The Council of Innovative Chefs

The Council of Innovative ChefsMembership for joining the Council of Innovative Chefs is now open! Membership is free throughout the rest of the year and will continue to be free for student members.

No matter what level of chef you are from commis to exec and no matter where in the world you cook, I would appreciate your participation within this culinary organization.

This is your platform to share your culinary expertise and learn from other chefs committed to develop a high culinary standard for the rest of the world to enjoy.

We are shooting for a great number of members so please share the organization with any chef you may think would benefit from joining.

Log onto:   https://cichef.com/

Simply click on the registration tab and choose free membership. Complete your profile page and start networking. I will share updates on our first conference as they become available.

Thanks for all the support I have received from my fellow chefs to get this organization up and running. Your friendship, thoughts and most of all your passion has inspired me on the many evenings and weekends it has taken me to put this together.

Your Brother,

David

The Story Behind The Brand

Like many organizations, it important to communicate your message in the brand you chose to represent your organization. My thought behind the brand I chose for the Council of Innovative Chefs is explained as follows:

The main body of the brand is an artichoke. Naturally beautiful by nature it is a symbol of natures perfection. The green is a symbol of the earth while the purple highlights show a maturing of its body ready to be shared.

Within the artichoke is a light bulb in the shape of elephant garlic as a symbol of enlightenment through food. The filament within the lightbulb is a classical pastry garnish I am sure you recognize as a symbol of completeness. When a dish is garnished, it is complete. The lightbulb, of course, represents ideas since every great undertaking is birthed by thought.

The stem off the artichoke is drawn to replicate the base of the light bulb. This is to represent ‘plugging in’ for the idea (light bulb) to work, it needs to come in contact with a power source just as the stem connects the plant to the earth.

I believe this brand resonates with a lot of us. It is neither restricted to one country but is aimed to represent our global community of culinary innovators. It is also not restricted to one discipline of chef but aimed to represent all chefs from all levels of a brigade who are inspired to strive for the perfection of our art. The same as nature has been represented as perfect through the artichoke.

So now that you know the back story behind the brand of the Council of Innovative chefs,

I hope you will share in the organization.

Tattie Scones; Their Not Just for Breakfast Anymore

 

Just about every culture I can think of has some type of flat bread or product indigenous to the need for a dough type product intended to enrobe foods, provide nourishment and most of all be easy to hold. This idea is thousands of years old and has evolved with the times into meeting the necessity of staying relevant with changing generations that crave traditional foods but with trendy combinations and presentations.

The tattie scone should be no different, I would think, but it is. It has played a very important part of being identified with the Scottish breakfast and while working in tandem with the traditional Scottish slice sausage, the tattie scone has helped identify the Scottish breakfast from any other breakfast in the British Isles. It is as Scottish as the Scotch Egg yet suffers from a similar fate in the assumption that it is only good if served before 10 AM.

I saw this an an opportunity to expand upon the traditions of the tattie scone and help re-shape a future of this delicacy to reach the other day part opportunities that loom beyond breakfast. I let my imagination run wild. My first order of business was to change it’s shape. In an effort to do what I could with the scone I found it most restricting using the pre-packaged form of sliced triangular shaped portions to not work so well in its current form with the exception of cutting those pieces into smaller triangles and serving with sliced smoked Scottish salmon, cucumber cream, a slice of boiled egg and a dollop of caviar on top. Sort of taking the place of a classical blini if you will.

I proceeded to make my own and from there I was impressed by the versatility of the tattie scone. I first made a large circle, thinner than store bought, and fried it off. Instead of cutting into triangular sections I left it whole. I then steamed it to make it pliable. Filled it with slow roasted pulled beef, carrot shreds and onion. Rolled it up similar to a large spring roll or burrito. It turned out great. I took the trimmings from the dough and after rolling paper thin, fried them up and since the sandwich I made reminded me of a burrito, I made a sort of nacho platter out of the fried trimmings with crumbled sliced sausage, green onions, diced tomatoes and crumbled Shropshire Blue cheese. Wow, it worked perfectly. I kept traditional Scottish flavours and shaped them into a modern presentation that I would hope more restaurants in Scotland would serve to their guests. Now I only need to think of what to call it! 

As I went on, it seemed as though the ideas just started flowing. Some things worked while others not so well like making a meat pie with the scone dough. Well, I thought it was a good idea at the time. At the end of the day my point was made though. Our food from Scotland is delicious and with a little ingenuity we can expand upon what we have and share it with the world. That is the whole idea of Modern Scottish Cuisine….. to share it with the world.

