My Reflections
I will describe what I could have improved and what to do to fix it for the next time.
Final
Poached chicken breast with tarragon sauce, chateau potatoes, steamed broccoli, and hollandaise sauce
I definitely need to keep working on my knife cuts. My sauce could have reduced down more, that was time management. My hollandaise turned out on the first try. After sitting it did get a little thick so I had to thin it a little with warm water. My chicken was seasoned but overcooked a little. I know stress and anxiety was working against me, but I feel very good about what I was able to present. I was only a few seconds late with delivery.
Mystery basket- main entree round
Ingredients- chicken, won ton wrappers, salted lemons, broccoli, and an Indian spice
We came up with individual chicken potpies. We incorporated everything in the filling for the potpie. We used the won ton wrappers for the crust. We garnished with a small piece of broccoli. We were the only team to do something different. We ended up placing second. We earned 10 bonus points. It felt very good to show off our hard work and effort.
Mystery basket- appetizer round
Ingredients- ripe banana, imitation crab, tortillas, dried porcini mushrooms, and spicy brown mustard
We came up with porcini and panko crusted imitation crab tacos. We made a banana crema fresh, salsa verde, where the mustard was incorporated into both and then a garnish. The breading mixture was a little strong to taste but we were otherwise happy with what we created together as a team.
Kitchen dynamics
Unfortunately I did not get any pictures from our kitchen dynamics food. Our team made the juices and the pork belly. It was a lot of fun to create dishes that I have never had from another culture. I had a lot of fun all working together as a unit to get everything done. And then to treat each other to a sit down meal and provide service was a new concept as far as working in the food industry. I cook and serve my family but this was a whole different level. It was a great experience.
Potato gnocchi with brown butter and fried sage
Our potato gnocchi was cooked and seasoned well. We garnished it and the sauce was very good. We are getting better working as a group and finding middle ground to provide the best dishes possible.
Red beans and rice with andouille
I prepared this dish. After listening to other classmates telling me I had to much stock, I removed some. I then ended up burning my dish. I could not recover from the taste and smell. I should have listened to my own gut and kept going as I was. I need to learn that not everyone else is always right. I am not proud of this dish, but I did learn some valuable lessons from it.
Earl grey breakfast quinoa with tahini & jam
This dish was prepared and seasoned well. Her plating was very well. We are all doing better at plating and the finer touches.
Potato gnocchi with brown butter and fried sage
Our potato gnocchi was cooked and seasoned well. We garnished it and the sauce was very good. We are getting better working as a group and finding middle ground to provide the best dishes possible.
Ravioli with sundried tomato cream sauce
We made heart shaped pasta. It was seasoned properly and had a garnish. Our portion was slightly large. Overall a very delicous dish.
Mushroom tamales with salsa verde
We all worked together to make these tamales. We weighed out everything and assembled them. They were all cooked evenly and were seasoned well.
Pan-fried eggplant with tomato sauce and ricoota cheese with a green smoothie
I did this dish and I am proud of myself. I seasoned everything well, even the canned sauce. I learned how to use a kitchen torch. I am also working on making my plating more refined. I will continue to work on this aspect. Overall I am very proud of the dish I presented.
Beet and corn salad with a beet smoothie
The beet and corn salad were seasoned well. The beet smoothie was very creamy and you could taste the beet. Overall a good dish presentation.
Cauliflower steak with braised celery and roasted red bell pepper coulis
We seasoned and prepared this dish well. We could have made our plate a little neater, but overall we were pleased.
Mushroom and leek tart
We all worked together on this dish. \We seasoned well and did our garnish. The only thing we needed to improve on was the doneness of the crust. The bottom was still wet and soggy. Better time management and par baking would have fixed this issue.
Fried green tomatoes with creole remoulade
I did the fried green tomatoes. I seasoned them well and fried them golden brown. I did well with my sauce this time. I am learning how to fix my sauces if something goes wrong. I am very proud of this dish.
Sauteed chicken livers with potato pancake
We seasoned our chicken levers well. Our potato pancake was also seasoned well. We did a nice vibrant beet puree.
Sauteed calves liver with onions, braised red cabbage with apples, and cheese souffle with fine herbs and sauce soubise
We seasoned everything well. Our plating is improving. We didn;t provide a garnish, we are still working on that. We are improving on our time management.
