The Mad Chef of M Street: Mental Note: Next Time, Just Stay in Bed

Tuesday, July 1, 2008

Mental Note: Next Time, Just Stay in Bed

So....

Where to start? Ever woke up knowing it was going to be a fucked up day? Then you go in with the attitude that you can handle whatever the guy upstairs throws at you? Yeah, good luck with that.

As I walk in today I see a new prep cook and my regular line cook in the kitchen. No one else. Everything seems OK but they are busy. I jump out front to see where my chef is, check the books for reservations and come back into the kitchen. My chef is off doing inventory somewhere, the new prep cook has no clue what he should be doing, and there is a banquet that my cook did not know about. AWESOME.

After providing some useful direction to my new prep cook, I immediately begin to work with my line cook on plating since it is already a little busy. The banquet has a menu that my cook doesn't know about and 2 different sauces that have yet to be made. First course has just gone out, again...AWESOME. Instead of pointing the finger and cursing someone out for what is about to happen, its time for The Mad Chef to snap into action, I guess. The 2 sauces can be made within minutes, damn lucky too because we only had about 5 until the entrees were to be served.

It sucked. But, thus is life. Eventually, my chef emerges from doing his 7 hours of inventory (don't ask) and proceeds to start making the menu for the evening. Too bad his sous has already made the menu and has a table of 8 different fish (weighing in at around 150 lbs) he is in the middle of fabricating. Fish cut, no time for a cup of coffee yet because now I have to MAKE the special that I wrote up.

So the day seems to be coming under control, and my chef leaves seeing that his sous has everything running smoothly. GM is on vacation, and I'm still finishing up my special. My salad cook gets a phone call...death in the family. Peace out to her, she may even leave the country to go home. Guess who takes her place at the station?

All good, I'm the last one to bitch about such things, but I can't help but think...how right was I when I woke up this morning and knew it was going to be a bad day?

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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

Tuesday, July 1, 2008

Mental Note: Next Time, Just Stay in Bed

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Chef James Chase

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