My Wife & I

Guys, this is my wedding picture. Wow! by Sept. 2012 it will be our 7th year wedding anniversary. Lucky ME!!!

 I wish you all "HAPPY NEW YEAR". Hopefully we will have a very good 2012.

Oh My God!! What is Happening?

Malaysia MasterChef judge Chef Riz, is he really have been a HEAD Chef in other restaurant except his own? From his cooking in the show, he already exposed his weakness with lack of idea on presenting and interpreting the dishes. All his food presentation is soo amateurish and no better than the Masterchef Malaysia contestants itself.

The question is now why Astro never check all these detail. Is this the way they do things in Astro? It is so shameful if this is the working attitude of the people over there. The funny things is Astro do not want to take responsible on the matter. They already promoting him at their website without doing the basis homework by doing the reference check. They also should take the responsibility on what happened.  

“I don’t think Astro should be held responsible,” a senior official from the company told a quote from The Malaysia Insider. http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/malaysia/article/astro-rep-disclaims-chef-rizs-masterchef-malaysia-profile/

 If you are trying to apply for a job, the future employer will do a reference check on that particular individual to ensure that all the fact written in the resume is true. Not with Astro, they just took a blind faith as Riz father have a good reputation and also a public figure.

If like this, I think I want to work with Astro la...

For someone that do not know the meaning of Chef de Cuisine, Sous Chef and Trainee(Apprentice) plus the job description that come with the title,  please read it as below:

Chef de cuisine, executive chef and head chef

This person is in charge of all things related to the kitchen which usually includes menu creation; management of kitchen staff; ordering and purchasing of inventory; and plating design. Chef de cuisine is the traditional French term from which the English word chef is derived. Head chef is often used to designate someone with the same duties as an executive chef, but there is usually someone in charge of them, possibly making the larger executive decisions such as direction of menu, final authority in staff management decisions, etc. This is often the case for chefs with several restaurants.

Sous-chef 

The Sous-Chef de Cuisine (under-chef of the kitchen) is the second in command and direct assistant of the Executive Chef. This person may be responsible for scheduling and substituting when the Executive Chef is off-duty and will also fill in for or assist the Chef de Partie (line cook) when needed. Smaller operations may not have a sous-chef, but larger operations may have several.

Trainee(Apprentice)

 

Are often students gaining theoretical and practical training in school and work experience in the kitchen. They perform preparatory work and/or cleaning work.

Below is the example of the Kitchen Hierarchy at Thomas Keller Restaurants. By the way, Thomas Keller is one of the famous chef in US. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_Keller

Where is the trainee or apprentice in this brigade? It is not there because they do not have a responsibility in the kitchen. The work that they doing in the kitchen is just a helping hand to other staff. 

Are Astro people did not read what was written on their website?. At the tender age of 22 years old Riz already become a Chef de Cuisine(The Head Chef) at those High Profile Restaurant. To become a Chef de Cuisine in that top restaurant, at least you need a vast experience & knowledge in fine cuisine. So at what age did he start his professional cooking career? 10? 12? Did the Astro people ever thing about this?

If ever he had that experience, especially assisting Eric Rupert restaurant maintaining the Michelin Star 2 years in a row, for sure he will never be back in KL yet.

What I can applause in this Dark Cloud over the Masterchef Malaysia is someone  than other Chef Wan himself. Once he knew about the matter, he scolded his son for what he did. Riz should better know there is no short cut to be the top man like his father. Everything is a hard work plus working smart attitude.

http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=...1063&sec=nation

The Big Question is, Is Astro already do a reference check at the new Riz Profile in MasterChef Malaysia Website?If not they better do!!

Are we Still Have To Call Him CHEF?

Injustice

I just read the Star newspaper artical by Paul Hayward, regarding Luis Suarez  and the support he received from LFC. The title of the artical is BLIND FAITH. Is he a Manchester United Supporter? or he is a Blind & Deaf Man? Or he is the version of Mr. Bean in Avatar Movie?

The word he he using is Negredo meaning Small Black Man. In Spanish word Black is Negro please check with Google Translate if you are not believe. It is wrong if he is saying the word Black to Mr.Evra. If  BLACK  is a racist word so why everybody in the world referring it to the Dark Color Skin People as Black People. How about other word like White. It is a racist or hatred word if it being used to categorizes an English White Man. I don't think so. 

In the case of Suarez, even the FA of England plus Mr. Evra saying that Suarez is not a racist. They are only saying that he is guilty by saying racist remark that is Small Black Man. What a Crap!He is not a racist but cannot used BLACK. Are they Nuts?