Clam linguine
I made the pasta and it was overcooked. I pulled it just as it began to float but I need to work on timing. The rest of the dish was seasoned well. I also need to work on making sure my plates match better. I need to leave more time for plating and checking the little things better.
Ceviche with tortilla chips
Our ceviche was seasoned well but needed to sit a little longer to finish cooking the shrimp. Our homemade chips were seasoned and fried perfectly. We needed better time management.
Fried calamari with lemon, olive, and pepper relish
Our calamari was seasoned well. Some of it could have been fried a little longer for a crispier breading. We garnished and plating looked well.
Raw oysters on the half shell
I prepared these. I needed better plating as the ice was melting the oyster were sliding around. I had fun learning how to shuck oysters. It is very hard but I learned something new and enjoyed the experience.
Pan-seared diver scallops with squash three ways
Our scallops were cooked and seasoned well. Our squash turned out well. overall a well plated dish.
Oysters rockefeller
I cooked the oysters and forgot to detatch them from the shell. I also needed to improve my plating, I should have put a bed of salt under them to keep them from moving around on the plate. I did do a garnish but need to work on making it more even on the plate. I had clumps of the garnish in spots.
Paupiettes of sole with mousseline of shrimp
The shrimp mousseline was seasoned well. The sole was cooked well. The sauce could have been reduced and thickened a little more. There was no garnish. Better time management was needed.
Salmon Croquettes with tartar sauce
The croquettes were seasoned well but could have been fried longer. The tartar sauce we made was well seasoned . Our plating could have been better and we needed a garnish. We need to manage our time better.
Poached salmon in court bouillon with herbed lemon creme fraiche
I overcooked the salmon, causing it to be dry. My creme fraiche was seasoned well. My garnish needed more work. I need to better manage my time and check items more frequently. I did learn how to fillet a salmon and portion it out. This is a skill I can use at home.
Grilled mahi mahi with ginger-lime beurre, couscous, and grilled asparagus
I did not cut the asparagus short enough. It was grilled and seasoned well. Our mahi mahi was cooked well. I could have let the beurre blanc reduce more. We also forgot a garnish. Better time management was needed.
Trout amandine with couscous and squash tourne
We could have seasoned the fish better. The couscous was flavored and cooked well. The squash tournes could have been cut better and cooked more evenly. We need to work on our time management and seasoning.
Shepherd's pie
Our shepherd's pie was well decorated with the potatoes. It was seasoned well. The oil and grease from the meat changed the color of the potatoes.
Denver ribs with mac n cheese
I cooked the Denver ribs. They were seasoned better than previous weeks. I'm learning to taste and readjust the seasoning. When cutting the ribs, I turned 2 ribs the wrong way. I need to focus more on what I am doing when cutting and transferring to the serving plate. Our mac n cheese was a little dry, we should have added a little more sauce.
Rack of lamb with mustard and hazelnuts, farro rissotto, and ratatouille
We were late serving our plate. Our vegetables were cut nicely and matched in size. All of the food was seasoned well. We also forgot our garnish. We need to work on our time management.
Braised rabbit with chorizo
Our rabbit was seasoned well. My sauce broke, I tried to fix it the best I could. Our plating was good and we remembered our garnish. I need to work more on my sauces at home to improve them.
Grilled rosemary quail with roasted apple tourne, fennel gratin, and orange gastrique
I seasoned and grilled the quail. We forgot the garnish, our tournes need to be shaped better. I need to have better time management. Our plating was very sparse. We could have planned better.
Midterm--stuffed tunnel bone chicken with sauce chasseur, roasted garlic pommes puree, and haricot verts
I did not get a picture of my dish. I needed better time management. My seasoning needed to be improved. I was late on turning in my finished plate. I need to learn to focus more and ignore other students and what they are doing. I also need to practice my knife skills more.
Rum-glazed pork belly with creamy polenta, roasted brussel sprouts, and fried garlic chips
We seasoned our pork belly well. our polenta needed a little more seasoning. The brussel sprouts were lacking in the seasoning department. Our garlic chips were not cooked as long as they should have. Better time management would have helped and tasting our foods would have made a big difference.
Carnitas, refried beans, mexican fried rice, guacamole, and prickly pear margarita mocktail
I did not participate as much as I would have normally. I was ill yesterday, and unfortunately I relied on my team members. They did a very well job executing the meal and presenting it.
Sauteed veal scallops with white wine sauce and buttered noodles
I made the noodles and used water instead of the eggs. They were overcooked and stuck together. I should have followed the recipe and cooked for a shorter time. The veal was seasoned and cooked well. The sauce was reduced properly.
