always important for me to stay true to our idea of the cuisine, so the choice of name is not by accident.

Rhizome stands for the type of root referring to the family in botany which Lotus Root is part of. (& ginger, turmeric, wasabi, tubers…) It also happens to be a family that I like to use in the kitchen as well.

Back to basic, back to the essence of it all, the product.

But also in philosophy, where the rhizome stands for searching knowledge sideways, connecting & interacting together in order to form a multiplicity.

So these dinners are the perfect platform to invite guest chefs & learn and showcase their cooking at Lotus Root.

This supports the main idea I have been striving for, and which is also part of why I joined the Jeunes Restaurateurs d’Europe.

Connecting with other chefs and ideas in cooking is something we have not done for far too long. Luckily the younger generation has understood we can all learn from each other and we can share instead of holding the knowledge to our lonely selves. On top of that, it pushes us constant forward to keep thinking inventive and to create new ideas constantly.

But I am straying, here’s the idea behind SWAFFOOD:

« To buy Japanese top products is a complicated process.

The Japanese system is self-preserving with the intention to guarantee the population of local top products, and that these top products reach the hands of top chefs. In the West it is fairly easy to get a hold of top products, one only has to be prepared to pay the price.

In Japan however, it gets more complicated then that. The purest and best producers are practically unreachable to most Western (top) chefs.

Through a long & intense passionate relation with the Japanese Cuisine, as well as the obsessive interest in its purity, we managed to succeed in convincing these top distributors to share their products with the Belgian Market. »

SWAFFOOD

Needless to say I feel very in line with these products and think they are a great addition to our cuisine, honored to be able to work with them and serve them, in combination with our style of cuisine & harmoniously presented with different wines & sake’s. This is the ultimate accompaniment of our recently added sake list, which some of you might have had a chance to experience.

The dinner is planned somewhere in November

Be there...

Reservations

rhizomedinners@lotusroot.eu

swaffood.com

2008-09-17T15:38:00.000-07:00

SWAFFOU presents SWAFFOOD:

In the next coming months (and beyond) this hot new company is going to rock the flavors of the Root....

"De invloed van de puurheid en eenvoud van de Japanse topkeuken is niet meer weg te denken uit onze na-oorlogse gastronomie. Zowel de nouvelle cuisine als de hedendaagse tendensen zijn beiden grotendeels geïnspireerd door Zuid-Oost Aziatische traditionele scene en dan vooral uit het van alle externe invloeden gevrijwaarde puristische Japan. De invloed van de puurheid en eenvoud van de Japanse topkeuken is niet meer weg te denken uit onze na-oorlogse gastronomie. Zowel de nouvelle cuisine als de hedendaagse tendensen zijn beiden grotendeels geïnspireerd door Zuid-Oost Aziatische traditionele scene en dan vooral uit het van alle externe invloeden gevrijwaarde puristische Japan."

Where did I hear a refreshing wind like that before?

Get ready to experience it at Lotus Root.

Stay tuned... and come and look for us at Horeca Life, 5 & 7 october 2008, Tour & Taxis Brussels.

http://jre-belgium.blogspot.com/2008/09/art-of-cooking.html

A dinner for Profs

2008-09-08T18:41:00.000-07:00

Today we hosted a dinner for 5 profs leaving the university of Gent.

2 of them have supported this restaurant from the get-go.

In their honors we post tonight's menu and look back with great fulfillment.

