(Famous Chef...In My Mind Only)
While all chefs have a role in preparing the food, developing recipes, determining serving sizes, planning menus, ordering food supplies, and overseeing kitchen operations to ensure uniform quality and presentation of meals, different types of chefs may have unique roles to perform or specialize in certain aspects of the job. Executive chefs, head cooks, and chefs de cuisine, are primarily responsible for coordinating the work of the cooks and directing the preparation of meals. Executive chefs are in charge of all food service operations and also may supervise several kitchens of a hotel, restaurant or corporate dining operation. A sous chef, or sub chef, is the second-in-command and runs the kitchen in the absence of the chef. Many chefs earn fame both for themselves and for their kitchens because of the quality and distinctive nature of the food they serve.
America's first famous chef...Chef Boyardee!
In 1924, Boiardi opened the Giardino d'Italia restaurant at East 9th Street and Woodland Avenue in Cleveland, Ohio.The idea for Chef Boyardee came about when restaurant customers began asking Boiardi for his recipe and his ingredients. He opened a factory in 1928, moving production to Milton, Pennsylvania ten years later. He decided to name his product "Boy-Ar-Dee" to help Americans pronounce his name.
In 1946 the company was sold to American Home Products. The brand was distributed for use by United States armed forces. American Home Products turned its food division into International Home Foods in 1996. Four years later, International Home Foods was purchased by ConAgra Foods, which continues to produce Chef Boyardee canned pastas bearing Ettore Boiardi's likeness.
Today TV celebrity chefs are familiar to everyone however in television's early days the first true celebrity chef was Julia Child...The French Chef...
A 1962 appearance on a book review show on the National Educational Television (NET) station of Boston, WGBH, led to the inception of her first television cooking show after viewers enjoyed her demonstration of how to cook an omelette. The French Chef had its debut on February 11, 1963, on WGBH and was immediately successful. The show ran nationally for ten years and won Peabody and Emmy Awards, including the first Emmy award for an educational program. Though she was not the first television cook, Child was the most widely seen. She attracted the broadest audience with her cheery enthusiasm, distinctively charming warbly voice, and non-patronizing and unaffected manner.
*Bobby Flay*
The recognition that Bobby Flay has gained at Mesa Grill for his mouthwatering dishes has built his reputation as a major force not only in New York's culinary scene but also nationwide. In May 1993, Bobby was voted the James Beard Foundation's Rising Star Chef of the Year, an award that honors the country's most accomplished chef under the age of 30. The French Culinary Institute, his alma mater, honored him in 1993 with its first-ever Outstanding Graduate Award, which recognizes the school's most accomplished alumni.
*Grilled Chicken w/Mango Cilantro Salsa*
Ingredients
- 1 cup vegetable oil
- 1 large yellow onion, coarsely chopped
- 3 scallions, coarsely chopped
- 2 Scotch bonnet pepper, stem and seeds removed
- 2 tablespoons fresh ginger, grated
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh thyme leaves
- 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon light brown sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg
- Pinch ground cloves
- 1 teaspoon ground allspice
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
- 8 drumsticks, skin on
- Mango Cilantro Salsa, recipe follows
Directions
Puree all the ingredients, except the chicken, in a food processor until almost smooth. Pierce the chicken with a fork to make tiny holes. Place the chicken in a large shallow baking dish and rub the marinade into the chicken. Cover and refrigerate for 24 to 48 hours, depending on how intense you want the flavor to be. Preheat grill. Grill chicken on each side for 5 to 6 minutes or until cooked through.
Mango-Cilantro Salsa:
3 ripe mangoes, peeled and diced
1/4 cup finely chopped red onion
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro leaves
1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano leaves
1 tablespoon chopped green onions
3 tablespoons lime juice
3 tablespoons fresh orange juice
1 teaspoon honey
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Combine all ingredients in a medium bowl and let sit 30 minutes at room temperature.
*Michael Simon*
Chef Michael Symon cooks with soul. Growing up in a Greek and Sicilian family, the Cleveland native creates boldly flavored, deeply satisfying dishes at his four restaurants in America’s heartland: Lola, Lolita, Roast and B Spot. He also shares his exuberant, approachable cooking style and infectious laugh with viewers as an Iron Chef on the Food Network.