Sharing My Story

Since writing my memoirs I am surprised at the support I have received from the many readers whom have let me know how much they appreciated my story. As you may know, it is not easy putting yourself out there in an effort to entertain as well as inspire the reader and at the same time open yourself up to criticism. I guess I have also learned this as a chef also. I work hard at creating a dish, analyze and often times overanalyze the preparation, envision the artistic view of the dish and demonstrate my years of practice by putting it out there for criticism or scrutiny.

The same holds true with my publication of GINGER. I put off the project for a number of years for the simple reason that I wouldn’t think anybody would be interested. I have my wife to thank for giving me the encouragement to finally get it done and to share my story with whomever would be interested in it. The same goes for a lot of food innovations I have developed through the years. Sometimes I just like to keep certain dishes to myself when other times I look very much foreword to sharing with whomever is willing to try it. I take the praises with humility as well as take the criticisms with seriousness and sometimes a grain of salt. 

It had taken me several years to not take the criticism personally. I would sometimes take it as a blow to my very sensitive feelings and rebut the criticism with often time insult or dismissal. I am glad to have matured from these feelings and believe that maybe there was more to postponing writing my memoirs. Maybe I just wouldn’t have been ready for any kind of praise or criticism. Being it so very personal, I truly believe now that I wasn’t ready.

I never studied to be a writer. Although I have writers that I admired through the years, I never thought of someday actually writing anything more than a menu and possibly some recipes for people to enjoy. I now opened myself up to be criticized for not only my abilities as a chef, a vocation that I have trained earnestly for years, but my abilities as a writer. A vocation that I had never studied nor ever wanted to study to do professionally. I have always just wanted to work with food.

I am extremely grateful to those whom have contacted me and let me know how much you have enjoyed my book. I am truly touched by those who have said that it inspires you. I am also appreciative to all of you who recommended Ginger to others. That is truly one of the greatest compliments I could have ever hoped for. It ranks right up there with Mark Sutherland of Dunrobin Publishing liking the story so much that he took a chance on a first time, no name author and published his work for all the world to read because he not only liked the story but saw the potential that others would like it too.

That being said, when I got my shipment of promotional books from my publisher I worked on a list of potential reviewers whom I thought would enjoy the book as well as help get the word out. As I was going through the mailing list Christina, my wife, let’s me know that President Clinton would have to be on the list. She was right. He would have to be on the list. 

After sending it to him, I have to admit, I thought I would never hear back from him about GINGER. I made every excuse I could think of to not worry about whether he read it or not but deep down inside I wanted not only him to read it but I wanted everybody to read it. Not for any personal gain but rather because I wasn’t afraid of criticism anymore and that is a great feeling. 

Thanks to everyone who has read Ginger. Your kind words insure that I did the right thing by putting my story out there and I am grateful for your support.

Promotional Excerpt from Ginger A Boy’s Journey from Scotland to the White House

FOREWORD

My story. The story of a boy, who was born and raised in Scotland, and who moved to the United States at age 10. The product
of an immigrant family where a new life, divorce, alcoholism, poverty and desire drive this boy to become an award winning chef overcoming a situation where all the odds are against him.

From the streets of New Jersey to being hand picked to cook at the White House for the President of the United States.

Ginger is not by any means a sad story. To the contrary, it is about passion for a career that would separate the man from the boy. From shy and insecure to a driven, fanatical perfectionist trying to learn from the past and wish it was different—only to come to terms with what really matters and the things that cannot be changed.

Ginger is a boy who never gave up. A boy that never accepted life’s trials and misgivings as an excuse to give in and accept
uncontrollable conditions that shape one’s life for the worse. His will is not hereditary but is instead contrary to his father’s will.

You might think that when people move to another country, life would be easier upon acclimation. In reflection, nothing could be further from the truth. For Ginger’s family, this move was not easy. His social class would be transformed from what he perceived as normal, happy and content to abnormal, unhappy and discontent.

Life, as you may know, is only easy if you are living somebody else’s and never your own. If someone else has planned it for you and paid your way through the tolls of adversity then yes, life is easy.

This homesick boy learns to adjust and start a new life. Unfortunately, not a better life but rather one that challenges him to be a better person in the end and not to be fooled by not being good
enough to do what makes him happy.

