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When Chefs quote proudly, they “Visualize” meals – Is this true?

Chef'dClub
18-May, 2022

Look- Chef’d club often touts creating unique cuisines that are commercially unavailable even in the fanciest restaurants. Well, it’s true, and we want to stay humble.

Having spent three years already on this journey, you would agree if you have already tried our signature spread. If you haven’t tried it yet, I hope you will consider it after reading this blog.

Let us share a secret with you today- We Visualize some of our dishes. We experiment, we deliver. What is intrinsic in excellent cuisine is flavor, texture, and, most importantly, balance. Let’s shelve the presentation skill for a while. Not that it’s not essential. We believe plating can be learned over time; all it needs is aptitude and sufficient time.

But before we begin, let me share some examples of what kept me awake some nights- let me remind you, these nights are challenging but rewarding. The apparent reason is that if I have grasped (aka visualized) a dish in my virtual world, something unique purely from gray cells, it is just wise to draw them and document the texture of what I visualize; the balance is a by-product of experimentation that follows the next day. However, a poignant reminder is the unfortunate select moments I have failed to register… as I had already knocked off.

This is why you see Chef’d release one signature dish at least every 2-3 weeks! Dishes you haven’t seen or experienced before.

Let me share some examples, and perhaps you would appreciate it better (it won’t take too long to research and find out that such recipes are not available on google or YouTube).

Caution- a part of this has to do with the Chef’s personality.. Do continue at your own risk.

Visual thinking- An Example: One of the simplest YET the most talked-about dish to date has been a beetroot broth…. WAIT… broth? That’s not how beetroot soup is made - ever! I am saying “let go of the fiber” (Vegetarian activists, please don’t despise me; please read, and you will understand why). I also noticed in momentous flash-coconut milk (“only” the premium texture I have only seen at a famous shop @Tekka Market). It’s unconventional, but I refuse to deviate.  Now was the beetroot roasted, boiled, or sauteed? My visual map signals toward oven roast since I can see the beetroot has reduced considerably and looks roasted, and sadly also looks a bit discolored. I was not too fond of the thought of it, but let’s continue. What about some grease… well, we proudly think French and how butter makes your world go round in soups, so we ensure there is some butter? If you have no clue what I am talking about at this juncture, please take a moment to trust a Chef’s instinct. In summary- it looks unpatterned. As you can see in the final dish, it is true.

That’s how a roast beetroot in coconut milk broth was born. Prep time- 2.5 hours - so far, if this has been on a 5-course menu, it’s not a surprise anymore if this soup tops it! If history repeats itself, this would be one great example Chef’d club can relate to, including the guest’s response (chuckle chuckle). It’s one of our best bets to start a meal journey on a high note, even though it would not emulate a G10. We are just humbled to see us get this far.

Now here’s the Chef’s interesting personality part – I had visualized a broth in the wee hours of the night. In broad daylight, as it’s a soup in definition, it “must” start light. Beetroot is earthy and heavy on the palette; I would caution. The balance was critical-Coconut milk is healthy, but only when used in moderation. My stubborn self settled with a 20% mix as I still want it to taste like beetroot masked with a light yummy subtle flavor that we think comes from a “premium” quality coconut milk. This is progressive and Asian; I can proudly say in one breath.

Progression: Here's the trickiest part. What we have also mastered over time is broth reduction. There’s just one level that is “perfect,” and that’s our secret that stays in the kitchen.

Alternatives: What adds a “delight” is throwing in butter-poached prawns (preferably minced) or toasted pinenut in the vegetarian version. I am sure you will appreciate how complex this pairing gets, but experience tells it to us just “rocks.” Every round!

Here’s what an avid Blogger- Frootlupe has to say:  

“My meal began with a light, hearty roasted Rich Roast Beetroot broth in light coconut milk served with a butter-poached prawn, julienned beets, and toasted pine nuts. Profoundly earthy, sweet, and bolstered by the richness of coconut cream, I fell in love with how rich yet clean tasting it was. A full vegetarian version is available upon request.”

The link below- https://www.instagram.com/p/CTQ3cZNhfm2/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

Photo credits- Frootlupe

In summary- We work hard at Chef’d club to make perfect meals. It’s that ultimate combination of technique, perseverance, and love!

This is mind-boggling, but please share if this is beginning to sound unthinkable. Below are a few that are tested, proven, and highly rated.

1: Modern Indian Cuisine (1 year and counting) - Beet-the-heat + Indian version of Demi-Glace:  A combination of carefully marinated minced meat patty in spices and minced roast beetroot. I kept it overnight and light pan-frying. These might only take 10minutes (we are talking about mutton cooking in 10minutes). We use a poor man’s hand made masala- Ghati Masala. Whisk into the painstakingly homemade demi-glace’ the bone marrow, and the flavor elevates to the next level. Basic yet a very modern outcome. Total Prep time- 4 hours.

2: Roast cauliflower (for three years and counting) in banana leaf- when minced, lightly fried spiced cauliflower comes together with pistachio dust, lemon, and orange zest roasted in a clean, wilted banana leaf with zero oil; we can only thank God for this invention that has lasted for years and a sure hit with Vegetarians. Total Prep Time- 2.5 hours

3: Roast Red bell peppers (New). Well, blowtorching is just one half of the story, but turning it into a top-grade thick foam – this amuse-bouche gets that excellent balance of crème Fraiche. Yes, it’s all red bell peppers- blowtorched painstakingly and cleaned to perfection. Be ready with a spoon to scoop it.  Total Prep time- 3 hours

I hope you believe my story. Appreciate you reading this far.

Our motto:  At Chef’d Club, we hope that our food will be remembered