Since being named a Best New Chef by Food & Wine magazine in 1998, Michael and his restaurants have been awarded numerous honors: In 2010, he was the first chef ever to host the annual Farm Aid benefit concert; Bon Appetit magazine included B Spot on their list of “Top 10 Best New Burger Joints”; and B Spot’s Fat Doug burger won the People’s Choice Award at the SoBe Wine & Food Festival. In 2009, Michael earned The James Beard Foundation Award for Best Chef Great Lakes and the Detroit Free Press named Roast “Restaurant of the Year.” In 2000, Gourmet magazine chose Lola as one of “America’s Best Restaurants.”
*Chicken & Truffle Terrine*
Ingredients
- 8 ounces thinly sliced bacon
- 1 pound skinless chicken breast
- 8 ounces minced pork
- 3 shallots minced
- 1 clove garlic minced
- Salt and pepper
- 2 tablespoons chopped flat leaf parsley
- 6 ounces sliced truffles
- 2 eggs beaten
- 10 tablespoons grain mustard
Directions
Line a 2 pound loaf pan with bacon, overlapping the entire area. Put chicken in a chilled food processor and blend until minced. Add pork, shallots and garlic and pulse until mixed. Season with salt and pepper and fold in parsley and truffles. Mix in eggs by hand until incorporated. Chill mixture for 1 hour and preheat oven to 325 degrees. Place mixture in loaf pan and place in water bath going half way up loaf pan. Bake for 45 minutes or until firm. Allow to chill before removing from pan. Slice 1/4-inch thick and serve with 1 tablespoon of grain mustard.
*Robert Irvine*
A native of England, Robert joined the British Royal Navy at the age of 15, and his skills in the kitchen soon came to the attention of his superiors. As part of his service for the Royal Navy, Robert was selected to work onboard the Royal Yacht Britannia, where the Royal Family and their entourages regularly dined. During his time spent training U.S. Navy chefs as part of a guest chef program, Robert worked in the White House kitchens, and his creations were served to high-ranking government officials. During his career, he has also had the opportunity to serve 6,000 servicemen and servicewomen on a U.S. aircraft carrier and plan the menu for a celebrity-studded after-party at the Academy Awards.
*Stuffed Cherry Tomatoes w/ Chicken Apple Salad*
Ingredients
- 2 (8-ounce) boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- Water
- 16 cherry tomatoes
- 2 Granny Smith apples
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice, to keep apples from turning brown
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 3 tablespoons mayonnaise
- 2 teaspoons chopped fresh parsley leaves
- 16 very small sprigs parsley, for garnish
Directions
Poach chicken in water and set aside to cool. Carefully slice off a small amount of the top of tomatoes (be careful not to remove too much) and scoop out seeds. (A 1/4 teaspoon measuring spoon works well for this procedure.) Peel apples, remove core and chop fine, and coat with lemon juice. Chop cooled chicken fine, season with salt and pepper and cinnamon, and stir in mayonnaise and chopped parsley, mixing well. Spoon chicken salad into tomatoes and garnish with parsley.
After graduating from the University of Maryland, Baltimore County with degrees in history and philosophy, he went on to study at the Culinary Institute of America in Napa Valley, Calif. He worked at several acclaimed culinary destinations, including the French Laundry, the Vail Cascade Hotel and Todd English's Olives before returning to Baltimore in 2000 to become a personal chef.
In March 2002, he quit his day job and opened Charm City Cakes. There, he was able to show off his creativity, which comes from a long line of artistic genes. The bakery became a household name on the hit Food Network show Ace of Cakes, which aired for 10 seasons. Duff is also a graffiti artist, metal sculptor and a musician who plays bass in the Elvis tribute band Danger Ace and the indie band Sand Ox. Most recently, Duff and his team headed to Los Angeles to open a second bakery location, Charm City Cakes West.
