The chef is in.

it is the great, sometimes painful dichotomy of the celebrity chef age: the more successful you are at making and selling food that people love to eat, the less time you will ultimately spend making and selling food that people love to eat. This is assuming, of course, that one's idea of success includes operating multiple locations (possibly in multiple cities, or even multiple continents), writing cookbooks, appearing on television, headlining charity events, designing knife sets and attending to the million other distractions that keep sought-after chefs away from their stoves.

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No doubt about it: your fellow chefs are the toughest restaurant critics, both in and outside your dining room. Just look what they'll say behind the backs of empire-building colleagues.

In spring 2006, Shane Osborn, chef of London's Pied a Terre restaurant, ruffled some feathers with his blunt comments, given in the course of an interview with a British business magazine, about his colleagues' television careers. "I became a chef to cook, not to appear on some crappy TV show," he groused, adding that a certain colleague "probably only visits his kitchens once a month, and then only because there's a mirror in there."

Gabrielle Hamilton, chef-owner of Prune, in New York, penned a deeply sarcastic article in 2001 for Food & Wine entitled "A Rogue Chef Tells All," in which she slyly sets herself apart from the media myth of the "real" chef by listing all the reasons she will never be one and concluding: "But hands-down the coolest part about being a real chef, the part that really attracts me, is that I would no longer have to cook."

And in a new preface to his well-loved memoir, Kitchen Confidential, chef-turned author and television host Anthony Bourdain heaps the loathing onto himself, saving his detractors the effort of razzing him for his new jet-set lifestyle. "[S]adly, I work much, much less in my beloved kitchen at Les Halles," he admits, later adding, "I'm the chef I always hated as a cook, always coming from or going someplace else ... I suck."

For the record, we at Art Culinaire don't hold anything against those chefs who have been called to their own manifest destiny. We do think, though, that it's worth getting to know the chefs whose first priority is cooking in human-scale restaurants, serving simple, excellent food to small crowds that almost certainly include appreciative and well-fed locals. It's almost certain that this type of chef outnumbers the superstar variety by a great margin, and we think it's time they got their props.

CYRIL RENAUD, FLEUR DE SEL,

NEW YORK NEW YORK

STILL LIFE WITH HEART

Cyril Renaud was just twelve years old when he began his culinary apprenticeship in his native Brittany, France. "I always knew I wanted to do it," he says simply, "so for me it was not hard to begin at such a young age." At the age of 18, he left France for six months in Switzerland, where he helped a friend to open a restaurant before returning home to complete his compulsory military service. Later, he cooked his way around Western Europe.

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Says Renaud, "I wanted to try everything, so I worked in many different places--brasseries, small shops and Michelin-starred restaurants." His stops included Le Villard in Paris, L'Escalier du Palais Royal and La Villa Lorriane in Belgium, and the London Hilton. In 1991, Renaud arrived in New York, encouraged in part by his wife, an American law student he'd met in London. His first job was at Windows on the World, atop the North Tower of the former World Trade Center. He was at work on February 26, 1993, the day terrorists first attempted to bring down the towers using explosives, and recalls spending "four and a half hours in the staircase, in the dark. We didn't know what was happening, and when you don't know, maybe you are less afraid. We'd heard that it was an explosion of gas. We had no idea it was an intentional criminal act. We didn't know until we were in the bar afterwards, and saw it on the television." The restaurant closed immediately after the attack, and remained shuttered for three years. Renaud found consulting work, then was hired into David Bouley's kitchen, where he worked as chef de cuisine for four and a half years.

His next stop was at La Caravelle, the late, elegant restaurant that epitomized classic French dining in New York. Andre and Rita Jammet, the restaurant's owners, had named Renaud executive chef in the hopes that he would update the cuisine without losing sight of its fundamental nature. "La Caravelle was a different animal than Bouley or Windows, an old battalion. It was a little bit of a battle in the beginning," says Renaud, who helped the restaurant earn a three-star rating from the New York Times, in addition to earning his own James Beard Rising Star Chef nomination. "I called the original chef back to the kitchen, to show me the way the 'classical' La Caravelle dishes worked, one by one, so there was no more confusion," he says.

In 2000, Renaud left La Caravelle and, backed by three investors and with a great deal of help from his wife and parents, opened Fleur de Sel, an intimate, 45-seat restaurant in New York's Flatiron District. Renaud let just 17 days pass between signing the lease to welcoming his first guests. He had never been in charge of all aspects of a restaurant before, and he admits, "I didn't really know how to run a business." He started with 12 employees and a decidedly more casual approach to service than he currently espouses, but from the beginning, the food was spot-on. In a two-star review of Fleur de Sel for the New York Times, William Grimes wrote, "Who doesn't pine for that little neighborhood restaurant, tucked away on a side street, where the lighting is subdued, the chef is French and the food is terrific? Well, here it is."

Renaud estimates that three quarters of his kitchen employees have been with him since he opened over six years ago, having started as dishwashers and porters and been promoted to line cooks and sous chefs. "These are guys who are exceptionally talented, and they wanted a chance to learn and get better," he says, "so I sent them to school to learn English, and try to teach them something every day. We don't have a big turnover here."

Visitors to Fleur de Sel will notice a set of paintings that adorn the walls of the dining room and which were painted by the chef himself. "When I left La Caravelle, I didn't know what to do with my time," he says, "and I had always wanted to try painting. It's a way of expression, like cooking, only with cooking it always disappears. You can make a painting once, then make a different painting, but in cooking, of course, the goal is to make it the same, again and again."

Wild Striped Bass with Horseradish Cream and Trout Caviar (Serves 4)

Savennieres

Domaime des Baumard

Loire, France 2002

For the phyllo crisp: Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Stack sheets of phyllo dough on parchment-lined sheet tray and brush with butter. Slice into 1 x 4-inch strips. Bake until browned and crisp, about five minutes. Let cool.

For the horseradish cream: In bowl, combine sour cream and horseradish. Season with salt and reserve.

For the bass: In bowl, combine horseradish cream, shallots, thyme and sage leaves. Stir in bass and season with salt and cayenne pepper.

To serve: Divide bass between four 3-inch ring molds. Top with crushed peas and unmold on plate. Garnish with phyllo crisp, caviars, sprout and horseradish cream and serve.

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For the phyllo crisp:

4 sheets phyllo dough
2 ounces butter, melted

For the horseradish cream:

6 tablespoons sour cream
3 tablespoons finely grated, peeled horseradish
Salt to taste

For the bass:

6 tablespoons horseradish cream, from above
1 shallot, peeled and finely chopped
Finely chopped thyme leaves to taste
Finely chopped sage leaves to taste
6 ounces bass, skin removed and coarsely chopped
Salt and cayenne pepper to taste

For the garnish:

Finely crushed freeze-dried peas*
Red trout caviar
American paddlefish caviar
Pea sprouts
Horseradish cream, from above

*Available at health food stores.

Halibut with Glazed Endives (Serves 4)

Chinon

Olga Raffault "Les Picasses"

Loire, France 1995

For the endives:

For the endives: In large saute pan, heat butter over medium heat. Stir in sugar and cook until lightly caramelized. Add bacon and pecans and cook until sugar is dark amber in color. Stir in stock and endives and bring to boil. Simmer until endives are tender and stock is reduced by half. Add vinegar and reduce until endives are glazed. Stir in chervil, season with salt and pepper and reserve.

For the halibut: Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Heat oil in saute pan over high heat. Season halibut with salt and pepper and sear until browned on both sides. Transfer to oven to finish cooking, about four minutes.

To serve: Arrange endives in center of plate with halibut. Top with additional endives, garnish with chervil and serve.

