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Food Network chef is on the scene with a spicy menu and a can-do zeal If there's any question which house Food Network's "Food 911" has taken over, it's always the one with vans
parked outside. Closest to the entrance is the white cargo van filled with stacks of bins containing kitchen equipment, everything
from a peeler to serving platters to Le Creuset pots and pans. This one travels across the country from city to city during
the season as the show is taped. It's possible for chef Tyler Florence to cook in any kitchen, no matter how Spartan, because
of this van. There are also several rented minivans that shuttle the dozen or so production crew members, along with set
props, and camera, lighting and audio equipment. Last week, the cast and crew of "Food 911" hit Seattle to rescue three viewers who had sent in letters asking
for help with some of their favorite recipes. For those who are unfamiliar, the premise of the show is that Florence responds
to a cooking "crisis" by showing up at the viewer's home to provide what is essentially a one-on-one cooking lesson. In the case of Wendi Oglesby, who returned a couple of weeks ago from nine months in Barbados for a job assignment,
she wanted to be able to re-create some of the complex flavors she had tasted in the Caribbean. Last Thursday, Florence and
his crew set up shop in a borrowed kitchen -- because Oglesby's kitchen wasn't big enough to accommodate everyone. By 10 in the morning, the set was established. Florence was behind the stove, preparing the first batch of marinade
for the Bajan Chicken that he would be demonstrating later. Camera and light cables had been routed from the kitchen to the
dining room, where the monitors and sound mixer were situated. A folding table had been placed in the front room of the house
and surrounded by bins of ingredients so the food and prop stylists could do their magic. The scene behind the scene was bustling and efficient. But it was fun. And aromatic: Scotch bonnet peppers were
featured in the recipes that Florence prepared, so the air was savory and spicy. What you should know about "the T" -- as Florence is affectionately called by his crew -- is that, even off-camera,
he keeps it real. It is one of the first things you will notice about him. He has enough of an ego to be successful as a television
chef but not too much ego to put a bad taste in your mouth. After five seasons starring on "Food 911," he still insists on
doing his own prep work for each taping. Certainly, he has help. But, if you hear him say on-camera that he watched the fishmonger
fillet the fish he's cooking, chances are it's for effect. In fact, Florence filleted a whole halibut for the escabèche recipe that would start off the taping on Thursday.
But, while the cameras were rolling, he attributed the fillets to a fishmonger. "We work hard," said Florence, "but we're two degrees away from vacation." Florence often hums when he's prepping, and he's always sticking a spoon in someone's face to offer a taste
of what he's cooking. It's common to see him zip across the room between takes to give the sound technician or producer or
whoever is standing around a bite. "He's really hands-on," explained food stylist Kersti Bowser, who considers Florence
"her brother" and can anticipate his needs. "He wants to make sure the food tastes awesome and that the reaction people have
(after they taste the food) turns out to be natural." As a result, there is no "swapping" on the show, which is to say that an assistant doesn't prepare the final
product ahead of time for Florence to present at the end. He prefers to cook a dish from beginning to end. The taping will
stop while the fish finishes searing, the chicken finishes frying, or for something to chill or marinate properly. Florence takes seriously his responsibility to give home cooks recipes that work and are accessible. Before
this season, he got together with culinary producer David Domedion to discuss and research which recipes would make the show.
Then it was up to Domedion to translate Florence's desires into recipes that would make sense to home cooks, as well as to
test them. The show is popular and is in its fifth season. Florence's South Carolinian roots give him a charm that works
like a spell, in spite of more than 10 years living in New York City. He may be the star of the show, but he's not beyond
offering to pour a visitor a cup of coffee. He enjoys connecting with people, so he wears regular street clothes on the show instead of a chef's coat. Wearing
chef's attire, in his opinion, immediately conveys a sense that there's a divide between the professional and the amateur.
Indeed, he has expertise to share, but cooking ought to be fun. "I speak in their language," said Florence, who just handed in the manuscript for his second cookbook and is
in the midst of opening a restaurant in Manhattan. When it was time for Oglesby to step in, Florence put her at ease right away by complimenting the color of her
shirt and briefly explaining the sequence of steps so she wouldn't be surprised by anything. He encouraged her to participate
fully in the cooking and conversation. "It's your show," Florence said to Oglesby. "You know how some people just stand there -- and they look like
they're standing there? (He shakes his head.) Tell me what you're really tasting. Smile. Be involved." Oglesby's twin sister, Cindi, yelled out some words of encouragement, too. Then the taping began. He asked about
Wendi Oglesby's time in Barbados and what she enjoyed there. He segued from her comments to a mini-lesson on Caribbean cooking
and a description of the first dish they would make for the dinner party that's the finale of each episode. There are four acts in each episode. The first three segments each feature a recipe. The fourth act focuses
on the presentation of all the food. For the Oglesby bash, this included the Bajan Chicken, marinated halibut, okra cou-cou
(cornmeal), and a steel drum band. Friends and family were invited to attend the dinner. A typical shoot starts at about 8 in the morning and ends after 6 in the evening, which makes for a long day.