*Pineapple Sundaes*
Ingredients
- 4 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped, or chocolate chips
- 1 stick unsalted butter, sliced
- 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 3/4 cups plus 2 tablespoons sugar
- 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons half-and-half
- 1 cup mascarpone cheese, at room temperature
- 1 store-bought pound cake, cut into 6 to 8 thick slices
- 2 teaspoons vegetable oil
- 1 fresh pineapple, peeled, cored and cut into wedges
- Shredded coconut, toasted, and/or peanuts, for garnish (optional)
Directions
Combine the chocolate and butter in a microwave-safe bowl. Heat at 50 percent power for 2 minutes; stir, then microwave at 30-second intervals until completely melted. Whisk in the cocoa and 1 3/4 cups sugar until smooth. Microwave the mixture on full power for 5 minutes, stopping to whisk occasionally. (Don't worry if the mixture looks grainy; continue to cook and whisk until smooth.) Add 1 cup half-and-half and microwave on full power until smooth and slightly fudgy, 2 minutes. Transfer to a thermos to keep warm.
Fold the remaining 2 tablespoons half-and-half and 2 tablespoons sugar into the mascarpone in a bowl; cover and refrigerate.Preheat a grill to medium. Brush the cake slices lightly with oil and grill for 1 to 2 minutes per side. Brush the pineapple lightly with oil and grill until marked, about 1 minute per side.
Top the cake with pineapple, a scoop of mascarpone cream and hot fudge. Garnish with coconut and/or nuts, if desired.
*Tyler Florence*
After graduating from the prestigious culinary program at Johnson & Wales University, Florence tackled the Big Apple where he helmed multiple acclaimed restaurants and established himself as one of New York City’s finest young stars. In New York, he honed his culinary skills under the tutelage of some of the city's premier chefs, including Charlie Palmer at Aureole, Marta Pulini at Mad 61 and Rick Laakonen, ultimately becoming executive chef at Cafeteria.
As the buzz about the charismatic young chef’s food picked up steam, a fresh new television network took notice; the rest is history. After more than 14 years as a Food Network star, Florence has taken his food and his wit across the globe, finely tuning what is regarded as one of America’s most important culinary voices.
*Chicken & Dumplings*
Ingredients
Roasted Chicken:
- 1 (3-pound) whole chicken
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 4 ounces unsalted butter, softened
- 1 lemon, halved and juiced; halves reserved
- 1/4-cup fresh chopped herbs, such as thyme, parsley and rosemary
- 1 onion, halved
- 4 garlic cloves, smashed
- Fresh whole herbs, such as rosemary, thyme and parsley sprigs
Directions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Remove the neck and giblets from the cavity of the chicken and discard. Rinse the chicken under cold water, inside and out. Pat dry thoroughly with paper towels. Season the body and cavity of the chicken generously with salt and pepper.
In a small bowl, mash together the butter, lemon juice, and chopped herbs. Rub the herbed butter all over the chicken, as well as under the skin. Put the lemon halves, onion, garlic, and whole herbs inside the chicken cavity, for added flavor. Tie the legs together with kitchen twine. Place the chicken, breast side up, in a roasting pan fitted with a rack. Roast for 1 hour until the meat is no longer pink. When cool enough to handle, shred the meat, discarding the skin and set aside. Reserve the bones for chicken stock.- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 carrots, cut in large chunks
- 2 celery stalks, cut in large chunks
- 1 onion, halved
- 1 garlic bulb, halved
- Reserved chicken bones
- 2 quarts cold water
- 4 sprigs fresh parsley
- 4 sprigs fresh thyme
- 2 bay leaves
To prepare the stock, coat a large stockpot with olive oil and place over medium heat. Add the vegetables and saute for 3 minutes. Add the reserved chicken bones, water, and herbs; simmer for 1 hour. Strain the stock to remove the solids and set aside.
Dumplings:
- 2 cups flour
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 eggs
- 3/4 to 1 cup buttermilk
Supreme Sauce:
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 tablespoon oil
- 1 tablespoon flour
- 1/2 cup diced carrot
- 1/2 cup diced celery
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 bay leaves
- 1/4 cup flour
- 6 cups chicken stock
- 1/4 cup heavy cream
- Freshly ground black pepper, for garnish
- Chopped flat-leaf parsley, for garnish
To prepare Supreme Sauce: In a Dutch oven, melt butter and heat oil over medium heat. Add carrot, celery, garlic, and bay leaves. Saute until the vegetables are soft, about 5 minutes. Stir in the flour to make a roux. Continue to stir and cook for 2 minutes to coat the flour and remove the starchy taste. Slowly pour in the chicken stock, 1 cup at a time, stirring well after each addition.