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For the endives:

3 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons granulated sugar
2 ounces smoked bacon, finely chopped
1 1/2 ounces pecans, finely chopped
1/4 cup vegetable stock
4 endives, leaves separated
3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoons finely chopped chervil leaves
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

For the halibut:

1/4 cup olive oil
4 6-ounce halibut fillets, skin removed
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

For the garnish:

Chervil sprigs

Confit of Veal Breast with Chanterelle Mushrooms (Serves 4)

Chateauneuf-du-Pape

Domaine de Ferrand

Rhone, France 2001

For the veal breast: Preheat oven to 500 degrees. Season veal breast with salt and pepper and place in roasting pan. Roast for 20 minutes, remove from oven, and lower oven temperature to 300 degrees. Add stock, wine, shallots, garlic, thyme, bay leaves and peppercorns to pan and seal tightly with foil. Return to oven and braise three hours. Remove veal from liquid. Strain liquid through fine-mesh sieve and reserve. Let veal cool 30 minutes, then remove bones and cartilage. Transfer to sheet pan, fold in half and place another sheet pan on top. Place heavy weights on pan to press veal breast and refrigerate three hours. Slice into 2 x 2-inch cubes.

For the mushrooms: In saute pan, heat butter over medium heat. Add mushrooms and saute until lightly browned. Add braising liquid and bring to simmer, skimming as needed. Season with salt and pepper and keep warm.

To serve: In saute pan, heat oil over medium-high heat. Season veal with salt and pepper and sear until browned on one side. Turn veal, add green onions to pan, and cook until green onions are caramelized. Arrange veal breast on plate with green onions. Top with mushrooms and jus, garnish with sage and serve.

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For the veal breast:

1 5-pound bone-in veal breast
1 quart veal stock
1 1/2 cups white wine
5 shallots, peeled
1 head garlic, cloves separated and peeled
Small bunch thyme
2 bay leaves
1/2 teaspoon black peppercorns
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

For the mushrooms:

3 tablespoons butter
6 ounces chanterelle mushrooms, cleaned
Reserved braising liquid, from above
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

To serve:

1/4 cup olive oil
Veal breast, from above
3 green onions, coarsely chopped

For the garnish:

Sage leaves

Pan-Roasted Scallops with Yellow Pepper-Thyme Sauce (Serves 4)

Chardonnay

Ramey 'Hudson Vineyard" Caneros

California 2002

For the yellow pepper-thyme sauce: Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Drizzle peppers with oil, season with salt and pepper and place on sheet pan. Cover with foil and roast in oven 25 minutes. Transfer to stainless steel bowl and cover with plastic for 15 minutes. Remove skins. Place peppers in saucepan with water and thyme and bring to boil. Transfer to blender and puree until smooth. Strain through fine-mesh sieve, season with salt and pepper and keep warm.

For the gastrique: In small saucepan, comoine butter and honey and bring to boil over medium heat. Carefully whisk in vinegar and keep worm.

For the avocado squash: In saute pan, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Add squash to pan and cook until lightly browned. Turn squash and cook until tender but still firm. Season with salt and pepper and reserve.

For the scallops: In saute pan, heat oil over high heat. Add scallops and sear until well browned, about two minutes. Turn scallops and add butter, shallots and thyme. Baste scallops until just done, about one minute.

To serve: Place scallop in shallow dish and top with squash. Spoon sauce around, garnish with sage and serve.

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For the yellow pepper-thyme sauce:

1 yellow bell pepper, halved and seeded
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 cup water
1/2 teaspoon thyme leaves
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

For the gastrique:

1 teaspoon butter
2 teaspoons honey
4 tablespoons sherry vinegar

For the avocado squash:

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 avocado squash, cut lengthwise into eighths
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

For the scallops:

2 tablespoons olive oil
4 U-10 scallops
1 tablespoon butter
1/2 shallot, peeled and finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon thyme leaves

For the garnish:

Finely julienned sage leaves

Banana Mousse (Serves 4)

Bonnezeaux

Chateau de Fesles

Loire, France 2001

For the langue du chat: In mixer fitted with whisk attachment, whip egg whites, adding sugar a little at a time, until stiff peaks form. Using paddle attachment, add flour and mix until thick. Stir in butter, cover and refrigerate eight hours. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. On Silpat[R]-lined sheet pan, spread mixture into 1 x 8-inch strips 1/8-inch thick. Bake until golden, about five minutes. While still warm, bend strips into circles, pinching ends to seal. Let cool completely and store in airtight container until ready to use.

For the espresso reduction: In saucepan, combine espresso and sugar and bring to boil. Reduce mixture by half and let cool.

For the white chocolate dentelle: Preheat oven to 325 degrees. In bowl, melt chocolate in microwave. In saucepan, melt sugar over medium heat and cook, stirring, until golden brown. Add chocolate, stirring constantly, until thoroughly combined, about ten minutes. On Silpat[R]-lined sheet pan, thinly soread mixture into four circles about six inches in diameter. Place another Silpat[R] face down on top and heat in oven 30 seconds. Using rolling pin, roll mixture thinner. Remove top Silpat[R] and carefully transfer circles to cool surface, pulling them into desirea shapes. Let cool completely.

For the banana mousse: In mixer fitted with whisk attachment, mix egg yolks and 1 1/2 ounces sugar until mixture is pale and shiny. Add cheese and whisk until thick. Stir in vanilla. In bowl, mash banana and stir in liqueur. Press through fine-mesh sieve, add to yolk mixture and whip until combined. Transfer to container and refrigerate. Clean mixer bowl and whisk together egg whites and 1/2 ounce sugar until thick and frothy. Add another 1/2 ounce sugar and whisk at high speed about 30 seconds. Add remaining sugar and whisk until stiff peaks form. In bowl, place yolk mixture and 1/3 egg white mixture and fold to combine. Fold in remaining egg white mixture, cover and refrigerate until ready to use. To serve: Place langue du chat circle on plate and fill with banana mousse. Top with dentelle, garnish with espresso reduction and serve.

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For the langue du chat:

2 egg whites
3 1/2 ounces granulated sugar
2 ounces all-purpose flour
1 1/2 ounces butter, melted

For the espresso reduction:

6 ounces brewed espresso
2 ounces granulated sugar

For the white chocolate dentelle:

8 ounces white chocolate
8 ounces granulated sugar

For the banana mousse:

2 eggs, separated
3 ounces granulated sugar
10 ounces mascarpone cheese
1 vanilla bean, split and scraped
1 ripe banana
1 tablespoon banana liqueur

SAUL BOLTON

RESTAURANT SAUL

BROOKLYN, NEW YORK

POSITIVELY SMITH STREET

Saul Bolton is a realist who doesn't perpetuate any romantic myths about running a small, chef-owned restaurant. He and his wife Lisa opened their own place in 1999, on a Brooklyn street that was "completely dead" then, but now seems to have a restaurant or cafe in every other storefront. As he leads a (very quick) tour of his 40-seat dining room, he says, "We took over a ten-year lease, but there was an option to buy the building, and we took it. Now, this is our little hellhole!"

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Born in Cleveland and raised in London, Cincinnati, Georgia, Boston and California, Bolton was a latchkey kid who learned to cook for himself out of necessity. "Joy of Cooking was my best friend," he says. He graduated from Reed College in Portland, Oregon and returned to Boston, where he cooked at two different restaurants, slept in his car and showered at the YMCA. He met Lisa, then a waitress at one of the two restaurants, and got a job at Hammersley's Bistro, which he calls his "first formative cooking experience." A year and a half later, the couple sold all they owned in the world and moved to France, hoping to find work.

"We just started knocking on doors, did that for a month and a half, and utterly failed, ran out of money," he recalls. They decided to return to the States and found a Brooklyn apartment through an American expat newspaper, landing back in New York just before Christmas. Hoping to secure a job in David Bouley's kitchen, Bolton took the subway into Manhattan and followed a gentleman carrying a knife roll down an alley, and straight to Bouley's kitchen door.

