Friday Night Dinner in Ottawa!

Dear blog and anyone following my blog,

I apologize for the tardiness in writing again. My business is developing in leaps and bounds, with all its twists and turns, which is good news for the business but hard to find time to write. Like a good friend that you've been meaning to contact or write, this is the way I felt about the blog. I think about it often, it's right there every day on my list to do, but somehow other things overtake my day and there is never the right moment. Today, a beautiful day in Ottawa, I was just about to head out for a run and was checking the weather and then there it was again.... my blog yelling out for me to write in it, visit it, anything. So, I thought, what harm could there be in just a visit.

Well, after realizing I hadn't written since April 3, I decided to just start. This is the way the blogging always happens just like trying to exercise or doing something healthy for yourself. You know you're going to feel so good and satisfied afterwards, but why the delay then? All these tricks and pep talks we have to give ourself... "ok, just five minutes and see how it goes, ok?" Well, I think it's the perfectionist side in me that says if I can't do it well then why bother or I can only do this if it's the right time or I'm in the right mood, which never comes as we know. Actually, I find when I'm in a sleepy haze in the morning, when my brain has just started kicking in, is probably the best time for writing, also for exercising, as long as I'm not too tired or achy. So, all this to say, I finally got my bod in here in the driver's seat to write to you and my apologies.

What has happened since the last entry on April 3? Lots!! Where do I begin? The big news is that Friday the 13th was a very lucky day for me. That was the day of my big gourmet vegan dinner, the inaugural one, with my colleague and fellow chef Gregg. The planning, the logisitics, the endless details, etc. etc. It was all exciting, exhausting and overwhelming at times. It felt like being on one of those whitewater rafting trips, with me not steering, but another compotent person who knew our direction, and I was paddling when I could, hanging on for dear life when I would get bounced up through turbulent white waters, and enjoying the few moments when there was calm. The good news is the direction has always been filled with much passion and interesting things.

Well, the dinner and the evening, what can I say, turned out wonderful, beyond what I could have ever imagined. I did imagine the dinner during my meditations as being full of exciting and great food, warm and comforting ambiance and vibes, and interesting and caring people. Well, as my yoga teacher and other teachers along the way have said, you really have to become clear in your mind what you want, in all its glorious details, and once you are clear and strong, it's amazing what can happen. Too often we don't know what we want and are fuzzy and vague. I was like this for a long time but part of the problem is because I was thinking of grandious dreams and plans in the future vs. just starting from where I was and just imaging how things could be that are closer and more realistic, for example, the preparation for a meeting or interview with someone that is making you anxious. or staying calm and centred during the preparation of a meal.

The location for the dinner has always been the one big challenge for me and probably where I spend a lot of my time, trying to find new locations and making arrangements with existing ones. I would like to find a constant place that works well for me and my guests but that hasn't happened as yet. The location for this one was fine but the last minute challenges were trying and got the adreline going, such as hiring people from the cafe to work the event but having them quit or not available at the last moment, and having to call friends the night before in desparation to find someone to serve and help out. One hour to the opening of the dinner, Dave, maitre d'/organizer/server/food taster/partner/support system extraordinaire, said it was like one of those scenes on Opening Soon on TV where they are trying to prepare for the launch party or something. He had thought they were faking it. How could they have so many problems at the last minute, how could the set up be right at the end and be just finished prior to opening, like a few minutes before, and how could they ever finish in time. Well, doubt no more. That's what we were like with even the best laid plans and lists. Some things just don't come together to the last minute, for example, challenges in moving high heavy tables downstairs to make way for the set up of the banquet tables because we had to wait for customers to leave, make room in the basement, etc. etc. Therefore, this held up the whole set up of the front-of-house. However, once this was resolved, and my dear friend came, recruting her dear sister along the way, we were rolling into action and I was so relieved. You never really appreciate friends and the generousity of people until you are caught in difficult and stressful situations. I hadn't waitressed in about 15-20 years but did it for such a long time through high school, college and afterwards, for about 10 years, I knew what to do to set up quickly. With the help of my dear friend, who was in a similar situation of waitressing like 20 years ago, and exhausted from troubles of her own, we were a great team and worked together like we were 20 years younger. Her sister helped set up the tables and took on the important dish washing task so we could keep the dishes under control before and during service. Federal public servant by day and kitchen organizer at night. She had that washing station running very effectively, quickly and with a smile. She seemed satisfied to help out and was pleased that she could keep everything under control and play a important function in the dinner. Who says public servant skills are not transferable and it's funny where you get your satifaction from. I know public servant jobs can be frustrating at times and it's nice to have a job, however small, with total control and responsibility of your area, get things done and out, play a vital role, and be truly appreciated. Perhaps we can have a program for public servants if they're feeling down or frustrated, to try more physical jobs that they can feel a sense of accomplishment and purpose from almost immediately. I'd sign up ZenKitchen for that program.

