Farewell

Many of you may already know, and for those who don't, I apologize for not saying goodbye sooner. I have left WineGarage and will be moving on to new challenges and opportunities. It is bittersweet in many ways. The first of which is leaving behind so many great people, both guests and staff who have made my time here 3 of the best years I could have asked for. 

While this blog was foremost a tool for reporting on the happenings within the restaurant it also served as a link to communicate with so many of you on a more personal level. Those of you who wrote comments, sent emails and inquired about the blog at the restaurant, I thank you for taking time out of your day to share your thoughts.

I will be the first to admit that there were times when things got rough, when the days were long and the progress slow. But, I always knew that a great restaurant was possible. I will say,  that without doubt, my staff are some of the most committed, talented and hardworking people I have ever had the pleasure to stand alongside. They are the ones who believed in the goal and partnered with me in bringing to light my vision of what a restaurant should be. 

I wish all of you the best and please feel free to check in on the blog as I will be continuing to update it. Thanks again and take care. 

Two Things I Can't Live Without

There are two pieces of equipment that have become so integral to my cooking that without them I would be lost. The first is the Paco Jet. An ultra-revolutionary, high speed, air injecting, "pacotizing" wonder, which basically takes anything that has been frozen solid, shaves it superfine while simultaneously injecting air making it super light and creamy. It has been around for a while now but ask any chef and they will tell you this thing is built like bulldozer. It almost never has to be repaired, has very minimal maintenance and more than makes up for it's cost, which if your wondering can set you back a cool 6K. Of course Ice creams and sorbets are the first order of business but I use it for more unconventional purposes as well making beautiful silken puree's of vegetables, flavored olive oils and infusions of all types. I love this thing so much I once wrote an entire dissertation while in university about the viability and cost-effectiveness of the Paco Jet against traditional Ice Cream Machines. I got an A.

Second, is the Vacuum pack machine, which as the name implies, vacuums air from the inside of plastic bags and seals food in an almost oxygen free environment. While that sounds special the real advantage is that I take those vacuum sealed foods and apply the "sous vide" method of cooking which basically means that I cook the food while in the bag at various temperatures depending on the product inside. This helps in achieving consistent results as well as increased flavors because volatile aromas do not have a chance to escape during the cooking process leaving a result that most times is far better than conventional methods. We use this process in about 40% of the cooking we do at the restaurant in everything from meats to vegetables.

I will be posting more tidbits from life in the kitchen so if you have any questions let me know and I will do my best to answer all that I can. Cheers!!

Teaser

I'm Back

Wow, I think this blogging thing is probably one of the most difficult things to keep up with. It's like going to the gym, at first you are really motivated and excited and then as you get into it you take a day off to rest. One day of rest leads to two and then before you know it, you have been out for a month. In this case like 4 months.

In any event there is always room for reconciliation, an opportunity to get back in the game. So here I write with hopes of turning this thing around. First, some news from the Garage. We will be starting a new promotion called "Fizz and Chips". Pardon the play on words but as you may have guessed we will be featuring Fish and Chips with Champagne and Sparkling wine on Wednesday evenings. In response to our ever popular Burgers and Bottles promotion on Tuesdays, this is a great segway to showcase my obsession recently with the humble fish fry. I have researched, tested and tasted my way through numerous incarnations of the perfect fish and chip and finally have found what I believe will be the standard bearer for all Fish and Chips in Singapore.

The batter is shatteringly crisp and grease less. The fish, pink snapper, flaky and moist. The Chips are hand cut, organic desiree potatoes cooked thrice with a secret method that produces a chip beyond reproach. Of course, we will make our own tartare sauce and provide you with the ubiquitous malt vinegar albeit from a clever serving device.

In my opinion the combination of sparkling wine and fish and chips may be one of the best pairings I have ever had the opportunity to taste. It is quite frankly a match made in heaven. Be it with a special bottle of Krug or a great bottle of Prosecco, the experience of drinking "Fizz" and eating "Chips" is undeniably cool .

The promotion will be running Wednesdays starting the 9th of July with $10 off any bottle of sparkling wine with the purchase of a Fish and Chip. So come down and have some fun. Till next time.....