"The night before that, one guy had chased another guy out of the kitchen with a knife. The guy who got chased quit, and so I got his job. Actually, I didn't know if I had the job, because for the first three or four weeks, no one said a word about it, I didn't get paid and they beat on me every single day," he says with a laugh. What about the knife-wielder? "He still works there," Bolton says, shrugging. "David Bouley cares not about that kind of stuff."

Bolton cooked at Bouley for two years, and went on to cook at Le Bernardin, Verbena, Le Zoo and the Grove before opening Saul. Within months, the New York Times' Eric Asimov was praising his "strong, clear flavors, bolstered by background harmonies that augment without overshadowing." Bolton quickly became the model of a chef-owner with outsized talent and real-life budget constraints that rendered Manhattan an impossibility. His critical success has inspired countless others to set up shop in less-traveled neighborhoods, but he warns those seeking a quick payoff, "This place is not a freakin' goldmine. It's not. How much money can you actually make out of a small place where you're not doing hundreds of covers?"

He does, however, plan to add more seats as part of an expansive renovation, and notes that having received a Michelin star in the guide's New York debut issue has helped attract new customers. While other chefs have tried to downplay the guide's importance in New York, Bolton says, "I started at Arby's, and worked in all kinds of hash houses and all the way through to having my own place, and along the way, plenty of people told me I sucked and that I wouldn't go anywhere. To go through all that and then become a Michelin-starred chef, for me, it's huge, Does it mean the same thing it means in France? Well, I don't think that's quite possible. Will I retain it this coming year? That's a whole other thing."

In the meantime, Bolton continues to focus on the food, and on maintaining a realistic perspective on the distinction between art and commerce. "I'm a pretty avid cookbook reader, and I get all the French cooking magazines, so I love to go out and see how other chefs are adapting that stuff on their own menus. How could cooking not be derivative in one way or another? You can think of it as art, but if you have a menu that changes even four times a year, how the hell are you going to do 'original art' that would satisfy all the different things you needs to satisfy? It's not possible. Cooking is a craft, and you have to learn from somewhere that it comes from something."

Lamb "Tasting" with Hummus and Labneh (Serves 4)

Syrah "Cuvee Orleans"

McCrea

Yakima Volley, Washington 2001

For the labneh dressing: Line deep bowl with three layers of cheesecloth and fill with yogurt. Gather edges of cheesecloth together and tie closed with string. Hang yogurt over bowl and let drain in refrigerator 24 hours. Remove yogurt from cheesecloth, discarding liquid. Place in bowl and stir in remaining ingredients. Season with salt and pepper and refrigerate until ready to use.

For the lamb galette: Preheat oven to 250 degrees In saute pan, heat five tablespoons oil over medium heat. Ado half each of onions, carrots and celery, plus garlic and ginger, and cook until softened, about 10 minutes. Add cinnamon, cordamom, coriander and cilantro and stir in wine. Bring to simmer and cook five minutes. Stir in stock and oring to simmer. Place lamb in deep hotel pan small enough for lamb to just fit. Pour stock mixture over, seal tightly with foil and braise in oven until very tender, about five hours. Remaoe lomb from liquia and let cool Slrain liquid through fine-mesh sieve. In large saucepan, heat remaining oil over medium heat. Add remaining onions, carrots and celery and cook until softened. Add strained cooking liquid and bring to boil. Reauce until sauce is thick enough to coat back of wooden spoon and season with salt and peoper. Shred lamb finely, place in container with enough sauce to moisten and refrigerate. Reserve remaining sauce for plating.

For the marinated peppers: Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In bowl, combine shallots, garlic and vinegar. Season with salt and pepper and stir in oil, rosemary, thyme and capers. Place peppers cut side down on Silpat[R]-lined sheet pan and roast until skins are blackened. Transfer to bowl and cover tightly. Let cool, remove skins, and cut peppers into 1/4-inch wide strips. Add to shallot mixture, tossing to combine. Season with salt and pepper.

For the hummus: In food processor fitted with metal blade, combine all ingredients and puree until smooth. Pass through fine-mesh sieve, season with salt and pepper and reserve.

For the lamb: In saute pan, heat three tablespoons oil over medium heat. Dredge galettes in flour, dip in egg and coat with panko. Add to pan and cook until golden brown on both sides. Drain on paper towels. In separate saute pan, heat three tablespoons oil over medium-high heat. Season chops and leg with salt and pepper. Add to pan and sear on both sides until browned and medium-rare. Remove from pan and let rest. Heat remaining oil in saute pan over medium-high heat. Sear liver for 30 seconds on each side and remove from pan.

To serve: Bring reserved sauce to simmer. In bowl, combine watercress and peppers. Place quinoa on plate, top with watercress mixture and arrange dollop of labneh dressing and quenelle of hummus alongside. Slice leg of lamb and liver and place on plate with galette and chop. Drizzle with sauce and serve.

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For the labneh dressing:

3 cups plain yogurt
1 clove garlic, peeled and crushed
Zest of 2 lemons, plus juice of 1 lemon
3 tablespoons finely chopped dill
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

For the lamb galette:

1/2 cup olive oil
2 onions, peeled and coarsely chopped
2 carrots, peeled and coarsely chopped
2 ribs celery, coarsely chopped
6 cloves garlic, peeled and coarsely chopped
1-inch piece ginger, peeled
1 stick cinnamon
6 cardamom pods
2 tablespoons coriander seeds
1 bunch cilantro, coarsely chopped
2 cups white wine
3 quarts dark chicken stock
1 4-pound bone-in lamb shoulder
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

For the marinated peppers:

1 shallot, peeled and fhinly sliced
1 clove garlic, peeled and thinly sliced
1 tablespoon sherry vinegar
1 1/2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon finely chopped rosemary leaves
1 teaspoon finely chopped thyme leaves
1/2 teaspoon capers
2 red bell peppers, halved and seeded
Fleur de sel and freshly ground black pepper to taste

For the hummus:

2 cups cooked chickpeas
1 clove garlic, peeled and finely chopped
1 tablespoon toasted ground cumin
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
Juice of 1 lemon
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

For the lamb:

1/2 cup olive oil
Lamb galettes, from above
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 cup panko
Lamb galettes, from above
4 lamb chops
8 ounces boneless leg of lamb
4 2-ounce pieces lamb liver
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

To serve:

1 cup cooked guinoa
2 cups watercress, thick stems removed
Reserved sauce, from lamb galette above

Diver Scallops with Prosciutto and Lemon Vinaigrette (Serves 4)

Gewurztraminer "Jubilee"

Hugel

Alsace, France 2001

For the lemon confit: Sprinkle half of salt in small shallow dish. Lay lemon slices on salt and cover with remaining salt. Place plastic directly onto lemons to cover, and refrigerate eight hours. Rinse lemon slices and pat dry. Remove flesh and discard. Place lemon rinds in airtight container and refrigerate until ready to use.

For the tomatoes: Preheat oven to 250 degrees. Quarter tomatoes lengthwise and remove seeds and inner flesh. Place tomatoes in bowl, add oil, thyme, sugar, salt and pepper and toss to coat. Place tomatoes skin side up, on Silpat[R]-lined sheet pan and bake in oven until halfway dried, about 45 minutes. Remove skins and let cool. Cut into small dice and set aside.

For the lemon vinaigrette: In saucepan, heat oil over medium heat. Add shallots and cook until softened. Transfer to stainless steel container and add lemon confit, vinegar, juice and salt and pepper. Cover container and shake to combine. Set aside.

For the romaine lettuce: In large saucepan, heat oil over medium heat. Add shallots and cook until softened. Add water, rosemary, lettuce and pinch of salt. Cover and cook until just wilted. Remove from heat, drain, season with salt and pepper and set aside.

