Mario Sounds Off..

.. and boy is he pissed.

Thanks to Bob Del Grosso for pointing this one out on his blog.

Mario Batali Chimed in and gave his two cents on food blogs/bloggers. The piece cuts deep and quick getting right to the point and making a very strong stance.

It has left me to think a lot about what I post and ask myself "Is this valid, non-slanderous information?".

The only response I can come up with, God I hope so!

I hate misinformation and down right mud slinging as much as Batali it seems. Now at the moment I can’t hold a candle to his wealth of information or skill (yet, mind you) but I try my best to dig and learn before I speak.

Batali brings up a really good point about blogs being nothing more then a conduit for mudslinging and misinformation. The internet in general is a polluted sea of garbage you have to wade through to find some real worthwhile stuff, and blogs are no exception.

But for some a blog is nothing more then a soapbox they can stand on and preach and hope someone sees their point of view. It’s like walking through a bazaar of self proclaiming prophets and seers who will tell you what they know is truth and what they say is gospel.

So how do you safe guard yourself? What can you do to make sure the information you post is correct and not opinion?

I’m not sure I have the answer really. I can tell you what I do. I email, I call, I search for the topic in more then one location, and I ask a lot of questions. I’m not saying that this is the right thing to do in regards to finding out fact vs fiction, but its what I know to do right now.

And sometimes Im very wrong in what I report. But if I can catch it, and I can look deeper into it Ill try my best to face the facts and own up to the fact I was wrong, and if I can find the right information Ill tell you about it. That’s all I can promise.

Now it sounds by now that I’m defending myself and my blog. Yeah, you’re probably right, but Batali makes a damn good point and brings the issue to forefront of my mind.

He ends his post by saying:
But, in the end, I do not hate the blogger. I just expect, and want, more from many of them.

He’s absolutely right. There’s too much misinformation already, I refuse to add to the garbage. So, I hope in some small way, that I meet those expectations Mr. Batali.. and if I do not, then I hope to improve till I do.

The Very, Scary, Reality

I was looking through the NY Times Dining and Wine section this evening when I stumbled across an article that drew me in. A topic of hot debate for me with my fellow students and co-workers for years this article only works to comfirm the deepest fears of any culinary student.

The Article written by Kim Severson touches on the difficulty of Culinary Arts students securing a well enough paying job to balance the loan cost at the end of school.

The article itself does an excellent job of pinpointing one of the biggest myths about culinary school in general, especially at this day in age, that every graduate will be the next Julia Child or Emeril.

"They want to cook. They just did not realize how deep in debt they would end up.".. The proof, as they say, is in the pudding.

So what happens when you leave culinary school 48,000$ in debt and can only land a job making 10.50$ an hour?

"As a result, as many as 11 percent of graduates at some culinary schools are defaulting on federal student loans. The national average for all students last year was roughly half that, at 5.1 percent."

So why? Why after paying 48 thousand (and often more) cant culinary graduates secure a higher paying job?

Its not for a lack of work, the culinary field as a whole has always had a gapping hole for a hard working well trained work force. But with the rise of culinary schools in the last ten years ( as per ShawsGuide to Culinary Schools a rise of 322 since 1989) there has been an influx of "trained" foodservice workers. The Department of Labor claiming the average wage earned by these workers, a whopping 9.86$ an hour.

So lets do the math.
Average loan of 48,000 divided by a standard 10 year loan plan= 4,800 a year divided by 12 months= 400 a month.
9.86 x 40 hours a week= 393$ (pre tax).. so well say 260$ a week x 4 weeks= 1040$
1040$- 400$=

640$ a month on which to live.

Thats with going by the book, which we all should well know by now isnt how it works. That 400$ a month is more like 600$ after interest rates. That 40 hours a week is lucky if you can secure a job that has the hours to give.

The numbers alone are enough to scare anyone. More so those paying for the schooling out of their own pocket (Myself included). So why? why do it?

I cant speak for anyone else but myself. For me, its never been about the money, or the fame. I never wanted to be Julia Child (Though she did know how to have fun with a chicken!) or even the next Bobby Flay (I think my skin just crawled).

Dont get me wrong, I want to do great things with food and in the industry. But I need no spotlights or tv shows to do that. The respect of my fellow foodies, the brutial honesty of critics, and an open communication with the seasoned chefs is all I want.

Ive said for years, If I can pay my monthly bills and have enough left over to feel at ease I will be content, but a big part of that, a HUGE part of that is having a job I can wake up to everyday that challanges me, that pushes me to better myself, that teaches me and forces me to think and act.

Without that, hell I could go be a doctor with the money I shell out for culinary school. But I wouldnt be happy with the work I do.

So with the looming debt, and uncertainty of income ahead Im probably crazy for what Im doing.. but you know the saying..

Theres a fine line between Genius and Insanity.

But Kudos to Kim Severson for touching on the dark and dirty side of the Culinary Youth.

In Search of...

A co-workers family is due in tomorrow for dinner. I offered to do an Amuse Bouche for her.

Now its 1 am and I find myself turning to the internet of all places for an idea or something to get the creative juices that have all but dried up after a 15 or so hour shift.

In my search I find myself boggled by the amount of "Recipe" websites and blogs that offer very little in the way of creative ideas. For example on googled search led me to Recipes.com, which isnt even a recipe database its mearly another google-like link site.

Due to my current state being away from home and the rest of my personal belongings I am devoid of what little food books I have. Currently I feel like, how do I put this, a pirate without a parrot. Ok maybe not the best association but work with me here, Long shift today remember?

Anyway, so I spent an hour or so trying to find at least some decent idea or something to jog a flow of thought. My mind keeps going back to the asparagus soup I made last week but I was hoping to try something new.

I thought something with blueberries might lend a bright and fresh color, but I dont want to do something sweet. I dont think it will go well with the menu at all.

I have a few ideas currently but not sure how I feel about them just yet.

-Broccoli soup with herb infused Creme Fraiche and red pepper couli, served in a shot glass

-Broccoli soup with Pancetta and shaved truffle, served in a porcelain spoon

-Apple Consomme with fruit and vanilla shaving, served in a shot glass

again the last would be a great Intermezzo but Im not sure about an Amuse.

My mind keeps going to Broccoli or Asparagus for the reason that both lend themselves to a nice smooth, glossy, and vibrant green when made into a soup.

Whatever I end up doing Ill be sure to share... but I cant think on it anymore now.

8 Am shift comes early, to early.