If you are not doing anything wrong, why you need to apologies? Another thing, what is a Big FUSS with the shirt supporting Suarez that it being used by his teammate in the warm up. When we see a discrimination against Suarez, of course we will stand beside him. We believe that Suarez is a victim. If he is become a scapegoat in this English FA stupidity, his LFC FAMILY( the club, teammates & fans) will giving & showing full support to him. It is our right to do so. 

You will never walk alone.

That why Liverpool FC is Special, we will stick together and fight the injustice.

Our Son Derren Emsley

1 Hour after he was born @ Pantai Medical Center

Playful

Handsome Boy

Family of Liverpool FC Supporter

 

Mother's Day @ Pizza Hut

Derren with Mommy @ KLCC

Watching Liverpool Game

Lough & Giggling

He just turn 3 and he is Liverpool thru and thru.
Guys, remember this face because in 15 years time he will replace Steven Gerrard as the maestro @ LFC.

          The best part is, he think that this is his family crest.

Year End Holiday

Couple of days left in 2011, everybody rushing to clear their Anual Leaves. Yes, I can understood that they are clearing their leave balance but the operation of the business still have to go. Unless you own a shop and closed the shop as you are going for a holiday.

Why I'm making those statement  as above because I experiencing the difficulties in doing my job as most of the office are left with just a couple of people manning it.

The best part is the people that are left behind cannot do anything or giving any solution as they are not have any authority. What they can say is "Have to wait until He or She coming back from the Holiday".  

What if they took a long holiday, 2 weeks, 3weeks? So everything will stop? The best part is I'm is working in a billion dollar corporation.

From my experience or even myself, if I'm going for holiday, I will make sure that my 2nd in command will be there and can make a urgent decision. If not everybody that are trying to deal with the restaurant and kitchen will having the face like MR. BEAN.

Why their manager approved their staff goes on leaves at once for the normal day just because they want to clear their Annual Leaves. These is the type of Boss that is quite stupid in my eyes. What to be a good boss in their staff eyes but do not thing about the operation as a hole.

My style is difference, I already announced it to all my staff that they need to plan their leave and I will only approve it if it will not disturb the kitchen operation. Sometimes as a Manager, you cannot please everybody and they need to know which is their priority as the MANAGER.

Rain, Rain ....Thunderstorm

Today I started my day by receiving the SMS from my staff saying she is on MC(Medical Leave) due to flu. The weather here in KL is very unpredictable, heavy rain, sunny and then thunderstorm plus with high humidity, it is a good cocktail of weather to begin with.

Not everybody can stand it and that is why people get sick. I'm also having little bit flu and hoping it will go away soon.

In a month of December, if you live in Malaysia, you can expecting a lot of rain but this year is getting crazier than before. Flooding everywhere especially on the east coast states. The best news is our KL city center also facing a flood due to it. Everybody stuck couple of hours before they can reach home from work.

Flash Flood in KL

Couple of years back, there is a billion dollar government project to prevent the flash flood in Kuala Lumpur. They call it Smart Tunnel. This tunnel is built underneath Kuala Lumpur to bring out all the excess water from heavy downfall. It is also can be function as an highway for the motorist.
From the pics on the left, that was taken a week ago, it seem that the tunnel is not function properly.The Malaysian is suffering as a lot of money being used for the project but the result is not 100% effective. Someone in the government need to question the operator of the tunnel, why this Flash Flood still can happened in Kuala Lumpur. 

New Year is Coming

PCMC Lobby Concierge

Prince Court Medical Centre, KL

New year, it come and go. As a chef, I stuck in the kitchen as we have to prepare the set menu for the diners. I only enjoyed it once in 14years since I started in this Food Industry. If I not mistaken, it was 2007 when I worked at Prince Court Medical Centre, Kuala Lumpur. My wife and I went back to Manila, Philippines for holiday.

New Year Countdown in Manila

We went to the Ayala Centre, Makati where all the happening scene happened. If I not mistaken, we stayed around until 2am.

It is also my first time, I been to Philippines. It is a great memories.

Now once again, I  will be without my wife and our son as they are back in Philippines. Of course I feel sad but sometimes we sacrifice for our future. She have to take care on the business in Manila.




This year, 31st December 2011, I will busy cooking. Below is the menu that we will serve for that night.