For the scallops: In saute pan, heat oil over high heat. Season scallops with salt and pepper and place in pan Sear until browned on one side, about two minutes. Turn scallops and add butter and rosemary to pan. Baste scallops to finish cooking, about 30 seconds. Drain on paper towels.

To serve: Arrange scallops on plate with lettuce leaves and tomatoes and top with prosciutto. Drizzle with vinaigrette, garnish with almonds and peppermint and serve.

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For the lemon confit:

1/4 cup salt
1 lemon, sliced into 1/8-inch thick rounds

For the tomatoes:

6 large tomatoes
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon thyme leaves
1/4 teaspoon granulated sugar
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

For the lemon vinaigrette:

1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
4 shallots, peeled and finely chopped
2 tablespoons finely chopped lemon confit, from above
2 tablespoons seasoned rice wine vinegar
Juice of 2 lemons
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

For the romaine lettuce:

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 shallot, peeled and finely chopped
2 tablespoons water
1 sprig rosemary
12 leaves romaine lettuce, from heart
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

For the scallops:

3 tablespoons grapeseed oil
12 U-10 diver scallops
1 ounce butter
1 sprig rosemary
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

For the garnish:

Thinly sliced prosciutto
Roasted almonds
Peppermint leaves

Sugar Snap Pea Soup (Serves 4)

Tavel "L'Espiegle"

Paul Jaboulet Aine

Rhone, France 2004

For the pimenton oil: Combine oil and paprika. Cover and let infuse overnight. Line fine-mesh sieve with paper filter, strain oil and reserve.

For the soup: In large saucepan, bring cream, water and salt to boil. Add peas and cook until tender but still bright green. Strain through fine-mesh sieve, reserving liquid. Place oeas, 1/4 cup cooking liquid, chervil and tarragon in blender and puree until smooth. Strain through fine-mesh sieve and adjust consistency with additional cooking liquid if necessary. Season with salt and pepper.

For the mushrooms: In saute pan, heat oil and butter over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms and saute until browned. Add shallots and thyme and cook until shallots are softened. Season with salt and pepper.

To serve: Place soup in shallow bowl and top with mushrooms. Drizzle with pimenton oil, garnish with cheese and serve.

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For the pimenton oil:

1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon smoked paprika

For the soup:

1 cup heavy cream
3 cups water
2 tablespoons salt, plus more to taste
8 ounces sugar snap peas
6 tablespoons finely chopped chervil leaves
3 tablespoons finely chopped tarragon leaves
Freshly ground black pepper to taste

For the mushrooms:

2 tablespoons olive oil
3 tablespoons butter
4 ounces hen-of-the-woods mushrooms, coarsely chopped
2 shallots, peeled and finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon lemon thyme leaves
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

For the garnish:

Shaved Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

Warm Calamari and Shrimp Salad with Citrus Vinaigrette (Serves 4)

Saison Farmhouse Ale

Brasserie Dupont

Tourpes, Belgium

For the vinaigrette: In bowl, whisk together all ingredients. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.

For the salad: Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In heavy skillet, heat oil over high heat. Season shrimp and squid with salt and pepper. Add shrimp to pan and cook 25 seconds. Turn shrimp and add tentacles. Cook 25 seconds and remove shrimp. Add remaining squid and cook 25 seconds, shaking pan constantly. Remove squid from pan and set aside. In ovenproof bowl, toss together bok choy and two tablespoons vinaigrette. Heat in oven 30 seconds. Add shrimp, squid, oranges, cashews, peppermint, basil, tomatoes and remaining vinaigrette and toss to coat. Arrange on plates, garnish with chive flowers and serve.

[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

For the vinaigrette:

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 1/2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon Thai fish sauce
1/4 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
1 tablespoon finely grated ginger
1 clove garlic, peeled and finely chopped
1 shallot, peeled and finely chopped
1 Thai red chili, finely chopped
Zest and juice of 1/2 lemon
Zest and juice of 1/2 lime

For the salad:

1 tablespoon canola oil
4 U-10 shrimp, peeled and deveined
4 squid, cleaned, tentacles separated and bodies sliced into rings
1 head baby bok choy, blanched, refreshed and cut into 2-inch pieces
6 tablespoons vinaigrette, from above
1 orange, peeled and cut into segments
2 ounces roasted cashews
Small bunch peppermint leaves
Small bunch basil leaves
3/4 cup grape tomatoes
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

For the garnish:

Chive flowers

Roasted Chatham Cod with Clams and Chorizo (Serves 4)

Condrieu "La Loye"

Jean-Michel Gerin

Rhone, France 2004

For the salt cod cakes: Place salt cod in deep dish and cover with cold water. Cover and refrigerate 24 hours. Drain, transfer to large pot and cover with fresh water. Bring to simmer over medium heat and cook until cod begins to flake. Drain and set aside. In separate pot, cook potatoes in salted water until tender. Drain and reserve. In saute pan, heat oil over medium heat. Add onions and garlic and cook until softened. Stir in cream and lemon thyme and oring to simmer. In food processor fitted with metal blade, pulse salt cod until finely ground but not smooth. Add onion mixture and pulse to combine. Add potatoes and pulse until incorporated. Season with salt and pepper, transfer mixture to sheet pan and refrigerate until chilled. Divide mixture between four buttered 1 1/2- x 2 1/2-inch molds, cover and freeze.

For the marinated peppers: Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In bowl, combine shallots, garlic and vinegar. Season with salt and pepper and stir in oil, rosemary, thyme and capers. Place peppers, cut side down, on Silpat[R]-lined sheet pan and roast until skins are blackened. Transfer to bowl and cover tightly. Let cool, remove skins, and cut peppers into 1/4-inch wide strips. Add to shallot mixture, tossing to combine. Season with salt and pepper.

For the mussel broth: In large pot, heat oil over medium heat. Add shallots and garlic and cook until softened. Stir in wine, water and thyme and bring to simmer. Increase heat to medium-high, add mussels, cover and cook until mussels open, about 10 minutes. Strain through fine-mesh sieve. Reserve mussels for another use. In saucepan, bring cooking liquid to boil and reduce to one cup.

For the parsley foam: In saucepan, bring mussel broth to simmer. Stir in cream and parsley puree. With hand-held immersion blender, blend mixture until foamy.

For the chorizo: In saute pan, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add chorizo and saute until lightly browned.

For the spinach: In saute pan, heat butter over medium heat. Add shallots and cook until softened. Add spinach and saute until wilted. Season with salt and pepper.

For the manila clams: In pot, bring wine to boil. Add clams, cover and cook until clams open, about three minutes.

For the cod: Heat oil in saute pan over medium-high heat. Season cod with salt and pepper. Add to pan and cook until lightly browned, about three minutes. Turn cod and add butter and rosemary. Cook, basting, until cod is just cooked through, about one minute. Drain on paper towels.

To serve: Unmold frozen salt cod cakes. In saute pan, heat oil over medium-high heat. Dredge cakes in flour, dip in egg and coat with panko. Cook cakes until golden brown on both sides. Drain on paper towels. Arrange cake on plate with spinach, cod, clams and chorizo. Top with peppers and drizzle with pepper marinade. Garnish with foam and serve.

