MasterChef? why, who, when?

 Master Chef, what a title to reflect on, what does it mean and who is it for? I get this question all the time and I always thing thru my answer very carefully depending on who is asking, a armature or a young student or a young aspiring chef or a senior cook or a very senior and experienced chef, so here is my 5 sec.

Master chef the tv show have nothing, NOTHING to do with real live Kitchen production and the contestants are for sure very good home cooks and the food is most of the time delicious but to be a chef in a professional environment are something very different and you need to have

1. Its a passion not a hobby

2. consistency

3. endurance, mental and physical 

4. strong and crazy mindset 

5. focus out of control

6. live the life of a chef

7. say goodbye to your social normal life

8. To search for the culinary holy grail

9. Know your craft and how to execute

10. follow instruction 

This points have nothing to do with whatever TV show you are watching, but unfortunately the contenders thinks that they all have what it takes and also the public is making the the hero they in my eyes are not, Its just a great and entertaining tv show that people like to watch, nothing wrong with that.

Professional Master Chefs associations exist and are in my opinion not worth anything because if you can afford to pay for example Master chef society 350 Pound you will receive Jacket w logo and some other things I see people around the world paying for this  crap and believe that this will prove something, I have friends who actually paid for this but this have never crossed my mind. Below is some associations that I refuse to pay for.

So how would I define a master chef? 

a culinarian with extensive knowledge of diverse cuisines and a strong background in classical French cuisine who is spending his life learning and searching, also a person who shares his knowledge with other chefs on all levels and mentor younger generation to make them better and progressive.

Sharing is Caring 

ZOOBA the essence of Egyptian cuisine

 ZOOBA is a local restaurant with multiple outlets and even one in new York, absolutely amazing Egyptian cuisine where they serve the dishes with pride and a history lesson if you ask, I had the privilege to visit them now many times and It always blows me away how tasty and delicious the food are and the on the spot baked Arabic bread is fantastic.

There are a lot to say when you talk about specifically Egyptian food, actually very few dishes is from here, and many more are imports from Lebanon, Syria and rest of the meddle east but at ZOOBA they are trying to showcase the soul of Egyptian cuisine, thank you Chef Mostafa with team and I will see you soon again. PS they have a outlet at the new grand museum and a perfect stop for lunch)

Culinary competition in Cairo HACE 2024

 Its always a great pleasure to be invited as a judge and a humble approach to all the young chefs competing, this year was much better and the quality over all was very much higher and I am sure that this is part of the feedback that we gave the competitors last year, "listen habibi"

The big problem are all of this "I know everything master chef from Egypt" mentality that I still find all the time, the old boys dont know shit and there is a reason why all the big hotels have an expat chef, 

To keep your secrets and not share to the young chefs is a big no no for me, sharing is caring and I wish that more of my fellow Egyptians could understand the benefit of this, especially when it comes to young female chefs that are always harrassed and pushed a side, how I wish to train an all female team to beat the crap out of the boys !! any ladies out there who would like to give it a crack? 

Anyhow thank you Egyptian chef association for having me onboard also this year.

Have you ever been to Venice?

 Have you ever been in Venice? yes actually a few times and I must admit that there is some magic in this city and the history really hits you when you walk along the narrow streets and the canals, romantic ? yes, would I like to stay there for a few days in a nice hotel, / Hell yes!! 

How about the worlds most expensive coffee at Café Florian or the ridiculously expensive Bellini at Harrys bar.

In 1956, an extraordinary event took place in Venice, Italy, when the famous canals of the city were drained and cleaned for the first time in centuries. This remarkable undertaking was known as the "Svolte di Popolazio," or the People's Revolution, and it was a massive civic project aimed at improving the sanitation and infrastructure of Venice's historic waterways.

Over the centuries, the canals of Venice had accumulated layers of silt, debris, and waste, leading to unsanitary conditions and posing a threat to the city's architectural heritage. The decision to drain and clean the canals was made in an effort to address these issues, restore the waterways to their former glory, and preserve Venice's unique cultural and historical identity.

The draining and cleaning of the canals required meticulous planning, coordination, and labor-intensive work by a team of engineers, workers, and volunteers. Water was pumped out of the canals, revealing the muddy bottom and hidden treasures beneath the surface, such as lost artifacts, sunken boats, and centuries-old structures.

As the canals were emptied, the cleanup crews set to work removing tons of sediment, debris, and rubbish that had accumulated over the years. The process involved dredging, scrubbing, and excavating the canals to remove the layers of detritus and restore the waterways to their original depth and clarity.

The draining and cleaning of the canals in 1956 was a monumental effort that captured the attention and admiration of Venetians and visitors alike. The project not only improved the sanitation and aesthetic appeal of the canals but also highlighted the importance of preserving Venice's unique heritage and architectural marvels for future generations to enjoy.

The event symbolized a sense of civic pride, community effort, and commitment to the preservation of Venice's cultural legacy. The draining and cleaning of the canals in 1956 remain a historic moment in the city's history, showcasing the resilience, ingenuity, and enduring beauty of Venice's iconic waterways.

