MY RSS Feed

Well...it's about time!

cheftony@cheflifeonline.com — 2008-07-08T23:31:31-04:00

Welcome to July! Yes, I know.. .it’s been about 8 months since my last post..and I don’t know how many readers are still out there (how about emailing me at cheftony@visionsbethesda to say hi) and really I just wanted to let you know the state of the Union, so to speak. So...why not just watch the video below and make it easy on me, ok??

Happy 08!

cheftony@cheflifeonline.com — 2008-01-05T08:30:27-05:00

Molecular Gastronomy...say what?

cheftony@cheflifeonline.com — 2007-10-28T10:51:24-04:00

Whether or not you have heard of the term "molecular gastronomy", it is solidly an element in todays high end restaurants. As I am prone to do, I'll take a moment and give you the laymans description of what it means, and what it means to your dining future. In my mind, molecular gastronomy is the use of very modern, high tech methods including nitrous oxide, chemical baths, combinations during service to create flavor combinations, textures and colors that make new and interesting dining possibilities. Many of these creations are designed into very small "courses" often served on tasting spoons, and tasted in particular order or method, so that the end result is something completely different. Some examples from an article I'll link to include a glass of pine tree water, or perhaps a margarita that is served in a block of carved ice containing shards of frozen cocktail with a blob of olive-flavoured foam. With stately pace, the dishes appear, small tapas-sized portions of green pepper nougat, or a single egg yolk cased in caramel, cherries dipped in what appears to be white chocolate but is actually ham fat. Many of the courses are designed to be consumed in a single mouthful, or slurp. Some are composite dishes are served with instructions from the waiter: eat the scampi, while sniffing this piece of rosemary. Slivers of tuna that have been dried and cured using the same method as jamon iberico are eaten with specially crafted tweezers tailor-made for the dish by an in-house industrial designer. Then there'll be a plate of spaghetti formed from Parmesan cheese and popcorn foam accompanied by a caramelised ball of liquid pumpkin, a small grilled fish swaddled in white candy floss, apple-flavoured "caviar" served in a Beluga tin, coffee and lychee marbles floating in chocolate soup. Ingredients might be utterly transformed by unexpected colour, texture and temperature, but they can be quite humble I think that no matter if this kind of eating or more correctly maybe "experiencing" food like this appeals to you, the ideas behind it will extend themselves into many types of restaurants. The beginning of it that I heard of was when Ferran Adria started creating his "foams" which were basically whipped up foam from all kinds of savory ingredients. That foam was almost a garnish on various dishes that just added a flavor ingredient that was unexpected. Check out this article about Ferran Adria...there are many others that are doing cool things, try YouTube here for some cool videos and send me feedback on what you think

Tech Haters.. please click this story

cheftony@cheflifeonline.com — 2007-10-23T22:47:44-04:00

So I get that not all people are techno-addicts like me..but I have to say that if you are one of those people who think TECHNOLOGY is FOUR letter word...please check out this story on the Apple website. Yes, I'm addicted to apples (unfortunately not the real ones, or my belt would be looser)...but seriously, this story details a really neat kid who is dealing with a bad situation in life, and can really participate in classes by using his Apple laptop and some very "over the counter" hardware. Also, in case you haven't heard, Apple stock is now over $183 a share... I told people BUY! at $50 a share...too bad no one listened. (Yes, I was able to buy a little recently at $153 so I'm happy with the news...) Take care, Chef Tony oh BTW.... I fully expect all you "ChefLife" readers to go on over to www.visionsbethesda.com and sign up, ok?!?

Visions Restaurant Update...don't miss this one!

cheftony@cheflifeonline.com — 2007-10-20T17:29:58-04:00

google maps...where are we?

cheftony@cheflifeonline.com — 2007-10-18T21:40:46-04:00

If you know anything about me, you know I'm a tech junkie...a nice little new feature of Google Maps is the ability to embed in a web page... I'll be updating www.visionsbethesda.com tonight with our location. Any ideas of features you'd like to see more on our new site? We have a bunch of ideas, but not too much time to initiate...we are very busy and getting very close to get open. Here's our location via Google Maps.. you can see any place in the world, yes world as a Satellite Image or Map or Combination. Have fun and fly around the world, it's really a pretty incredible process...they are in the process of updating many areas with ground level shots that make it almost like a virtual reality. Check out Miami Florida.. I've been on that street many times, and it really does look like that! Talk to you soon, Chef Tony

Running your Car on Chicken Grease...Yes!

cheftony@cheflifeonline.com — 2007-10-09T21:06:38-04:00

In case this may be news to you,it is possible with about $1,000 to convert a Diesel car to actually run on recycled fryer grease (commonly found at most restaurants). There is a growing population of followers that find this a great (also cheap) source of power. It makes a lot of sense, and we'll see where it goes... I wonder what the exhaust smells like? Nothing like a fishy Mercedes driving by your "al fresco" midsummer nights meal at Positanos in Bethesda... ;) READ AN ARTICLE HERE ABOUT RECYCLING GREASE

VisionsBethesda.com is live!

cheftony@cheflifeonline.com — 2007-10-06T02:09:43-04:00

I'm not really tired... YET, but I'm happy to announce that at least the basics of VisionsBethesda.com is up and running. I'm loading a special page for TASTE OF BETHESDA participants that will get special offers tomorrow ... are you coming? We are NOT cooking at it, but WILL be around promoting and tasting for once! For the last 8 years, I've been an exhibitor, and actually, I need to realize that I can actually have some fun tomorrow!!! Iddi and I will be walking and talking, kissing babies and the like! Please email us and let us know what you think, we are hoping the restaurant can be up by end of this month, we've not really had any issues, just taking a little more time to get the details worked out...but we know it's worth the wait...the place is looking really nice! Thanks, hope to see you soon, email me anytime at cheftony@visionsbethesda.com Chef Tony

Seeing the Godfather...

cheftony@cheflifeonline.com — 2007-09-29T21:10:58-04:00

The following post is made with NOTHING but respect, and to give those that come after me a taste, of what being a true restaurant / food person is all about... Since coming to Bethesda oh some 34 years ago, I have had the pleasure of knowing some, and the displeasure of knowing some.. but since joining the restaurant industry in 1987, I have had the pleasure of a specific few who have helped guide me and build what knowledge I have about "the business"... The subject of my post today is about one man, Luigi Traetino and his adoring, talented wife, Angela who are the founders and operators of Positano Restaurant in Bethesda (www.epositano.com). These two embody the essence (which is unfortunately lost nowadays) of service and hostpitality, and graciousness. Maybe that's the reason his restauant empire has grown in Bethesda to include restaurant seating for up to 600 people? I'll tell you a quick few stories today about how this team (probably unbeknownst to them) guided me and inspired me to always remember a few simple rules about the restaurant business. You see, I worked for Positanos about 18 years ago in my early part of my career as a waiter. At this point, Positanos was about 100 seats and had a kitchen as big as most kitchens in the Bethesda "mini-mansions" of today (i.e. SMALL!) Now, consider too that this was in the day of a paper pad and pencil, a calculator, and a smile. No Micros P.O.S. systems (yes, we'll have one at Visions), no email , no Corporate Mandated "Guest Surveys" etc... These two drove their restaurant with good old fashioned Italian charm, great food, simple curteous service and most importantly an honest straightforward mentality of running their establishment. These folks stopped by tables all day long (read in corporate speak "mandatory table visits"?) and made sure that whatever the case, good or bad, that guests left happy and ready to return in the future... Can Stay tuned for more of the same...

Realities of Chef Life from an insider...

cheftony@cheflifeonline.com — 2007-09-25T13:44:09-04:00

It's true, one day, we all will get tired of the day to day operations of a restaurant. Reality is that it is a tough life, and it affects EVERYONE around you. You just cannot put in 12-16 hour days forever. I found this article today, and thought you might enjoy... Take care, Chef Tony

IMPORTANT PHONE NUMBER CHANGES

cheftony@cheflifeonline.com — 2007-09-20T01:22:29-04:00

In getting our phone numbers added to accommodate more business, we decided to change our main phone number. ** As of September 24...our phone numbers will change! ** Main Phone will be 301 654.3737 and Fax 301. 654.3798 Currently, any calls to 301.907.7503 are forwarded to Chef Tonys phone.. thanks, we're working hard on the site, may be up by Friday..thanks for all who have given feedback!