He’s a boy who wants to be a chef and he does just that. He doesn’t settle for an easy occupation, as a result of a hard life, but rather one that takes hard work, dedication and the ability to please people and wanting nothing in return. It’s an occupation that is never glamorous. It is hot, uncomfortable, and stressful and drives the sane to be insane.

Ginger becomes an artist in a craft that relishes taking in the castaways of normal society and exploiting them for their mere self gratification and addictions, only to pay them with the pains of hardship. But it is love and love is blind.

This is not a cookbook; this is a cook’s book. This is my book.

My Scottish Valentine Dinner

As we draw close to a day on fancy where chocolates, flowers and the ever important dinner are soon upon us, I consider the dinner to be the ever important part. Part of that is of course me being a chef but also part of that is the sheer joy of sharing food with the one you love.

As I work to put Scottish cuisine on the radar of global food trends, I have found Scottish food to be more delicious than I first imagined possible in part due to the wholesome natural flavours of home. Scotland is delicious!

Pan Seared Scottish Salmon with Leek Sauce:

2 Center Cut Skinless, Boneless Salmon Filets, lightly seasoned with Salt and Pepper

1 TBSP Oil

For The Sauce:

2 Tbsp Butter

2 Slices Rasher Bacon, cut into julienne strips

1 Leek, white only rinsed and cut into julienne matchstick length

1/2 Cup Prunes, sliced into julienne strips

4 Oyster Mushrooms, sliced into julienne strips

4 Shiitake Mushrooms, sliced into julienne strips

1 Cup Heavy Cream

In a sautee pan, heat the oil then sear each side of the salmon filets under medium heat. Once crisp remove from heat and place in oven (350 F/ 175 C) for 12 minutes or until firm. Meanwhile, melt butter in separate pan, toss in the bacon and sautee till lightly crispy. Then add the leeks and saute until leeks become tender. Around 4 – 5 minutes over medium heat. Once leeks are tender then add the prunes and mushroom. Give it a good stir and season lightly with salt and pepper.

Add the heavy cream and reduce till thickened. Around 5 – 7 minutes.

Remove salmon from oven and place in center of plate. With tongs, pile the leek and mushroom mix on top of salmon equally. Then pour the sauce from pan over mixture till fully coated.

Enjoy!

Now That We Have the Menu Written, Let’s Get to Work!

What’s for dinner?

Innovation

The hardest part of innovation, in my opinion, is implementing the innovative thought into action. To go from thinking of an idea to then speaking of the idea and then implementing the idea through actions opens you up to distorting the original idea you had into the possibility of an idea you didn’t have at first but stemmed rather through the process of creation. Sometimes good but most of the times bad by confusing the original thought.

Enlightenment is usually associated with a good idea. Hence the picture of a lightbulb over ones head at the moment of discovery. This symbol does not only reflect the moment of discovery but most importantly the concept of sharing the discovery as you share light once it is illuminated in an uncontrolled manor for all to see.

Since I was a young child, I was fascinated by how things work. As I got older and began to understand systems the fascination transferred from wonder to application. How do I make it work?, would be my thoughts, and how do I make it work better? The challenges of innovation then become endless.

As a chef, I have kept on innovating. From simple uses of ingredients to complex procedures in manufacturing food products that can be produced in multitude with limited resources and limited time to ensure maximum return. This experience has been paramount in my thoughts and actions of innovating Modern Scottish Cuisine in a very simple systematic way as follows:

The Goal – Put Scottish food on a global stage to be taken seriously and enjoyed by all.

As you know all ideas start with what you see finished first. It is like reverse engineering from back to front, right to left or however you generalize the process. Then you have to take the ever most important and hardest step:

Action – Develop recipes using Scottish ingredients indigenous to the land and its people, making them on trend and simple to prepare. Simple will make it for broader use when complex will limit preparations due to expertise and I do not want to limit its uses.

One time I watched a movie called “So I married an Axe Murderer”, which starred Mike Myers. He plays the son of Scottish immigrant parents living in San Francisco. In one scene he is at a butcher shop picking up Haggis for an anticipated visit to his parents house. He goes on to say, “I think most Scottish food is based on a dare”. I disagree with the characters perception and have worked to convince people that Scottish food is delicious and deserves to be enjoyed by many. I therefore refer to my goal and begin the process of innovation.

This Blog will be the diary of the process of taking Modern Scottish Cuisine from idea to action. It is the process of innovation.

So far you have learned of the idea, the seriousness behind the idea and why it is important to me. I sincerely hope you will join me through this process and comment on the journey along the way. It’s going to be a delicious one.