Sometimes, pictures say more than words can. This is one of those times. Last night, our eight-person team took on the cuisine of Thomas Keller, infamous chef and owner of fine dining institutions such as The French Laundry and Per Se. The result was, simply, magnificent.
Blini with Roasted Sweet Peppers, Eggplant Caviar and Pepper Confetti
Salad of Petit Tomatoes with Vine-Ripe Tomato Sorbet
Salad of Haricot Verts, Tomato Tartare, and Chive Oil
White Truffle Oil-Infused Custards with Black Truffle Ragout (not pictured)
Sauteed Cod with Cod Cakes and Parsley Oil
Butter-Poached Main Lobster with Creamy Lobster Broth and Mascarpone-Enriched Orzo
As if anything could top sitting down to a meal of Keller’s finest (for nowhere near the actual cost of a meal at one of his restaurants, I might add), Chef awarded us the highest praise. After warning us since early last week that Thomas Keller night would push us to our limits and make us hate the class, we rocked it out at an unrelenting pace and had all the food up, perfectly executed, on time (seriously, look at these plates, my classmates are artists!). In a rare moment devoid of constructive criticism, Chef said, quite simply, “You have set the bar tonight for this class. I’m extremely impressed.”
And that is surely due to the great things we have learned, and the amazing team we have in our classroom. I can think of no better thing to be thankful for.
I want the lobster please