Eww...or maybe Yumm?

cheftony@cheflifeonline.com — 2007-09-19T21:20:10-04:00

Fish
Uploaded by krs601

Update 6

cheftony@cheflifeonline.com — 2007-09-19T20:56:46-04:00

Hello all! I hope you like the updates, not always ground breaking, but I hope as we get closer, you like to hear the news? We are replacing floor tile in front of restaurant and around the back by the rest rooms. Anyone who has come through has been very impressed with progress, we are done with painting this week, and bar should be installed by mid next week...we still have a big list, but seeing the place evolve is pretty incredible! OpenTable is installed... you should see us live in the near future.. I am learning web design more daily. I really just plug into a great program and create content, but I listen to a ton of podcasts on technology, so we can play with fun tools daily. Our bar comes next week, along with our food window...the place looks so nice and clean though...anyone in the area, call me to arrange a nickel tour! Thanks all, Chef Tony

Hello to April!

cheftony@cheflifeonline.com — 2007-09-14T12:00:51-04:00

We just wanted to shout out our new buddy, April Fulton. Her writing appears in Bethesda Magazine among countless others... You can follow here at HER BLOG Now, the readers of ChefLifeOnline.com (all 4... Hi Mom) will be aware of your great contributions! Take care, hey, how about an email once in a while people?? cheftony@visionsbethesda.com :)

MMM...Cornstarch Fun

cheftony@cheflifeonline.com — 2007-09-14T01:35:45-04:00

(null)

Update 5

cheftony@cheflifeonline.com — 2007-09-12T15:56:25-04:00

Another update here from Chef Tony & Iddi at Visions Restaurant in Bethesda... We are in the middle of painting inside, and even just with a good base primer coat, the place looks amazing. My partner Iddi jabs me all the time because he says I want to make the place look like an Apple store.. well, he's not exactly wrong, they were one of the inspirations behind the look when we considered the spot. You also can't exactly argue with their success of their design prowess. We have eliminated two sections of wall and created beautiful gentle archways in their place.. the process is pretty cool to watch because from a raw cut up space, with a little metal framing and drywall, you have this beautiful arch that just screams (or maybe whispers) of Italy to me and can look like an instant classic picture...it's pretty cool. After that, they use drywall paste and fill in all the spaces, sand it down and once it's painted, it looks like it's been there forever. As well, we've created a pseudo host stand that will house our OpenTable computer that will handle our seating. We have dug out a drain area in our bar just to move over about a foot so we can drain our drink areas. In case you missed it, we'll have a 7-8 seat bar in the restaurant that will be a nice little place for a quick cocktail or to wait for a table. We're using a bar top surface just like Corian tile so it will not scratch, burn or change color. It's worth the investment in our minds, so that is being manufactured right now. Bathrooms look much better, gone are the twin psychedelic colors that made up the floor and walls (my head spun every time I went in there...) and they have done a base primer so far, we'll paint and use most of the fixtures in there as they were in very good shape. Anyone with good ideas for the ladies bathroom that needs to be "sweeter" please forward to cheftony@visionsbethesda.com. We are after all, a couple of burly guys building a restaurant, we don't have time for all that frilly stuff! ...and we have our DirectTv installed, much to the chagrin to my dear father, who believes a bar is never supposed to have a tv or any other entertainment besides a little dinky radio for the ball game. On the other technology front, we'll have a Micros system installed, OpenTable and at least one flat screen (again, Fathers chagrin). We'll also setup to host corporate parties in both rooms, which will also have flat screens in case there is some sort of presentation. We'll have an open window to the kitchen to see what's going on and get food out of the kitchen. Here is a picture of the window so far... Thanks for listening and reading, it would be really nice to hear from anyone to let us know you're out there... email us at cheftony@visionsbethesda.com or chefiddi@visionsbethesda.com

Great Balls o' Fire?

cheftony@cheflifeonline.com — 2007-09-08T09:06:18-04:00

Here is the link to a quick story about our favorite Angry Chef, Gordon Ramsay from across the pond...seems he was cooking without enough protection? Or if this scares you too much, check out his feelings about Tuna :)

Please Excuse this Commercial

cheftony@cheflifeonline.com — 2007-09-05T23:45:54-04:00

Please don't hate me...but anyone who knows me, knows I'm AN APPLE FANATIC. SKIP THIS IF YOU DON'T CARE A HOOT ABOUT TECHNOLOGY... BUT...... if you drool at the latest ipod, your heart flutters with the mention of an iMac, or you just love cool tech stuff... Watch the latest Apple Computer Key Note speech here....

Update 4

cheftony@cheflifeonline.com — 2007-09-04T13:59:32-04:00

Hello all... We are here mid week 3 in construction, week 5 of ownership...and in the middle of putting the prime coat on all our walls....the dust is irritating my throat, but the show must go on! We have exposed our stone planter in the front of the restaurant instead of repairing the rotting woodwork around it, makes us wonder whether the other bigger part of the storefront is just covering more of this classic storefront?? The only way to find out is open it up, we're not so sure about that... Our sign has gone up, here is a quick pic from my iPhone... We are getting our new awning in a couple of weeks, and the front of the storefront will have been painted by Friday, look for another update on Friday! Today we had a preliminary meeting with a new premier wine distributor that is starting to sell wines here in Montgomery County called Universal Wines and Spirits (www.universalwines.net)...the owner is a good friend of ours and will be helping us to kick off our Grand Opening...he also happens to do awesome printing..you can see his company at www.chesapeakeouterwear.com. Take Care folks...we'll talk to you soon! Chef Tony

update 3

cheftony@cheflifeonline.com — 2007-08-29T21:59:20-04:00

Hello all! Well, we are in week 4 of owning our place, and we are in the early third of construction. We chose Absolute Contractors to handle our upgrades. I won't quote our expenditures, but rest assured, we are spending everything we can afford to make an impact! We are adding an 8 seat bar, topped with Corian tile, and a bronze laminate front. We will be cutting in a pass through to the kitchen and cutting down two walls in restaurant to open up the feeling in the dining room. We are skimming all the walls , painting, new high tech lighting, painting bathrooms, etc... It will be quite a spot in our opinion, certainly worlds apart from the style it was before. We can only wish that it's reception is all we hope it to be.. This is a project from the heart, a real restaurant with real Chefs... we want you inside the experience, telling us what you like and/or don't like, so we can make it better! As restauranteurs for many years, we always want our guests to leave happier than they expected. We will make our mistakes, but rest assured that we will be there to correct any issues, and our hearts are in the right place. Thanks for reading, don't be shy, send me an email to cheftony@visionsbethesda.com anytime and let me know what you might like in a restaurant?? Ciao, Tony

Update 2

cheftony@cheflifeonline.com — 2007-08-08T00:37:01-04:00

Quick audio update today! I'm reducing my email barrage to one address...hopefully.. you can plug me in at cheftony@visionsbethesda.com Please update your address books, and I'll be seeing you around! Chef Tony

Update #1

cheftony@cheflifeonline.com — 2007-08-06T21:04:05-04:00

Hello all.. Yes, the rumours are true, I've left my former employer, and my partner and I have bought a restaurant... I shot a quick video on my mac and posting up here...thanks for keeping in touch! Chef Tony

ANNOUNCEMENT!!!!!

cheftony@cheflifeonline.com — 2007-08-01T19:28:06-04:00

Hello All! In case you have fallen asleep, waiting for any updates to my site, please WAKE UP! i have been very busy moving myself and getting something else started.... WE HAVE BOUGHT A RESTAURANT!!! My good friend and now business parter Iddi Diarra and I have bought a space formally known as Volare Restaurant in Bethesda and are in the process of converting it into ..... We will be creating a modern, fun Amercian Menu with international touches...we'll have seasonal changes and be focused on TRUE FRESHNESS AND SEASONAL PRODUCTS. Why do people have Bruschetta on any menu in December... HELLO??!! Please stay tuned, i am designing the VisionsBethesda.com website and will update you as progress happens. Please pass this to ANYONE you know, we need all the guests we can get. My idea is to start a video or audio podcast, detailing some of the challenges of opening your own place, as I have been through it before, but maybe with the new 2.0 lifestyle we all live, you might like to be involved? Thank you for reading, it feels so good to be connected again!! Please, Please email me at cheftony@visionsbethesda.com and tell me that I got to you! It will make my day, and the days are long now... Take care, Chef Tony

Life Happens

cheftony@cheflifeonline.com — 2007-06-19T23:34:04-04:00

(null)

Chef Ramsay and Bluefin Tuna

cheftony@cheflifeonline.com — 2007-06-12T00:49:59-04:00

Click the Chef and Read More!