Prof. Dr. R. Paemeleire

Prof. Dr. D. De Zutter

Prof Dr. E. Somers

Prof Dr. H Van Langenhove

Prof. Dr. J.L. Pannier

It was a great pleasure for us to be part of this special night and we happily presented the following menu:

OYSTER

SCALLOP & CORN

YELLOW & RED BEET

TAKO SASHIMI WITH AVOCADO & FURIKAKE RICE

Octopus Sashimi met Avocado & Furikake Rijst

La Battistina “Nuovo Quadro”2007, Gavi di Gavi, Italy

SKATE WITH GRAPEFRUIT CONFIT & RED CURRY LENTILS

Rog met Confit van Roze Pompelmoes & Rode Curry Linzen

Tulloch Semillon 2007, Hunter Valley, Australia

PUMPKIN SOUP WITH OLIVE OIL SORBET & PUMPKIN SEEDS

Pompoensoep met Olijfolie Sorbet & Pompoenzaadjes

FOIE GRAS & SOFT SHELL CRAB SALAD WITH NECTARINES & ALMONDS

Slaatje met Foie & Soft Shell Crab, nectarines & Getoaste Amandelen

De Bortoli Rare Dry Botritis Semillon 1996, South-Eastern AUS

GROUSE WITH CUMIN-BEET BARLEY & ROASTED BELLPEPPER JUS

Sneeuwhoen met Komijn-Bieten Gerst, Geroosterde Paprika Jus

Morande Pinot Noir 2006, Casablanca Valley, Chili

BUTTER-POACHED BISON STRIPLOIN, SALT-BAKED POTATOS & PINOT NOIR REDUCTION

Boter-Gegaarde Bison Striploin met Zout-Gebakken Aardappel & Pinot Noir Reductie

Zaca Mesa Z Cuvee 2004, Santa Ynez Valley, California

RASPBERRY-MASCARPONE SUNDAE,

FIG & PORT-SABAYON

A Sense of Place

2008-09-05T16:12:00.000-07:00

Chef David Kinch : Manresa - Los Gatos

Chef Kinch has quickly become one of my all-time favorites after having dinner at his exquisite restaurant located in Los Gatos, a Silicon Valley suburb.

This chef is inspired & influenced by Classic French & modern Catalan style, combining the fresh & organic produce of California, with the all-American ingenuity I fell for when I first got to experience it in 1997 while working for Vincent Alexander in Folsom.

In order to secure his produce he teamed up with Cynthia Sandberg from Love Apple Farm in Ben Lomond (in the Santa Cruz Mountain Range, about halfway between SFO & Monterey). A great article about that:

Love Apple Farm provides Manresa with produce straight from the moon and stars

Cynthia also has a great blog with lots of grate info on growing vegetables.

http://growbetterveggies.com

I just read another recent article about Manresa in the Mercury News.

Once again the whole picture fits. My experience there was complete.

Nothing could be added, nothing could have been altered.

The perfection is the inspiration, it wipes away all the other dinners and many lunches we had in California. It sticks. Still.

It's funny how many things seem so familiar.

I would say Chef Kinch is one of the few so in tune with what is happening in Europe. Often he has guest chefs cooks dinners at his restaurant.

(such as Alain Passard (l' Arpege) and just recently Rene Redzepi (Noma) were featured)

Soon (tonight) he is presenting a Bonny Doon Wine Dinner with Randall Grahm & a Sake Dinner on September 10th.

Multiple times a year he presents different Modernista dinners, featuring one product with varieties I can only dream of.

One of those dinners is the Citrus Modernista Dinner. A once-a-year celebration of local, California Coast citrus.

Salivating over the idea of the different kinds of citrus and such a dinner around it prepared by David Kinch, I also think of the many customers asking me if California really has that much to offer culinary-wise.

I shutter, not because of the question, but I do not even know where to start answering that question.

Yet the citrus might be a good start.

Earlier I did a post on citrus. I put up the varieties I was able to get a hold on and smell. That amount doesn't even equate to what is available in CA.

It also makes me think about Meyer Lemon, and the correlation with Chez Panisse.

Alice Waters was pretty much responsible for the interest & culinary use of Meyer Lemon long before the rest did. (pretty much responsible on how California eats, amongst other things, right now she is fighting for better school meals)

Meyer Lemons just arrived here in Belgium (not even a year ago?) and the hype finally started here as well.

The Chez Panisse Meyer Lemon Pie would be the one dessert one the Lotus Root menu, for sure & with success.

