The Mad Chef of M Street: Mana(ger)

Saturday, May 24, 2008

Mana(ger)

Ever heard the expression "while the cat is away the mice will play?" That would be The Mad Chef this weekend, as my GM is off for the weekend and my chef is about to take a leave of absence...leaving only yours truly to run the show.

Soft shells, some heirloom tomatoes, purple basil, and some nice buffalo mozzarella are running through my head right now. I will put the dish together tomorrow but I know right now I will serve the soft shells "tempura style" with a caprese salad, and a basil aioli to top it off. Perfect for the weather we are FINALLY beginning to have, global warming anyone??

So as I blast my music in the kitchen this weekend I gotta ask, what kind of music do you listen to while you are cooking? Most of my former chefs would prefer bands like Audioslave and Soundgarden, and some with no music at all...and I didn't last long in those kitchens.

In my kitchen you will hear everything from Outkast to Fleetwood Mac to 311. Kinda all over the place, huh? You will never hear country though. If I have a full staff in the kitchen we usually have to mix it up. With most of it being Latin American music, sometimes I feel like dawning a sombrero and a bottle of Cuervo and go looking for a fight. Other times I feel like I want to cry, and for some reason that music is their favorite. How can you work like that?

Every now and again I get them to play this group by the name of Mana. They are apparently the equivalent of U2 for Latin countries, similar in sound to U2 when they kicked ass in the 80s...not anything in the last 10 years. But the fun this weekend will be about the food, it'll just be a bit more fun making it when I'm the guy in charge!

3 comments:

Anonymous said...: Okay Mad Chef...if I recall you went with me to a U2 concert in the 90's and had an good time. Or was it just the overwhelming smell of weed that out that smile on your face all night?; May 27, 2008 at 11:37 AM
Mad Chef of M Street said...: Guilty as charged...; May 27, 2008 at 11:41 AM
Anonymous said...: Just checking.; May 27, 2008 at 11:49 AM

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Chef James Chase

At the age of 12, James Chase heard the call of the culinary arts in the simple form of bacon and eggs. Whether it was for his parents or his friends and their parents, who were happy to have him stay over in order to sample his art, this dish launched him from a curious teenager to a quizzical student, and now, to a chef of the highest quality.

Born and raised in suburban Hyattsville, MD, a stones throw from Washington, DC, James attended high school at the prestigious DeMatha Catholic High School, and found himself in small, local Italian restaurant washing dishes. From the bottom he began his journey to the top. He was accepted into Johnson and Wales University for the culinary arts and began his studies.

Knowing that study without practice was under serving, James sought out employment under Chef Eric Pickens of Classic Catering, and delved deeply into the art and efficiency of catering to large crowds with food of the finest quality. Chef Pickens was impressed with James’ work and dedication and referred James to his friend, 1995 Restaurant Association of Metropolitan Washington’s Chef of the Year Bill Jackson of the Carlysle Grand Café in Arlington, VA.

While still in school, Chef Jackson took James under his wing, and was able to show him the enormous responsibilities of being a modern chef, from managing the multimillion dollar business to perfecting the smallest garnish. Under the tutelage of Chef Jackson, he was able to experience that which he was being taught in culinary school, preparing him for life as a culinary artist.

Soon James moved across the border into Northwest DC to work for former kitchen supervisor at the White House Chef Ron Reda, a favorite of famed Washington Post food critic Tom Sietsema, at Shelley’s West End. As sous chef, James got the opportunity to help develop the menu and manage the kitchen for the first time, learning not only the technical duties of the position, but the ethics that drive him to this day: keeping a clean kitchen, using only the freshest ingredients and leading by example.

James moved on to expand his culinary knowledge by spending time at Zola, the fashionable café beneath Washington’s chic National Spy Museum. Under French-trained Chef Philip Carroll, former executive chef at the famed Cerise at Le Meridian Hotel in Chicago, James got to learn and experience the attention to detail and delicate nature of French cuisine.

Later, James worked at Chef Todd English’s Olives in midtown DC, under one of his most trusted assistants, Steve Maneno. Exploring the roots of Mediterranean cuisine and expanding upon his prior knowledge, James was able to add a new geographical twist to his repertoire while earning the respect and admiration of two of the city’s finest chefs.

That respect came calling when he was asked to join the staff at another of DC’s more prestigious haunts, DC Coast. Known for having the best seafood in town, James was able to learn from the highly rated Chef Jeff Tunks and Chef de Cuisine Andy Brooks. Chef Brooks took James’ cooking to another level, infusing the knowledge and usage of local and simple ingredients to create fresh masterpieces with seasonal variety. James was so well regarded at DC Coast, he was asked to help start Chef Tunks’ fourth DC restaurant, Acadiana.

The Washington Post in April 2007 raved about James’ Wahoo special:

Another night's wahoo -- ah, that daily delivery -- was also served just as requested, one minute on the light side. Topped with a roasted tomato sauce (with a surprise kick of chili) and sided with a slightly sweet gingery polenta, it was one of the nicest and least showy seafood entrees in several months.

James sees food as a personal interaction from chef to diner, and continues to implement his mantra of fresh ingredients presented in an exquisite fashion, simple as his bacon and eggs all those years ago.

The Mad Chef of M Street

Saturday, May 24, 2008

Mana(ger)

3 comments:

Chef James Chase

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