Essential I Be Cooking!: Post a Pic of What You're Cooking Thread

[detroitwalt]

thats crazy you remember that post.. its 3yrs old.. just found the pic on my Tumblr..

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Lol, I didnt remember it I was just browsing the thread from the beginning last night and saw it. That looks amazing though. That's how I'll do it up next time

 

[Amy Traphouse]

I've read every page of this thread. I'm assuming most posters are black. We need to work on eating less meat. Portion sizes. Expanding into eating more roots, seeds, grains, and nuts. All the plating needs work. But, this isn't work so presentation mean little. I'm happy to see ya'll really cooking balanced meals. The flavors are flat though.

I highly recommend trying Indian and middle eastern flavors. I think they're black friendly. It's different than American cuisine so learning it is tricky. But the food is delicious and beautiful. Also very good for you.

Making soup stock is something everyone should learn to do from scratch. A stock can be used as a brine, a drink, a tenderizer, a sauce, dressing, and marinade. It's cheap asf too. Knife skills make cooking more fun. You have to suffer to get good though. These are my hands after three years of being a cook

Blisters on top of blisters. I have a callus right where my finger bends. My hands hurt everyday. But you have to sacrifice to make god food from scratch. It was worth it. I'm 5'10 and I weigh 150-155. I eat whatever what I want in small portions and keep it cheap as possible without sacrificing my health.

I remember having calluses on my hands. Now I have carpal tunnel real bad and burns on my arms.

Once you work in a professional kitchen your whole outlook on cooking changes especially when it comes to waste and saving money by doing it yourself.

I been out of the professional kitchen for over a year and right now don't plan to go back. I've been asked to do catering gigs but people don't value my time or money. But I learned alot in 11yrs working in a high volume kitchen and can still hang with the cats (or do better) who did culinary school.

 

[SeveroDrgnfli]

I remember having calluses on my hands. Now I have carpal tunnel real bad and burns on my arms.

Once you work in a professional kitchen your whole outlook on cooking changes especially when it comes to waste and saving money by doing it yourself.

I been out of the professional kitchen for over a year and right now don't plan to go back. I've been asked to do catering gigs but people don't value my time or money. But I learned alot in 11yrs working in a high volume kitchen and can still hang with the cats (or do better) who did culinary school.

I'm trying to be where you are. Lol, retired and in demand. Minus the burns on my arms. I have to built my reputation and skills. My outlook on food changed a lot when I started working in a high volume kitchen. If you could give me any advice what would it be?

 

[Caca-faat]

Herb encrusted French trimmed lamb with griddled broccoli, minted peas,courgette/zucchini and cabbage, red currant jus and pomme puree. I know I should have piped that puree but I genuinely did not want to wash another item. That was so fukkin delicious, I laid back on the sofa in a post sex high, legs bent arms casually splayed to the side, chest rising and falling rapidly. That was some good maw fukkin food. YUM!!

 

[Amy Traphouse]

I'm trying to be where you are. Lol, retired and in demand. Minus the burns on my arms. I have to built my reputation and skills. My outlook on food changed a lot when I started working in a high volume kitchen. If you could give me any advice what would it be?

Put your hand in everything you can.

Quick backstory.

I started while in high school. I knew a little but not alot, I just knew that cooking was what I wanted to do. So i was offered a job to work for our basketball stadium (Houston Rockets) as a concessions cook. Basically started from the bottom doing hot dogs, burgers, nachos...simple shyt. The chef who hired me (and I credit him because he gave me the opportunities and legit believed in me those 11yrs) started me on prep. Thats where I got my knife skills up, but I was still in concessions.

Eventually they needed help doing suites so i started volunteering for that. They taught me plating and presentation. Moved on to catering for parties they had to eventually being invited to do parties the players had at their homes. Our company provided meals for the players and an omelette(breakfast)/stir fry (lunch) action station. I did that too for awhile.

Then I became a sous chef and started learning the paperwork like labor, pricing, menu planning etc. I literally worked my way up and made strides. I was the only black woman in a hispanic male dominated kitchen who could do it all.

I moved on to the new soccer stadium, built my own team of cooks, menus, and getting the kitchens equipped how I wanted. It was great but it became stressful. So stressful to the point I didn't even go into my own kitchen when I went home. The passion wasn't there anymore. It was a job that had a growing love/hate relationship for.