In many ways Chez Panisse & Manresa hit similar notes. The lightness of the dishes, freshness of the ingredients, the understanding of what terroir can bring to the kitchen, but much more...

Since I arrived in Belgium I have been looking for great ingredients, products, produce. They are crucial to cuisine in general. It's understood that everything rises or falls with the quality of ingredient. I would also say that it's my impression that today's young chefs are very much product freaks, always looking for the best ingredient. I believe that to be a blessing. But aside from that there also has to be a customer who's willing to pay for that quality.

Let's assume they are, and that they understand the quality they're getting.

Because of the ingredients being a little more exotic than the average, and their unpredictable availability, I found it smarter to start the other way around to create a menu. much like I had been doing while I was working in California.

And when you do get these great tomatoes or vegetables in, it is almost unthinkable of, not to do anything extra-ordinary with them. That's the whole point. Let them be the star of the menu for example. David Kinch got that, better than anyone & understands it like no other while he goes the extra mile and secures the produce he is lookin for.

Here's a video on what he does with them, in a behind-the-scenes look at the Tomato Modernista Dinner at Manresa, in August 2006. It also features scenes from Love Apple Farm.

A true genius and master chef, David Kinch, I am happy to have encountered him and his restaurant on my latest trip. Will definitely be continued.

Stay tune with Manresa on their blog: http://manresarestaurant.blogspot.com/

New menu 03/09/08

2008-09-03T15:42:00.000-07:00

OYSTER

SCALLOP & CORN

YELLOW & RED BEET

SASHIMI OF HAMACHI WITH AVOCADO & FURIKAKE RICE

SKATE WITH GRAPEFRUIT CONFIT & RED LENTILS

GROUSE WITH CUMIN-BEET QUINOA & ROASTED BELLPEPPER JUS

BUTTER-POACHED BISON STRIPLOIN, SALT-BAKED POTATOS & PINOT NOIR REDUCTION

RASPBERRY-MASCARPONE SUNDAE

FIGS WITH BALSAMICO & PORT-SABAYON

Be careful out there.... Safety on the workfloor .....

2008-09-02T00:39:00.000-07:00

California: Bay Area's Visionary Chefs

2008-08-28T04:24:00.000-07:00

One of the goals on my trip was to line out the most important chefs of the Bay Area. What do you know that for the last three weeks the Chronicle has been featuring most of them, nicely lined up. Here's my rundown of the whole gang.

"The state grows the food that feeds the world, and the Bay Area nurtures the chefs who prepare it. Many national dining trends have their roots here, and it's where dedicated food lovers and chefs from around the country come to play and get inspired. Great cooks are everywhere - at a neighborhood bar, in a modest storefront restaurant and at haute cuisine white-tablecloth venues. But the Bay Area's visionary chefs are more than great cooks; they are people who have made Northern California an epicurean epicenter. Here's 20 of these innovators who have helped change the way we eat.

Alice Waters

Changes the dining world with one little restaurant

Where do you start talking about the effect the owner of Chez Panisse has had on the food world? When Alice Waters opened the restaurant in 1971, she was a Francophile and wanted to duplicate the experiences she remembered in Europe, but she quickly became the godmother of California cuisine and created more stars than Louis B. Mayer. Most people recognize her for her views on organic and sustainable produce, but her legacy goes deeper. There's a friendly war about who started the gourmet pizza trend - Waters or Wolfgang Puck - but truth be known, Puck copied Waters' oven when he opened Spago. She pioneered the idea of high-end chefs creating more casual places when she started the Cafe at Chez Panisse 28 years ago. While some chefs have used fame to open new places and increase their income, Waters has stayed true to her Berkeley roots and made Chez Panisse a platform for political change.