The Creative Process

The mind of a chef is often filled with taste and flavor memories, seemingly shook up over time like one of those snow globes that everyone recieves at Christmas. Most often the context of a new dish is created in my head and eaten before a fork can even get close. Questions like texture and temperature contrast are debated at length and whether the dish has consistency or execution issues or wether it costs too much. But, the most important question is, Does it taste great?

I always feel that a great dish is one that has gone through a rigorous editing process. In that I mean, ingredients and techniques are scrutinized and the question is asked: What does this particular ingredient or technique do for the dish? If I cannot answer that question then it gets removed and I move on. I am currently developing a few new ideas for dishes to add to the menu and this is the process I go through. Many times, conceptually the dish sounds great and in my head I can taste the components working together, but in reality there is a diversion or confluence of other matters at play. I would say out of ten dishes I conceive theoretically only 1 will ever actually make it to the plate and your stomachs.

Burger Bash

I was recently scrolling through some of my favorite food sites and came upon an advertisement for an event in Shanghai called the "Burger Grill Off", where local restaurants vie for a chance at Burger Stardom. Burgers were also the headline act the recent South Beach Food and Wine Festival where the famous "Shack Burger" from Danny Meyer's Shake Shack was overthrown by the "Schlow Burger" from Chef Micheal Schlow of Boston restaurant, Radius. It got me thinking that perhaps Singapore needs an event like this. I can picture it now, Clarke Quay roped off down the river with booths of restaurants turning out thier signature Burger, capped off by the 1st Annual "Battle of the Burg's", to see who can stuff there face with the most burgers in 5 minutes, sure to attract the world's top extreme eaters. It has the potential for greatness, don't you think? The public get's to vote for it's favorite and the winner takes home bragging rights as well as the trophy, a giant plastic Burger Bun that says "Uniquely Singapore" all over it.
Ok, its a little far fetched but I think it has a chance, we just need a bunch of Burger fanatics to protest, in groups less than three of course, at city hall for the government to sponsor such an event. I know I'll be there, will you? Later.

Favorite Restaurants

People often ask me about my favorite restaurants back in the states. I started to think and came up with a few that without question are some of the best places in the world to eat.

The first and one of the only places that I would fly 20 hours just to have dinner is Pizzeria Bianco in Phoenix, AZ. It is to me the quintessential restaurant. Small, welcoming, unpretentious and most of all honest. The menu is sparse with only a few salads and just a handful of Pizzas but the quality is incomparable. The chef, Chris Bianco, tames the wood fired oven every night, no matter what. It is the sort of place everyone talks about, but few seldom understand. Chris is a pizza maniac, he doesn't simply undertsand the intricasies of a great pizza, he has devoted his whole life to the perfection of it. Every detail makes a difference, from the type of wood used in the oven, to the homemade mozzarella pulled every day. His dough is an extension of his hands and his soul. Rarely do you encounter a restaurant with this singular focus. I will be visiting Phoenix in April when I take some time away to see my family and you can bet that I will get my pizza fix here.

Another place that I really enjoy is Casa Mono in NYC, this tiny shoebox near Gramercy turns out some of the finest spanish influenced food I have ever had the pleasure of eating. It also happens to be co-owned by Mario Batali, a chef who I greatly admire and respect. In fact all of his restaurants have made me happy and serve simple unpretentious food.

For fine dining, I must say that the French Laundry was unforgettable and something everyone should experience at least once. While I don't usually dine like this, I do try and fit in one over the top meal a year and this has been the finest to date. Enough has been said about Thomas Keller, but bottom line, he deserves all the praise.

Till next time....

Lunch Time!!!!

It is with great anticipation that I announce the launch of Lunch at WG starting on February 18, 2008. It is a significant step for us and one many of you have been asking for. The menu reflects my continuing support of organic produce as well as supporting our own farming project in Malaysia. It features my take on classic salads and sandwiches as well as focusing on or handcrafted pasta and freshly made side dishes. You can come for a power lunch or laze your day away over looking the river. Meet up with friends or catch up with co-workers. The menu has something for everyone, including our signature WG "Burger". Here are a few pics to get you salivating. We will also be featuring a few new brews from Brewmaster Scott Robertson.

Eating Humble Pie

This post is a little different than the rest and frankly I am not proud of it. But, sometimes we have to eat a little humble pie and admit we made a mistake. I want to relay an incident that happened on Saturday night.