Ratatoo*ee

cheftony@cheflifeonline.com — 2007-06-12T00:38:05-04:00

So in case you have seen something about the new Pixar animation Studios "Ratatouille".. if you love entertainment, and already I can see they researched food and French style restaurants, you'll love this movie! http://disney.go.com/disneypictures/ratatouille/main.html? deeplink=videos&sub_deeplink=3 I'm TOTALLY SEEING THIS MOVIE... I caught the preview on TIVO... I'm laughing .. .and amazed at the quality of animation (hmm.. my food love and my tech love...maybe a new career??)

Hell's Kitchen

cheftony@cheflifeonline.com — 2007-06-11T23:43:04-04:00

Anyone catching Hell's Kitchen on Fox? I always find it funny the commentary that people relay to me about the host, Chef Godon Ramsay. I'm learning more about him, but of course, most people shudder at the thought of working for a person like that. I am lucky, that overall when I have worked FOR people, they have not been those types of personalities. In reality though, sometimes in kitchens, the need arises to control many situations at once. When you have a banquet of 80 people, another of 45, and line service for another 180.. you just don't always have the time to ask politely, to hope that people will understand your subtleties. You have to be direct, sometimes forcefull, and specific in what you ask for so that the job gets done in the proper time. Does Chef Ramsay ask for too much? Is being a Chef a popularity contest? My answer is no.. I mean, no matter what, the fact that he is internationally known, owns serveral restaurants and the host of several shows both here and in England, you can't argue with his success. Does it give him the right to act like an ASS so much? No, but in reality, when he has so much riding on his name, he is choosing getting it right. Sometimes it just takes what it takes...and as we often say.. sometimes "It is what it is..." Here's a preview I clipped for Season 3 of Hell's Kitchen!

How to Complain in a Restaurant

cheftony@cheflifeonline.com — 2007-06-10T04:08:49-04:00

Found an interesting video produced from a British source of some type.. hope you like it.. I can certainly give my feedback on this one, but see what you think of it yourself... I found it on my Digg.com account, have you been there?
VideoJug: How To Complain In A Restaurant

Tell a Friend!

cheftony@cheflifeonline.com — 2007-06-04T23:55:18-04:00

I'm really hoping that each and every one of you enjoys my content, and as of late, I'm trying to update more and more.. to keep something interesting coming your way. If you like this and know of someone that might like it as well, would you reccomend me to them? They can visit me at www.cheflifeonline.com or simply email me at default349445@aweber.com and they'll get an email that double checks their interest. More podcasts coming soon.. and a new phenomenom called LIFECASTING by my friend Ron in Denver.. more on that soon! Check out Ron and tell him you found him on ChefLifeOnline.com with Chef Tony!

cheftony@cheflifeonline.com — 2007-06-04T23:52:00-04:00

(null)

Sorry,,,Apple commercial here & calamari

cheftony@cheflifeonline.com — 2007-06-04T16:33:44-04:00

Ok...well, the name of the ad IS CALAMARI... :)

Organic Fruit and Veggies

cheftony@cheflifeonline.com — 2007-06-04T16:23:24-04:00

I'm planning to record a podcast with Ed Huling of New Day Farms. We had a very interesting talk last Saturday..you see, he is an organic farmer, and found his way there from personal and professional experiences and knowledge of the current state of produce in America. Talking to him made me realize how important it is what we know about our foods. From my recent life experience of losing over 100 lbs, I've certainly learned how to eat better. But here is someone actually changing the face of our produce, growing in enriched soils, that can make not only healthier food, BUT TASTIER! He is also a proponent of the RAW FOODS movement...something I can undertand, but I'm not so aware of it. After our talk, I'll be looking it up on Google and seeing what the deal is... His farm can be seen at www.newdayfarms.com Also today, I've seen an article relating to his business, that the recent upswing in the growth of Organic foods is something to be noticed..take a look HERE.

Fake Fish, what's next!?

cheftony@cheflifeonline.com — 2007-06-04T16:13:04-04:00

As Taken From Restaurant News! Breaking News Fla. regulators double fine for bogus grouper TALLAHASSEE , Fla. (Jun. 3) The state Department of Business and Professional Regulation has doubled the fine for selling other species of fish as grouper. The change comes at a time when the rising price and tighter availability of grouper have prompted some restaurants, wholesalers and retailers to mislabel less expensive types of fish as the popular local species. If they're caught, they'll now pay a fine of $500,up from $250. The increase is in response to state inspectors finding establishments around the state misrepresenting the fish they are selling. Bill Veach, director of DBPR’s Division of Hotels and Restaurants, said, “Our inspectors have found some instances of restaurants selling artificial crab as the real thing. They’ve also seen cases when a restaurant is advertising grouper but selling another fish, such as basa, instead.” “I love grouper, so when I order grouper, I expect to eat grouper," said DBPR secretary Holly Benson. "Floridians ought to be able to trust restaurant owners, and these increased penalties will help us ensure that the food we eat is the food we ordered.” The increase brings DBPR’s enforcement in line with those of the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services and the Office of the Attorney General.

Oh the life...

cheftony@cheflifeonline.com — 2007-06-04T13:06:34-04:00

It’s kind of funny, getting off the line after a particularly tough shift, dealing with some crazy reservations, food waiting in the window, screaming for waiters to run their hot plates of fish...how serene it can be...washing dishes. I got into a somewhat heated “discussion” with one of our waiters, and broke it down ( as I rarely do) how not only do I have his problem to deal with , but ALL of the problems in the restaurnat. Going straight from that to the banquet office, to deal wiht some dingbat who is calling to book a party with us, but has no idea who we are, or even what state we are in. I had to remind her of hte banquet persons na,me, to try and get her on track... So , I’m called away , to stare in the belly of our resident grease beast,,also known as our grease interceptor...our lead prep guy Hugo, is contorted around a series of metal pipes, peering into the stomach of this 4 foot metal box that is supposed to skim the food grease away from the dish water...quite elegant... and if the sight isn’t enough, whrew, the smell! Getting to the point, after we got theissue worked out... we needed to catch up on the dishes, that had piled up from a 250 person lunch service, so.. I’m sure to the delight of our dish staff.. we all start pitching in to wash and organize dishes... hot steaming plates, coming out of the main dish machine.. .steaming in the cool kitchen air, quickly turning hot the more plates go through... There was something distinctly serene about washing dishes with a silent partner, Armondo, who barely speaks 10 words of English, taking his racks from the hot side, trying to catch up with the lunches of gourmet fish I just presided over ,as Executive Chef... As I left the dish area, after we started to catch up, I’m watching a busboy sort silverware, grasping his two small hands around steaming knives in one hand, forks in the other.. working doubletime, light occasionally glancing off the silver, reminding me of where I first started in this crazy business, a busboy in 1987, just out of high school, at O’Donnells, THE Seafood restarnat of Bethesda for about 25 years or so.. my first restarant job... of course, as time goes on , the family that owned it has sold out, and leased the land for a 99 year deal.. sitting back very pretty , I’m sure. Oh this restaurant business.. what a life....

Wild Salmon

cheftony@cheflifeonline.com — 2007-06-04T11:42:18-04:00

(null)

Fishing Picture!

cheftony@cheflifeonline.com — 2007-06-02T13:16:48-04:00

Found my picture on the boats website from our recent trip. Check out that HUGE FISH (yeah, right).. .oh, also, highly recommend dramamine for the pre launch...we were on some pretty stormy seas, and I got a bit green...whrew. Not fun. I did have a good time overall and would do it again, although some lake fishing sounds really good .. .a bit more gentle.... See you soon!

Visitors from the world

cheftony@cheflifeonline.com — 2007-05-28T14:26:15-04:00

I am a learning techie, but I'd like your help... As you can see below from screenshots, I have a tracker (you'll see on each web page bottom left) that tracks where people have visited my site. Here is North America Europe So I'd really like to hear from you when you visit! Just a quick email to say hello would really excite me... This is really my hobby, but I'll be announcing some pretty neat projects I'm involved in soon.. Also, I'd really love it if you join my "mailing list" using the sign up links to the left. That way, you'll get my latest announcements, and I'll feel better knowing that my time here is actually reaching people! You can always unsubscribe (why would you ??) at anytime, and of course, it's free... Thanks, have a great memorial day!

Sleep? Who needs sleep

cheftony@cheflifeonline.com — 2007-05-28T01:33:00-04:00

anyone who knows me will attest that I sleep very little. It's not that I don't like sleep, I DO! But, with the crazy hours we work in restaurants, and the constant thought process of keeping up with the mass feeding, often, I am up late getting some personal time in. My staff will tell you the comments they make regarding my 2 in the morning emails to work (oh by the way, it's 1:35 a.m. and I'm posting this now). I found this little article on Wikipedia I thought you might like.. various effects of sleep deprivation. See ya, time to count sheep...