Tony Gulisano

Brings organic to popular-priced restaurants

To many people, Chow might seem like a modest chain of neighborhood restaurants, but it's where Tony Gulisano has merged his fine-dining training with concern for the environment. He buys the highest quality organic ingredients, yet keeps the prices competitive. He started the first Chow on Church Street in San Francisco in 1997, and has slowly grown to three restaurants, with a fourth on the way. The Lafayette branch includes a fresh market and carryout component, where Gulisano offers organic produce and meats for home cooks. His philosophy is that a nimble restaurateur can buy in season when prices are low. "It's not as if we're buying denim," he says. On his breakfast menu - his restaurants are open for all three meals - he uses organic eggs exclusively. "They're only 15 cents more apiece," he says. "So for only 30 cents more, you can give customers a better product."

Paula LeDuc

Proves that catering can also be fine dining

Being a caterer is much like the famous line: "Ginger Rogers did everything Fred Astaire did, except backward and in high heels." A catered event may look simple, but with the logistics and heightened emotions of planning a celebration, it's much harder than producing the same dish in a restaurant. Even though Paula LeDuc has done thousands of events under tents, in boats and on islands with no electricity or water, she always keeps one element on top: the food. It seems as if she and her staff reinvent themselves at every party, whether it's a picnic for 3,000 at LucasArts, a lunch for the Britain's royals at the Ferry Building, or an elegant cocktail party at Tiffany. LeDuc started her business out of her home in 1980 and quickly became so popular that she's had to move into larger quarters three times and now employs 60 full-time workers and hundreds of part-time support staff. If you're at an event where the food is great and you don't know who did it, it was probably Paula LeDuc Fine Catering.

Thomas Keller

Reaches perfection, one fish at a time

Many prognosticators didn't think he could do it: Create four-star restaurants in two of the toughest dining markets in the United States, especially since the French Laundry was in a sleepy town of Yountville, and Per Se was in a New York shopping mall. But he did it. Now the argument centers on which one is the best restaurant in the country. Keller's creations can be whimsical but he's also a perfectionist - he insists that fish be stored upright, the way they swim - and he's trained stars such as Grant Achatz at Alinea in Chicago, and four-star chef Ron Siegel at the Dining Room at the Ritz-Carlton in San Francisco. He's written best-selling cookbooks, and will soon release "Under Pressure" about sous vide cooking. He's also turned his talents to designing china, silver and flatware; and founded the more casual Bouchon, Bouchon Bakery and Ad Hoc. He's building an inn near the French Laundry and he's working on a "Burgers and Half Bottles" restaurant concept. His empire is expanding, but quality remains unimpeachable.

Cindy Pawlcyn

Pioneers a casual, fresh approach to dining in Napa Valley

Not only was Cindy Pawlcyn one of the geniuses behind Fog City Diner, which helped ignite the down-home American restaurant boom across the country, she also pioneered a casual style of dining in Wine Country. When she opened Mustards 25 years ago, there were few quality restaurants in the Napa Valley. At that time, she received national attention for making ketchup from ingredients in the garden beside the roadhouse-style restaurant, and featuring homey Asian, Mexican and American dishes on the same menu. A trailblazing female chef, Pawlcyn was integral to three trends: the diner craze; serving locally grown produce in a fun environment at moderate prices; and mixing cultures on the same menu. Besides the landmark Mustards, Pawlcyn also owns Cindy's Backstreet Kitchen as well as Go Fish, which brings fresh seafood and sushi to the inland valley.

Craig Stoll

Turns a neighborhood spot into an institution

Craig Stoll won the James Beard Award for Best Chef Pacific this year, which is quite a coup for a chef who owns a modest restaurant that was never meant to be more than a neighborhood hangout. Yet Stoll and his wife, Anne, have turned Delfina into a beloved destination for anyone who wants food with an authentic Italian spirit. When he opened Delfina, Stoll took a fresh look at the generic Italian cooking that had come to define many Bay Area restaurants, and focused on using pristine ingredients to celebrate the cuisine. In Delfina's decade in business, Stoll's approach has been replicated across the United States, enriching the dining scene and inspiring others to explore regional variations. A few years ago, Stoll added a pizzeria next door; he's opening a second one soon in Pacific Heights.