Florence has been so busy with "Food 911" and other obligations that he said he hasn't unpacked his suitcase in four years.
The show has become his personal life. He accepts that for now because he has far-reaching ambitions. It's not such a bad gig. "We show up, we make great food and we tape it."
Cut the fish into 2-inch-wide strips and pat them dry. Season the flour with salt and pepper, dredge the fish
in it and pat off any excess flour. Heat 3 tablespoons olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Fry the fish until it is lightly
browned on both sides, about 3 to 4 minutes per side. Drain on paper towels and then place the fish in one layer into a shallow
glass dish.
Drain the oil from the skillet, return it to medium heat, and add 3 tablespoons fresh olive oil. Add the onions
and bell peppers and fry until the vegetables begin to soften, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic, thyme, bay leaves, peppercorns,
allspice and Scotch bonnet pepper if using, and cook for another 2 minutes. Pour in the vinegar and water and bring it to
a boil. Spoon the vegetables and herbs over the fish and then add the vinegar sauce. Let it cool to room temperature and refrigerate
for at least 4 hours or overnight. Serve at room temperature.
Rinse and dry the chicken pieces and put them into a shallow glass dish.
In a spice grinder, grind the allspice, peppercorns and cinnamon stick into a powder; set aside. Put into a
blender the onion, pepper, scallions, garlic, Scotch bonnet, thyme, lime juice, butter, 1/4 cup olive oil and the ground spices.
Blend to a puree and season with salt and pepper. Pour this over the chicken, cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or
overnight. Remove the chicken from the refrigerator 1/2 hour before you cook it.
Heat the oven to 375 degrees. Pan-roast the chicken by heating the remaining 3 tablespoons oil in an oven-proof
skillet or baking pan over medium-high heat. Brown the chicken pieces on both sides, then put the pan into the oven and roast
the chicken until it is cooked through, about 20 to 25 minutes. Serve garnished with cilantro leaves.
Put the whole corn into a preheated 350-degree oven until it is soft, about 30 minutes. Remove and set aside
until cool enough to handle. Strip the husk from the corn and remove the silk. Cut the kernels off the cobs and set aside.
If using frozen okra, put them into a strainer and run them under cool water for a few minutes to thaw. Remove
the stems from the okra and cut them into thirds.
Butter a 13-by-9-inch pan with 1 tablespoon butter. Bring the stock or water to a boil in a large saucepan and
add 1 teaspoon salt. Gradually sprinkle in the cornmeal, whisking constantly to avoid lumps. When it is all incorporated,
stir in the remaining 2 tablespoons butter, reduce the heat to low, season with pepper and nutmeg, and cook for 10 minutes
stirring occasionally.
Meanwhile, heat the olive oil and remaining butter in a skillet over medium-high heat. Cook the onion until
soft, about 5 minutes. Add the corn, okra and thyme leaves and cook until heated through, about 2 minutes. Stir the vegetable
mixture into the cornmeal then pour it into the buttered pan. You can serve this immediately or let the cornmeal cool and
harden. Slice the cooled cornmeal into squares and serve. April 19-20, 2007 Cornell Campus Symposia Agenda 7:30 – 8:20 am Comments from John Jaquette, Jr., Executive Director, 8:30 – 9:45 am Panel 1: Future: Trends in Energy & Climate Change Moderator: Mark Milstein, Lecturer of Strategy, Innovation and Sustainable Global Enterprise, Johnson Graduate School of Management, Cornell University Panelists: Amol Deshpande MBA ’05, Paula DiPerna Kevin McGovern ’70, LLC Eric Young ’78, Panel 2: Science: Educating Cornellians for Business in the Life Sciences Description: through CALS that bring together Business and Science for Undergraduates and graduates at Cornell. Moderator: William Lesser and Management and Susan Eckert Lynch Professor of Science and Business Panelists: Charles Hamilton ’95, MBA ’04, LLC 9:45 – 10:15 am 10:15 – 11:30 am Panel 1: Change: The Convergence of Private Equity & Hedge Funds Moderator: Henry O’Connor ’88, Panelists: Michael Karangelen ’90, Jim McNair MBA’83, John Altorelli JD’93, Damian Gilbert, Panel 2: an Entrepreneur: Transforming the Sustainable Industries Moderator: Stu Hart, Enterprise Professor of Management Panelists: Pinaki Bhattacharyya MBA ’03, Ejnar Knudsen ’91, Daniel Goldman ’87, Jeff Wolfe ’83, Panel 3: Delivery Moderator: John Kuder, Management, College of Human Ecology, Cornell University Panelists: Leonard Quadracci, M.D Corporate Health Services, Sussex, WI Barry Zuckerman, M.D Health at Boston University School of Medicine, Chief of Pediatrics at Boston Medical Center Reactor: Nancy Schlichting MBA/Sloan ’79 Ford Health Systems Panel 