The X-Factor

I know I said I would get into slow food but that will be shortly. The past week has been a realization to myself and what my company stands for. When I started this company I was on the verge of bankruptcy. I had $60 in my bank account and no credit left after being laid off for 7 months. Now almost a year later I am back looking at risk.

The biggest risk to a business is insurance, if you have it you spend a lot of money if nothing happens if something does it can save you. Though hardly in the position financially, I have decided to take on insurance for bids and to really push for what I say my company is about. It is one thing to talk a big game but it is this risk that will make me viable to go against the corporations and in this case Aramark.

There is not a student in the educational system that does not hate Aramark. Over priced and horrible quality. I vowed when I was in culinary school that I would bring good food to schools. Now with the first year with Jean Vanier coming to a close it is time to move my school initiative forward. There really is no going back now, I am the x-factor in the equation of catering companies. No one knows what to expect.....at least my chefs knew I was passionate.

I have decided to give up sleep for the next few months and go back to a life of coffee and get more work. There is no success without sacrifice, and this definitely is not going to be an easy journey.

If you are interested in the School Initiative see www.artisanalpalate.com and download it off the front page.

Slainte

Ideology and Passion vs Realism (part 2)

So right now go look in your fridge, what is in it?
.........Go look its OK ill wait..................

So is there a vinaigrette you made yourself or Kraft Dressing?

Is there cured sausage from a neighbour or yourself or is it Schneider's salami cold cut?

I think you get the point of where I am going. Let's look back at my conversation with my friend and colleague Frazer, we always talk on end about making things our self and from scratch. There is just a satisfaction of making something yourself a sense of pride. You tend to sit down to enjoy it more. Like what I made for St. Patrick's day an Irish Whiskey Soda Bread with Honey Jameson Butter....there was a sense of pride because it wasn't just from Dempster....and here is the kicker the quality was a lot better.

When I sit down to write a menu (sometimes it involves jumping out of bed in the middle of the night) usually with some wine and a few books I have all these crazy and fun ideas. Then I come back down to earth when I look back and look at how much it would cost.

Hows this sound:

Creamy White Truffle Risotto
with Seared Foie Gras and 50 year old balsamic

Orgasmic I know but just look at the high ticket items on that plate. Truffles, foie gras, a 50 year old balsamic not to mention its risotto, the most labour intensive dish during service. So price wise you would be paying an arm and a leg for that dish, but wow would it be great. When I create a dish now its about balance. I want people to enjoy a great dish for $20 as a main and $10 for a good sized app. So how can a cook keep costs down when his mind is going wild of making everything from scratch. Well in that dish alone we could use a bit of truffle oil or even paste instead of fresh truffles and use a balsamic glaze. Not as luxurious but still tastes damn good. What makes that a smart decision is if I start with well made blond veal stock use grade A foie gras I still have this amazing dish and have the quality where it really matters.

We try so hard to not let reality bring us down because there is always that glimmer of hope in customers that come back realize how good the food was and are willing to try anything. I have witnessed many a chef just stop caring. Some from a developed laziness, some are worn out and some just shut down because they have forgotten what its like to get back to the basics. To take that passion and actually make it feasible for your customers to understand and want your product. Too many chefs try and satisfy everyone I know I did and sometimes still do. In the end you just burn out and fade, you can not never will make everyone happy. When it comes to the big picture.....money beats passion. We can't do exactly what we want because that reality slaps us in the face......But there is a light at the end of the tunnel.

Slow Food

Ideology and Passion vs Realism (part 1)

As cooks and chefs we strive to be someone people look up to, someone who holds true to the honour of being called a chef. As a chef in training you are constantly coming up with ideas always putting them on the table without consequence. You have no idea how to make your dream a reality and you later find out it becomes a disaster more times than not, but all of this common to your development. From a much welcomed phone call from an old friend from college and a few pints at the local mico brew we spent hours on this topic.

"If only we could honestly do the food we really want to do!"

Frazer Dempster is probably one of the most passionate cooks to the traditional way that I have ever met. We got along well in culinary school because honestly we both border on passionately insane. We love food, we love the fact that we cook for all people not just the ones with a fat cheque book.