Anyway, the dinner? The menu was as follows and I'll post it up on the website as well:

Tonight's Menu

The menu is carefully planned and balanced, using all natural and whole foods, organic and local ingredients to the greatest extent possible, and is 100% vegan, with no egg, dairy, fish or animal products. After the meal, you'll have the opportunity to ask the chefs about the food and how it was prepared.

Harira
Moroccan lentil sauce, schug oil, cilantro cress

New Ceasar Salad
Organic baby romaine and mizuna greens, matchstick carrots, Caesar vinaigrette, toasted herbed croutons

Butternut Squash Gnocchi
White bean puree with white truffle oil, mushroom-chipotle-ancho cream, sauteed local wild mushrooms

Mexican Hot Chocolate Torte
Dark chocolate sauce, creme anglaise, blood orange sauce

Gregg and I took ages to plan out every detail to ensure that the meal was exciting in appearance, colours, textures and flavours from beginning to end. And, there were always the surprises in cooking and during service when you have to make last minute changes and adaptations. This is the part that can be interesting and stressful, with the stressful part coming in when you don't have much time to fix any problems or mistakes, which are bound to happen when dealing with such a sensitive matter such as food and delicate textures, tastes and colours. It's like a conductor and you have to think of all the different components at the same time, while keeping the creative piece flowing and the team together. We knew that service would be a challenge with 10 big soup pots in the way, an electric stove that was far away from the service area, and limited space for the servers to move in and out with their dishes.

During the preparations for the dinner, I promised myself that I would try to stay as calm and peaceful as possible, although cooking is normally quite stressful process especially during service and restaurant kitchens are often full of adreline and rush. I wanted to do this for myself and because I believe my energy and energies from those working in the kitchen can transfer into the food and ambiance of the food. I don't know if it's since I read that book called Coyote Cowgirl I believe where what ever she was feeling went into the food, or the Chocolate movie, or just through studies of retreat and meditation centres and how they approach cooking. Anyway, I tried to keep calm through the preparation and Gregg helps as he is calm, steady and positive and lots of fun to work with. Just before leaving for the cafe, we were in the usual panic, and I told Gregg I wanted to meditate before so I could remain calm and cool for the evening and be fully present for it. He thought this was a good idea.

I came back after meditation, calm and ready to tackle the dinner and Gregg said he rested and went to the washroom, while I was doing so, and had a revelation. That was to use the soup pots that were in the way to our advantage for the various things we needed to keep warm. What a great idea we put into action when we went to the cafe. It was bit tricky as they had settings wer were not used to and it was a different way to cook, not learned in any culinary school, but we put it into practice and it saved the day. It was funny to see Gregg infront of the pots, constantly opening up the lids, stirring things, adjusting the temperatures and keeping everything under control. He was like the soup nazi on Seinfeld but much nicer of course.

We were supposed to have an extra helper in the kitchen but this didn't work out and we had the partner of my friend walk in early after work, the first to arrive, and ask if we needed any help. Well, this wouldn't seem extraordinary except that he had worked in kitchens for a lot of his life before changing careers and was happy to help out with advice, support, etc. Wow, we really needed him at that point as I had been busy with Dave sorting out front-of-house challenges and Gregg was busy trying to adjust cooking with soup pots and other new techniques and tools. Adaptation and flexibility are some of the keys to cooking we're finding out, especially when you have a "floating restaurant" as Dave likes to call my gourmet dinners as they float from location to location around town.

It was wonderful to see people arriving and waving to them from the kitchen. I knew a lot of the people and I couldn't speak to them as I was busy in the kitchen but I could feel their encouragement and support throughout the evening, as if I was going to run a marathon or something and they were on the cheering line, except with good food as their reward. After the dinner, Gregg and I went out for the Q and A to loud applause from everyone. As Gregg said, that few seconds of fame and appreciation was worth all the hard work of cooking and anxiety prior to and during service. It felt so great! Everyone raved about the food and were so complimentary, asking few questions as they were full and satisfied. It is so satisfying to create such a gourmet vegan meal for the crowd, with only a few that are vegetarian, and have them all absolutely love it. That was one of the goals of having the dinner, to show people that vegan and vegetarian food can be upscale, gourmet, lovely, while being healthful and sustainable by supporting local farmers and suppliers as much as possible. It doesn't have to be what people usually think of when they think vegetarian... tofu with dried beans and mushy brown rice. It can be exciting, unique and fun.

We handed out an evaluation form and the comments and ratings were valuable and rewarding. I will use some of the comments as testimonials on the web site as they are so refreshing and supportive...