Let sauce simmer until it is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, about 15 minutes. Stir in heavy cream. Fold the reserved shredded chicken into the sauce and bring up to a simmer. Using 2 spoons, carefully drop heaping tablespoonfuls of the dumpling batter into the hot mixture. The dumplings should cover the top of the sauce, but should not be touching or crowded. Let the dumplings poach for 10 to 15 minutes until they are firm and puffy. Season with freshly cracked black pepper and garnish with chopped parsley before serving.
*Jose Garces*
Since opening his first restaurant, Amada, in 2005, Chef Jose Garces has emerged as an enormous talent and one of the nation's most gifted young chefs. He has opened five additional restaurants, in both Philadelphia and Chicago; authored a stunning cookbook, Latin Evolution (Lake Isle Press, September 2008); won James Beard Foundation's prestigious Best Chef Mid-Atlantic award 2009; and appeared on Food Network's Iron Chef America.
*Green Apple-Truffle Slaw*
Ingredients
- 4 large cloves garlic, unpeeled
- 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
- 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
- 1/2 teaspoon sugar
- Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
- 1/4 cup grapeseed oil
- 5 Granny Smith apples, julienned
- 1/2 small head green cabbage, very thinly sliced (about 4 cups)
- 1/3 cup walnuts, toasted and chopped
- 3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
- 1 tablespoon black truffle oil
Directions
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Place the garlic on a piece of foil, drizzle with olive oil and wrap up. Bake until tender, about 30 minutes. Let cool slightly, then squeeze the garlic from its skin.
Combine 2 teaspoons water, the roasted garlic, lemon juice, sugar, 1 teaspoon salt, and pepper to taste in a blender or mini food processor. With the motor running, slowly pour in 1/4 cup each olive and grapeseed oils through the feed tube, blending until emulsified.Toss the apples, cabbage, walnuts, parsley and truffle oil in a medium bowl. Add the dressing and toss; season with salt and pepper. Refrigerate the slaw until chilled, about 45 minutes.
*Emeril Lagasse*
Who knew that a kid working in the local Portuguese bakery would burst with a bam(!) into the culinary scene, opening a series of successful restaurants, hosting popular TV shows and becoming one of the most recognizable chefs of all time?
As a boy, Emeril Lagasse began bread and pastry making at a Portuguese bakery in his Fall River, Mass., neighborhood. Turning down a music scholarship to follow his culinary dream, Emeril worked his way through the Johnson and Wales University culinary program to earn a doctorate.
*Tortilla Soup*
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 cup chopped onions
- 2 teaspoons chopped garlic
- 1 poblano pepper, seeded and chopped, or 1 pasilla or green bell pepper and 1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and chopped
- 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
- 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 6 cups chicken stock
- 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, trimmed and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves
- 2 teaspoons fresh lime juice
- 2 cups vegetable oil, for frying
- 6 stale corn tortillas, cut into 1/4-inch-thick strips
- 1 teaspoon Essence, recipe follows
- 1 avocado, peeled, seeded, and chopped, for garnish
- Chipotle Crema, accompaniment, recipe follows
Directions
In a Dutch oven or large heavy pot, heat the oil on medium-high heat. Add the onions, garlic, peppers, salt, cumin, and coriander for 5 minutes. Add the tomato paste and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add the chicken stock and bring to a simmer. Simmer for 20 minutes. Add the chicken and simmer for 5 minutes. Add the cilantro and lime juice, and stir well. Remove from the heat and cover to keep warm.
Heat the oil in a heavy pot or electric fryer to 350 degrees F. Add the tortilla strips in batches and fry until golden and crisp, 1 1/2 to 2 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. Season with the Essence.Ladle the soup into 4 or 6 serving bowls. Garnish each serving with the diced avocado, the fried tortilla strips, and Chipotle Crema.