Blanquette de veau
We seasoned the dish well. We remembered the garnish. Very good plating and timing.
Tenderloin appetizer
Our tenderloin was seasoned well. Our asparagus was correctly sized. The seasoning was good of the whole dish. We did forget our garnish. We could have had a better time line. Also one of our poached eggs broke when plating.
Beef wellington
I made the beef wellington. It was seasoned well. I forgot to discard the end before serving. I also did not let it rest long enough. I should have used my time better. My stuffing was lacking also, I either didn't measure correctly or cooked it down to far.
Beef tartare with toast triangles
Our tartare did not have enough time to sit in the fridge. Our toast triangles were too buttery. We also forgot our garnish.
Chateaubriand with bernaise sauce, roasted vegetables and chateau potatoes
We roasted our meat and vegetables. Our potatoes were not the correct size or shape. They were a little to brown. The seasoning was ok, but needed more salt. We were late on service time. Our garnish could have been better.
Grilled chuck steaks with pommes gaufrettes
We grilled our steaks on the grill. When cutting the steaks /i got some of them out of order. The steak was well seasoned. The chips were cooked and seasoned well. I did forget to put a garnish on.
Beef bourguignon with french bread
We marinated our beef overnight. The seasoning was better. The bread had a few flour spots in it. We did forget our garnish. Knife cuts were better.
Duck tacos with peking sauce and jicima slaw
We started our duck confit the week before and we left it sit in the cooler. We reheated the oil and then took out the duck thighs/legs. We heated the duck and removed the meat from the bone to make the tacos. We warmed the tortillas and prepared the tacos. They were seasoned well.
Duck confit with frisee salad & fingerling potatoes
We started our duck confit the week before and we left it sit in the cooler. We reheated the oil and then took out the duck thighs/legs. We heated the duck and made the salad and potatoes. We needed to season better. We are all scared of adding to much salt. We need to learn to taste more. We also forgot our garnish.
Duck confit with frisee salad & fingerling potatoes
We started our duck confit the week before and we left it sit in the cooler. We reheated the oil and then took out the duck thighs/legs. We heated the duck and made the salad and potatoes. We needed to season better. We are all scared of adding to much salt. We need to learn to taste more. We also forgot our garnish.
Duck confit with frisee salad & fingerling potatoes
We started our duck confit the week before and we left it sit in the cooler. We reheated the oil and then took out the duck thighs/legs. We heated the duck and made the salad and potatoes. We needed to season better. We are all scared of adding to much salt. We need to learn to taste more. We also forgot our garnish.
Chinese chili fries
We were the first group to present. The other groups learned from our mistake. The fries needed to be deep fried 2 times to stand up to the wok. We also needed to add a garnish. Our cuts were much better on this plate.
Bangkok-style deep fried wings
We worked as a team to make these wings. We kept the sauces on the side. It would have been better to put it on the wings. We also needed a garnish. The wings were good, the sauces were too spicey for me, so I was glad I kept them on the side.
Roast duckling with orange gastrique and dried fruit compote
We roasted our duck. We could have seasoned it better. Our compote needed to be cut better. We were late serving. We need to work on better time management.
Lavender & spice-crusted duck breast with apricot compote & gratin dauphinoise
Our team produced this plate. We could have managed our time better. Our compote could have been cut better, matching sizes of slices. We were late serving our plate, better time management is a must. We also need to work on a more refined garnish. Our potatoes could have been seasoned better and served more refined on the plate.
Jamaican-style jerk chicken with coconut rice
Our group prepared this dish. It was seasoned well. We need to work on our plating skills and garnishes.
Chicken leg stuffed with mushrooms and prosciutto and sauteed vegetables
Season our food. Plating needs to be worked on. It was very sloppy and unprofessional. There was no garnish. We need to work on our timeline and presentation. We also need to make sure our prep area is clean. A lot of work to do to meet standards.
Chicken leg stuffed with spinach, mushrooms duxelle, & asparagus and wild rice pilaf
SALT NEEDED. I need to learn to use salt and other seasonings. I was late with my plating. I need to work on my timeline and how to make it more focused. I also need to work on plating and making it look professional.
Chicken curry, coconut rice, & mango chutney
Our team prepared this working together. We seasoned our food well. We were on time. We could have provided a better organized plate.