Amuse Bouche

Diver Scallop, Seaweed Caviar, Heirloom Tomato Reduction

***

Duck Liver Roulade

Apple Chips, Apricot Puree, Crispy Brioche

***

Cream of Seafood

Cilantro Tortellini and Tuna-Citrus Crumble

***

Grilled Saddle of Australian Lamb

Truffle Potato Puree, Baby Romaine, Tomato Confit ,  Lamb Reduction

Or

Spatchcock with Carrot Pappadelle

Cream of Celeriac, Kalamanta-Pine Oil, Sautéed Russet Potato, Thyme Jus

***

Valrhona Chocolate Soft Centre

Vanilla Ice Cream, Aged Balsamic marinated Strawberry

Spatchcock

Yes, it will be a busy night. At the moment, the restaurant reservation nearly full. That is life as a Chef. It is all hard work, hectic, stressful and long hours. Not like what they are trying to portray in the TV show. In the show is already cut & paste, minus couple of factor that I mention above.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY DERREN

 Today 26th December is our son Birthday. He turn 3 this year. My wife will be very busy preparing & organizing his birthday party at the club house nearby our home in Mandaluyung City, Philippines.

I feel sad as I cannot join them there. I have to work here in Kuala Lumpur. My wife have a business to run in Manila and I have a job here in Kuala Lumpur. So either me or them have to travel back and forth between Kuala Lumpur & Manila every 4 to 5 months.

3 years just past easily and I still feel that it was just yesterday that I'm waiting my wife to deliver him at Pantai Medical Centre in Cheras, Kuala Lumpur.


I feel proud to have him as our son. Thank you god for blessing us with Derren. Credit also have to give to my wife for taking very good care of him and he turn out a very good boy. 
DERREN, HAPPY BIRTHDAY My Son.

To see some more pics of our son, please check my wife FB
http://www.facebook.com/jezzelle.ramirez.

Food Blogger

Today when i checking the others food blog, most their concept are the same. They just going somewhere, eating and review. Sometimes I can see the same restaurant being reviewed couple of times by difference blogger. Are they lack some idea to write in their blog? What I'm trying to say here is are most of the blogger are copycat?

I believed that some of them are not but most of are. They are checking the famous blog and then they doing the same thing.

I'm the insider in the food industry, I'm not just eating the food but I'm the creator of the food. It is a very stressful job as so many thing need your intention every single hour. It is not easy to cook something from scratch much more to create it. If it is easy as it look, everyone already become a Micheline Star Chef and earn a good money.

Chef in the kitchen, is not about cooking only. That title is for a cook. My main job in the kitchen is to manage the operation in the kitchen, creating new dishes & menus, costing, maintaining the quality of food that is produce by my staff, ect. In other words, whatever happen in the kitchen and it's produce are my responsibilities.

 That why, I will not write about the dishes like other bloggers. They are the outsider in the food industry. Yes they are important for the industry but that is their main job, is it? They are food critic, so their job are just to eat and review the food.

In the kitchen life, the stress level is so high especially during the service hours, LUNCH & DINNER. These couple of hours daily, feels like you are living in the pressure cooker. You have to ensure that the food produce is in high quality, correct cooking temperature, good coordination in-between stations that producing the dishes and a correct presentation.Here are some of the dishes that is from my a la carte menu:

I not meticulous person, my wife is but I like to have a good presentation of the food that I produced. I need to be proud with the food produced. It is a tough task to make other people(my staff) to believed as they are the one cooking as I'm controlling the quality on whet they are producing every single day. Luckily I have a good team and they understand with the idea and concept that I want.

Working as a chef, sometimes you need to be a dictator in the kitchen. Whatever I said, everybody have to follow. It has to be like that because if too many people can make a decision on what they are doing, it will become chaos and the guests will suffer.
That why in the kitchen there is a heiracy. The word like EXECUTIVE CHEF, CHEF DE CUISINE, SOUS CHEF, CHEF DE PARTIE & COMMIS COOK.

My blog is about my opinion during that particular day. That why you can see, I wrote about football and also later on about cars. I see it as a stress release.  

Racist

SUAREZ.....the big topic in the BPL. Some is believing in him and some don't. That is a normal reaction from people but the abnormal is the decision from the FA of England. They are saying that he is not a racist but they punished him with 8 match ban plus 40k pound. The FA said in their decision that he is guilty by saying Evra as Little Black Man. I really don't get it. Yes,  England is a multiracial community and that is the same here in Malaysia. I don't think he will get the punishment like here as  he is just being honest.

