 |
 |
|||||
 |
 |
         |
||||
 |
 |
 |
||||
  Upcoming
Events
|
 Stirring the Pot event, “Building Your Culinary Pedigree: Where, Who How and Why, July 26th at the Cliff House By: Christina Mueller Welter
Moderated by Clark Wolf , an original member of the San Francisco Food Society, now a contributor to Food Arts, this event was comprised of luminous local food names. Amanda Berne, Columnist at the San Francisco Chronicle, Jim Dodge, Director of Specialty Culinary Programs at the Bon Appétit Management Company, Duskie Estes, Co-Chef and Co-Owner of Zazu and Bovolo restaurants, Traci Des Jardins, Chef/Owner of Jardinière and Mijita restaurants, and Leslie Sbrocco, author, writer and host of the recent KQED Check Please!, the panel was certainly well-seasoned and full of great stories of how they got where they are now and with whose help.
Jim Dodge was inspired by his family to move across the country to work in restaurants. His restaurateur family tried to push him out of the food business and into corporate. It never “took”. Gaining physical distance, Jim focused on refining his craft – pastry. Influenced by Marion Cunningham, who pushed him to write, and Mary Risley who pushed him out of the kitchen. Jim spoke directly to the audience by emphatically stating “ do not skip through experience. Remember that it takes 5-6 years and is a long journey.” His time at Stanford Court taught him the importance of building both teamwork and mutual respect.
Amanda Berne spoke to the individuality of the journey, and not always necessary to go to cooking school, “ but you must have a passion for food and cookery as well as incredible discipline, focus, and drive. Being in the business is something you have to want”. She started working in kitchens at age 14 but found her passion during an externship at the Chron during cooking school.
Ms Sbrocco spoke of writing skills, previously developed, later applied to wine. Rather than getting hung up on a traditional route or putting experiences in a certain order, she emphasized that you find your path if you are passionate and disciplined in your work. She is able to reach consumers through writing rather than a restaurant kitchen to help consumers understand that wine is fun.
Ms Des Jardins believes in formal training, either with or without specific cooking school experience - she took a semester off from college to work in Joachim Splichal’s kitchen and subsequently spent the 80’s apprenticing as a chef. She never returned to college. Her time spent with Joachim Splichal made her really tough – his Patina kitchen was the epitome of the worst you have heard about restaurant kitchens. That strict working environment provided a valuable base for her to learn her own management style – and then become a respected manager.
Ms Estes recommended spending a year in a formal kitchen before going to cooking school. She spent one semester each at Brown and the CCA before working in various kitchens. There is no substitute for the experience, which provides you with your own culinary pedigree. She spoke of finding a mentor or role model to guide and shape your experience. Hers’ was Tom Douglas of the Seattle restaurant group Tom Douglas Catering and Events.
Chef Patrick Clark of the Cliff House restaurant provided a beautiful and wonderfully fresh hors d’oeuvres; fois gras terrine with lavender lavash was my personal favorite.
|
List of Recent Events August 2008 Coffee Cupping June 2008 Honey Tasting SIG June 2008 Food Writing Book Club SIG June 2008 Digs Bistro June 2008 Sauvignon Blanc Showdown May 2008 A Visit to Careme 350 May 2008 Cooking Teachers SIG May 2008 San Mateo Members Meet May 2008 South Bay Members Connect April 2008 Wine SIG takes a Beaujolais Cruise April 2008 Demystifying the Food/Wine Dilemma March 2008 Pasta tasting
March 2008
February 2008
June 2007
June 2007
January 2007
January 2006
September 19, 2005
June 22, 2005
May 25, 2005
May 18. 2005
April 28, 2005
February 15, 2005
October 22, 2004
July 12, 2004
May 17, 2004 |
||||
|
|
||||||
 |
 |
|||||
| Home | About SFPFS | Become a Member | Calendar/Events | Resources/Links | Member Services | Newsletter | Food in Perspective | Contact Us | ||||||
