May 12, 2007

• Iron Chef: Mom vs. Thomas Keller

  

  Mother’s Day Weekend Special

  New Orleans, LA – New York City, NY

  ~~BATTLE STEAK~~

  Challenger Mom:
  A little background on my mom.. Great mother, sister, wife, daughter, and domestic chef from Vietnam. Cooks a beautiful American style steak! Also has the ability to cook any Vietnamese dish and even some other ethnic cuisines too. (Chinese, Thai… etc..) Her cooking prepared my palate for the World of Culinary Arts, she helped in making me a Chef! Her food is amazing, she puts a great deal of care into preparation and takes a lot of pride in her work. Thanks mom, you are my Executive Chef! Happy Mother’s Day! =)

  
   Seared Ribeye Steak with Sauteed Corn

  
  Sauteed Sweet Buttered Corn

  
  Ribeye Medium Rare 

  And in the other corner..

  Iron Chef Thomas Keller:
  A little background on Thomas Keller.. Self-taught Chef who went to the School of the Hardknocks. Traveled to France and apprenticed at some of the top restaurants in the world. Opened his restaurant “The French Laundry” in the early 90′s and it’s now the #1 restaurant in the world according to most publications and critics. He has also influenced my career, style and techniques. I have a great amount of respect for Chef Keller!

  
  “Calotte De Boeuf Grillee”
  
  My mom’s Ribeye Steak was seasoned just the way like it! The tangy marinade and the tenderness of the meat left nothing to be desired. It weighed in at 16 ounces! The sweet corn created the perfect balance to the entree. The buttery, garlic-infused composition of the sauteed corn completed my meal!

  It’s only fair to judge the great chef Thomas Keller to higher standards. His “Calotte De Boeuf Grillee” dish was not his only course of this meal.. When I ate at Per Se, we had a 9 course meal.. so each course had to contend against the other eight for attention. But I do remember this dish. The preparation was flawless and the Keller crew not only procured the best beef available, they also did a terrific job accentuating the quality and the richness without over-doing it! Essentially it’s the meat wrapped around the Ribeye that the Butcher usually disposes of… Keller skillfully utilizes this neglected piece and earns extra points.

  Verdict:
  **Chef Mom wins!
  Mom’s steak cost less and had way more flavor with relatively less effort! And it is Mother’s Day.. when else can Keller get knocked off his throne? lol

  Overall Rating:   + (out of 7 )
  

  Happy Mother’s day to all the Chef Moms and Moms of Chefs out there! You are the women that started the magic in the kitchen! I’m grateful to have such a wonderful mother! And for those non-moms out there, take care of your mom this weekend!

  Future Entries:
  Restaurant Cypress – Metairie, LA
  Herbsaint – New Orleans, LA
  

   

  • 1:24 am
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