The adrenaline rush of commercial kitchen service is a hit like no other.

It’s not for the soft or weak hearted. It’s a 3-4 hour nonstop mayhem and I just LOVE it!!  As it starts to heat up, orders are coming in, pans are ready to sear and seal. The heart starts racing, fryers starting to bubble away, stock pots simmering. The grill starts to flare, flames kissing the steak fat as it drips down on to the coals. Plates start clanking as they hit the bench and the others being restacked for the next round. The dishwasher door plunges down and down again. The cycle never stops.

Hype is building, nervous tension filling the air. The calm before the storm is coming to an end. When will the eye hit, how many covers, how many mouths fed. Will it go smoothly, this depends on how the orders roll. Same menu but what and when it is ordered can turn a thunderstorm into a cyclone.

The spills, the splutters, the burns and the sheer danger, it adds to the thrilling buzz that’s now running through my veins. You can’t stop, you have to keep going. If one chef stops you’re fucked! It’s a ballet of fusion, tempers, stress and passion. We are a team and must flow together.

The moment when you look up at the docket rack and it’s so full, order after order. There is also a pile on the back bench that you can’t even cast a thought to now. Heads down and cook. A flood of fear can come over, holly shit am I going to make this. Not even a flicker of light at the end of the tunnel. You know you must there is no alternative. Burn yourself, get over it. Need a toilet break, yeah right? Just let your passion flow, your training set in and keep going.

The feeling of accelerating fear and love for what you do keeps you on track. Slowly the dockets start to be fulfilled.  Waitresses return with customer compliments. Yes it’s worth it. You can see that you and your team are going to make it. Scars, burns, sweat and tears aside. It’s coming together.

Spike the docket and out the meals go.  You look around and see a beautiful sight of an amazing team that have gone beyond and delivered amazing meals, cooked to perfection. A team that unites together in moments of sheer madness. You have to love it as I said it’s not a job for the weak hearted. It’s for a person who loves madness and a hard core work environment. Happy to give up their weekend, social life, family gatherings. A person who thrives on high stress sessions. A person who not only loves food but loves making others happy.  No wonder most of us are adrenaline junkies.

I wouldn’t change it for the world.

Now let’s draw the curtains and let another show begin. Yes, in hospitality we are all performing, making your moment special. 

The Mighty Blue

I don’t generally associate cheese with seafood. Maybe a parmesan sprinkle on a marinara or risotto. So when I came across blue cheese mussels in La Rochelle, France, how could I resist. So curious as I tried the first one and it was bloody delicious. The blue cheese mussels were a must have for every lunch and dinner we had over the next four days.

A while ago now on a mini mid-week break I had taken some Coffin Bay oysters with us. Day one was natural. A mouthful of one of the jewels of the sea. One of my many weakness, fresh oysters. I don’t think my business partner, Kev and myself making any money on the oysters we sell, as they are at easy reach in our seafood display cabinet. They sit the on a bed of crushed ice, and say “eat me I’m absolutely delish”. Just too tempting to not indulge!

Anyways back to the mini break. So the next day as the BBQ was getting ready to sear the steaks, I saw the remaining oysters in the fridge sitting next to Blue Costello and thought what the hell. Give it a go. I topped each oyster with a large teaspoon of the blue and sat them on the BBQ. The heat from below and the sun kissing the top the cheese melted. Glass of Riesling poured and we tasted. Oh my, just amazing.

They now feature on the specials menu regularly and always stock blue for the regular customer like myself who have fallen for these culinary delights. It is dead easy, so give it a try. Change the blue depending on your taste. I love the creamy texture of the Blue Costello, wins in my books hands down.

One more tip, buy at least a dozen as a couple will just not be enough.

Recipe

Ingredients

• Blue Costello

• Fresh oysters

Method

Top each oyster with good sizeteaspoon of blue cheese and place on some crushed foil on a tray. This prevents them from falling over and the cheese escaping. Place under a grill or on a BBQ, as mentioned above and grill until the cheese has melted. They don’t take long, don’t overcook. Plump, warm and juicy…OH YEAH

Said it was easy 

To market

Local produce markets are a must. Price, produce, freshness and the bazar can all be found. The array of Thai ingredients at my local market just keeps giving. Groups of local Thai women that couldn’t obtain their home creature food comforts have started to grow and sell. Thank god I say.