Emily Luchetti

Brings flavor back into desserts

Many of today's desserts are more appealing to the eye than to the taste buds; flavor has been sacrificed for over-the-top presentations and outlandish savory add-ons. Emily Luchetti's creations are the antithesis of that style. Since she took over the pastry department at Stars in 1987, Luchetti has been crafting some of the best desserts in the Bay Area, concentrating on taste rather than bells and whistles. In 1994, she opened StarBake adjacent to the restaurant; it was one of the first restaurant-bakery offshoots in the United States. For the past decade, she's been the executive pastry chef at Farallon, Nick's Cove and Waterbar; has advocated her flavor-over-presentation philosophy in four cookbooks; and is one of the most recognized pastry chefs in the United States. While pastry chefs are often overlooked for leadership positions in the restaurant industry, Luchetti is currently vice chairman of the James Beard Foundation board of trustees and chairman of its awards committee.

Charles Phan

Takes Asian food mainstream and upscale

Charles Phan opened Slanted Door 12 years ago, colonizing an area of the Mission District that was better known for taquerias. Today the Mission is one of the most vibrant, interesting dining areas in the city, but back then, it was Phan who had the confidence to sink his family's savings into a restaurant that would showcase his groundbreaking Vietnamese food. He quickly gained a national reputation for producing some of the best Asian-inspired food in the United States. In the subsequent decade, he and his family moved the restaurant two times; its permanent location in the Ferry Building remains one of the hottest reservations in town. Phan has been named Best Chef Pacific by the James Beard Foundation, and last year the restaurant was one of the five nominees for best restaurant. Today he's bringing his food to a wider audience at Out the Door in the Westfield San Francisco Centre and a soon-to-open location in Pacific Heights.

Jeremy Fox

Raises vegetarian cuisine to a new level

Not since Greens opened under Deborah Madison in San Francisco 30 years ago has a chef done more to bring vegetarian cuisine to the forefront of fine dining. When Ubuntu opened in downtown Napa a little more than a year ago, the prospects of success seemed slim. Billed as a restaurant and yoga studio, it seemed more like a New Age cliche. Yet, thanks to the integrity of the setting and of the food, Fox has created a sensation that has put him on a national stage. His career wasn't too shabby before: He was chef de cuisine at Manresa in Los Gatos. He took what he learned from Manresa's David Kinch and other chefs and focused on vegetables, many grown in the biodynamic gardens of Ubuntu owner Sandy Lawrence. He doesn't like to call Ubuntu vegetarian; instead, he says it's "vegetable cuisine." Whatever he calls it, the dishes are bright and creative.

Gerald Hirigoyen

Inspires others to follow their heart

When this French chef started Fringale 19 years ago, South of Market was known mostly for its auto body shops and warehouses. Even though the allure of French cuisine was waning in San Francisco in 1991, he brought it back and turned South of Market into a dining destination. He's since sold that restaurant, and opened and closed Pastis, where he cooked mostly Southern French dishes. That style didn't feel right to him, so he transformed the space into Piperade to celebrate his Basque roots, and the food of this often-misunderstood region that straddles France and Spain. He's honored the Spanish side of the equation by opening Bocadillos, which is the best tapas restaurant in the city. While we haven't seen a groundswell of Basque restaurants yet, Hirigoyen has shown other chefs they can't go wrong by staying true to themselves.

Nancy Oakes

Reveals the complexity of American cuisine

Boulevard has been one of the most popular restaurants in the city for 15 years, and people have come to know Nancy Oakes for her intricately crafted American plates. What they may not remember is that she was a pioneer of so-called bar food. Nearly 30 years ago, she began her career cooking at Pat O'Shea's Mad Hatter in San Francisco's Richmond District, where she developed a cult following for her homey preparations. In 1988, she opened L'Avenue, a small outpost that was the forerunner of Boulevard. She's successfully combined her meat-and-potatoes upbringing with her cooking skills and her studies at the San Francisco Art Institute to put a new face on American cuisine. Her experience in both the front and the back of the house has informed the restaurant - when Boulevard opened in 1993, she was one of the first to offer employees health benefits and paid vacations.