For the salt cod cakes:

1 pound salt cod
1/2 pound russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 onion, peeled and coarsely chopped
3 cloves garlic, peeled and finely chopped
6 tablespoons heavy cream
1/2 teaspoon lemon thyme leaves
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

For the marinated peppers:

1 shallot, peeled and thinly sliced
1 clove garlic, peeled and thinly sliced
1 tablespoon sherry vinegar
1 1/2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon finely chopped rosemary leaves
1 teaspoon finely chopped thyme leaves
1/2 teaspoon capers
1 red bell pepper, halved and seeded
1 yellow bell pepper, halved and seeded
Salt and ground black pepper to taste

For the mussel broth:

3 tablespoons olive oil
8 shallots, peeled and coarsely chopped
1 clove garlic, peeled and coarsely chopped
2 cups white wine
1/2 cup water
2 sprigs thyme
3 pounds mussels, scrubbed and debearded

For the parsley foam:

[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

Mussel broth, from above
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 bunch parsley, blanched, refreshed and pureed

For the chorizo:

2 tablespoons oil
8 ounces chorizo, thinly sliced

For the spinach:

1 ounce butter
2 shallots, peeled and finely chopped
1 pound baby spinach
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

For the clams:

1/4 cup white wine
1 pound manila clams

For the cod:

4 tablespoons olive oil
4 6-ounce Chatham cod fillets
1 ounce butter
1 sprig rosemary
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

To serve:

Salt cod cakes, from above
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 cup panko bread crumbs

Baked Alaska (Serves 6)

Brachetto d'Acqui

Coppo

Piedmont, Italy 2005

For the parfait: Lightly butter six large muffin tins and line bottoms with waxed paper. In double boiler, combine yolks, sugar, water, vanilla seeds and extract. Whisking constantly, heat to 140 degrees. Transfer to bowl of mixer fitted with paddle and mix at medium-high speed until cooled to room temperature and doubled in volume. Divide mixture between two bowls and stir coffee extract into one bowl. Whip cream to soft peaks and fold half into each bowl. Repeat with egg whites. Divide vanilla mixture between muffin tins, tapping out air bubbles. Top with coffee mixture and freeze.

For the cookies: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In bowl, combine cookies, flour and yolks, stirring until uniform. Place mixture between two pieces plastic and roll out to 1/5-inch thick. Remove plastic and transfer to parchment-lined sheet pan. Bake five minutes. While still warm, cut into six circles with a ring cutter 1/4-inch larger than diameter of parfaits. Let cool. Unmold parfaits and place on center of cookies. Place in freezer.

For the meringue: In double boiler, combine egg whites and sugar, whisking to dissolve sugar. Transfer to bowl of mixer fitted with whisk and whip at medium-high speed until firm, glossy peaks form. Place in pastry bag fitted with 1/2-inch round tip. Remove parfaits from freezer and, starting at the bottom, pipe small circles of meringue onto parfait to cover completely. Place in freezer until ready to use.

For the rum caramel sauce: In saucepan, combine sugar and water over medium-high heat. Cook, stirring, until sugar is dark amber in color. Remove from heat and slowly whisk in cream. Whisk in rum, vanilla and salt and let cool to room temperature.

To serve: Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Remove parfaits from freezer and bake in oven until meringue is golden brown, about two minutes. Drizzle caramel sauce on plate, top with parfait and serve.

[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

For the parfait:

4 egg yolks
4 ounces granulated sugar
1/2 ounce water
1 vanilla bean, split and scraped
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 ounce coffee extract
1 cup heavy cream
2 egg whites

For the cookies:

4 ounces Oreo[R] cookies, finely ground
1 ounce almond flour
2 egg yolks

For the meringue:

8 egg whites
7 ounces granulated sugar

For the rum caramel sauce:

7 ounces granulated sugar
3/4 ounce water
4 ounces heavy cream
1 1/4 ounces dark rum
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Pinch of salt

DAVID CHANG

MOMOFUKU NOODLE BAR

MOMOFUKU SSAM BAR

NEW YORK, NEW YORK

RELUCTANT HERO BRANCHES OUT

David Chang is not entirely comfortable with his James Beard Award nomination, his 2006 inclusion in Food & Wine's annual roundup of best new chefs, his multi-part collaboration with Mark Bittman in the New York Times' dining section, or any of the other forms of professional recognition he's earned over the past year or two.

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"A lot of my friends, the people I know, they're better cooks than me," explains Chang, "so I feel awkward about winning all of these awards." Chang fantasizes about starting a mini-empire in Manhattan's East Village in order to correct the perceived imbalance. "If we carry on this success, it would be a great thing to bring a lot more talented people onboard, held them get the recognition they deserve," he says.

Chang is a second-generation restaurateur from Arlington, Virginia who studied religion at Trinity College in Hartford, Connecticut and spent his undergraduate years preparing for a career in finance. When he realized, rather quickly, that he was "not really cut out for a desk job," he began to explore other options, including a stint teaching English in Japan, where the would-be chef fell in love with noodle house culture. He returned to the States and enrolled in New York's French Culinary Institute while cooking at Mercer Kitchen, part of Jean-Georges Vongerichten's vast culinary empire.

"I didn't know anything, really, and I thought I was so far behind because I was a little older than a lot of my classmates," says Chang, who is not yet 30 years old. "I was so bad at school that my partner actually chose to drop out rather than keep me as a partner." Once he graduated, Chang set his sights on a job at Craft, the flagship of Tom Colicchio's restaurant group. "It was the only place I wanted to be, but [then-chef de cuisine] Marco [Canora] wouldn't let me, because his team was already so solid," says Chang, "So I started by answering phones, to show how committed I was. Once I got into the kitchen, they all kicked my ass. I was a mess." After two years at Craft, Chang returned to Japan, where he worked in a 12-seat soba shop and, later, at a kaiseki restaurant within the Park Hyatt in Tokyo. Back in New York, he spent a year working at Cafe Boulud, under Andrew Carmellini, before taking a big gamble on his own restaurant.

"People told me I was crazy, that I didn't know enough," recalls Chang. Fortunately, he found a kindred spirit in Joaquin Baca, who became his cochef and, for a while, the only other person to work at Momofuku. Of the restaurant's earliest days. Chang says, "We didn't have servers. We had to learn how to run the cash register. We didn't have a bookkeeper, a manager, nothing. We didn't have a dish washer. We bought enough plateware that we could just stack it up and wash it all at the end of the night. We were pretty naive to think that we could do it all on our own for very long."

Although Momofuku Noodle Bar is now a nightly mob scene, it took a little while to gain traction. Chang recalls the post-service evening, just a few months after opening, when he assessed his financial position and announced to Baca over a beer that they were destined to fail unless their numbers improved. "We decided right then just to go for broke," he says. "We did absolutely everything we could to make it work. If we failed, I didn't want it to be because of a lack of effort." Word got out, the menu began to evolve, and six months into its life, Momofuku was a genuinely successful restaurant, serving deeply satisfying iterations of the noodle dishes Chang had become enamored of in Japan, along with several of his own (and Baca's) creations.

"People will sometimes take shots at our ramen, because they're looking for the authentic Japanese experience. What's the point of making ramen just like every other noodle house in New York? If you want 'real' ramen, go to Japan. What's important to us is, does it taste good? And is it affordable?" Chang has recently opened a second restaurant, Momofuku Ssam Bar, serving what he calls "kind of a Korean take on the burrito," plus a handful of raw bar items, steamed buns and a few daily specials. "I have a lot more sympathy now for people doing their sophomore effort," he says, "because although getting to a success is difficult, I'm learning that maintaining success is even more difficult."

Tripe Stew (Serves 6)

Dry Beer

OB Brewery

Seoul, Korea

Dish created by David Chang and Joaquin Baca

For the tripe: Soak tripe in water 24 hours, changing water every three to four hours. Remove and discard the tough flesh surrounding opening and cut remaining tripe into 1-inch pieces. Place in large pot of salted water, bring to boil, drain and repeat. Rinse and let cool.

For the stew: Preheat oven to 225 degrees. In pot, bring stock to boil, reduce by half and reserve. In large shallow pot, heat bacon until fat begins to render and add onions. Cook until bacon is browned and add garlic, ginger, tripe. Add stock, kochu jiang and kochu karu and bring to boil. Cover with parchment paper and cook in over until tripe is tender, about six hours. Season with salt and pepper.

To serve: Top stew with onions and carrots and serve.

