[Sca-cooks] OOP - Meal Test for Chef's Certification

[kingstaste at mindspring.com]

Since I am now back working closely with the American Culinary Federation, I
am planning on re-certifying for a chef's certificate.  The ACF website
(www.acfchefs.org) has the requirements for each of the various levels along
with the outline of the tests.  There is a practical and written exam for
each one.  The practical entails getting a "market basket" (I provide all
ingredients) and creating a meal.  I did my first trial run last night, and
with a few exceptions, I'm fairly pleased with the results.  I need to do
this several more times (my boss suggested 5 trials prior to the testing),
and will work on garnishes, lists of equipment used, etc. with future tries.
I've put the ingredients and my menu below for your perusal.  If anyone
would like to make suggestions, feel free, just remember this is in no way
supposed to be period food :)
Christianna

Personal Certified Chef

A chef with a minimum of two (2) full years employed as a personal chef who
is engaged in the preparation, cooking, serving, and sorting of foods on a
"cook-for-hire basis"; responsible for menu planning and development,
marketing, financial management and operational decisions of private
business; provides cooking services to a variety of clients; possesses a
thorough knowledge of food safety and sanitation and culinary nutrition.
Utilizing all the ingredients in this Market Basket, write a three-course
menu including a fish, salad, and main course with appropriate
accompaniments for each. Four portions of each course will be prepared and
plated. Submit a written copy of your menu to the examiner prior to the
start of the exam. Each ingredient must be used at least once. The amounts
given are only suggested as a guideline; you may not need to use all the
amounts that are listed.

        1 each 10 ounce Salmon filet
        2 each 1.25 pound live Maine Lobster
        2 each whole chickens (fabricate to your menus specifications during
the exam)
        2 ounces smoked bacon
        1 pound fresh spinach
        2 heads Boston lettuce
        1 piece Belgian endive
        1 pound Carrots
        3 each Russet or Yukon potatoes
        2 each Globe Artichokes
        2 each Bartlett pears or Granny Smith apples
        1 pint grape Tomatoes

    The three courses shall include:

    * Fish course (including both seafood items):appetizer portion
    * Salad course (tossed, with extra dressing served on the side):as part
of three-course meal
    * Main course (two or more accompanying vegetables and starch):
approximately 6-7 ounces protein

    The meal must include:

    * 4 classical vegetable cuts (i.e. Julienne, Tournee, Brunoise,
Alumette, Small dice, Paysanne, and Batonette)
    * 4 different cooking methods must be shown (i.e., fry, broil, sauté,
roast, boil, poach, steam, or grill)
    * Appropriate vegetable and starch accompaniment for the main course
(may bring in additional ingredients and prepare then for plate
accompaniments)
    * An emulsified vinaigrette (ingredients must be brought in)
    * 2 different sauces using different methods (i.e., roux-based,
reduction, or butter)

My Menu:

Fish Course:
	Medallions of Salmon and Lobster with a Shiitake, Tamari and Ginger
Brunoise, garnished with Black Sesame Oil

Salad Course:
	Artichoke, Spinach and Roasted Garlic Pate Quenelles on a 5-Pointed Star of
Endive, served on a bed of Boston Lettuce with a Lemon, Olive Oil and
Mustard Emulsion

Main Course:
	Chicken Breasts stuffed with Potato, Grape Tomatoes, Spinach and Oregano,
	Tourneed Carrots and Potatoes finished in butter
	Apple Slaw

The veg cuts were: tourneed carrots and potatoes (those need work),
chiffonade of spinach in the salad pate, brunoise ginger (still have to get
those smaller), batonette cuts on the apples in the slaw (was going for
julienne but they came out a bit bigger)

The cooking methods were: baked chicken breasts, steamed lobster tail,
boiled artichokes, roasted garlic, broiled salmon.

The sauces were: shiitake, tamari and ginger reduction and the lemon, olive
oil and mustard emulsion.  I didn't do a sauce for the chicken, and although
I thought the texture of the stuffing was smooth enough to negate the need
for one, I think I will have to add one to fulfill the requirements.  I was
thinking of a grape tomato coulis.

I timed myself and did the entire thing in 3 hours handily, so that part
won't be a problem.  I think the salad course pleased me the most, it was
delicious.  The endive I bought was absolutely sweet (Kiri, this is the one
I bought with you), here's hoping the one I buy for the actual test is that
good - they are usually bitter.  I overcooked the salmon, dammit, by doing a
classic move for me and leaving the kitchen during the cooking.  Stupid.  It
was ok, just tough.  Bah.  The reduction could have been a bit thicker.
The main course was great, although it was all together too orange and
yellow.  I ended up putting a lettuce leaf under the apple slaw to get a bit
of green on the plate, but I will need to work on the color combo there.  I
left the green skin on the Granny Smith apples, but it was still mostly
white, and I had mixed shredded carrots into it as well (the dressing was
lemon juice, apple juice, salt and sugar.) If I go with a tomato coulis it
will help some, but will still all be in the red/yellow/orange spectrum.  I
also think the presentation of this course was uninspired, the chicken
breasts were sliced and laid out to show the stuffing rounds, with the
tourneed vegs and slaw on the plate beside it.  I know presentation these
days is all about height, but I don't care to have to deconstruct my food
before I can eat it.  A clever garnish would help, so I need to think on
what that can be.

I had a chart for rating each dish that included aroma, color, size, temp,
consistency, arrangement, texture, etc.  I made my guest fill in each box,
which was tough for a non-foodie.  I need to get some guinea pi... guests
that can critique with a professional eye (hey, nic, when are you and Kim
free for dinner? :)  My dinner guest joked about being made to work for the
meal, and said "Will work for food!".

So, that's my report on what I cooked this weekend.  As I said, any comments
or suggestions are welcomed.
Christianna