4: Enterprising Undergraduates at Cornell Description: focus on the various ways entrepreneurship attitudes are manifesting themselves on campus today and the challenges of being entrepreneurial while going to school. Moderator: Deborah Streeter Economics and Management, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Cornell University Panelists: Rachel Doyle ’05 Seth Flowerman ’08 Ashleigh Smith ’07 Alex Zahn ’07, Panel 5: Pillsbury Institute for Hospitality Entrepreneurship - Entrepreneurs in Hospitality Moderator: Cathy Enz and Affairs, Cornell School of Hotel Administration Panelists: Marcy Blum CIA ’75, Associates, Inc. Carmel D’Arienzo MPS ’88, Rachel Roginsky ’79, Group Lynda Schrier Wirth ’82, Search, Ltd. Panel 6: Development: Strategies from the Ground Up Lead Panelist: Boyd Stofer ’71, Brokerage and Management Company Panelists: Mark Foerster, Josh Kroll ’03 11:30 – noon Noon – 1:15 pm Panel 1: Sciences: Venture Capital Investment Strategies Moderator: Dean Banks, Panelists: David Berry, MD, PhD, John Brooks, Anupendra Sharma MBA ’98, Venture Capital, Medical Solutions Fund Panel 2: Practice Organization and Facility Design Moderator: William White, Professor, Policy Analysis and Management, College of Human Ecology, Cornell University Panelists: Frank Becker, Ph.D Studies Program; Chairman of the Department of Design and Environmental Analysis, College of Human Ecology, Cornell University; Professor, Facilities Planning and Management and Human-Environment Relations L. Gordon Moore, M.D of Brighton, Rochester, NY Reactors Services, Gannett Health Services Richard N. Hoffman, Sloan ’89 Services, Arnot-Ogden Medical Center, Elmira NY Sloan Panel 3: Carbon Credits and Beyond Moderator: Ed Heslop, ’81, MS ’90, Panelists: Amol Deshpande, MBA ’05, Ventures Daniel Goldman ’87, Panel 4: Pillsbury Institute for Hospitality Entrepreneurship - Entrepreneurs in Food Service Operations Moderator: Peter Rainsford ’68, MS ’70, PhD ’74, The Culinary Institute of America Panelists: Lori Daniel CIA ’79, Kersti Bowser CIA ’00, Women in Foodservice: Twelve Female Foodservice Leaders Share Insights with CIA Students "This is a question that has been on people's minds for a long time," said CIA alumna Cat Cora
'95, the only female Iron Chef on the popular Food Network program. "Where are the women, and why aren't there more?" "I wanted to sincerely explore the question myself," said Odessa Piper, a former chef and restaurateur
who is now an educator and advocate for sustainable agriculture. "Women have transformed the industry, and my generation is
the first in which women became leaders in restaurants." Chef and restaurateur Melissa Kelly '88, says she was pleased to be part of the group of strong
women leaders asked to participate. "It's important to be able to give our perspectives to students about what we experienced
and how things have changed. And aside from the gender issue, networking and camaraderie is where you learn the most." In addition to Chefs Cora, Piper, and Kelly, the day's participants included Debi Benedetti, certified
executive coach; Kersti Bowser '00, chef de cuisine at Bon Appétit; Gabrielle Hamilton, chef of Prune restaurant in New York
City; Helene Kennen, chef at the Getty Center in Los Angeles; Nora Pouillon, chef-owner of Restaurant Nora and Asia Nora in
Washington, DC; Anne Quatrano, chef-owner of Bacchanalia and Floataway Café in Atlanta; Karen Trilevsky, founder of FullBloom
Bakery in Menlo Park, CA; Lisa Ekus-Saffer, president of Lisa Ekus Public Relations; and Patricia Yeo, chef of Sapa in New
York City. The program was sponsored by the campus chapter of Women Chefs and Restaurateurs, and supported
by a grant from the Vocational Training Education Act (VTEA). Founded in 1946, The Culinary Institute of America is an independent, not-for-profit college
offering bachelor's and associate degrees in the culinary arts and baking and pastry arts. A network of more than 37,000 alumni
in foodservice and hospitality has helped the CIA earn its reputation as the world's premier culinary college. Courses for
foodservice professionals are offered at the college's main campus in Hyde Park, NY and at The Culinary Institute of America
at Greystone, in St. Helena, CA. CIA at Greystone also offers baking and pastry, advanced culinary arts, and wine certifications.
For more information, visit the CIA's Web site at www.ciachef.edu.
"Kersti Bowser is one of the top known Culinary Producer's & Prop Stylist's in the Nation. In one way or another, you have seen her expertise on television, in cookbooks or magazines. Armed with a long history of working with the best Chefs in the world, The Gourmet Butterfly and her impeccable team...will also exclusively Cater Special Events, with results that are beyond compare!" |
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