[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

For the tripe:

2 pounds honeycomb tripe

For the stew:

1 gallon chicken stock
1 pound slab bacon, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 white onion, peeled and coarsely chopped
2 cloves garlic, peeled and finely chopped
1 tablespoon grated peeled ginger
Tripe, from above
1/4 cup kochu jiang*
3 tablespoons kochu karu**

For the garnish:

Finely diced white onion
Finely diced peeled carrots

*A paste made of fermented soybeans and hot red chilis. Available through Koa Mart, www.koamart.com.

**Hot red chili powder. Available through Koa Mart, www.koomart.com.

Manila and Littleneck Clam Soup (Serves 4)

Viognier

Le Bon Climat Cold Heaven

California 2004

For the dashi: In saucepan, combine water and kombu bring to simmer. Add bacon and simmer five minutes. Remove kombu, strain through fine-mesh sieve and let cool. Skim and discard fat.

For the soup: In large saucepan, bring dashi to simmer. Add littleneck clams and simmer two minutes. Add Manila clams and simmer until all clams open. Season with salt. To serve: Ladle soup into bowl, garnish with green onions and serve.

[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

For the bacon dashi:

1 quart water
1 4 x 4-inch piece kombu
3 slices Benton's Hickory-Smoked Country Bacon*, thickly julienned

For the soup:

Dashi, from above
1 pound littleneck clams, scrubbed
1 pound Manila clams, scrubbed
Salt to taste

For the garnish:

Thinly sliced green onions

*Available through Benton's Smoky Mountain Country Hams, [phone] or www.bentonshams.com

Kimchi Stew (Serves 6)

Premium Draft Beer

Orion Brewery

Japan

[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

For the cured vegetables: Combine salt and sugar and divide between two large containers. Add daikon to one container and cabbage to the other, tossing to coat. Place plate and heavy can on top of each to press out water. Let cure at least two hours, and no more than 24 hours. Rinse and drain daikon and cabbage, and keep separate.

For the kimchi: In saucepan, combine sugar and 1/2 cup water and bring to simmer, stirring to dissolve. Let cool and transfer to food processor fitted with metal blade. Add garlic and ginger and puree until smooth. Transfer to bowl. Wipe out food processor and add remaining water, shrimp, salt, fish sauce, soy sauce and pepper. Puree until smooth and add to garlic mixture. Stir in carrots and green onions. Divide mixture between two containers, then add daikon to one and cabbage to the other. Toss each to combine, cover and refrigerate at least 12 days.

For the shredded pork: Combine salt and sugar, coat pork completely and refrigerate 24 hours. Cold-smoke pork with mesquite chips in cold-smoker according to manufacturer's instructions, about one hour. Rinse pork and pat dry. Preheat oven to 500 degrees. Place pork in pan with onions, carrots, garlic and ginger and roast until pork is browned, about one hour. Reduce oven temperature to 250 degrees. Add duck fat to pan, baste pork, cover and roast until tender, about five hours. Discard vegetables. Let pork cool, shred and reserve.

For the stew: In large pot, combine daikon kimchi, cabbage kimchi, onions, stock and mirin and bring to boil. Simmer until vegetables are tender. Add pork, duck fat and rice cakes and heat through. Season with salt.

To serve: Top stew with carrots and green onions and serve.

For the cured vegetables:

3 cups kosher salt
2 cups granulated sugar
1 pound daikon, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes
1 pound napa cabbage leaves, cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces

For the kimchi:

1/2 cup sugar
3 cups water
1 head garlic, cloves separated, peeled and coarsely chopped
2-inch piece ginger, peeled and coarsely chopped
3 ounces salted brined shrimp
1/4 cup kosher salt
1/2 cup fish sauce
1/2 cup soy sauce
4 ounces Korean crushed red pepper*
2 carrots, peeled and finely julienned
1 bunch green onions, cut into 1-inch pieces
Cured daikon, from above
Cured cabbage, from above

For the shredded pork:

1 cup kosher salt
1 cup granulated sugar
5-pound piece pork shoulder
1 white onion, peeled and coarsely chopped
2 carrots, peeled and coarsely chopped
1 clove garlic, peeled and coarsely chopped
1-inch piece ginger, peeled and coarsely chopped
1 quart duck fat
Salt and coarsely ground black pepper to taste

For the stew:

2 cups daikon kimchi, drained, from above
2 cups cabbage kimchi, drained, from above
1 white onion, peeled, halved and thinly sliced
2 quarts chicken stock
1/4 cup mirin
1 cup shredded pork, from above
3 tablespoons duck fat
2 cups sliced rice cakes**
Salt to taste

For the garnish:

Finely julienned peeled carrots
Thinly sliced green onions

*Available through Koa Mart, www.koamart.com.

**Available frozen at Korean markets.

Cherry Tomato Salad (Serves 4)

"Oka" Ginjo Sake

Dewazakura

Japan

For the tofu: Using 4-inch round cutter, cut tofu into cylinder. Reserve excess for another use. Slice cylinder crosswise into four 1/4-inch thick slices and reserve.

For the tomatoes: Bring saucepan of water to boil. Using knife, cut small x in bottom of one pound of tomatoes and add to water for 15 seconds. Transfer tomatoes to ice bath and peel, discarding skins. Combine with remaining tomatoes and reserve.

For the dressing: In bowl, whisk together vinegar, soy sauce and oils. Season with salt and pepper.

To serve: In bowl, combine tomatoes and dressing and toss to combine Place tofu slice on plate and top with tomatoes. Garnish with shiso leaves and serve.

For the tofu:

12-ounce block silken tofu

For the tomatoes:

1 1/2 pound mixed heirloom cherry tomatoes*

For the dressing:

1/4 cup sherry vinegar
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
1/2 cup grapeseed oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

For the garnish:

Finely julienned shiso leaves

*Available through The Chef's Garden, [phone] or www.chefsgarden.com

Braised Pork Belly with Daikon (Serves 4)

IPA

Brooklyn Brewery

New York

For the dashi: In saucepan, combine water and kombu and bring to simmer. Remove from heat. Stir in bonito flakes and let steep about three minutes. Remove kombu and strain through fine-mesh sieve.

For the pork belly: Preheat oven to 275 degrees. In saute pan, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add pork belly and cook until browned on all sides. Transfer pork belly to shallow pot. Deglaze pan with sake and add to pork belly. Stir in dashi, mirin, garlic and ginger and bring to simmer. Cover with foil and cook in oven one hour. Add daikon, cover and cook in oven until pork belly is firm, about three hours. Remove pork belly and daikon and refrigerate until ready to use. Strain cooking liquid through fine-mesh sieve and let cool. Skim and discard fat and reserve.

For the mustard seeds: In saucepan, combine mustard seeds, water, sugar and vinegar and bring to boil. Simmer until seeds are glazed, about ten minutes. Season with salt and reserve.

To serve: Remove skin from pork belly. In saute pan, heat oil over high heat. Sear pork belly until browned. Add cooking liquid and daikon and reduce until pork belly and daikon are glazed Season with saolt. Slice pork belly and arrange in shallow bowl with daikon. Drizzle with cooking liquid, garnish with apple, mustard seeds and chives and serve.

[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

For the dashi:

2 quarts water
2 4 x 4-inch piece kombu
2/3 cup bonito flakes

For the pork belly:

3 tablespoons canola oil
1-pound piece pork belly, skin on and cut into 2 x 2-inch cubes
1/2 cup sake
Dashi, from above
1/4 cup mirin
1 clove garlic, peeled and coarsely chopped
1 tablespoon grated peeled ginger
1 pound daikon radish, peeled and sliced crosswise into 1-inch thick
  rounds
3 tablespoons canola oil

For the mustard seeds:

1/4 cup yellow mustard seeds
1/4 cup water
1/4 cup granulated sugar
Sherry vinegar to taste
Salt to taste

To serve:

Pork belly, from above
3 tablespoons canola oil
Cooking liquid, from above
Daikon radish, from above

For the garnish:

Finely julienned Granny Smith apple
Finely chopped chives

Crispy Pig Tails with Pickled Watermelon Rinds (Serves 4)

Hitachino White Ale

Kiuchi Brewery

Japan

Dish created by David Chang and Joaquin Baca

For the pickled watermelon rinds: In large pot, combine vinegar, water, sugar, salt, coriander and ginger. Bring to boil, add rinds and remove from heat. Let cool in liquid and reserve.