A couple sat down at around 11:00pm for what was supposed to be a nice leisurely drink to finish the evening I presume. All was well until they placed their order for a beautiful bottle of Chassagne-Montrachet. Our server took the order and proceeded to arrange the bottle, which he could not find. He asked a manager to help while he set the glasses and readied the ice bucket. The manager still could not find the wine, almost 7 minutes had elapsed at this point. He engages another staff member to help. The guests are getting impatient and rightfully so. 10 minutes and still no wine. The manager decides to go to the table to apologize and ask if he can arrange a different bottle as the first one is M.I.A, but the guests decided they had enough and walked out. I don't blame them. We failed. We had a chance to wow them with a great bottle of wine, but we couldn't locate it. We had a chance to turn the situation around but we didn't get to table in time before they left. We had a chance to provide great service but we failed to produce what they ordered. We simply had too many chances.

I can truthfully say this is the first time in a very, very, very long time that this has happened. But, it will serve as a great lesson to us that when we make a mistake we need to deal with it promptly. In hindsight, we should have sent the manager over with Complimentary Champagne at the 7 minute mark, so that at least they knew we were trying to fix our mistake. Even someone going over and letting them know the situation would have been better then to just let them sit there waiting. A bunch of little decisions led to one very bad result. I don't know who the couple was but I want to apologize and invite them back to enjoy that bottle, yes we found it, finally. I know all of us here at WG have learned something from this situation and take it very personally.

These are the situations that can change the course of a restaurants fate. When people have bad experiences they talk about it, and their story influences others and so on and so forth. In any event, we have taken the necessary actions to alleviate the same mistake in the future and I am confident that this situation will never happen again. Till next time...

New Year, New Happenings

Ok, I know, I have been neglecting this little corner of space for sometime now. But, I am back, ready to fill this void with news, observations, happenings and content that will hopefully engage and inspire those of you who find the ramblings of a chef interesting.

First things first though, many thanks to all of our loyal guests over the last year who have supported the restaurant. You are the reason that we are so successful. Furthermore, many thanks to those of you who visited the restaurant for the first time, with every new guest we see an opportunity to build a relationship and a connection to the restaurant. We hope to see you again, and don't be afraid to say hello.

On to some news, where I am happy to share that WineGarage will be adding a new series of events celebrating wine and food. I have composed a list of wine dinners that will be held on a chosen Wednesday each month. Some will highlight producers known the world over; while others will uncover wines you may never have had the chance to explore. The object is simple, to enjoy wine and food with the conviviality of friends and fellow enthusiasts. Take a look at the preliminary list of dinners below to see if any are of interest. They are guaranteed to be fun, informative and spontaneous.

January
Great Wines of America.

February
Garagiste Wines.

March
The Amazing Rhone.

April
Australia’s Best.

May
Who knew? Great Wines from Spain.

June
Wines you’ve never heard of, but will remember forever.

July
Summer in France, C’est la Vie.

August
Memories of Italy, Obscure Varietals, Unlimited Potential.

September
They make wine there? South Africa, Argentina and Beyond.

October
The Big Boy’s, France still leads the pack.

November
Burgundy, be careful be very very careful.

December
The ultimate Celebration, Champagne.

Our first dinner is a salute to Great American Wines on Wednesday the 30th of January. Wines will be featured from the likes of Skewis, Grace Family and La Sirena. A full menu with pairings will be posted soon, so keep an eye out.

On other fronts, this year will once again highlight our continuing relationship with our farming partners in Malaysia to bring you great produce, most notably our beautiful Tomatoes. With the response that we received last year, there is no doubt that a few were converted into tomato heads. There really is nothing like field grown, super ripe tomatoes, period.

Perhaps the biggest news I have for you is that WineGarage will be serving Lunch starting from February 18, 2008. A collection of super salads, inspired sandwiches and hand crafted pastas will make there way to the menu. The lunch menu will highlight some great organic products as well as offer freshly squeezed juices, delicious side items like our soon to be famous Meatball Sliders and Deviled Eggs with Jumbo Lump Crab. I will be posting some shots of the new menu over the next month to tempt you.

Well, I think that's enough for now. Drop me a line, swing by or say hello when your in. Take care and good eating.