The Mad Chef of M Street: No Sex in the VIP Room

Friday, January 23, 2009

No Sex in the VIP Room

Thursday...

Looking for a house is a PITA. That's really all I want to say about that part of my life. I cannot wait to be in NY for 3 days, even if it is to cook for a day. It will be a nice change of pace and sure to be a great evening with my friends in The Higher Concept. I won't be in NY until after midnight but to those kids that's about 9pm, which means I will be traveling into the city for some festivities on the VIP list.

VIP in NY basically means you get to skip the line, which ain't bad but not much more than that. Should be good times nonetheless, but I also got an email that I have to arrive at the chili competition by noon. That's around the time I usually wake up by NY standards, so it could get interesting cooking on a hangover...at least I get to start drinking again as soon as I start cooking!

This diet that I have been following is really starting to take its affect on me. I have started incorporating complex carbs into my diet on a regular basis and my energy has shot through the roof, but boy do I ever just want some fucking french fries and a burger! Sweet potatoes and brown rice are just 2 of the new foods I am eating on a regular basis before 5pm every evening. After that there are no carbs, and that is a real beast to do when you never sleep before midnight. Of course quitting the drinking part never really happened, but the abs that are starting to peak through is enough motivation to keep going.

Pilot? Someone asked me about that yesterday and patience is a virtue that I have yet to master. C.R.S.? Yeah, that too, my partner on that venture is struggling to find a first venue when the other 2 aren't going to available for months. Back to the pilot though, since my host Mike Way is performing at the DC Improv for the rest of this month I am forced to be patient yet again. Can't be upset for others wanting to make progress, at least in the meantime I can check out how funny the man really is before we put him in front of a camera in my kitchen studio! The studio itself is really what seems to be holding us back. Hopefully by the first of the month I will be writing about progress on that front.

And oh yeah...Top Chef, if you are going to cheat on your significant other, try not to do it on national television!

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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

Friday, January 23, 2009

No Sex in the VIP Room

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Chef James Chase

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