Chef d-d-d-d-dancing way past our bedtime
By Mary Brown Malouf
01/27/10 - 01:41 PM
Because I judged the Nicholas & Co. Ultimate Chef Challenge at their big food show last June, I was invited to join the table when it was winner John Murcko's turn to cook at Chefdance. That was last night.
Limo picked us up at KMart at 6 p.m. (really), Nicholas president Peter Mouskondis popped some bubbly and we got out in front of Harry O's half an hour later.
Seven hours and nine million glasses of wine later, we were back home.
How was it?
The underground space is cooler than ever; Chefdance founder Kenny Griswold excavated another room, digging out dirt until he uncovered stacked stone foundation walls. Long candlelit tables were set up in this room where the only other light was from spots set in the concrete floor.
I always head for the kitchen right away at these events and see what's really going on. I have to say it made me happy to find execu-chef Murcko really cooking. In fact, he was doing one of the most onerous prep jobs ever: stemming parsley. Points for that. But maybe John isn't the speediest parsley picker—dinner was a long time coming.
In a way, this was Murcko's coming out party. Not like that, not that there's anything wrong with that. But he left public kitchens a long time ago to work with Talisker's private clubs, and just two weeks ago re-appeared as top toque at Talisker on Main. I haven't been there yet, but if what we ate last night was indicative of meals to come, I'm there.
- A cleverly cut deviled egg topped with caviar, served on a square of wood. Pretty presentation of a pretty pedestrian idea.
- Braised oxtail with nearly liquid whipped potatoes, cilantro to cut the fat and a potato crisp on top. Fabulous
- A sashimi charlotte—a quarter pound of raw fish with fennel slaw. In my opinion, too large a portion; big as a burger. But undeniably delicious.
- Lamb chops. What, really? Yes, just lamb chops, cooked rare and garnished with fresh thyme on the twig and a melange of vegetables, by which I do NOT mean the peas/carrots/beans thing, but a whole garden's worth of confetti-cut, perfectly cooked for slight crunch and full flavor.
- Avocado clafouti with red grapefruit, chile and lime. Lovely, light, creamy and NOT chocolate.
Looking at some of the other meals that have been served in the name of Sundance this week makes you appreciate the effort made by Murcko and his partner in the kitchen, Clement Gelas, chef at the Canyons. Kathy Stephenson over at the SLTrib did a menu round-up of five and all five offered braised meat (usually shortribs) as an entree and something chocolate for dessert.
A braise is so much easier to serve at an event like this—all 225 portions can be cooked properly ahead, so service is just a matter of making sure the food is hot and attractive. Cooking lamb chops to the correct degree of doneness and delivering those—also hot and pretty—to 225 diners is a much trickier proposition.
So chefs Murcko and Gelas nailed it.
But in the early morning end—after the loooooong cocktail hour, the five-course dinner and the after party (was I dancing? was that disco? is this really how the famous people play?) mingling with throngs of non-celebrities, I have to conclude that the evening nailed me. My chefdancing shoes are worn out.
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