China adventures in Changsha

 China, the land of the amazing food, culture and nice people, I was luckily invited to do a amazing dinner in the city of Changsha where the owner was opening up his own personal museum of photography, he is one of the largest collectors in China with hundreds of ancient and old photos that he wanted people to see and admire, so he simply just made a decision to build a huge museum to showcase his collection.

Story short a Chinese guy came to Sweden and looked me up and asked if I was able to do a dinner for the opening night for the owner and his closest friends, who am i to say no to this, 40 people 8 course dinner, no problem, I can do that by myself with a little planning and a good mis an place"

I arrived 6 days prior to the opening and was hosted by the officials from his office and NO ONE could speak a word of English! I had to use google translate for everything, luckily I had send a shopping list a few weeks ahead so that was kind of safe, they took me to see the venue on a rainy night and I was very surprised to find that the museum was far from being finished and the tep kitchen that they promised me was outside in the rain with some cover and the kitchen space was a huge pile of rubble, 

I was surprised and confused, but hey in China everything is possible , right! the next day they found me a catering company who was able to host me for the prepp, I got one bench 120 cm and some pans, BTW the figures have changed to 120 people, ok can you find me some assistants? yes sure, one guy shows up with no skills whats so ever so I had to put him to clean and wash veggies, that he can do, my prepplist on day 2 changed of curse and the shopping list got bigger, I had a car and a driver, take me to any big HORECA store to get stuff, later that day (day 3) they told me that they now expect 350 guests, 

I was slightly stressed and wondering how to pull this off, the first meeting with the FOH staff was crazy and all in Mandarin, but I made it clear to that that I need help to pull this off, they promised me 40 kitchen staff, ok cool, the menu was Nordic inspired as was ordered and as a soup I was planning to do a lobster bisque with scallops and garnishes, well the lobsters arrive from a supplier in Shanghai and they whare all deat and the box smelled like crazy, ok get me new one - cannot find in Changsha, ok frozen Canadian? yes ok fine, lets do that, new lobster arrives Live! I got lost in translation obviously but fair enough.

I visited the temp kitchen and all the rubble was gone and the area was actually very clean and they started to mount the kitchen equipment with everything that I did not order...improvise dear...and take a deep breath, anyway 2 days to the show I was told to get on a stage to meet the waitering staff, I can do that...150 staff was attending and the guest list was now 420 people...hurray I was thrilled 

The irony is that the staff who was serving was all from a local college with zero experience so I spend hours to teach them how to hold one plate at the time, no more and dont drop!!

On the morning of the event I was told that the dinner can only be 40 minutes in total, we all know that for an eight curse menu this is not possible, so I had to adjust again to make 3 dishes as fists course, then soup and the fish on one plate then Kobe beef as meat followed by double dessert plates, ridiculous but it actually worked out and everyone was happy I guess, the boss invited me to that stage and gave me a Mandarin speech that I didn't understand anything from...

This was absolutely one of the craziest dinners I have ever done or been to, nothing beats a challenge and I am still wondering why I didn't just bailed and took the first flight back...I am not a quitter I guess.

Some photos from this crazy adventure and the menu as follow (Might have missed some details)

Hasselback potato with Kalix rom

Matjes herring on black bread kavring 

Melba toast w smoked monkfish liver

Lobster bisque w panfried scallop

Dover sole w Skagen sauce 

Kobe beef in bone marrow broth

Strawberry tart

Cloudberry parfait

My Indian Chef friend Manjit

 When it comes to Indian food and food culture few beats chef Manjit Gill, he is an living encyclopedia when it comes to Indian food and the story and history behind things that we take for granted when we talk about Indian cuisine, I meet Chef Manjit for the first time I think it was something like 2004 and hade the pleasure even to visit him in India a few years ago for a presentation and meetings with IFCA the Indian chef association, also awarded Lifetime member of the association, I am very proud and humbled.

Chef Manjit can tell you amazing stories about why and how food is made in Indian kitchens and how to build flavor profiles and layers, its fascinating and I consider Indian food to be one of the most difficult and complex cuisines in the world, extremely difficult to master and very few do.

I was happy to catch up with Manjit on his visit here for a few days and just listen to all his stories.

Thank you chef for your wisdom and friendship, much appreciated and I hope we can catch up on my next visit to India in November this year.

KENDO THE WAY OF THE SAMURAI

 What many of you dont know is that I do kendo, this old martial art is from the samurai era when they use blunt weapons to train with and protective gear to avoid to mush painful moments (it still can hurt like hell) to be part of a group kendo explorers is fun and extremely hard for an old guy like me, age do matter whatever you say, the training is tuff and also extremely hot in Cairo weather with the bogu on, long  hakama, tenugui and the men (head protector) Its great fun and I also try to do Iaido (sword drawing) once per week just for fun, great camaraderie and fun people of all ages.

PS. photos are not allowed during training