After going to StudioKitchen, I have reconsidered the definition of a chef. Shola is a very professional cook and makes great food; therefore, I think he is a chef. Even though he does not have a restaurant, he experiments with different ingredients and machines, takes photos of his complete dishes, but most importantly he has a passion for the food he makes. Shola has his own ideas and is very inventive and creative. It was very interesting when he put the watermelon in the vacuum sealer machine because I have never heard of doing that before for the purpose of enhancing the flavor of something. The vacuum sealer takes out all of the air, and rehydrates the watermelon which results in better tasting watermelon. He does not need to be ordering other cooks to be a chef if he is creative and loves cooking. When I looked up the definition of “chef” on Google, it said, “a professional cook, typically the chief cook in a restaurant or hotel”. A chef can be the leader in a restaurant, but does not have to be. A chef can be someone who studies molecular gastronomy and loves to work with food.
StudioKitchen is a great idea because it is fun for people to watch him cook in front of them and watch the different techniques he uses. He makes many recipes and likes to experiment with different ingredients and devices. I thought the chocolate mousse was very cool because once he put it in the vacuum sealer, it rose in front of our eyes. This was very inventive and the taste was very good. It was airy and dissolved once you put it in your mouth. The food he makes is fun to watch be prepared and also to eat. I also liked when he made the lemon meringues because it was a liquid at first and turned into a cold lemon meringue in a couple seconds. He used liquid nitrogen to instantly make the liquid cold because the temperature of it is -196 degrees Celsius. It would also be fun to have a restaurant where the chefs do that in front of the customers. The experience along with the food would make a great restaurant. I think Shola would run a great restaurant; however, I enjoyed StudioKitchen and think it is a great place.
Shola is a very talented chef and photographer. The photos of his dishes on his website show his skill and beautiful plating. I think his photography influences his cooking because he wants to make his dishes look very fancy and ornate. He can even make a simple dish into a great presentation by just adding garnishes to it. He wants the effort and taste of the food to be captured in his photographs. Because he takes photos of his food, he strives to makes his food look the best is can look.
I really enjoyed going to StudioKitchen because not only was the food great, but I learned a lot and it was fascinating to watch him use different devices and techniques, such as the vacuum sealer and the liquid nitrogen.
Eloise, I agree that Shola should be considered a chef because of his experimentation and innovation. I thought that he showed his innovation and creativity when he plated the lemon and brie meringues with the kumquats completely on the spot. I also agree that Shola's photography influences the presentation of his dishes, because he designs his food to create stunning pictures.
ReplyDeleteSo many of you mention Shola's passion -- it's clear that he is in the right field! I was intrigued by your comment that "The food he makes is fun to watch be prepared and also to eat." You seem to be reflecting on the fact that his work as a chef is in the creation of a full experience, not just a dish to be eaten. Perhaps that is what draws Elodie's neighbors there every month!
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