Water

Never before have I been so befuddled by a server’s response to a rather generic question. Could I have a glass of water, please?” I said, “ I’m sorry we don’t serve water here” she replied. Pause. Pause. Pause. Ummmm……..(head weaving in disillusionment)”ok I guess I am fine then”, I finally forced out.

What is remarkable, is the fact that I am speaking of a restaurant in Singapore not Manila. I have spent sleep-less nights, tossing and turning thinking about what would possess a restaurant not to offer regular tap water. I have weighed the pros and cons, thought like a customer and returned back to being a chef. I deliberated the impact it would have on future business and to whether I would return to this particular establishment.

I wondered if economically the restaurant needed the money generated by bottled water to stay afloat. The time, energy and thought I devoted to this single event was consuming me. This is why I have devoted the entirety of my thoughts to this page and to finally cleanse myself of this awful nightmare.

Ok, so I start from the beginning and to clarify, the restaurant in question does serve water, by the bottle only. My particular rant is in lieu of their no tap water policy. In an effort to try and understand as a restaurateur myself, I have put together a few thoughts in defense of this act.

Perhaps the reason they do not serve tap water is because they are afraid of people taking up valuable real estate beside the river and ordering nothing but water. A valid, but, seemingly fruitless thought. I mean how many people pull up a chair ask for a glass of water and parlay the next two hours reading Moby Dick. My guess, not many.

Or perhaps even more relevant is the added stress on the staff, having to pour water for every customer. Again, I see the point but honestly, the time it takes for a waiter or waitress to pour water is irrelevant in the broader context of a meal. This is basic hospitality 101. When you have a guest at your house, at the very least, offer them a glass of water.

Don’t get me wrong, I like bottled water and appreciate the convenience and hygienic standards even more so when trekking across the scorched barren plains of the Gobi Dessert, but when clean, clear refreshing tap water is available, I say pour up.

My most troubling concern though is that I have effectively eliminated this restaurant from all future consideration as a dining destination. I like the setting, I like the food but I just cannot get over them telling me that I could not have tap water. As a restaurateur and chef I cannot impress enough the value of the little details that make a difference. The tiny decisions we make can affect a restaurants success greatly. I wish this particular establishment the best of luck, but as for me I think I will look elsewhere when all I want is a glass of water.

Spinach and a Smile

Today was a joyous day. James, my farming friend in Malaysia brought me my first crop of Bloomsdale Spinach. A superb variety of heirloom spinach that has a gloriously crinkle like texture and progresses in hue from the most vibrant green to the softest pastel. I will be featuring it in our Spinach Salad with beautiful pink lady apples and manchego cheese. On another note, the tomatoes that I have been longing for have finally begun to fruit, making way for a mid-january harvest and a bounty of beautiful rainbow colored gems. You will also be happy to know that we are working with some local grocers to supply our over stock of vegetables for you to buy and enjoy at home.

If any of you out there would like me to discuss a particular topic or answer any questions you may have, please feel free to chime in. This blog is all about touching on subjects that are of interest in the world of food, restaurants and general revelry. Till next time....

Organic Thoughts

The first time I heard the term “organic” in relation to vegetables, my first thought was, aren’t vegetables already natural? Nay nay my friend, in the world of agri-business as it is so affectionately called, carrots are no longer just a carrot and that beautiful pristine looking ear of corn that has somehow endured 2 months at the bottom of your chiller and has defied the odds to carry on and live another day, is not from your hardworking farmer friend down the road, especially in February. Truth be told, this is not natural, in fact it is disturbing. Ever wonder why those beautiful tomatoes you bought at the local supermarket look great with there glossy red coat and bright green stem, but when you cut it open it weeps tears of under-ripe green seeds and displays a flesh of white pith that tastes like a mixture of water and diluted tomato paste. Yes oh yes, the great agri-businesses of our time have taken it upon themselves to extend the growing season of vegetables to have no season at all. The result is somewhere between money and well money. In the pursuit of the ever elusive dollar and the growing acceptance of well “crap” vegetables, these businesses have flourished and they are not going away any time soon. You will be delighted to know that most, if not all of those vegetables in your local supermarket have been treated, sprayed, injected or have absorbed some form of pesticide, herbicide, preservative or my favorite, “flavor enhancer”. To make it simple, what this all means is we are eating things that are first out of season, second don’t taste good and third are potentially harmful to our bodies.

As a chef I have a certain obligation to those I feed. I mean it doesn’t get more personal than ingesting the fruit of someone else’s labor. Many of you that have eaten here know that I have a particular devotion to fresh fruits and vegetables that have been grown with care and respect for the land. With that being said, it is rather difficult even for a chef to be 100% certain of where my fruit and vegetables come from. In Singapore we are a bit maligned by the fact that we have little if any agricultural resources, so we have to ship in from all over the world to catch a glimpse of that perfect White Asparagus in May or that beautiful tomato in August. The notion that I am implying is that we start looking at fruit and vegetables through a seasonal window rather than a year round fish bowl. Ask ourselves if those asparagus we are eating in November are well, really and truly great asparagus and wouldn’t it be nicer to tuck into a beautiful autumn root vegetable stew than a woody piece of asparagus any way. But, it is going to take time to develop the supply lines and relationships to secure great products. It involves a tremendous amount of effort and forethought as well as an undying determination to bring the best to our plates. So, I am on a quest and it may take me a little time to get there, but the goal is to bring back the flavor of life, and to me that is very natural.

Welcome!

First off, welcome to the WineGarage website, a compendium of all the happenings, dinners, tastings and other musings that go on at the Garage. We are delighted that you have taken the time to check us out. It also happens to be the first official Blog of what will hopefully be a series of insightful, sometimes provocative but always interesting thoughts on topics ranging from organic vegetables to proper restroom etiquette. The blog is a meant to pique interest, spark conversation and create dialogue on subjects that are important and relevant to food, wine and other convivial activities. The whole idea of this blog is to bring more people into our little world of food and wine. I have always felt the constructive dialogue is part of the learning process not just for my development as a chef but as a person as well. So as the saying goes, “mi casa es su casa”, feel free to jump in and join the discussion.

On another note and perhaps a bit more interesting to some of you out there, is a project near and dear to my heart. I have partnered with a farm in Malaysia to start growing some of the vegetables we use at the restaurant, most notably the humble tomato. The heirloom seeds, imported from the states are currently growing in the Cameron Highlands under the watchful eyes of my farming partner James Khi. We have already encountered some hurdles but all in all it is going well. Harvest looks to be around the middle to end of January and with any luck should have a bounty of beautiful rainbow colored tomatoes to bring to the plate. This is just a small step in a long process to bring high quality fruit and vegetables to the restaurant and reaffirms our belief that the best foods are those that have been cared for. If your worried that you will miss out on the tomato harvest, fear not, as we will have plenty of tastings, dinners and special features here at the restaurant. So sit back, relax and enjoy, I am positive that our journey through food and wine utopia will be a great one. Cheers!