Paul Bertolli

Popularizes our passion for salumi

His background is impeccable - a decade as chef de cuisine at Chez Panisse in Berkeley, followed by 11 years as chef-partner of Oliveto in Oakland, where his purist approach made national waves. He made his own pasta, olive oil, balsamic vinegar and charcuterie. He out-Italianed the Italians: He ground his own flour for pasta, for example, and more than likely shot the boar that went into his wild boar sausage. He shared his philosophy in his 2003 cookbook, "Cooking by Hand," which has inspired thousands of chefs and cooking enthusiasts. His love of handcrafted cured meats grew so intense that a few years ago he left the restaurant and created Fra' Mani products in Oakland, recently branching out to produce pancetta, hams and pates. His products are now carried at just about every high-end retailer and restaurant in the city - unless the chefs are making their own, thanks to Bertolli's lead.

Ann Cooper

Advocates for healthful school lunch programs

When Ann Cooper took over the cafeterias at the Berkeley Unified School District three years ago, the staff didn't know how to cook; they simply opened cans and defrosted food. Now all 16 schools have salad bars and food prepared from scratch. She's become one of the nation's top advocates for healthful school lunch programs, and is constantly quoted nationally on these issues. When Cooper moved to the Bay Area from the East Coast, her salary was originally paid for by a grant from the Chez Panisse Foundation. She's a chef by trade and has written several books, including "A Woman's Place Is in the Kitchen: The Evolution of Women Chefs," and "Lunch Lessons: Changing the Way We Feed Our Children" (co-written with Lisa M. Holmes). No wonder she's known as the "Renegade Lunch Lady" as she strives to bring healthful in-school eating to the mainstream.

Daniel Patterson

Creates an only-in-Northern California experience restaurant that could resonate only in Northern California

He's a lot Alice Waters and a little Ferran AdriÀ. Daniel Patterson has blended the best of both camps - ingredients versus technique - at Coi, his San Francisco restaurant. Patterson has a strong intellectual side that informs everything he does, as shown in his writing for various national publications. He personally selects each item he serves on his nightly 11-course tasting menu, visiting farmers' markets in San Francisco, Marin and Berkeley. When he's not shopping, he's growing his own ingredients, particularly the herbs he uses in their just-sprouted stage to add even more depth to his already complex foods. In the last two years at Coi, he's continued to refine his style. Probably more than just about anyone in the United States, his food has such a strong sense of place that it couldn't be produced anywhere else.

Michael Mina

Continues to stoke the home fires

There are 14 restaurants in his empire, but only one Michael Mina. So how does he juggle it all? With steely determination, detailed daily reports and phone calls to his restaurants all over North America - Las Vegas, Atlantic City, Detroit, Miami, Scottsdale and Mexico City. Even with all these projects, he's still often behind the line at his eponymous restaurant in San Francisco, cooking alongside his chef de cuisine, Chris L'Hommedieu. Earlier this year, Mina earned his fourth star from The Chronicle, a decade after he first rose to the top at Aqua. Four stars is quite a feat for a chef in the expansion mode, but Mina is a good businessman and a great cook, perfecting a tasting menu where a single item is treated to entirely different preparations on the same plate. Mina recently opened Clock Bar across the lobby from his restaurant in the Westin St. Francis, and next year will open RN74, a wine bar in the Millennium Tower in San Francisco. All the while, he keeps working on other projects that strike his and business partner Andre Agassi's fancy.

