ROUSES.COM
9
Meet tHe CHeF
photo by
Sara Essex Bradley
CHEF DAVID SLATER’S
TOOLS OF THE TRADE
•
8 or 10-inch Chef’s Knife
•
Large Serrated Knife
Makes cutting bread
and tomatoes much easier and less messy.
•
Paring Knives
•
Filet Knife
Makes navigating the bones
in meat or fish a breeze.
•
Meat Thermometer
•
Vegetable Peeler
•
Melon Baller
Makes beautiful fruit salads.
•
Small Strainer
When you don’t want
everything to fall through the holes.
•
Sifter
•
Candy Thermometer
•
Wooden Spoons
•
Heat Proof Silicone Spatula
They don’t
melt, and you can get every last drop.
•
Bowl Scraper
So there’s nothing
wasted in the bowl.
•
Microplane
•
Pastry Tips and Pastry Bags
•
Ruler
Great for measuring pie
crusts and cookie dough.
Behind the Scenes at
Emeril’s Test Kitchen
on page 38.
Meet the Chef —
david slater
restAUrAnt:
Emeril’s
people HAVe eXpeCtAtIons oF An eMerIl restAUrAnt BeFore tHeY
eVen wAlK tHroUGH oUr Doors
because they see him on TV and in magazines. We
enjoy the challenge and do our best to meet and exceed every one of their expectations. It’s quite
an honor to carry on the legacy of such a great chef and a 24-year-old New Orleans institution.
CHeFs FroM AroUnD tHe worlD CoMe to stAGe At eMerIls.
Staging
(pronounced stahzh) is generally an unpaid internship giving a cook a chance to learn new
techniques in a different culinary environment. Chefs come to spend time in our kitchen to
learn things that they are not normally exposed to in their own kitchens. The word “stage” in
New Orleans can also refer to “trailing.” Trailing is a time during our hiring process where the
applicant cook hangs out with us for a night or day of service so they can see if we are the right
fit for them, and vice versa. We encourage our cooks to stage at other restaurants to broaden
their abilities and scope. Opportunities for learning never end in this industry.
we HAVe nIne stAtIons At lUnCH
and a separate lunch “crew” that works the line.The
stations are grill, sauté, hot appetizers, pantry, fry, pastry, prep cook, full-time butcher, and full-time
saucier. At night, these people all leave and the dinner crew takes over. Most of the stations are the
same as lunch, but the prep cook, butcher and saucier leave and we add a roasting station.
we Don’t Use tICKets,
we have a verbal system. During service, the sous chefs and I
receive the orders from the dining room and verbally order them to the cooks. This system allows
the cooks to just focus on their cooking and not have to worry about reading tickets.We’ve used
this system since the restaurant has been open and it has been proven to be quite efficient.
oUrDoUBleCUtporKCHopwItHCArAMelIZeDsweetpotAtoes,
green chili mole and tamarind glaze is one of my favorite dishes and most prep-intensive. First
we butcher the pork from rack to chop, and then we brine the pork overnight in a sweet and salty
brine. Next, the pork is rinsed, vacuum sealed and cooked sous vide until it reaches the desired
temperature. All of this prep is done by our butcher.
The saucier makes the mole sauce and tamarind glaze. The mole begins as a stew of roasted
poblano and jalapeño chilis, charred onions, garlic, chicken stock, cilantro, toasted pistachios
and pine nuts, roasted green peppers and a Creole spice. This stew is then pureed with a touch of
cream. The tamarind glaze involves cooking a mixture of seeded tamarind paste, ketchup, garlic
and Creole seasoning, and then the mixture is cooled.
The grill cook is responsible for the potatoes. They are cut into small wedges and blanched in
boiling salted water. Next, they are cooked again with cinnamon, sugar and butter
until beautifully caramelized. The grill cook grills the pork chop on pick up
(once an order is received), heats the sweet potatoes and then places
a mound of the potatoes on the plate. He next places the
chop on top of the potatoes, drizzles the chop with the
tamarind glaze, ladles a nice scoop of the mole
over the chop, and then another drizzle of the
tamarind glaze. We garnish with shaved
scallions, and Ta da! Nothin’ to it.
YoU CAn KICK It Up A notCH
by using good, fresh ingredients.
Relax and just have fun!
“Emeril’s is where I cook. Rouses is where I shop.”
—Chef David Slater