Wild Salmon on Channel 9 WUSA

cheftony@cheflifeonline.com — 2007-05-27T23:34:46-04:00

My recent appearance on Channel 9, we were there to congratulate the winners of the Healthy Challenge and promote our Wild Sockeye Salmon for McCormick & Schmick's...enjoy! Chef Tony

Shameless Self Plug

cheftony@cheflifeonline.com — 2007-05-26T16:33:27-04:00

(null)

Dont Hate Me...

cheftony@cheflifeonline.com — 2007-05-24T01:34:02-04:00

Celebrity Chef found Dead...

cheftony@cheflifeonline.com — 2007-05-23T00:44:20-04:00

Sad news today I discovered, one of the Chefs featured on a great show "Hells Kitchen" was found dead recently. She was only 41! Life is short, enjoy it while it's here, for you never know what can happen. There was no information on what happened, maybe more to follow.

BUY A MAC! PLEASE! SAVE YOURSELVES!!!

cheftony@cheflifeonline.com — 2007-05-22T02:23:06-04:00

Consider this a full on rant, fueled by just spending a full 30 minutes, trying to print a list of contacts from msn for my wife. So first of all, ever try to get out the contacts from msn hotmail?? (I'm sure theres a hack, or maybe my patience is thin after a 15 hour day) but I figured, just print it out? Seems normal. Hooked up two printers, one my new HP printer scanner... (I bought it with my last mac, but it is certainly not a "mac printer") . Plug the usb into the pc...searching, searching, etc... ...Got the install disc, searching, searching, searching.. ...I SWEAR... I had visions of taking a wooden baseball bat to it, it's just that rediculous. The printer is connected by one line to pc... it SHOULD PRINT, RIGHT??! Nada... that just stinks. Low and behold, tried the old canon standby... although I had different configurations, just hooking it up gave me nothing. ...Third, copy and paste, sent to my mac computer email...replugged in printer to my WIRELESS BASE STATION and voila! printing is normal... wow. I'm telling you, You will never, ever go back to a pc... they are just shiite! Now, mine is a little older, 1.5 ghz p4, but not terrible, right? I'm considering buying a ibook (two year old technology jut to carry around.. MACS ROCK, YOU NEED ONE, GO ON MY SITE (OR ANYWHERE) AND GET ONE. THEY ARE JUST AWESOME, AND WORK AND WORK, NO ISSUES.

Fishing Trip today....

cheftony@cheflifeonline.com — 2007-05-16T01:45:52-04:00

Spent most of my day today at a fishing trip on the Chesapeake Bay... you know, the place where awesome Rockfish, Crab and Blue Fish come from?? Yes, I'm not really a fisherman, AT ALL. Proof is that I got seasick today...nice. Hey, it's an honest site here.. Truth be told, the waters were pretty crazy, 2 foot swells for a couple hours, I just had 2 hours of sleep.. I was not feeling strong. This all after MOTHERS DAY in the restaurant biz.. see my post about that here.. We did have a nice time, we were out for about 12 hours total, and it was pretty tiring at the end of the day, but i had fun. We ended up getting two fish, and I got one! I pulled in a 28 incher or so.. and one of my friends got one in the mid 30 inches. He did have one that came in two inches short at 41 inches.. The recent rules are something like it has to be above 28 inches - 36 inches or something. Then above that, it needs to be 43 inches. I'm not so sure, but we had fun... here's some pics and a quick video.. One Chef related comment relating to seafood and our consumption... we have to always realize that any wild caught fish is a limited resource, we have a certain amount, and yes, they are hopefully being spawned at a rate equal to or greater than our consumption. We have to remain responsible to the earth and realize our impact. PICS HERE... (HOSTED ON FLIKR)

The Gazette Healthy Challenge...results are in!

cheftony@cheflifeonline.com — 2007-05-12T14:04:59-04:00

I just got back from being one of the judges at the Gazette Newspaper Cooking Challenge held at the Montgomery Colleges Rockville Campus with my former teacher, Janet Soros. We had a great challenge with two teams delineated by their location "upcounty" and "downcounty". Both teams really did a nice job with the food, presening, talking about the various dishes, and the overall flavor. I'll upload some pictures of the general kitchen action in a bit, I was too focused on judging to shoot each plate, but they ALL LOOKED REALLY GREAT! Here is a quick video of the scene... The dishes were...an appetizer, an entree , and dessert ..."Bundles of Sole" with Asparagus and Roasted Red Pepper Sauce Macerated Berries with Sweet Cream (actually awesome pureed cottage cheese..it works!) and Pepper (yes, nice touch Chef Enzo from il Pizzico) Both teams did a really nice job, seriously putting so much time and effort into it.. I personally was very impressed with the presentation, flavor and we also rated their teamwork aspect (blue team got that one).. After all the votes were counted and discussed...the winner was......... ...I really have to say that just getting involved and getting to think about healthy food without thinking "I'll just eat plain salad and lose weight" was really phenomenal... I know from my experience in losing over 100 lbs last year, that it truly is a LIFESTYLE CHANGE! You can't look at this as a quick fix, but a really interesting journey, giving you the power of control over where your body sits. Please remember, YOU ARE the best judge of where your weight and health should be, so do what works FOR YOU! ...( and yes, I left my text RED in honor of the winning team, the BLUE TEAM HAD TO WASH THE DISHES... :(.. but really, they did a great job too.) the final score was only 2 points difference... a tight race!

How much is an Orange worth?

cheftony@cheflifeonline.com — 2007-05-10T00:47:56-04:00

I know I"ve been gone for a while, blame it on vacation, business, whatever...no excuse. I actually did have an issue with my hosting space (currently on my .mac account) but I believe it's straightened out now... Anyhoo, funny story the other day.. I'm at our bar, watching two ladies pick up a couple of TOGO orders from our bartender. As they paid the bartender and she turned around, her back was to them obviously. One of the ladies (in her 50's my guess) grabbed an orange from our fruit bowl, and plopped it in her bag containing the food she PAID for. ... No big deal, you say? BS IN MY OPINION! Now, I'm not saying this is because of race, gender or any other factor, other than the pervasive opinion that it didn't really matter. I'm assuming of course, as I didn't bust them, but I'm sure if I did, they would brush it off that it's no big deal, it's only an orange after all.. My point of the post today is to educate you on a small, but important aspect of the restaurant biz...the profitability of a restaurant and what goes into that number... Am I stretching, an orange can get into this whole discussion? Yes, restaurants operate on VERY SMALL MARGINS! The costs that can hit the bottom line can come from many areas, and be surprising as to the importance. Typically, restaurants operate on a 5% margin, not too fat, hmm? Will the lost orange cause a restaurant to go under? of course not, BUT the pervasive opinion that little things don't matter, can cause it! Think of how many repetitive actions happen in a restaurant...a drink is served on top of a beverage napkin...what if the server uses two instead of one? ... The extra 2-3 pieces of asparagus on a plate X 300 plates a day = 2 extra cases of asparagus daily X 7 days...you get the point, right?! We'll talk about this more, let's call this an intro, and I'll be back with part II in a day or two...

testing..sorry to bother you...

cheftony@cheflifeonline.com — 2007-05-09T01:47:26-04:00

(null)

What me? Self promoting?? :)

cheftony@cheflifeonline.com — 2007-04-09T00:02:59-04:00

My recent news article regarding my recent weight loss... by the way, I highly reccomend the program I've done.. I will offer my assistance to ANYONE who wants to know... Tony

Air Blog...

