Technicolor Dining News - March 2015

Welcome to March! In the Northern Hemisphere marks the beginning of meteorological Spring. After weeks of wintry weather and cold temperatures , many welcome Spring and warmer temperatures.

photo by Jaime Haughey

The advent of Spring also signals the beginning of the gardening and growing season. I enjoy visiting farmers markets and supermarkets to look at the produce and flowers. I use a list when I go shopping, but I have been known to stray from the list because the presentation of a produce display has caught my eye.  The little lady pictured to the right  loves to help her mother put together the food shopping list and  to help her with the cooking.

There is much to explore in March:

• Food Allergies versus Food Sensitivities
• Wine tips from industry professionals
• Eating Local
• Market Basket Night
• 2015 James Beard Award Chef and Restaurant semi-finalists
• Food quotes from women in the food and beverage industry or about food and beverage (March is Women's History Month)

March also marks the one year anniversary of Technicolor dining. It seems like yesterday that the blog transitioned from being an "idea" that friends and family suggested to what you see today. Technicolor dining continues to grow, many thanks to you.

I invite you to join me on my journey this month. I'll save a slice of the celebration cake for you.

Be well,

Technicolor girl

image created by Ink+ LLC

Developing and Refining One's Sense of Taste - the Beginning

I realized midway through the email that I was holding my breath. The email read:

We look forward to welcoming you to L’Academie de Cuisine (LADC) as a student in our Culinary Techniques 101 (CT101) class with Chef Brian Patterson on THURSDAY, January 15^th, 2015
Plan to arrive early so we can begin promptly at 6:30p.m.  If you are driving, please park in the lot in the FRONT of the building.  Upon your arrival please check in with me at the front desk.  At that time you will receive your tools, chef jackets and aprons. 

Dress is casual.  However, please plan to wear comfortable clothing as you will be spending a good amount of time on your feet in the kitchen.  Jeans, black pants, khakis, or traditional checked chef pants are all acceptable alternatives.  Footwear options include: clogs, sneakers or any other kitchen shoes with non-slip soles.  Open-toed shoes, sandals, and high heels are not permitted in the kitchen.

 

L'Academie de Cuisine describes Culinary Techniques 101 as, " an intense fundamentals course adapted from LADC's full -length curriculum used in training our professional culinary students. Combining classic techniques with a contemporary approach, you'll get hands-on practical experience in each and every class. Learn to cook by expanding your knowledge, honing new techniques, perfecting your timing and developing and refining your sense of taste - all  in our professional kitchens. "

Culinary Techniques is a 20 week course. It really began to sink in:

• for the next 20 weeks Thursday evenings were accounted for - including the evening of my birthday
• the class would cover a different topic each week including knife skills, stocks, soups, fish, poultry, pasta, bread, and more.
• the pants,shirts and shoes  I wore as a class volunteer would also be worn in this class
• the long awaited monogramed chef's jacket had arrived.

I've packed my bag with the shoes, pants, and shirt I will wear for tonight's first class. I invite you to follow my journey developing and  refining my sense of taste in L'Academie de Cuisine's  Culinary Techniques Class. Tonight topic: Knife Skills.

Are you ready?

Be well,

Technicolor girl

image created by Ink+LLC

 
 






    

Is There an Art to Feedback and Commentary?


I was asked my opinion  about a recent review on Yelp and the resulting exchange between the reviewer and restaurant owner.  See the article here.



photo by TEP

This was my response:



photo by TEP

No business owner likes to get a bad review whether it's on Yelp, Angie's List or other publicly accessible forums. The difference is savvy business owners often opt to respond in several ways: ask for specific feedback (e.g.' what could we have done better?), do not respond and chalk it up to experience, or read the review, determine if they have received similar feedback before and make adjustments to their service delivery.



When I write about my experience at restaurants on my blog, Technicolor dining, on OpenTable or TripAdvisor I try to convey to readers what was good and disappointing (if anything) about the experience. When I do have a disappointing experience I articulate specifically why (e.g. frozen salad, the place reeked of mildew, etc.).



image courtesy of the internet

I'm also aware that the rise of "foodies" puts restaurants and their staff on alert especially if said 'foodie' believes the restaurant's dish should have been prepared exactly the way 'x' (another restaurant, Aunt Clara) makes it, they consider themselves an expert on the subject of a certain dish, or that a server wasn't gracious enough. In this article the very personal connection between reviewer and  restaurant owner is brought to light in the resulting exchange and hurts the credibility of both, in my opinion.

photo by TEP

How do you share or  express your feedback to a restaurant whether it be good, bad or indifferent?  Do you tell the server? Do you ask for a manager? Do you write a note? Do you submit your feedback in an online forum like Open Table, Yelp or Trip Advisor?  Do you tell your friends, family and acquaintances about your experience?  Please share your comments below.

Be well,

Technicolor girl

image created by Ink+LLC