For the pig tails: Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Ploce tails on sheet pan and roast until browned, about 30 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 250 degrees. In large shallow pot, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add onions, carrots, garlic and ginger and soute until browned. Add tails, mushrooms, juice, stock, vinegar and sriracha. Bring to boil and cover. Braise in oven three and a half hours. Remove tails from braising liquid and let cool. Strain liquia through fine-mesh sieve and transfer to large saucepan. Bring to boil and reduce by two-thirds. Stir in hoisin sauce and soy sauce and keep warm. In deep-fryer or tall-sideo pot, heat oil to 350 degrees. Remove and discara skin and fat from tails and cut into 1-inch pieces. Fry tails until crispy, about three minutes. Stir tails and green onions into sauce.

To serve: Arrange pig tails on plate with watermelon rinds alongside and serve.

[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

For the pickled watermelon rinds:

2 cups rice wine vinegar
1 cup water
2 cups sugar
2 1/2 tablespoons salt
2 tablespoons coriander seeds
1 2-inch piece ginger, peeled
1/2 watermelon, peeled, all but 1/2-inch flesh removed, cut into 1-inch
  cubes

For the pig tails:

5 pounds pig tails, cleaned
1/4 cup canola oil
1 onion, peeled and coarsely chopped
1 carrot, peeled and coarsely chopped
2 cloves garlic, peeled
1 inch ginger, peeled and coarsely chopped
1/4 ounce dried shiltake mushrooms
6 cups pear juice
2 quarts pork stock
2 tablespoons sherry vinegar
2 tablespoons sriracha*
2 tablespoons hoisin sauce
Soy sauce to taste
2 quarts canola oil
3 green onions, thinly sliced

*Thai bottled hot sauce, made from chile peppers, vinegar, salt and sugar.

JULIE FARIAS

ICI

BROOKLYN, NEW YORK

HERE AND NOW IN BROOKLYN

Julie Farias grew up in San Antonio, Texas, in a family that owned a tortilla factory, a meat market and several grocery stores. As a teenager, she worked in a gourmet shop and a branch of Chick-Fil-A, but it wasn't until a few years after she moved to Austin, Texas that she began a culinary career in earnest.

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"I was a little wild at that time," Farias says. "I moved to Austin as a teenager. I was partying and having fun, riding my bike and listening to music, eating lots of junk food." She made her first steps toward the life of a chef by volunteering to do behind-the-scenes kitchen work at a culinary festival headlined by chefs from Ottawa, Canada. "I had to make 500 quenelles of salmon rillettes," she says. "I had never done that before. The first one I did sucked, but by the 500th one, I was OK. I thought, 'Let me give cooking a try.'" With the help of the American Culinary Federation, Farias undertook a two-year apprenticeship at the Four Seasons Hotel, where she recalls taking immediately to "the discipline. Everybody had to wear the same uniform, everybody had to be at work at the same time, and everybody had a job to do. I realized that what I did was part of a much bigger picture, contributing to the brigade." She eventually enrolled in the Culinary Institute of America, and for her 18-week externship, she chose Le Cirque 2000, in Manhattan, which had only been open for six months when she arrived.

"I had never worked so many hours in my life," she says of her experience there. "I worked my tail off. It was in some ways a very difficult time for me, but I thought that if I could just break through, I might learn something." After she graduated from the CIA, Farias accepted a job offer at Le Cirque's Las Vegas outpost, where she was surprised to find a much slower pace than she'd become accustomed to in Manhattan. "I had three days off every week," says Farias, "and at that point in my life I was ready to work every hour of the day."

Fortuitously, she was present the day Daniel Boulud came to visit one of her kitchen colleagues. Within months, she had returned to New York and been installed at Cafe Boulud. Farias was thrilled to work under the guidance of Andrew Carmellini, who had been her executive sous chef at Le Cirque 2000, and whom she credits for teaching her a great deal about food.

After two and a half years at Cafe Boulud, Farias helped to open DB Bistro Moderne, spent some time in the kitchen at Le Bernardin, then returned to the Boulud family, this time at Daniel. In New York, she'd found the 80-hour work weeks she'd been craving in Las Vegas; by the end of her tenure at Daniel, though, she was ready for a change of pace, which she found alongside Zak Pelaccio at the Chickenbone Cafe, in Brooklyn.

"On my days off from Daniel, I would travel all over Brooklyn and Queens looking for unusual ingredients and checking out food, and here was Zak who was known for buying different ingredients from different neighborhoods and making a menu out of that," says Farias. "It was a good fit, and we had a lot of fun." She helped Pelaccio open 5 Ninth, his first Manhattan restaurant, as sous chef, and later made the acquaintance of Laurent Saillard, who had just opened Ici with his wife Catherine in the up-and-coming Ft. Greene neighborhood in Brooklyn. Perhaps best known as the "evil" general manager from Rocco DiSpirito's short-lived reality show The Restaurant, Saillard made an entirely different impression on Farias, one that compelled her to take over from him as chef of the 38-seat restaurant.

"Laurent might have the facade of this crazy French man, but he has the soul of a ... I don't know, he has this motherly side that he'll never admit to," she says with a laugh. She cites his decision to stock organic products whenever possible, and to make Ici a family-friendly room, no doubt inspired by his own young sons.

As for the challenges presented by her shoebox-sized kitchen, Farias looks to her Japanese colleagues for guidance. "I'm a bit Japan-obsessed. I had the opportunity to visit last January, and I found a real connection to the discipline I sought as a young cook. When I was in Tokyo, I saw some very small, very efficient kitchen spaces that just made me realize how much you can do in a small space, if you're clean and organized," she says.

At Ici, Farias has taken to ordering and breaking down sides of lamb, beef and veal, but hasn't stopped jumping in the car to scour the borough for smaller quantities of unusual finds, like the matjes herring she buys from the large Hasidic community in Williamsburg, and the Kimchi she buys from a one-woman operation in Queens. "It takes a lot of time out of the day, but I just really enjoy being a shopper, buying high-quality, handcrafted products because they're good," she laughs. "It's probably my biggest weakness."

Chamomile Consomme with Vegetables (Serves 4)

Suze Gentiane

Aperitif

France

For the consomme: Heat oil in large pot over low heat and cook onions, fennel, shallots, carrots and celery until softened. Add cucumbers, red and yellow peppers, tomatoes and mushrooms and cook until softened. Using cheesecloth, make sachet containing fennel seeds, coriander, peppercorns and chamomile. Place sachet in pot, add enough water to cover vegetables and bring to boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer, skimming as needed, for one hour. Remove sachet and strain liquid into clean pot. Over low heat, whisk in egg whites and cook until whites solidify and rise to surface. Remove whites and strain liquid through fine-mesh sieve. Season with salt, cover and chill in refrigerator.

To serve: Place consomme in shallow bowl and garnish with carrols, radishes, cucumbers and fennel. Sprinkle with shiso, mint, chives and chive blossoms and serve.