cheftony@cheflifeonline.com — 2007-03-27T23:32:57-04:00

I'm writing you from 37, 505 feet in the air on Jet Blue flight 811...wow..gotta love a lap top (especially my Mac Book Pro...yes, I'm an Apple fanatic). ...Somewhat true, my wife and her Mom have had a great getaway (condo) in Miami for many years now, and it provides a great way to break away, get some great Cuban food and some sun... not so shabby. ... It gives you my posts within about an hour, and as well, you can hear any podcasts I've posted through my site. I do spend a bit of time and money on this hobby, so if you get the chance, visit one of my sponsors and buy something, will ya!? ... Although, if I can direct you to any Apple products, I'd probably make a bit more if you bought a $2,000 laptop... you WERE in the market for one, right? Seriously though, if you're reading and want to let me know (worth more than you know), send me an email and speak up! ...Back to Miami.. we tend to have our spots to go.. our favorite and most visited place is a restaurant called "Little Havana" in North Miami. ... That's one disadvantage of working for a private restaurant, you don't have the protection of the corportate "veil" and "procedures". I'll see what I can find out down there about his disappearance (more on that on a future post). But in closing about Alex.. without any corporate training ( to the best of my knowledge ) he embodied all we try to train in the corporate setting (I'm with McCormick 7 Schmick's currently). ... He is very aware when working the floor how to be able to recognize important guests, while maintaining his awareness on the rest of the floor. He is able to make suggestions regarding food and drink, knowing the product so well from working a few days a week in the kitchen. He would detail to me how many pounds of meat he was going through a week, how the prices are, and what numbers he's doing in the front of house. ... I'll update you if I find Alex... he's a great guy, and a hell of a manager. Other than Little Havana, we generally spend time eating in smaller places, andmaybe we'll do one "fancy" dinner out at an expensive restaurant. Sometimes South Beach, which, while very trendy, definitely gives you the "you're lucky to be here" kind of attitude, and the "here's two ounces of food, in a huge bowl/plate, and you're lucky to pay $29.00 for that". I'm okay with that sometimes, but there is a happy medium, good food, with a decent portion size, for not too much money. ... I understand your thought, but I'm just saying, people can pontificate on that restaurant concept, but many, many do not execute it and stay true to that idea. (see my post on financials of a restaurant). So, you probably never see me write so much, that's normally because I don't have so much time on my hands! ... But really, the book will be a great resource to fill in knowledge and get me refocused on my hobby that I enjow so much.

Die from Crab?!

cheftony@cheflifeonline.com — 2007-04-08T23:32:13-04:00

Man dies from crab he was about to cook Published: Thursday, March 22, 5:07 PM Author: David Pescovitz David Pescovitz: Tan Boon Hock of Singapore died after getting cut by a live crab he was about to cook up for dinner. Apparently, he was infected by a flesh-eating bacteria that the crab was carrying. The bacteria, Vibrio, can also turn up on fish and prawns. From the German Press Agency: Cooking destroys the bacteria, making the seafood safe for consumption. Doctors advised people preparing meals to use tongs or gloves when handling the live crabs. The claws should be brushed and washed with water before cooking, they added.

Eat a Burger, and Change Your Sparkplug..no tools necessary!

cheftony@cheflifeonline.com — 2007-03-23T15:18:46-04:00

http://www.boingboing.net/2007/03/23/cutlery_with_wrenche.html

Today is World Water Day!!

cheftony@cheflifeonline.com — 2007-03-22T14:13:10-04:00

As an assistance to countries not so blessed as others.. today is a day to donate to the cause Please check this out, it's a great cause, and I know from close associates, we never realize how easy we have it... GO!

50 year old Restaurant Closes down.... :( sad

cheftony@cheflifeonline.com — 2007-03-21T18:07:13-04:00

I've never been here, but hearing about a restaurant that has been around so long, and I'm sure served so many people, it's a shame they couldn't carry on, even selling to someone, instead of changing to a Chinese restaurant (nothing wrong with that of course). Check it out Thanks to "BLOAT IT UP" BLOG....

Raw Milk...who knows of this "raw milk"?

cheftony@cheflifeonline.com — 2007-03-17T14:28:11-04:00

In a recent TIME article, interesting facts of the Raw Milk movement. Many people believe that Pasteurizing milk actually kills many of the helpful bacteria and can be a big assist in curing digestive issues...read on!

Starbucks Addicts? How about a calorie count?

cheftony@cheflifeonline.com — 2007-03-13T01:43:05-04:00

So with recently losing a bunch of weight, I'm extremely concentrated on watching my calorie intake and excercise (more on that later). But also, as a caffeine addict, I do visit Starbucks often, and I get my favorite... ready.. (breathe) Quad Venti Skim Latte with Sugar Free Hazelnut Syrup Don't speak "Starbucks".. Quad (four shots, man style) Venti (largest size...can't give that up from my past) Skim (non fat milk) Latte (more steamed milk, less foam) + Sugar Free Syrup (no calories!) I think... So the version with no syrup is 210 calories, not bad! Sometimes I add the REDUCED Fat Coffee Cake at 360 calories, ouch! Check out the official STARBUCKS site here.... I found another site that has it listed out, a little hard to read, but it's all there HERE Starbucks Rocks in my world!

Time for a BREAK!

cheftony@cheflifeonline.com — 2007-03-12T01:14:48-04:00

Ok... please entertain me for a sec, found a fun web game, easy, but fun.. sorry, sometimes you just need a break...

Restaurants, Jelly Beans, and Diversity?

cheftony@cheflifeonline.com — 2007-03-10T17:05:10-05:00

This product DIVERSITY JELLYBEANS relates to a very appropriate restaurant topic, diversity! I work with people from America, Africa, El Salvador, Yugoslavia, and even North Carolina! :) In my career, it's not even possible to list how many various backgrounds and people I've either worked for, with, or hired to work with me! Anyone working for any major corporate restaurant would be remiss to not understand and embrace the idea and practice of diversity in the workplace, it's just the simple fact of life, and that's what makes restaurants amazing as well! I can't tell you how many cool things I've learned, and understood my work environment and even my life better because of all this contact with people of various backgrounds. I'm not any affiliate of the site, but it just looked cool.. talk to you soon!

Okay, my minor Apple Fanboy comment..and USA Today!

cheftony@cheflifeonline.com — 2007-03-10T16:28:20-05:00

Apple being recognized as a great innovator, and marketing machine. Links to Macworld UK, a quick read... http://www.macworld.co.uk/news/index.cfm? RSS&newsID=17446

Dinner at the New Blacks Bar & Grill, Bethesda

cheftony@cheflifeonline.com — 2007-03-07T00:41:49-05:00

So, tonight was Blacks Bar and Grill in Bethesda. They had closed some time ago for renovations, and I had not been back since. What we found inside was amazing, a very sheik, wood and glass space, very L.A. (though I haven't been) feel, and food to match! We started perusing the menu, noticing that the sections are a little different, tapas style plates (we ordered, but waitress forgot), Salads and Appetizers, "Composed" plates (protein, starch and vegetable), and an A la Carte Section which housed Meats & Seafood, along with side dishes and SAUCES, each about $4-6 for sides and sauces. Entree prices ranged from $16 up to $37 I believe, and the selection was smaller, but a rich selection. Each dish has great accompaniments, and the menu leans a bit towards seafood, although meats are well represented. Pork, Lamb, Braised Short Ribs (sans bone), a really nice selection Style of cooking is a nice mix of American classics touched by ethnic influences. My wife and my Dad had the Short Ribs, my Mom had Salmon with some sort of Lentil Cake, and I had Duck with a Cherry Demi Glace, Herb Spaetzle and Duck Confit (oh yes, very good). We had started with Tuna Carpaccio, Steamed Mussels in Aromatic Broth (my description) and my wife had the Roasted Thai Tomato Soup with Baby Shrimp. All excellent, arfully presented, and tasty! (part 2 will follow with wine, dessert, and what got me all wet!) :) http://digg.com/submit? phase=2&URL="

Recent Issue with Podcast Feed

cheftony@cheflifeonline.com — 2007-03-03T04:42:36-05:00

As producing a podcasts and designing a websites are learning processes, recently my feed for the ChefLife podcast was changed incorrectly for a few days. If for some reason you are re-dowloading my shows recently on iTunes or whatever other podcast catcher software you are using, my apologies. I am launching a new podcast soon based on my recent health changes and weight loss accomplishments and I crossed over the feeds. Sorry for any confusion, and thanks for listening and visiting my site! If you have any trouble getting my shows, please email me at cheftony@cheflifeonline.com.

ok...sorry, let me get geeky for a minute...

cheftony@cheflifeonline.com — 2007-03-03T03:35:05-05:00

A Chef's Life...not my peice, but you'll like!

cheftony@cheflifeonline.com — 2007-02-27T19:08:08-05:00

I've spent my past, and I'll spend the days before me, ...Though, once or twice, I sure thought I'd been smitten ...It's mostly a good way for a man to be. ...The work is hard, but then most jobs are the same, ...There are lots of women, if a man's not choosy, Doesn't mind if one's a bit of a floozy. ...Every nation of man, black, brown, red and gold. And each man must be fed his accustomed dish, ...A lot of them can't eat American food, If not fed, they won't work, and language gets crude. ...You must be a linguist to get some work done, ...Who, in turn, think the vegetable men are bums, ...Who is locked in his office, a nervous wreck. Now the big boss comes in for a little while, A fat little man who's never known to smile. ...The Haitians, with badges-I'm black and I'm proud; ... The boss nods his head, smiles at this normal play, ...And sometimes it boggles a weary man's head, ... This hodge-podge of men runs with reason and rhyme. ...Respect for their skills is the name of each game.