Hiro Sone

Effortlessly blends East and West

Twenty years ago, Hiro Sone and his wife, Lissa, opened what remains one of the best restaurants in Napa Valley - Terra. In doing so, they bucked the expected French/Italian tradition they had operated under at Spago in Los Angeles and in Japan; instead, Sone created an exciting menu that pays homage to his own culture and to Napa Valley. He expresses even more of his Japanese side at Ame, which the pair opened in 2005 in the St. Regis Hotel in San Francisco. Here you can get sushi and sashimi, and also dishes like burrata on bruschetta with a salad of summer squash, mint and lemon whose flavors meld seamlessly. Sone shows how to do "fusion" right. It comes from immense talent, channeling his culture and not simply trying to make a trendy statement. Although this subtle blending of cuisines isn't new, he takes it to a sophisticated level.

Douglas Keane

Brings the world to Healdsburg

For more than a decade, people predicted Sonoma would catch up with Napa Valley on the food front, but that's been slow in happening. That is, until Nick Payton and Douglas Keane took a giant risk and opened a French Laundry-quality restaurant on the other side of the Mayacamas Mountains. It was a leap of faith, but after being diagnosed with a brain tumor in 2003, which turned out to be benign, Keane realized what he wanted to do, and cooking was at the top of the list. He's a stickler for fresh ingredients, but also uses Asian flavors in a dramatic juxtaposition of ingredients that he pulls off with the ease of an Olympic gymnast. Just this year, he added a $350,000 bakery to make breads in-house. That's true dedication.

Judy Rodgers

Defines San Francisco cuisine

If pressed to name one restaurant that defines the San Francisco dining experience, Zuni would be at the top of the list. Judy Rodgers took over the kitchen in 1987 and gave the menu a Mediterranean twist. With its eclectic decor and now-iconic menu, the restaurant is at the crossroads of San Francisco culture. No restaurant has as many signature items: roast chicken, hamburger, thin-crust pizza and Caesar salad. All are pretty simple, but her now well-known techniques raise the preparations to an art. Rodgers' style has been copied by more restaurants than just about any other, which is probably why the restaurant won the James Beard award for Outstanding Restaurant in 2003 and Rodgers was named "Outstanding Chef" the next year. Her 2002 "The Zuni Cafe Cookbook" lays out her philosophies and recipes and is considered a classic.

David Kinch

Takes organic to the next level

Biodynamic is an exalted word in the food world as we move beyond organics. Some think it's hocus-pocus, but not David Kinch of Manresa. He's partnered with a biodynamic farm to produce much of the produce he uses at his Los Gatos restaurant, and has been recognized in Europe as one of the leaders in the field. A few years ago, in fact, he was a featured presenter at "Vive las Verduras," a produce-focused gastronomy/science/architectural conference in Spain that included well-known chefs Alain Passard of L'Arpège in Paris and Ferran AdriÀ of El Bulli in Spain. For provincial San Franciscans, Los Gatos may seem like a long way to go, but Kinch has become a United Nations for visiting chefs, hosting them in his restaurant and letting them cook in his state-of-the-art kitchen.

Ruggero Gadaldi

Making pizza and artisan cocktails an innovation

This innovative Italian chef came to San Francisco in 1991 when Larry Mindel opened Etrusca (now Cosmopolitan Grill), a regional Italian restaurant that was a decade ahead of its time. Fortunately, Ruggero Gadaldi stayed and thrived. Using principles of Slow Food before most people knew what it was, he opened Antica in 1996; it became a blueprint for top-quality neighborhood Italian food. He followed that up in 2002 with the equally fine Pesce, which serves Venetian-style seafood, with an emphasis on small plates. His most enduring legacy may be his newest place - earlier this year he turned his Last Supper Club into Beretta, serving artisan cocktails and pizza. It's a brilliant concept that will probably be copied from coast to coast."

One that is not mentioned in the list,

which definitely should be added is Bradley Ogden.