Why Evra want to complain in the first place about it. My opinion is because he is a sore loser but in these case, MU did bot loose to Liverpool. Everybody know that MU a sore loser, the best example is when they out of the champion league and have to compete in the Europa League a  couple week back.  They are complaining and keep complaining because they are demoted to the second tier European league. Most of the MU player and fans have a big egos because they just won 19th title last season and in couple of months later they are nobody. They should accepting the fact that now they are not good enough.

Going back to Suarez case, it is a racist when he just call Evra a little black man. Let see weather the words is true when compare to Evra. Is Evra size is small compare the player in the league? Yes. Is he black? Yes and is he a man? Yes also. So what is a big fuss. It is because he call him black. Common la Evra. How about the words like latino, Asian or white people. It is a racist words?. I don't think so.

How about that words that Evra calling Suarez during the game. He confessed about it and it came out in the judgement statement. Is he Evra will be punish too. Until now there is no news about it It really show that the FA of England is not consistent at all.

And then when the Liverpool player giving their support to Suarez, most of them complaining again. It is up to each people weather you want to support or not. They have their opinion and they believe that Suarez is being mistreated so that why they came out and show their support to their teammate.

In my opinion, Suarez is a VICTIM in this situation. 

                   You'll Never Walk Alone

Merry X Mas

Tonight, our restaurant serving buffet for Xmas Eve plus tomorrow the Xmas Day. We have a full booking for dinner & 40 pax for tomorrow lunch. The take away Roasted Turkey with condiments is on the way for today as the guests will pick up around later this afternoon. What a day!! Very busy at the restaurant this time of the year until the new year eve.


The best part is some of the reservation and the take away turkey is order by non Christian people. When it comes to festivals here in Kuala Lumpur, everybody  will celebrate and enjoying it.At that time there will be open house, hotels & restaurants servings traditional delicious dishes, every shops & malls offering the discounted price on every items plus everybody take leaves from work. This will happen on every major festival namely Chinese New Year, Hari Raya, Deepavali and Christmas. In Malaysia, we have so many Public Holiday and I think may be we have the most in the world, 17days Public Holiday in a year.

Xmas without Turkey is like Hariraya without Rendang & Lemang or Chinese New Year without Yee Sang. Here we also roasted the whole turkey, 22 nos in total for tonight buffet and take away. For sure I will eat turkey also for my supper. Every time when I ate turkey, I will feel sleepy after that. I do not know about you guys but that what happen to me.

Chef's Life

Dear oh dear, As usual I have to come to work in the morning. I feel very sleepy especially I just sleep about 3 and half hours only because I'm watching my beloved football team Liverpool play early this morning. Unfortunately they draw with Wigan FC. Anyway with the current issue with racism in football, I agree with them it has to be out from the game or whatever thing. I believe that the FA of England making the mistake on their decision against Luis Suarez as I believed that he is not a racist. You will never walk alone Suarez!

Going back to racismt, in our industry; there are still some racismt taking part in our daily life and it not suppose to be there especially in Malaysia where there is racial harmony where we live side by side for hundred of years.

Form my experience when I worked on the cruise ship in Europe couple of years back, there are 52 nationalities on board and we have to work together to ensure that the guests is having a great fun, enjoy full and happy while they are on board. The first 3 months, I'm the only Malaysian there. Then I being joined by 2 more ladies from Sabah and Penang as part of the crew. The best part is we never thing that I'm Malay, you Chinese or Sabahan or whatever. Our mentality is thinking we are Malaysian. 

But once I touched down to Kuala Lumpur for my holiday break, I feel weird as there is a grouping back to Malay, Chinese, Indian ect. Why we cannot have that feeling that we just Malaysian back here at our home. Our Government try to portray that we are harmonious, happy together and everything is good. Yes it is true but it is not 100%. 

There is No STAR in a TEAM

 Malaysia Salon Culinarie 2011Medalist

 This is a picture of the team members that were participate in the Malaysia Culinarie 2011 @ Kuala Lumpur Convention Center.

We won 1 Gold Medal, 2 Silver Medal, 5 Bronzes and 2 Diplomas. Not bad achievement for a team of 10 persons and some of them is the 1st timer in competing in the culinary competition.

My Kitchen Team

My current kitchen team. 
From Left to Right.
Meor, Nurul, Hisham, Bob, Shafiq, Hafiz, Aie, Azwan, Jehan and Hazwan(bending).
The new guy that just join is Azlan(not in the pic)