Chocolate Fountain, OH MY!?

cheftony@cheflifeonline.com — 2007-02-18T14:05:55-05:00

This is something my wife offers in her Catering Company, and an article below actually combines two of my passions, food and tech! / We do this for various events, Bar Mitzvahs, Weddings, and such. It can accommodate a lot of people, and it's cool as heck!

I know it's after Valentines, but a cool link anyways!

cheftony@cheflifeonline.com — 2007-02-16T00:45:47-05:00

Just a link to a nice listing of 10 aphrodisiac foods, hope your Valentines was great!

Nothing More Bad Ass than the NINJA RESTAURANT!

cheftony@cheflifeonline.com — 2007-02-10T02:30:07-05:00

Found this video on Digg.com which linked to YouTube. Very cool and worth the time to watch....this is for real, there is some theatrics on the video, but it is neat.

Gotta love YouTube...This just scares me

cheftony@cheflifeonline.com — 2007-02-09T19:52:00-05:00

Given that this is probably well watched due to it's humor value, but just take a look..it's just crazy. Let's play a game, and figure out how many bad food practices happen in this guys video? Send me an email with your favorites.. gotta love the modern age, it's easy to share video! (sometimes it would be best not to....) Enjoy HERE!

Do you need Expensive Knives...really!?

cheftony@cheflifeonline.com — 2007-02-09T18:32:29-05:00

There are nice Japanese knives which can get expensive if you get the real high end versions, but don't bother with that. You actually bring up a pet peeve of mine, in that there are very good products (many that Chefs and Restaurants really use) that aren't the high $$$ versions you see in retail stores. I really need to get into that market, because people really assume that if a celebrity Chef endorses them, they will somehow transform the person who buys them into the SUper Chef! ...Start with a few basics, a 7 or 9 inch Chefs knife, a good paring knife, and maybe a flexible boning knife (insert joke here...) ... You can go the block method and get setup from the get go, but you may realize later you would rather invest in particular knives for certain cuisines or situations. ... Keep them in a block , or you can get very inexpensive knife guards (kind of like a plastic sleeve they slide into) which do a pretty good job.... If I'm not mistaken, the two brands I recommended are guaranteed for life! They may run you $80-120 for the Chefs, and less for others, they are worth it! Don't buy from anyone who doesn't let you hold them, play (!) ... The more you use, the more you want an extension of your hand, balanced and easy to use. Buy a steel as well ( keeps the edge sharp,it's not a "sharpener" but a "steel". ... Any major brand will have a "full tang" meaning the metal of the blade runs all the way to the back of the handle. ...All that being said, and maybe as a backup, there are really great "basic" kitchen knives that restaurants use that are really cheap (like $15 each) that last forever. They don't look as nice, and are NOT as comfortable usually, but to have a set that you wouldn't worry about having anyone use, wouldn't hurt. The deal is, you'd probably have to buy from a kitchen supplier like Sysco or something. ...Hmm...maybe you can start ( or I should) a topic on my forum about your question? Maybe you can join up on my forum and help me get one more reader? I really hope my info helps, let me know what you end up doing! I'll keep my eye out for any sets that might work for you... ...I returned the TWO units I had, I posted a story about it on Uncle Gamer.com...

Sourdough Bread Starter from 1847..you can get via US POSTAL SERVICE

cheftony@cheflifeonline.com — 2007-02-09T15:34:12-05:00

I just posted on digg.com This story references a sourdough bread starter that you can get for free from 1847. If the term "starter" makes no sense, go HERE for definition.

"Hi Honey, the Limo is here...ready for White Castle?"

cheftony@cheflifeonline.com — 2007-02-09T13:57:55-05:00

Apparently White Castle has been doing this for 17 years, read the article here

Chef talks about Tipping..don't they all HATE waiters?

cheftony@cheflifeonline.com — 2007-02-07T22:56:32-05:00

I've been a waiter, bartender, even car valet, so I DO understand the issue. ((listen to my next podcast to discover why even now, tipping matters to me)) I'm hoping this thread will reach someone somewhere who doesn't know how to tip... ...yes, there is a very small hourly pay, but usually, that is eaten up with the taxes that they are required to pay on the tips...so basically (and usually actually) they get $0 checks... most of the time, management has to force them to take the checks and cash them (the small ones). 2-most waiters want to give you good service, if they have the right attitude, and are really trying to take care of you, you should tip them appropriately. Many things are out of their control like the Chef on duty (ahem), how the hostess seated them, how the management arranged their section, what kind of workload is being forced on them. ...I heard someone at a table telling their friend "I don't tip on tax!!" Let's look at it, on a $100 check, the tax would be $5.00, even at 20% on the tax, that's $1.00. If you're that cheap to not go the extra mile for that person who just brought you food, that was made for you by someone else, brought you drinks whenever you wanted it, and will probably end up sweeping up the crumbs you dribbled off your chin from the FREE BREAD AND BUTTER, than DON'T GO OUT! It chaps me that people are so freakin cheap to be that specific about what they will or won't tip on. 4- AGAIN 15% IS MINIMUM, unless the waiter didn't give a heck about you, or really gave bad, bad service. I usually start at 20% and go up or down from there. ... People of service (as we all are) need to remember that the guests pay your house payment, your car note, your beer money, whatever... you NEED to cater to them. ...5-Waiters tip out to bus staff, bartenders, etc.. .when you stiff them, cheap tip them, or whatever, your server is usually tipping out anyway to their bartender, etc.. They pay out usually based on sales, no accounting for your cheap tipping practice. 6-Have some class, don't make your server feel subservient, having to bring you everything you want is already tough to deal with sometimes, don't make it worse. Appreciate their service, just at least be nice, don't sneer, or look down your nose, NOT NICE! 7-I don't know the protocol 100%, but tipping on wine might be another topic, afterall, opening a bottle of wine is the same if it's a $40 bottle, or $400 bottle. ...Waiters are a unique breed :o To generalize, they don't normally plan too far out, and are definitely sales hounds...some DO really push only the high $$ items, some really take the time to learn the food and really represent the menu evenly... One last point, in AMERICA, we are on the tipping system, there is no "built in charge" that the waiters get, they RELY ON YOUR TIPS 100% TO PAY THEIR BILLS. This is all said from a Chefs perspective, so believe me, I'm no waiter fanboy, but they work hard like the rest of us in the business, and I've really seen some ridiculous practices by guests that just need to be eliminated.

hi def version?

cheftony@cheflifeonline.com — 2007-02-06T05:02:16-05:00

NICE SITE ABOUT BASIC FACTS OF FOOD

cheftony@cheflifeonline.com — 2007-02-06T04:48:39-05:00

It amazes me what people DON'T know about food, here is a cool little article I found.

UPDATE SUCCESSFUL

cheftony@cheflifeonline.com — 2007-02-04T20:56:46-05:00

A Celebration of Crab!

cheftony@cheflifeonline.com — 2007-01-31T01:33:40-05:00

A Celebration of Crab! Classic Cocktail Hour & Crab “Taste Off” Petit Crab Cakes of 4 types of crab! BLUE, DUNGENESS, SNOW, AND KING CRAB IDENTIFY THE CRAB & CAST YOUR VOTE ! ...Roasted Butternut Squash Soup with Basil Oil and Crab Meat Domaine St. Michelle Champagne, WA ...Arugula & Field Greens, Dungeness Crab, Toasted Hazelnuts, Blood Orange and Sherry Vinaigrette Sokol Blosser Evolution No. 10, OR ...Petit Filet with Dungeness Crab Risotto and Grilled Asparagus Col Solare Meritage Northstar Merlot, WA ...Oregon Brandy Vanilla Poached Rogue River Pear with Gran Marnier Chocolate Mousse and Almond Crunch

claiming my odeo feed

cheftony@cheflifeonline.com — 2007-01-06T16:24:00-05:00

My Odeo Channel (odeo/06a57dde042e462f)

Restaurant.com a great bargain!

cheftony@cheflifeonline.com — 2006-12-17T21:15:43-05:00

As quoted in this article, sites like Restaurant.com (yes, I'm an affiliate, look at the home page here of cheflifeonline.com) are great ways to save on eating out. You can buy a gift certificate online (for yourself or whomever) and print out at home. Take to the restaurant, and often receive a substantial savings in dining dollars. Obviously this is meant overall as a great means to market selections of new restaurants to you as a "subscriber" to this site. Check out a recent article I found discussing it HERE

Turducken?

cheftony@cheflifeonline.com — 2006-11-26T11:45:55-05:00

Here's the Wikipedia on the famous Turducken (sp?)... Chicken stuffed inside a duck, inside a turkey...oh the protein overload. There is a company mentioned that now sells them to the tune of 3,300 a year! Hope your Thanksgiving was joyous...oh, me? I helped serve 700 people at our restaurant...welcome to the "ChefLife"...more in the next podcast! Chef Tony

Top 100 on iTunes for a while now!

cheftony@cheflifeonline.com — 2006-11-21T10:50:16-05:00

(null)

Nice Salami!

cheftony@cheflifeonline.com — 2006-10-23T01:47:27-04:00

My wife and I just finished a Molinari Salami from San Francisco. I'm online tonight just looking where to get another one (or two?) and I see they are available from Amazon... These things are amazing. These are 1 lb units, ours was 2 I believe. You will not be disappointed, I guarantee it.

