Components

Components 

Who ever would have thought that in the kitchen we deal with components? We do. When planning a plated dinner for, oh say, six hundred guests it is really important to know how many things are being placed on each plate. For example, a salad can have a chicken breast, grilled vegetables, cheese, edible garnish and dressing. That is approximately six components. Why six you ask when the math says five? Because I didn't add the salad greens! Ah ha! Something as simple as this can ruin your entire day if you are one pair of hands short when it comes time to plate six hundred salads!

When we do a large event, a lot of pre-planning is involved. We need to know how many guests we are to feed, how much to order, how much to prep a day out, how much to prep the day of the event and how many fellow worker bees it will take to execute the vision of the Executive Chef. My Sous Chef and I have been working together now since my arrival here in June and we are pretty solid when it comes to all of this. It didn't happen overnight but it didn't take very long. There is no need to reinvent the wheel, just refine it. We are doing things now that no one thought possible upon my arrival. Our plates have more components, more flavors, more beauty and what matters the most - more guest satisfaction. Why is this? Because all of the components are just right…

Components

What does all of this have to do with recipes? A recipe is a list of components or ingredients that make up a well balanced meal. If one component is too strong or too weak it upsets the balance of the outcome. That is why following a recipe is so important. If you need more salt, add it. If you need more sweetness, add it. If you need more spice, add it! The recipe is the foundation that you can refine. Please feel free to modify any of my recipes to suit your taste. Some people say my chili isn’t hot enough. Some say it is way over the top. Isn’t America great? We have the ability to make it any way we want. I am just providing a solid foundation for all of you to begin with. Enjoy!