Frazer himself started his career off in design as more and more cooks are where I have been strictly in culinary and wine. His vision, imagination and passion never falter but he tells me one truth that reminded me of when I started. "I'm just not a numbers guy". Fact is I wasn't really either until I started Artisanal Palate. Sure I had been a part of a lot of menus and costing them out but there are costs that you just don't think of unless you see them glaring at you from the page as an owner.

The fact becomes you may have this great idea or want to make everything from scratch but there only is 24 hrs in a day and your staff cant work all of them. I love making my own beautifully cured sausages or smoked bacon, stocks and sauces. All of the staples in the kitchens of old that have been thrown on the back burner to make way for the powderized demis and watery bacon. The quality ingredients relegated only to the fine dining restaurant charcuterie platter that gives you a tiny amount for $45. We live in a time and area of uneducated diners, that have lost touch with what good food really is, but worst of all the cooks as well (that will be a later discussion). We are impatient consumers that prefer quantity over substance. Good food does not have to be expensive it needs passion it needs time and it needs a lot of hard work. So is the reality more about making a dollar or giving our guests great food?

Out of Hibernation

The wheels are turning once again at Artisanal Palate. I am very excited to have launched the catering portion of the company in January and we are already off to a good start. There is a lot of work being done to grow the business so I am sorry for the complete lack of writing.

I will start putting my notes on the blog of new breads and menu items created.

We are also very excited that we have found some excellent producers to work with this year and I will start profiling them as well.

Stay tuned, as I work at a blistering pace to keep everyone informed and satisfied.

Slainte,

Shawn

Up Coming Events....

October was a very busy month for Artisanal Palate with a lot of work put into developing products, menus and doing demonstrations for Woodland Imports. With so much going on an idea was put on the back burner and after this weekend is back in my mind.

For a few months now we have been coming up with ideas of various parties and annual functions to be held. The problem still lies in a location but we are looking to land an affiliation that will help us in our goals. We are looking to hold the first annual New Years function for Artisanal Palate. This would be an intimate party of the excellent food and beverage we are becoming known to deliver.

We are thinking of a combined evening an intimate dinner for 16 guests and then a cocktail function with a DJ for about another 60 people for the rest of the New Years fun. There will be a lot of work done to settle some issues and we would be looking to release information coming next week. Advertising would be put together shortly thereafter. The pricing is also still up in the air but dinner would include the price of wine with each course and the cocktail would involve the price of 3 drinks, hors d’oeuves and antipasto.

We will be looking to update more often as well.

Until next time, keep the stumach and the glass full.

The Hard Parts of Business

So far I have spent the entire weekend reworking budgets and financing. Yes it is about as exciting as it sounds especially when you have about 3000 entries to rework.

I find myself now in the same position as every other owner I have ever worked for and that's where to cut costs but keep my quality standards at their high level. I have had problems being able to keep my employee the 5 days a week at the school when we are only pulling in about $1000 a week. Things are going well there but with now 4 co-op students I think to keep them busy even only for the two hours that they are there is to start making our own breads and bagels. Should cut a bit of cost and at least I get to work on my doughs and they get to learn a new skill.

The photos done by Nichala Cutts are almost finished and she has proven to be a very talented young photographer. Those photos will soon be up and a profile of Nichala will be available on the web page.

Artisanal Palate will be doing demos at Pusateri's for Woodland Imports October 14-18th, swing on by Avenue rd in Toronto. It is the best gourmet store in Canada and a great spot to come sample and see some good food being made. Currently working on a recipe section for the site and for stores I will keep you in touch with that and the many other projects on the go right now.

Until then keep the stomach and the glass full,

slainte

conception

When you are a young cook you look forward to at work is to learn something new and create. I used to receive what we called a "black box" basically an assortment of proteins and vegetables etc to create menu items. You would go write down your menus and start creating and the most important thing is to keep these over your career. I constantly go back to my old menus to see how I have evolved as a cook through the creation and presentation of the food. Last week was the first photo shoot for the company and though due to finances we didn’t get a chance to really get in depth with the concepts the food did look pretty good and felt that it did match up.

With the pictures about to hit the editing room I have had a chance now to really be critical of the items and their presentations to switch things up the next time. It is what keeps chefs ahead of the curve. You really have to do the development not only to keep your staff interested but to keep you wanting to go to work everyday.

Check out ArtisanalPalate.com as the company’s profile and website progress.

Slainte,

Shawn Murphy