Help fight AIDS in Africa...

cheftony@cheflifeonline.com — 2006-10-17T01:17:21-04:00

Hi guys... If you know me you know I'm now an Apple fanatic...and yes, I'm able to sell Apple Products through my site www.cheflifeonline.com. Here's the deal, I have very close friends from Mali, Africa, and if I can promote this new iPod Nano (with the new aluminum case in Red) where $10 is donated to the Global fund that supports AIDS research and other great causes in Africa, why not? If you want any info about Apple products, shoot me an email, I'm the proud owner of four ipods, 2 Macs, and multiple Apple Accessories. I can probably give you the info you need... Thanks for listening... By the way, you can check our my podcast HERE on iTunes... Take care.

SPINACH IS BACK!

cheftony@cheflifeonline.com — 2006-10-12T00:18:12-04:00

Corporate wide, we have as a company, decided to add back spinch to our menus. Consumers are still reminded to wash all produce before consumption. Just last week, there was another produce scare related to GREEN LEAF LETTUCE from the brand "FOXY". I have not heard any more on that situation, but I'll keep up on what's happening and keep you in touch. Chef Tony

Oyster Tumbler...

cheftony@cheflifeonline.com — 2006-10-09T01:16:10-04:00

(null)

TEAM BUILDING..(from the "old" ChefLife

cheftony@cheflifeonline.com — 2006-10-09T01:07:19-04:00

I was reminded of an old post, before I switched over to my official website version, so I thought I might repost a few of my favorites... Here's one on Team Building... So I heard a cool quote yesterday, from a good friend in my company... hell remain nameless.. but I promised him Id publish his jewel of a quote... He was in one of our restaurants, and heard an Executive Chef counseling an employee... Were all about working as a team here... Now dont EVER question my authority AGAIN!! ...It is pretty funny how these things will come out... One thing I've learned when dealing with any employees... say what you have to that shift, but sometimes it is a good step to sleep on any major decisions to punish until the next day. When working for a cooporation, it is normally mandatory. Anger can get the best of you and lead you to abuse your position and make a decision on anger... ...As Chefs, we are really more leaders and teachers, than cooks sometimes. There is NO WAY we could ever accomplish anything without our teams, be them Sous Chefs, Line Cooks, or Waiters for that matter. (Sometimes waiters are the necessary evil...... But seriously, we have to remember that each and every action and statement that we make is watched by our staff. Youd be surprised what people remember you said before. Be careful about making rule changes, people will remember and call you on it if you forget to follow your own rule. Build a good team, take care of the people around you. IF you become a good leader, youll enjoy your time at work , and create the kind of environment that people want to exist in. Youll reduce turnover, and reduce wasted money retraining new hires. ...

4000 Crab cakes...OH MY!

cheftony@cheflifeonline.com — 2006-10-09T00:31:11-04:00

As is our tradition in October, we just completed (yesterday) our 7th Taste of Bethesda.. the annual event in Bethesda, Maryland that samples the regions amazing selection of restaurants, eateries and local flavor. ... Downtown Bethesda is corded off and vendor tents are erected early in the morning, and local restaurants that have signed up create mobile kitchens to serve "tastes" of their food. ... It is a very family oriented scene, lots of kids, parents, Big100 Radio Station is there (who by the way, only seemed to have 3 cds to play??) ...The first year, my sous chef and me, along with my loyal wife and a few people from the restaurant hosted the event, doing our crabcakes and Seafood Corn chowder. I can't remember how many "covers" we did, but I only remember my Sous Chef spinning around in a circle about a million times, scooping crabcakes onto a tiny griddle and spinning the other way to plate them up ontop of a baby burger bun to serve. ... We did this setup for a few years, until chowder became the item we had to guess on.. . I'll explain... due to the timing of this event, you never know what the weather will be like, it's been 70 degrees and sunny, down to 55 degrees, cloudy and rainy. Then you had a few years that started cold and ended kind of hot, so you never know. ...My Operations Chef did a great job of setting up this year, as the years have gone by, I've trusted my assistants more and more in taking care of the details. ... Anyhoo, he had us setup well, and we were ready to go with 600 lbs of crab cake mix..yes, you read right, 600 lbs, packed in 50 lb containers. ... The day was rainy, about 50 degrees or so,and we got super worried that we wouldn't have the attendance of usual, and be stuck sitting on quite a few crab cakes. ... We carry EVERYTHING we need, because although the event is within a few blocks, it's really kind of tough to make trips back and forth, so checklists are imperative. We've been smart and updated lists over the years, so we don't carry anything unnecessary and make sure to bring the important stuff. As we got setup, the rain continued to come down, forcing us to pull our tables in and deal with the potential reality that our day might just suck. ... Luckily for all of us, as we had the griddles setup and hot, testing them, the rain started to lessen. ... People usually get flowing around Noon, and this year was no exception, the lines grew, and crabcakes were sizzing at a non stop pace for about 3 hours. Aside from a few grease burns on my arm and avery long day for all of us, the day was a success. ...Chef Bruce, Josh, Filomena, Eva, Jessica, Armondo, Amy, Jason (FOH), Pam (GM),Tyler, Hooman(golf glove and all) and my wife who will most likely be helping me count over 10, 000 tickets this year. She has tirelessly helped us year after year, for no pay I might add, but this year with the weather issues, and the great number of people that we had, I gave her the day off. ...I find that the details that I don't even think about, people want to know..so if anything here sparks a question, shoot me an email to cheftony@cheflifeoneline.com and I'll post answers.

Tobasco...the story

cheftony@cheflifeonline.com — 2006-10-06T09:21:28-04:00

Going to Portland!

cheftony@cheflifeonline.com — 2006-10-02T00:23:16-04:00

So, T minus 17 hours to leave for Portland, Oregon on our now yearly trip to a National GM / EC Conference. Last year was a real treat to see where our company was created and birthed. I'm going this year with a new GM ( I had a stand in last year) and with some new projects (one is the one you're reading and my podcasts) under my belt. We will be taking a cruise on the river and karayoke (sp?)...yeah! Typical Tuesday and Wednesday conferences, with a dinner TUesday night, and Awards Dinner Wednesday. (post conference)... We had a good time, three really great speakers... Ross Schafer (www.rossschafer.com) and several others. I'll hold off on comments and get more details together for a future post... Pictures and comments on the trip in a few days... Chef Tony

cheftony@cheflifeonline.com — 2006-09-20T01:31:29-04:00

Here is a link to iTunes and my podcast

New Look of iTunes...screenshot here!

cheftony@cheflifeonline.com — 2006-09-17T04:04:53-04:00

Oh, thy Salmon overcooker...

cheftony@cheflifeonline.com — 2006-09-10T14:41:50-04:00

First of all, I understand, the guest is King. I belive that, I try to practice that, I understand and promote that "they pay the bills...". But, why, why, why do people want Well done fish? When you're eating this beautiful piece of Salmon, nice and pink, either farm raised or wild, the key is that buttery, juicy flesh..medium, maybe medium rare, NEVER WELL DONE?!? Yes, some states require a warning label on consuming undercooked, or raw seafood, but how many oysters are consumed nationwide (we sell 1000 a week, in one restaurant). How many beautiful RARE pieces of Yellowfin or Bluefin Tuna are eaten in the US daily? Trust your fish restaurant, sushi house, or fishmonger. You shouldn't have to broil a piece of fish to death, to be able to eat it! Fresh fish just sings a beautiful song, just seasoned with salt & pepper, and cooked just enough. Okay, I'm done, I think... it just kills me when people don't understand that they can eat it rare, or Medium rare, it's OK!! ahem, thanks for the listen... Chef Tony

Jamie Oliver Lashes Out at Parents! Spot On!

cheftony@cheflifeonline.com — 2006-09-09T01:27:08-04:00

Click here for the full story

Live Life to the Fullest! Young Chef leaves us at 36?

cheftony@cheflifeonline.com — 2006-09-09T01:20:19-04:00

Came across this sad news via my newsreader, such a loss of a Culinary Brother at the young age of 36. Our thoughts go out to this Chefs friends and family. From the Towers Online website... Southern Seminary chef dies of heart attack September 08, 2006 By Garrett E. Wishall Brian Adams, executive sous chef at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, died suddenly of a heart attack Sept. 2 at age 36. R. Albert Mohler, Jr., president of Southern Seminary, recognized Adams and his work at Southern during a chapel service, Tuesday, Sept. 5. "Brian Adams was known to most of us as 'Chef Brian,'" Mohler said. "He was one who gave himself so that we might enjoy so much on this campus. "Most of us do not feel as if death is right around the corner. I'm sure Brian didn't. It is just the nature of the case that in our comings and goings and doing what we do -- studying and teaching and all the rest -- that we can walk right past someone whose service makes this institution possible. We can be unaware of the fact that we must be praying for people like Brian and their families as well. A sad and tragic interruption like this certainly brings that to our attention like nothing else can."