[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

For the consomme:

1/4 cup olive oil
2 yellow onions, peeled and coarsely chopped
2 fennel bulbs, coarsely chopped
4 shallots, peeled and halved
4 carrots, peeled and coarsely chopped
4 ribs celery, coarsely chopped
2 cucumbers, thinly sliced
4 red bell peppers, seeded and coarsely chopped
4 yellow bell peppers, seeded and coarsely chopped
10 plum tomatoes, seeded and coarsely chopped
2 pounds mushrooms, coarsely chopped
2 tablespoons fennel seeds
2 tablespoons coriander seeds
1 tablespoon black peppercorns
5 bunches chamomile, roots trimmed
24 egg whites
Salt to taste

For the garnish:

Baby carrots, blanched, refreshed and halved
Thinly sliced pink radishes
Thinly sliced seedless cucumbers
Thinly sliced fennel
Finely chopped shiso leaves
Julienned mint leaves
Chives
Chive blossoms

Pork and Pickles (Serves 8)

Les Mortiers

Christian Chaussard

Loire, France 2004

For the pork: Preheat oven to 275. Season pork with salt and pepper and place in deep oven-safe pan. Add kecap manis, rice wine, cinnamon, star anise, gula jawa, ginger, and enough water to cover the pork halfway. Bring to boil on stovetoo, remove from heat and cover with foil. Transfer to oven and cook until pork is very tender, about eight hours. Let cool in oan to room temperature. Lift pork from pan, remove skin and fat and shred coarsely. Strain cooking liquid through fine-mesh sieve and pour into large container. Place oork in liquid and keep warm.

For the pickled watermelon rind: In bowl, combine lime and water and add rinds. Cover and soak overnight. Bring pot of water to boil. Drain and rinse rinds and blanch in water one minute. Refresh in ice bath and drain. In large sauceoan, combine vinegar, water, sugar, allspice, cloves, ginger, cinnamon, and mustard seeds and bring to ooil. Add rinds, bring bock to boil and simmer 20 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool to room temperature Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.

For the pickled ramps: In lorge saucepan, bring vinegar, sugar, water, salt, ginger and pickling spice to boil. Add ramos and bring to boil again. Remove from heat and let cool to room temperature. Cover and refrigerate.

For the pickled green tomaloes: In saucepan, bring vinegar, water, sugar and salt to boil. Add tomatoes, return to boil, and remove from heat. Let cool to room temperature, cover and refrigerate.

For the grits: In saucepan, bring milk and water to boil. Whisk in coarse and quick grits and stir constantly until thickened. Simmer until grits are soft, about one hour, adding water as necessary to keep from drying out. Remove from heat and stir in outter. Season with salt and pepper and keep warm.

For the mustard greens: In saute pan, heat butter over medium heat. Saute bacon until browned. Pour off all but three tablespoons fat and add mustard greens. Cook until just wilted and season with salt and pepper.

To serve: Place grits in shallow bowl and top with mustard greens, pork, watermelon rind, ramps and tomatoes. Garnish with okra and baby mustard leaves and serve.

[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

For the pork:

4-pound pork shoulder, rinsed and patted dry
3/4 cup kecap manis*
1 cup rice wine
1 stick cinnamon
1 star anise
4 ounces gula jawa**
1 1-inch piece ginger, peeled and crushed
Water as needed

For the pickled watermelon rind:

1 1/2 teaspoons pickling lime
2 cups water
8 ounces watermelon rind, white part only, coarsely chopped
2 cups apple cider vinegar
1/2 cup water
2 1/2 cups light brown muscovado sugar***
1/2 teaspoon allspice berries
1/2 teaspoon cloves
1 1-inch piece ginger, peeled
1 stick cinnamon
1 1/2 teaspoons mustard seeds

For the pickled ramps:

1 cup rice wine vinegar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 cup water
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 1-inch piece ginger, peeled
1 tablespoon pickling spice
8 ounces ramps, tops removed and rinsed

For the pickled green tomatoes:

1 cup apple cider vinegar
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
2 green tomatoes, sliced crosswise

For the grits:

1 cup milk
1 cup water
1/2 cup coarse white grits
1 1/2 cups quick white grits
4 ounces butter
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

For the mustard greens:

2 ounces butter
8 ounces slab bacon, thickly julienned
1 pound mustard greens
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

For the garnish:

Hot pickled okra, halved****
Baby green mustard leaves

*Indonesion sweet soy sauce. Available through Thai Supermarket Online, [phone] or www.importfood.com.

**Palm sugar. Available through Indo Merchant, www.indomerchant.com. Brown sugar may be substituted

***Moist, unrefined cane sugar with molasses flavor. Available at natural food markets.

****Available through Talk o' Texas, [phone] or www.talkotexas.com.

Japanese Beef Stew with Bitters (Serves 8)

Pineau d'Aunis, Touraine

Thierry Puzelaf

Loire, France 2004

For the dashi: In saucepan, combine water and kombu and bring to simmer. Turn off heat, remove kombu and add bonito flakes. Cover and let sit 15 minutes. Strain through finemesh sieve and set aside.

For the stew: Heat oil in large pot over medium-high heat. Brown beef on all sides and remove from pan. Add onions and cook until softened. Return beef to pan and deglaze with sake. Stir in soy sauce, bitters, sugar and dashi. Bring to boil, skimming as needed. Reduce heat to simmer, cover and cook until beef is tender, about two hours. Add carrots and potatoes and cook until tender, about 25 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

To serve: Ladle stew into bowl, garnish with green onions and togarashi and serve.

[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

For the dashi:

2 cups water
1 3 x 3-inch piece kombu*
1/2 cup bonito flakes

For the stew:

1/4 cup canola oil
4 pounds beef chuck, cut into 2-inch pieces
1 yellow onion, peeled and thinly sliced
1 cup sake
1 cup white soy sauce
1 1/2 teaspoons Angostura[R] bitters
1 cup dark brown sugar
Dashi, from above
6 carrots, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
3 large russet potatoes, peeled and cut into
1-inch pieces
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

For the garnish:

Julienned green onions
Ichimi togarashi**

*Dark, thick, slightly sweet Japanese seaweed, sold dried; available in Asian markets and health food stores

**Ground red chili Available at Japanese markets.

Chicken Liver Schnitzel (Serves 4)

Beaujolais Fleurie

Domaine des Terres Dorees

Beaujolais, France 2004

For the shallot confit: In saucepan, combine shallots, wine, vinegar and sugar. Bring to boil, stirring to dissolve sugar. Reduce until liquid is syrupy. Set aside.

For the lemon mayonnaise: In bowl, whisk together yolks and mustard. Add oil slowly, whisking constantly to emulsify. Stir in lemon juice and season with salt and pepper. Transfer to pastry bag fitted with large round tip and refrigerate until ready to use.

For the fried lemon slices: In large saucepan, heat oil to 350 degrees. Dredge lemon slices in flour and fry until golden. Transfer to paper towels to drain and set aside.

For the chicken livers: In frying pan, heat oil and butter over medium-high heat. Dredge livers in flour, dip in egg and coat with the breadcrumbs. Fry until golden. Transfer to paper towels to drain and season with salt.

To serve: Arrange liver on plate with confit. Pipe mayonnaise alongside, garnish with lemon slice and parsley and serve.

[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

For the shallot confit:

1 pound shallots, peeled and thinly sliced
1 1/2 cups red wine
1 cup sherry vinegar
1 cup granulated sugar
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

For the lemon mayonnaise:

3 egg yolks
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 1/2 cups canola oil
Lemon juice to taste
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

For the fried lemon slices:

2 cups canola oil
1 lemon, sliced crosswise 1/4-inch thick
1/2 cup all-purpose flour

For the chicken livers:

1 cup canola oil
1 ounce butter
1 pound chicken livers, trimmed
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 eggs
2 cups panko breadcrumbs
Salt to taste

For the garnish:

Fried parsley leaves

PRODUCTION ART CULINAIRE

SCENE THE CHEF IS IN

TAKE 83

DIRECTOR G.B.

CAMERA FRANCESCO

DATE 2006