Been a few weeks.....

Well, its been a few weeks since I have been here to post. Its been a very busy week !!! 

I am still getting used to all of the ins and outs of the organization. Its seems that every day I find out something new that I'm supposed to know about the people I work with and for. The learning curve is huge but I am still enjoying the work.

I had the opportunity to cook dinner for a group 8 last Saturday. They had placed the winning bid at a silent auction at a charity dinner. They were going to do the dinner at their house but they were convinced to hold it at the Bistro instead. It was so much fun!!!! They were a great group and they really knew how to have fun. We did a 7 course dinner and wine tasting where our local wine guru Cat Robinson explained the wine he had chosen for that particular course and then they came into the kitchen and I explained to them what I was doing. Then they sat down and we served them the course. They had fun coming into the kitchen and I had fun showing them my world. Here is the Menu I chose for them...

Chicken Broth with Julienne Vegetables

Vine Ripened Yellow Tomatoes Stuffed with Baby Artisan Lettuces

Garnished with White Balsamic Pickled Candy Cane Beets

Wild Mushroom and Sugar Snap Pea Risotto

Lobster and Prawn Perogies Served with a Citrus Cream

Fort Garry Dark Ale Sorbet

Roasted Pork Loin with Apple Chutney Cream

White and Red Creamer Potatoes

Red, Yellow and Orange Baby Carrots

Flourless Chocolate Cake

Frozen Grand Marnier Souffle

Bruled Lemon Tart

The table setting was absolutely sexy !!!!

This was one of my first big dinners that I have done. Most of the places that I have worked at through my career never did this kind of stuff so it was exciting and challenging to do. 

I really hope that they bid on the dinner next year....... I'm ready to party again !!!!!

Batman and Robin

I'm not sure if you have heard of the saying that "behind every man is a good woman". In most cases that is very true, but I also want to look at some of the other great teams in history.....
Batman and Robin.........

The Lone Ranger and Tonto.......

 
Abbot and Costelllo.........

Laurel and Hardy.......

I have always wanted to be a crime fighter but... for those of you who know me know that I would NOT look good in a pair of tights. Could I be The Lone Ranger's side kick...... not likely...I'm allergic to horses. Maybe I could be the next Costello or Hardy....probably not....that's cuz Abbot and Laurel are a little....shall we say..... ummm... passed on to that great stage in the sky.



So.....I just went ahead and created a new team.....no.. we cant leap tall buildings... we can't stop a bullet with our teeth..... but watch yourself if you spill coffee on his nice clean floor or you take one of my ladels without asking cuz we'll just have to.......

TAKE.....YOU......DOWN !!!!!!

Here is the Team of CHEF AND MATTY !!!!!!

Welcome To My First Blog

Well.....Here it is world. My very first blog as the new Corporate Executive Chef of Pratts Food Services!!

I have entered into a really exciting part of life and career. Working for a Manitoba organization doing all of the things that I like to do. Cooking, teaching, schmoozing and interacting with many kinds of people. Now that's a job !!!!

So what is Pratts Food Services?? Pratts is a food services distribution company that supplies perishable and non-perishable items to hotels, restaurants and institutions in Northwestern Ontario, Manitoba and Saskatchewan. Pratts has been a part of the local distribution chain for over 100 years and is growing in market share everyday.

During the last few years members of the Pratts Food Services executive team developed and introduced an innovative and exciting project to Winnipeg. And this project was named Bistro 101.

Bistro 101 is the Culinary Education facility for Pratts Food Services. It is an operational showroom where clients can see, touch and smell everything.

This is where I fit into the picture. It is my job to show off everything that is in Bistro. From the latest in equipment technology to the next innovation in food products. I educate food service operators in the hows and whys of all things food service. From menu development, implementation and execution using the many items that Pratts sells out of its 225,000 sq. ft. warehouse to showing them how to use that new piece of equipment they just bought. I also educate Pratts Territory Managers on any new developments in equipment and food products. They are able to see, touch, smell and taste so that they can go out into the field and sell their products. And finally I work with the many Pratts vendors in introducing their next innovative product to our Territory Managers and clients.

I am looking forward to sharing my thoughts with you. I hope you will join me on my journey.

Cheers,

Chef Raymond