FOOD EDUCATION IS JUST LIKE ONE BIG MARDI GRAS !

I have worked well over a decade in the education sector and I it has been a blast! Well most of the time, but seriously there is so much to learn when it comes to preparing meals for students. Now I strongly back the first lady, Michelle Obama, on her national campaign on fighting childhood obesity. I have worked in the food industry well over twenty-five years and we must all work together in the food industry public and private, to cultivate good eating habits in adolescents as early as pre-school age. So in my opinion, educating them about nutrition is key. I feel there is starts with introducing classes on food and nutrition and health science which should always be taught in schools. Also, our industry needs to ensure that we create affordable healthy snacks that are geared to attract students to make the right food choices. I have worked tirelessly for many years creating recipes and a variety of menu choices for the educational sector that were not only healthy and visually appealing but tasty too! Currently, there has been some exciting positive changes in college campus dining and that is to move away for fast foods and offer a variety of healthy choices and organic dishes that are reasonably priced! Also, there is a social movement in the industry in which I coined "food conscious and allergy awareness". We now take in account when creating recipes and preparing weekly menus to ensure their are alternative food choices for students who are lactose intolerant or those who have severe allergies towards nuts. There is now a big demand for gluten free products. We are making a serious effort to create dishes that use ingredients that are not only absent of certain elements like gluten but realize wheat as a major allergy and create wheat free items. We also, clearly label the ingredients in each of our dishes. And we go as far separating serving stations so there is no cross contamination of allergy free food. We make a conservative effort to address almost every common dietary need from offering sugar free products, vegetarian dishes and low fat items. We encourage feedback from the students and faculty at our campus site. We also provide surveys and we are fortunate to have met a great deal of their concerns and needs. I encourage the public and private K-12 to consider this approach. Open dialogue with the students on their likes and dislikes involving them in the process is a fresh approach to the outdated systems. Allowing student options and feedback gives them an opportunity to be a part of the solution and not the problem. It maybe used as a learning tool to educate children on the importance of nutrition and foods that can taste just as good as their high fat counterparts in the the process. There are so many ways to change the current system and make permanent lasting positive changes. I have personally created affordable easy recipes to utilize in high volume cooking and at the same time I kept  the cost down. I simply found ways to enhance a menu by creating a new entree using the same ingredients and periodically alternating our food selections for variety. There are certain techniques on purchasing products that can be very cost effective. All these issues can and should be addressed in the educational sector and now is the time to implement change! So this leads me to my next subject, which is to intergrate ideas and create a new way of introducing different types of food to the students.

So who doesn't want an occasional party? Well ask almost any college student and they will say it's always time for a Mardi Gras! I truly enjoy working these functions. This particular event was an open house for students and their parents. I love working on festivals or traditional celebrations as a wonderful way to introduce ethnic foods and in the process learn a little about the culture in the process. Now as far as this event was concerned, my responsibility was primarily to ensure there was enough food to feed all of our guests and at the same time contain cost. I was also indirectly involved in menu selections. We had an array of food like jambalaya, chicken Creole, red beans and rice. There were also, decorative party items like colorful beads, hats and street signs and light polls!

Well, Mardi Gras is over but the party to educate goes on. In my next blog I will address what makes a recipe unique?


Signing off for now,

 Chef Sam,

PS : Wishing my mother-in-law a wonderful 80th birthday this February 26th ! And to my dad on the 28th ! Happy birthday Dad who turned 74 years young today ..Buon Compleanno!!

CATERING ON A BUDGET AND MAKE IT COUNT PART 2

There are ways to modify your budget and still have a wonderful memorable venue for any social event . As I covered in Part 1 of "Catering On A Budget" it's usually all about the food. So begin by creating a menu around your theme. For example, if your doing Italian , then jot down a few choices for appetizers ( like bruschetta or rice balls) then maybe add a soup, and a variety of salads along with your entrees etc. Furthermore, always have a few food choices on your menu, remember not everyone will want to eat meat so consider at least one vegetarian dish. I advise that you should be conscientious when it comes to your guests but of course, not at any cost. Start by go to the drawing board literally, to create a sketch of the space and where the serving tables should be placed. You want your guest to enter and navigate through their meal smoothly and preferable in one direction. I advise, if at all possible setting up two tables vertically or in a horseshoe fashion. Also you might decide to have separate serving stations for a few of  your entrees. Be aware that this could effect your budget as your  guest weave from one station to another there will be waste. Now, an easy tip to to save on cost can be accomplished simply by placing your high end entrees (like expensive cuts of meat, poultry and fish ) and place them towards the middle of your serving tables. So that when your guests pass through the line they will automatically fill their plates with foods like whole grains breads, pasta, vegetables, soups and salads. Futhermore, by the time your guest reach the main entrees most of them will have already plated thier dish and that means you can refill your main entrees as needed.
Now were you shop for your items will make a difference in taste, smelland  overall appearance. So you might want to try going to the locals markets or even street vendors for more variety and choices. Remember when you purchase anything in bulk you may find out that sometimes there are discounts when purchasing your product in large quantities. So be proactive and ask, even if it's the local supermarket! Also, you can find some great deals at bargain outlets and wholesale warehouses. Keep in mind, to be flexible with your menu items. For example, you wanted  a grilled vegetable platter but while shopping you discover green beans and  mushrooms are being sold at a phenominal discount. Well, maybe  you should rethink your entree and instead consider a grilled bean salad sauteed in garlic olive oil with a balsamic vinegarrette with roasted mushrooms instead? Be willing to adjust your ideas to fit your budget throughout the entire course of our planning stages And remember this tip, you might want to take a chance and purchase your product at a farmers market towards the end of their busy day. On most occasions, the vendors will discount their prices on their items before they decide to discard the perishables. When you are buying in bulk for like meat or poultry it is always advisable to purchase those items a day in advance to the event, for optimum results. I also want to mention that there a wonderful restaurant depots that are a great vehicle to purchase food at retail prices. Unfortunately, most require a membership unless you can find a vendor that might be able to assist you for a nominal fee. Finally, it is always advisable to purchase your product from local merchants. This can save you time and also allow you to form key relationships, which in the long run, your contacts can be your best cost effective tool!  And finally, if  you need my assistance please feel free to email me your questions to info@bostonfooddesign.com.