What a treat. Some are so beautiful and some I wouldn’t have a clue as to what they are. So I ask, buy and try. The 1st sight of produce that I have never seen before is accelerating. The colour, texture, size and beauty intrigues me no end. I don’t however buy just to cook. I buy for sheer art. I want them in my home. A bowl, board or platter of these gorgeous ingredients not only looks so beautiful, but will inspire you to cook, it goes beyond the old fruit bowl.

An array of squash, gourds, vine ripened tomatoes, lemons and big black shinny eggplants will inspire, look fantastic and taste as delish as they look.

As do a bouquet of fresh herbs, they’re just as beautiful as a vase of flowers. The plus point is you have herbs on tap! Snip and use when and whenever. A late night toasty can transform into a culinary experience with a few snips. The other night, pastrami, slices of sweet mini bell peppers, raclette cheese finished with continental parsley and kewpie mayo. YUM

A huge bunch of fresh market herbs should never be an, 'ohhh I don’t need that much' moment. It is a mouth sensation and a visual masterpiece. The endless use of herb astounds me. Pesto, butters, remoulades, sauces, salads, oils, infused mustards, salsa, mole, marinades, stuffing’s breads, glazes, wet rubs, soups, garnish, YES you can garnish at home! This list just goes on and on. Then there is drying them, so much fun.  Some of mine even sprout in water and they look wicked!

For best results and time lasting keep in a cool area of your house. Another method to store herbs use a wet paper towel around the base and in a zip lock plastic bag. 

So set off to your local market farmers market, any market and hunt and gather. Look at the purchases with different eyes and have fun creating your masterpiece. If your local market isn’t that herby, try the local green grocer, if you ask they can get bunches in for you.

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Why do I love food?

My obsession with cookbooks, foodie mags, well pretty much any recipe is without doubt my strongest fetish.

I don’t mean the general housewife cookbooks, as I call them, publications - at the same time it doesn't have to be a fascination with the 7 step culinary extravaganza, although God they float my boat and get the juices flowing.

What turns me on is the picture, the ingredients list, I’m enchanted by every new recipe I’ve never heard of - which typically follows with research and a google session. I have to know everything!

It’s what I can do with the dish described that excites me. A trigger of thought floods my mind. Very rarely do I follow a recipe, it’s just the idea that gets the heart racing. To put your own mark on a recipe, idea, dish, is myself as a chef what it’s all about.

The mind starts flooding with flavours, textures, feel and taste and then there's the magical moment when I create and share. Yes it’s my thoughts, my mind moment but sharing is what it’s all about. From my home to the restaurant the expression on people’s faces when they indulge in my creation, my art, is euphoric.

Ok to explain a little further. What happens in my mind? I see a recipe for let’s say… Herb crusted lamb w/ crushed potatoes. Ingredients: lamb (obviously), crumbs, chives, potatoes, broad beans, cream and artichokes. Good, yep, fine. ‘Crusted lamb with crushed potatoes with broad beans and artichoke cream’ But why stop there, my mind sure doesn’t!

Lamb cutlets with a Rogan Josh onion jam pocket, crusted with cumin spiced pappadam’s served on a bed sag aloo

OR

Miso & citrus marinated lamb, oven baked in panko crust on a bed of soba noodle and wakame salad dressed with cucumber relish

OR

 4 pointer lamb rack, boned, pine wheeled with a porcini mushroom and spinach farce served on a risotto Milanese

And the list goes on!

The point is look outside the box and let the juices flow. Why just see that single dish when there are so many.

A combo you have had before, enjoyed, play with it. How can that be immersed into what you have just seen?

As you can imagine it takes me a while to read a cookbook, one with say 100 recipes, I see thousands and just love it. Have a go, find a recipe and change it to suit your taste, your theme, your cupboard, your mind. Whatever it is, try it.

Food just never stops giving!