It gave me opportunities tho. I worked with James Beard award winning chefs, traveled to help with the US Open, opening of Kyle Stadium and Lambeau Field, a superbowl and 5 all star games. I'm grateful for it but it dragged me down.

Thats why I say do everything. Don't limit yourself to one area. The ceiling in culinary is already low but you can eventually take what you know and start private catering. Its a need for chefs who know vegetarian and gluten free (like Chef Dee, DJ Khaled chef). These rich people don't want heavy food with a bunch of starch, oil, and unnecessary shyt.

 

[SeveroDrgnfli]

Put your hand in everything you can.

Quick backstory.

I started while in high school. I knew a little but not alot, I just knew that cooking was what I wanted to do. So i was offered a job to work for our basketball stadium (Houston Rockets) as a concessions cook. Basically started from the bottom doing hot dogs, burgers, nachos...simple shyt. The chef who hired me (and I credit him because he gave me the opportunities and legit believed in me those 11yrs) started me on prep. Thats where I got my knife skills up, but I was still in concessions.

Eventually they needed help doing suites so i started volunteering for that. They taught me plating and presentation. Moved on to catering for parties they had to eventually being invited to do parties the players had at their homes. Our company provided meals for the players and an omelette(breakfast)/stir fry (lunch) action station. I did that too for awhile.

Then I became a sous chef and started learning the paperwork like labor, pricing, menu planning etc. I literally worked my way up and made strides. I was the only black woman in a hispanic male dominated kitchen who could do it all.

I moved on to the new soccer stadium, built my own team of cooks, menus, and getting the kitchens equipped how I wanted. It was great but it became stressful. So stressful to the point I didn't even go into my own kitchen when I went home. The passion wasn't there anymore. It was a job that had a growing love/hate relationship for.

It gave me opportunities tho. I worked with James Beard award winning chefs, traveled to help with the US Open, opening of Kyle Stadium and Lambeau Field, a superbowl and 5 all star games. I'm grateful for it but it dragged me down.

Thats why I say do everything. Don't limit yourself to one area. The ceiling in culinary is already low but you can eventually take what you know and start private catering. Its a need for chefs who know vegetarian and gluten free (like Chef Dee, DJ Khaled chef). These rich people don't want heavy food with a bunch of starch, oil, and unnecessary shyt.

Cooking is one of the few careers left in the US where you can start from the bottom with no skills and rise to the top. Lol I started doing stock in a freezer. I want allowed to touch food until somebody quit and I took my opportunity. I kept taking ANY cooking jobs I could get to build my resume.

I appreciate you sharing your story with me. I'm going to work right now. I'll keep your story in my heart for motivation.

 

[Amy Traphouse]

I have about 4 beef short ribs

Spoiler: Like this

that was smoked Saturday that I'm going to do a pho broth with. I'm busy the next 3 days so I'll probably do it this weekend.

 

[YoungSimpson]

Honey Soy glazed chicken thighs

Lets keep this thread alive brehs

Can you provide ingredients and directions. I'm not a chef like y'all but I gotta try this

 

[TNOT]

It's going down this afternoon!

3 sacks of live crawfish ready for the boil!



I'll post more pics of the process later on.

 

[hustlemania]

Chicken & waffles..? Belgian waffle, Cajun brown sugar chicken breast.. broccoli, cucumbers, cauliflower & rep peppers sautéed in white wine.. fried egg.. brown sugar simple syrup..

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[hustlemania]

sautéed squid w/togarashi & garlic on top of stone ground grits..

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[dora_da_destroyer]

Leftovers from yesterday: short rib ragu over polenta, kale Caesar salad, raspberry lime tart with toasted pine nut cocnut shortbread crust and vanilla bean whipped cream

 

[Princess Coco]

There's chefs in here?? I'm in culinary school now, but after being more than half way done I realized I hate cooking. I'm more into pastry and baking. I planning to go to school for that when I'm done with culinary school.

 

[emerald]

i just found my favorite thread!
*pulls out recipe book*

 

[M'gann]

There's chefs in here?? I'm in culinary school now, but after being more than half way done I realized I hate cooking. I'm more into pastry and baking. I planning to go to school for that when I'm done with culinary school.

I went to culinary school and found that this was common with a few of the females.