In closing, let me mention the importance of dressing up your tables. If at all possible, try not purchase throw away items like aluminum pans, or paper products for your venue. Unless they are really high end products it could really affect the overall presentation. I advise to using formal serving utensils, chafing dishes and chaffers which can be rented for a reasonable cost because as far as I am concerned presentation is a must. Now for a real professional appeal create an item identifier at the front of your food tables listing for your menu items. Also, item identifiers and place holders in from of each dish can add as sense of elegance and are relatively cheap to purchase. You can check out card shops, dollar stores or nick knacks stores. Visual effects on your table are just as important as the quality and taste of each dish. When you prepare your event think of color. I advise for most occasions white linens, with accents of color, either in the napkins, mats or in colorful identifiers, This format will provide the best results and  remember, you want your entrees be the main attraction! Finally use height differential in placing your food and decorative items, this is key, it will draw the eye up and make your catered event pop! So consider this, your event is a work of art. First, start off with a blank canvas, then sweep over huge brush strokes of creativity mingled with imagination. Now sit back and quietly observe as your masterpiece unfolds right before your very eyes. Finally, take pride on what you have just accomplished and remember this, always enjoy the process!
Stay tuned for my next blog on volume cooking for the educational sector. So here we go, it's Mardi Gras time!


Signing off for now ,

Chef Sam

CATERING ON A BUDGET AND MAKE IT COUNT - PART 1

Now with spring just around the corner events like weddings and graduations ushers in longer days and more time to gather and socialize.And even with tough economic times people always find time to party! So from my professional experience the warmer months officially kicks off the beginning of one of the best times of the year for the food industry in general. In my opinion, even with the most extravagant venue, wonderful chandeliers, beautiful flowers, great views, if the food does not measure up people will notice. I know that may sound caddy but your guests will remember the food and it should be the most vital part or your caveat. So it is important to try to have some sort of a plan in place. So begin by jotting down what you want and expect for your special celebration. Then go back and highlight what you need and if you should have to eliminate some extras remember,  try not to "compromise on the food". Furthermore, when you begin the process of  looking at the venues remember ambiance is important but so is the food preparation. Yes, that's right , in my opinion, a safe kitchen is good  for you and your guests. Plus, keep in mind in negotiating prices (which can be advantageous especially in these tough economic times) remember the scheme of things when it comes to your meal. Consider this for example, in lieu of a plated sit down meal opt for a buffet or family style. So for a lesser price you will receive the same quality of food. Also, most venues always over compensate and provide extra servings for family style or a buffet. Finally, it will take less time to expedite the meal from the kitchen to the serving plate to the table. 
My next blog is part 2 on planning and preparing your own catering event on a budget.

Have a great holiday weekend !

Chef Sam

PS: Happy Valentines to my lovely wife of twenty-five years ....Love Sam

CATERING "THE PERFECT STORM" WAS A SPLASH!

The best part of being in this industry is the ability to utilize my talents. So when I am in position to be hands on and work on events like catering the press release for the Perfect Storm in Gloucester, MA  I realize once again why I chose this profession in the first place and that is having the ability to create something that is enjoyed by others is just a wonderful experience! Now, I recall on one particular day on the set, the press was invited to interview the cast and crew. It was extremely hot and we were all running around trying to pull together a multiple catering menus that featured a real  feel of New England dishes. We utilized our local markets, stores and restaurants to purhcase product and supplies.Our goal for one particualr menu was a old fashion New England clam bake. This was not an easy feet to accomplish, since we were working in very tight quarters under adverse conditions. We were in tents, using portable kitchen equipment and the only source of air conditioning was a few large fans. The main issues I faced was to ensure that we had enough product  for that day and that the food would be safe for consumption. So with limited refrigeration I decided we would purchase perishible food in increments, throughout the day. I was careful to prepare in advance a list of necessary ingredients which I knew were staples for certain dishes. So in a compact cold storage unit we kept stocks and bases needed to create soups and sauces. The real conceren after we addressed refrigeration was to ensure that we had enough product to cover the estimated volumes needed to feed the amount of people expected  through out that day. In addition to covering the events, we needed to have enough product for tailored menus for the cast. Which meant that we needed to adjust some of our recipes to anticipate the weather conditions for cooking and prep work done ahead of time. Now of that wasn't enough we were expected to create food scuplutres and props! Yet, through out all of the challenges we had to face I truly enjoyed this experience and  I was fortunate to work with a great crew. We did a terrific job and we received positive feedback. Also, I was able to meet famous celebrities like George Clooney and Jessica Lang. Yet, my greatest fans were the press and crew who were extremely thankful just for feeding them that day! I learned a great deal from that particular event. First, the importance of adapting to an ever changing venue and secoundly, to always maintain your composure under pressure. Finally, and more importantly, always work as a team player and you will triumph towards a common goal!

Stay tuned for my next article on how to execute a catering event on a budget without sacrificing the quality. Check out my website www.bostonfooddesign.com

Signing off for now,

Chef Sam