Como Estas? Language in the kitchen...

cheftony@cheflifeonline.com — 2006-08-25T02:17:05-04:00

A quick post here about how easy it can be to lose employees! We recently had a dishwasher who has been going through a tough time in his personal life. He's from El Salvador and had recently gotten married to an American lady. Long and short, this lady is screwing him (not in a good way)... she's convinced him to sell his house, convinced him to form a joint account, and withdrew over $32,000! She had the police issue an order for him not to be around her (there's a name for that, can't remember!) . Anyhow, he is really getting raked over the coals. Well last week, we had asked him to clean the prep room, and he refused, saying he was busy! Now ,to a Chef, that doesn't happen.. we are the kings of the kitchen! We ended up sending him home, and he decided not to come back. It was very unlike his normal character to act this way, so we followed up with him and got him to come in today and talk. BASICALLY we had a miscommunication, but due to his pride? or whatever, he was willing to walk away from his job. Yes, he could get another (restaurant jobs are not that hard to come by if you have experience) but we have always liked him, and it's good to have him back. It is a major thing to be able to speak Spanish in a kitchen, if you're in high school or college and considering the restaurant business, LEARN SPANISH!!! My spanish is good enough to get by, and it definitely earns me respect, and makes it easier to get through the day. Bottom line, in this area at least (Washington).. the Latin American population is major in number. Thanks for the read...visit a sponsor!

How much pepper can you use in one meal??? (overfilled condiment rant & rave)

cheftony@cheflifeonline.com — 2006-08-21T01:27:38-04:00

So here is one of my first posts on the "new" ChefLife...and it's a simple one. How many times have you been in a restaurant, and been UNABLE TO USE pepper, salt, hot sauce, etc... because the overzealous lead waiter has DEMANDED that their underling waiters fill the condiments to the tippy tippy top? The salt is so full, you can't get any kind of shake out of it, so you barely get salt out?? I JUST LOVE when they overfill the Tobasco so full that I have a seizure, shaking the bottle so many times to get three drips out...what gives? Do they actually think that you'll go through even a third of a bottle in one day?? I realize that we don't like condiments to look sloppy on the table, but you do realize that full ketchup bottles are "topped off" ? with other ketchup from other bottles? and that they can explode when the ketchup gets spoiled in the bottle? I get it, fill up the condiments, but give it a little room to breathe! You lose function when it is so full. That's it, no more, no less. thanks for reading.... Chef Tony

Fatty Foods!? The Diners Bill of Rights...and Responsibilities!

cheftony@cheflifeonline.com — 2006-07-28T00:55:21-04:00

Maybe not a shocker here, but restaurant food apparently was found by patrons to have much MORE fat and calories than they expected. From my 20 years, RESTAURANTS DON'T COOK TO BE HEALTHY, GET IT?? It's not at all to say that a Chef doesn't think about that, but we are in business to keep people going "Wow! ... Given, if you're in California, or other areas of the country that are EXTREMELY health conscious, you will find many more restaurants that are focused on healthy, low fat, low carb, low sugar items, maybe even whole concepts that are about that. But for most major cities, bigger restaurants are focused on large numbers of guests, and the main stream patron is going out to enjoy a meal, celebrate, INDULGE? ... It doesn't mean that everything is ladened with butter and salt, but in America, those things do taste good! You need to be very specific about what you want and don't want in your food. ... Any restaurant worth it's salt (sorry for the pun) will make accommodations for your diet and do as much as they can. HINT: it also helps if you have a lot of special requests, to go to your restaurant of choice in the slower times. This would generally be like the first 30 minutes after opening, mid afternoon from 2ish to 5:30ish, or later in the evening (but! ... BE POLITE, AND FIRM, BUT REALIZE YOU ARE OFTEN ASKING A LOT OF THE CHEF! Many restaurants can be less than accommodating, not good, but true. What should be obvious, to eat "healthy" is a very generic term, but usually would mean, low in fat & carbs, watching sugar content and higher in vitamins and as fresh as possible. Any restaurant that makes their dishes to order can be more flexible. Look for elements around the menu of how they prepare their food and see if you can combine a few things to make the meal you need. I ALMOST CANNOT BELIEVE I'M RECCOMMENDING THIS, BECAUSE THESE TYPES OF ORDERS CAN MAKE CHEFS CRAZY!! But we really all know, that the guests keep us in business, and deep down, we are all about pleasing other people. Just try to be reasonable and understand that YOUR DISH YOU'RE CREATING may cost you a little more. A restaurant has the right to charge as they see fit to accommodate your request. The waiter or Chef needs to tell you what those costs

MY RSS Feed

Well...it's about time!

Happy 08!

Molecular Gastronomy...say what?

Tech Haters.. please click this story

Visions Restaurant Update...don't miss this one!

google maps...where are we?

Running your Car on Chicken Grease...Yes!

VisionsBethesda.com is live!

Seeing the Godfather...

Realities of Chef Life from an insider...

** IMPORTANT PHONE NUMBER CHANGES **

Eww...or maybe Yumm?

Update 6

Hello to April!

MMM...Cornstarch Fun

Update 5

Great Balls o' Fire?

***Please Excuse this Commercial***

Update 4

update 3

Update 2

Update #1

ANNOUNCEMENT!!!!!

Life Happens

Chef Ramsay and Bluefin Tuna

Rat*a*too*ee

Hell's Kitchen

How to Complain in a Restaurant

Tell a Friend!

Sorry,,,Apple commercial here & calamari

Organic Fruit and Veggies

Fake Fish, what's next!?

Oh the life...

Wild Salmon

Fishing Picture!

Visitors from the world

Sleep? Who needs sleep

Wild Salmon on Channel 9 WUSA

Shameless Self Plug

Dont Hate Me...

Celebrity Chef found Dead...

BUY A MAC! PLEASE! SAVE YOURSELVES!!!

Fishing Trip today....

The Gazette Healthy Challenge...results are in!

How much is an Orange worth?

testing..sorry to bother you...

What me? Self promoting?? :)

Air Blog...

Die from Crab?!

Eat a Burger, and Change Your Sparkplug..no tools necessary!

Today is World Water Day!!

50 year old Restaurant Closes down.... :( sad

Raw Milk...who knows of this "raw milk"?

Starbucks Addicts? How about a calorie count?

Time for a BREAK!

Restaurants, Jelly Beans, and Diversity?

Okay, my minor Apple Fanboy comment..and USA Today!

Dinner at the New Blacks Bar & Grill, Bethesda

Recent Issue with Podcast Feed

ok...sorry, let me get geeky for a minute...

A Chef's Life...not my peice, but you'll like!

Chocolate Fountain, OH MY!?

I know it's after Valentines, but a cool link anyways!

Nothing More Bad Ass than the NINJA RESTAURANT!

Gotta love YouTube...This just scares me

Do you need Expensive Knives...really!?

Sourdough Bread Starter from 1847..you can get via US POSTAL SERVICE

"Hi Honey, the Limo is here...ready for White Castle?"

Chef talks about Tipping..don't they all HATE waiters?

hi def version?

NICE SITE ABOUT BASIC FACTS OF FOOD

***UPDATE SUCCESSFUL***

A Celebration of Crab!

claiming my odeo feed

Restaurant.com a great bargain!

Turducken?

Top 100 on iTunes for a while now!

Nice Salami!

Help fight AIDS in Africa...

IMPORTANT PHONE NUMBER CHANGES

Please Excuse this Commercial

Ratatoo*ee

UPDATE SUCCESSFUL