"I was intrigued by the vegan-ness of the dinner... absolutely magnificent, great flow to the evening... I have never had a vegan meal before and it was delicious!... very high dining experience and I will definitely recommend it to my friends... the food was fantastic... such a refreshing experience not to have to screen all of your food, the concept rocks!.. I can't get over the mexican chocolate torte and I may be thinking about it for weeks... Keep going, you have an awesome gift... I am in the process of changing my diet to a "greener" more organic fare and this meal was a timely event in the evolution of my diet... very good grastronomical experience, I loved it.. turned out to be absolutely wonderful and one of the most creative dinner expeirences I have ever witnessed - bravo!... good idea, good good food... first ever vegan meal - wow!... the application of culinary theory to a relatively obscure diet... absolutely amazing, thank you so much.... absolutely delicious, no one would have guessed that the meal was entirel vegan... my first introduction to a complete vegan meal and it was exceelent. I definitely want to learn more and taste more."

See what I mean? I could sleep with these comments under my pillow and pull them out whenever I'm down or need a lift. If only for that, organizing the dinner was well worth it. Also, I was thrilled that people that normally have to be careful about eating or going out for meals, or often feel sick after eating meals out, were able to eat my food without any problems. For example, some one with lactose-intolerance said that she usually has to stay away from pasta as there is usually cheese and cream sauces and also from baked goods which she loves because of the milk, butter, etc. She was devouring my meal with much pleasure and satisfaction. Another person with a problem with cheese said she didn't have to worry about what was in the food. Another person who is a vegetarian said she didn't have to monitor or worry that anything was cooked with animal products even if it is labelled vegetarian, i.e. animal broths in cooking and oils used for both vegetarian and meat cooking. Other people said that they were trying to eat more healtful and greener and this was a good introduction. These kind of comments were very rewarding and what my cooking is all about!

Well, I had put out a challenge to Ottawa to tell me if they were open to trying delicious gourmet vegan cuisine and more healthful cooking, as I just didn't know what the reaction would be from the city. But, so far, the reaction has been a very loud "yes" and so many people I speak to and connect with love the idea and want to jump onboard for gourmet dinners or cooking classes. I'm still in shock. The first dinner was a trial to see if people would like the food and concept, and a lot of colleagues and friends came to support me and because they are foodies and were intrigued by the concept. Dave says they come the second time because they truly enjoyed the food and experience. So, that evening Dave took several reservations for the dinner, and they kept on coming in over the next few days, either direct reservations by friends or these people at the dinner told neighbours, colleagues, co-workers, friends, etc. that they had such a wonderful dinner experience and they wanted to reserve right away. Even before the dinner, I had almost half of the next May dinner full and by the weekend right after the April 13 dinner I was almost full. Wow!

I am looking for another location that would be a bit bigger and more comfortable for guests and I think I have come up with a solution as the Helsinki Lounge approached me to host the next gourmet dinner at their place as the manager loves the concept of the dinner. So, the next dinner date will probably be changed to Monday, May 28 and will be at Helsinki in the Market, which means that we have the entire lounge, downstairs dance bar, and outside patio right in the historic Byward Market. Some people thought Fridays for a dinner were a bit tiring after work and suggested other days, but everyone said they would return and tell their friends about the dinner. Monday is the best day for Helsinki as the other days at the end of the week are prime bar nights for them. So, I thought, why not try Monday for people to start off the week on the right foot. Mondays are usually tiring and people are usually not looking forward to them after the weekend, so why not have something to look forward to, start the week on the right foot, and this concept is still in experimental stage so why not try new approaches, days, etc. Change keeps things interesting especially if you are in control of the change. Perhaps we'll always be in this experimental stage, which will keep us on our toes.

It was almost unanimous among guests that I undercharged for the meal and they felt that the value of the food was extremely high. This fact, along with other factors - the cost of the ingredients we use in the cooking, being all whole foods, organic and local when we can and being quite high... the extra time we take in making everything from scratch... the cost of the venue... the cost of rental of tables, chairs, tablecloths, etc.... hiring professional service staff next time around...d Gregg and I hope to make a few bucks out of this one day to pay our bills - confirms that I need to increase the rate slightly, probably to $45 and have a cash bar. At Helsinki, there were will a cash bar and waiters to serve guests their dinner and beverages, and people will have to pay for service this time around or show their appreciation, meaning tips.

Gregg and I have already started planning the next menu and coming up with ideas after a slight recuperation period. I'm thinking of an Asian theme in celebration of May being Asian Heritage Month. We're trying for the same wow factor as last time. The good news is that we did well but the downside is that we have to live up to this reputation the next time around. Now I know what it feels like when you're a professional musician or athlete. How to keep up the same standard, and even up the record, for the next time. A lot of pressure and excitement, and hopefully we can use the excitement and momentum from the last dinner to propel us to newer and greater heights with the next menu or composition. Stay tuned...