Bay Area chef Bradley Ogden rose to national prominence as the

Executive chef for San Francisco’s renowned

Campton Place Hotel. Later, Ogden and partner Michael Dellar opened

Ogden’s signature restaurant,

The Lark Creek Inn in Marin County, just north of San Francisco, which has

been acclaimed by leading critics

and publications as one of the best restaurants in the nation.

It was followed by One Market Restaurant in San Francisco,

Lark Creek in Walnut Creek and San Mateo, Yankee Pier in Larkspur,

Parcel 104 in Santa Clara, and Arterra in Del Mar. Bradley Ogden is recognized as a pioneer and inspiration

to many in the culinary field, transforming traditional American food into superbly updated fare.

In March of 2003, Ogden partnered with Caesar’s Palace to open a restaurant in Las Vegas,

Ogden’s first restaurant outside of California. In 2004, Bradley Ogden at Caesars Palace received "Best New Restaurant"

award by the James Beard Foundation.

The visionaries, and where to find them

Jeremy Fox, Ubuntu, 1140 Main St., Napa; (707) 251-5656.

Tony Gulisano, Chow, 215 Church St., San Francisco; (415) 552-2469. Also 53 Lafayette Circle, Lafayette; (925) 962-2469. Park Chow, 1240 Ninth Ave.), San Francisco; (415) 665-9912.

Gerard Hirigoyen, Piperade, 1015 Battery St., San Francisco; (415) 391-2555. Bocadillos, 710 Montgomery St., San Francisco; (415) 982-2622.

Thomas Keller, French Laundry, 6640 Washington St., Yountville; (707) 944-2380. Per Se, 10 Columbus Circle, New York; (212) 823-9335.

Paula LeDuc, (510) 547-7825 or www.paulaleduc.com.

Emily Luchetti, Farallon, 450 Post St. , San Francisco; (415) 956-6969. Waterbar, 299 The Embarcadero, San Francisco; (415) 284-9922.

Cindy Pawlcyn, Mustards, 7399 St. Helena Hwy. (Highway 29), Napa; (707) 944-2424. Cindy's Backstreet Kitchen, 1327 Railroad Ave., St. Helena; (707) 963-1200. Go Fish, 641 Main St., St. Helena; (707) 963-0700.

Charles Phan, Slanted Door, 1 Ferry Bldg., No. 3, San Francisco; (415) 861-8032. Out the Door, 845 Market St. (in Westfield San Francisco Centre), San Francisco; (415) 541-9913. Also 1 Ferry Bldg., San Francisco; (415) 321-3740.

Craig Stoll, Delfina, 3621 18th St., San Francisco; (415) 552-4055. Pizzeria Delfina, 3611 18th St., San Francisco; (415) 437-6800.

Alice Waters, Chez Panisse, 1517 Shattuck Ave., Berkeley; (510) 548-5525. Cafe at Chez Panisse, (510) 548-5049.

Nancy Oakes, Boulevard, 1 Mission St. (near the Embarcadero), San Francisco; (415) 543-6084.

Ann Cooper, www.lunchlessons.org or www.chefann.com.

Paul Bertolli, Fra' Mani, www.framani.com.

Daniel Patterson, Coi, 373 Broadway, San Francisco; (415) 393-9000.

Michael Mina, Michael Mina, 335 Powell St. (in the Westin St. Francis Hotel), San Francisco; (415) 397-9222.

Ruggero Gadaldi, Beretta, 1199 Valencia St. (at 22nd); San Francisco; (415) 695-1199.

Douglas Keane, Cyrus, 29 North St., Healdsburg; (707) 433-3311.

David Kinch, Manresa, 320 Village Lane, Los Gatos; (408) 354-4330.

Judy Rodgers, Zuni Cafe, 1658 Market St. (between Franklin and Gough), San Francisco; (415) 552-2522.

Hiro Sone, Terra, 1345 Railroad Ave., St. Helena; (707) 963-8931. Ame, 689 Mission St. (in the St. Regis Hotel); San Francisco; (415) 284-4040.

article sourced from San Francisco Chronicle