What are the 5 recipes I should make before starting my cafe?
My husband and I plan to start an all-gluten-free lunch/dinner cafe within the next 5 years. I can't take culinary classes because I'm too allergic to gluten to be in a flour-flying environment, so I'm homeschooling myself in the culinary arts. I try new recipes all the time and have no problem converting them to gluten-free. But what should my core curriculum be? What should I be practicing for technique and knowledge? (Yes, we both have experience working in restaurants; I'm just a little terrified to be completely in charge of all the food!)
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Or raw for use in a tabouli type salad. (with some spinach and a nice greek dressing).
Try some tagine recipes too, it works well l cooked and seasoned with those on top.
http://www.food52.com/recipes/14493_cauliflower_couscous
@boulangere: I've already had that job and it taught me a lot. The main reason I don't have it still is that this particular gluten-free bakery was very poorly managed when I was there. But I was in charge of all the savory items for the bakery for a few months. I wouldn't dare start a cafe without having worked in the business--it's very good advice! I wish I could get another job in a regular bakery/cafe, but the last time I did that, I started getting really sick because of all the gluten flour around. Fortunately, my husband's worked in restaurants for the last 8 years and I'm a regular sight hanging out asking questions of the kitchen staff (and bringing them gluten-free cookies).
The menu of the cafe will be at least half prepared ahead: specialty shepherd's pies, pot pies, quiche, baked goods, etc. Besides that, it'll be skewed towards basic pub fare, though on the healthy side: baked potatoes, salads, fries (gotta have those), dips, pickled eggs, layered polentas, flat breads. Specials of rice or quinoa tagines, stews, soups, chili. A wide variety of options, but a fairly limited day-to-day offering, so anyone could eat there 5 times in a week and never eat the same thing twice. It'll all be gluten-free, but beyond that anything may turn up on the menu. It'll be called Beyond Celery, the name of my blog. Any really classic recipes I should make at least once to know them, though?
Maybe your core curriculum should be what you love to cook, and maybe you should recruit a mentor who is a great cook and is not gluten free or vegan or any lable and you create together.
An example is Roxanne Klein and Charlie Trotter getting together to do a RAW book. Charlie Trotter is a meat chef, well known. Who knew?
syronai, you're pretty darn skilled already. i think in terms of things like knife skills and a lot of the basics in mechanics and chemistry (braising v. roasting v. searing; how leavening (in all its forms) works; how to cook a perfect egg, etc. etc. etc.) you are probably pretty far ahead of the curve already. perhaps the skill that you are least likely to have is how to run a kitchen from the business side: minimizing waste, keeping costs low, ordering and developing relationships with purveyors.
there are textbooks in culinary school. i'm sure you can get your hands on one, and just work your way through if you want to be sure you have the skill set down. there is generally also information about kitchen management in those books as well.
i can't wait to come eat at chez syronai! (or whatever you're going to call it : ) )
What kinds of things do you plan to make? I am so happy for you. I have never taken a cooking class in my life (other than a team-building cooking party for a business outing), so I am eager to hear what our friends here recommend. ;o)