By the way, the Thursday before the dinner, I had a photo shoot with the photographer from Ottawa Magazine as they are doing a piece on green gourmet and living locally and are doing brief profiles on a few people, including me. I thought it would be a brief shoot, and working in communications, I had set up many people before for shoots and interviews, telling them it was no big deal and not too worry. Now, with me being in the limelight, it was a whole different matter and quite anxiety-producing with the photographer wanting different poses, angles, moods, heights, etc. Good thing I have been watching Top Model episodes, but watching and doing is an entirely different matter, especially when you are nervous. I have a whole new appreciation for the clients I work with, models, and those chefs on TV that have too cook, often under pressure, create certain moods, and look good all at the same time. Where do you go to school for that? I guess that's why cooking classes are a good beginning, which reminds me to let you know that I'll be teaching cooking classes at the Urban Element starting in May and then in June and July. I went for a training session on April 4 to watch the current chef and master Bruce Wood in action and he will be a hard act to follow as he is passionate about cooking and teaching, has numerous years of experience cooking and teaching, and has been instrumental in using and showcasing local farmers and unique ingredients to his audiences. With Bruce leaving, the Urban Element will now have a core group of chef instructors featuring different cuisines instead of just one chef and instructors. My area will be the vegan/vegetarian and healthful cooking area I believe, which actually there was a lot of interest in when Bruce introduced us at the end of the cooking class. One man said his daughter is vegetarian and he's concerned that she is eating a balanced diet and will bring her for one of my classes. Another woman says she wants to learn about Japanese cooking and will attend the one I am doing on that. So I am hoping that all the classes fill up quickly so that they can go ahead. I tried to make them exciting with an interesting menu based on an ethnic theme using unique ingredients. For more information, visit my website... www.zenkitchen.ca and to register to go the Urban Element website... www.theurbanelement.ca

I had a call this week from a woman that was referred to me from someone who I did a small catering gig for and she needed help. Her house was undergoing renovations and she was having some friends over for dinner. She had already cancelled once and didn't want to cancel again but with no cooking skills, the house under construction, and her friends foodies and wanting good food, what should she do? Well, I felt like superwoman coming to the rescue, providing her with a menu that was delicious, balanced and beautiful. She said she wanted to do something unique and thought her friends would think that a vegan meal would be interesting. Also, most of them were on diets and watching their weights so something more health conscious would be a good thing. Dave and I went over before her dinner party to set up so that all she would have to do is prepare the house and get herself ready. I told her she was progressive and ahead of her time as this was very common in cities like New York where hiring personal chefs and support to dinner parties is very popular with people realizing that they can't do everything and wanting to serve their friends great food. For the party, I shopped for the food, prepared the food, put it into nice vessels, and spoke to her before the party to tell her what she had to do... start with the appetizers outside with wine on the patio... move inside to have the baby greens salad and sesame ginger vinaigrette... take out the four serving dishes from the oven - gnocchi with a cream sauce, truffled white bean-leek puree with carmelized local wild mushrooms, assorted roasted vegetabless... take out the fresh fruit compote from the fridge and give people bowls, serve the plate with the handrolled chocolate truffles in case people wanted a little bit of chocolate and decadence after the meal. She was very appreciative and thankful, and I'm just hoping that the food was ok when served at the table. You never know when you leave your creation in the oven and can't monitor and serve it to the guests yourself. Today we go back to pick up the dirty dishes. So, you see how this kind of service could be so enticing for a busy working person who wants to entertain at her house. I just think we're still in denial and perfectionists, or at least I am, that we have to do everything and be all things, and therefore we don't do anything or don't entertain as often as would like. Yes, it does cost money to hire someone but if you have the money available, it frees your mind and spirit to do other things involved in entertaining and perhaps you'll entertain more often with support. You can see why the personal chefing business is growing by leaps and bounds in major cities in the US and the idea is seeping into cities in Canada. Actually, from the Natural Gourmet school, the most demand is for personal chefs from our school to help clients in the NYC, and not just celebrities and high profile clients like our chef instructor that used to work for the Seinfelds. There are a lot of people that call into our recruitment person looking for chefs to help busy families or working professionals by cooking a few prepared meals a week (imagine coming home to find a few delicious meals in your fridge and a clean kitchen), or cooking for someone with dietary restrictions or allergies... low fat, diabetes, lactose-intolerance, kosher, etc. They know that the chefs from our school are trained first in health supportive cooking and its principles, and making food delicious and appetizing at the same time.

There's no business no food business they say...