9 items to play with

I have a tasting on Wednesday in Burbank that I am thrilled about doing. They are opening a new tapas/mezze restaurant and a 400 seat banquet facility in Pasadena...and I am trying out to be the Executive Chef. A lot of work...they have just begun demo on the old and think they will open in January or February. I say think because I have done this a couple of times and it rarely goes as planned. Even if there is a ton of money behind it.
So, here is what I am planning...

9 Items for which to taste:


1: Hummus with Roasted Red Peppers
2. Tabbouleh (with a mix of quinoa and couscous, a little nuttier)
3. Caprese on a skewer..simple straight forward app
4. Lemon and Mint marinated Grilled Lamb with cranberry-mint Israeli couscous
5. Taglitelli with roasted butternut squash with sage and browned butter
6. Porcini Crusted Salmon over sauteed garlic spinach
7. Spaghetti Amatriciana with zucchini, yellow squash and pancetta
8. Roasted Chicken Roulade with prosciutto and ricotta and fresh tomato sauce
9. Dessert...something chocolate...decadent...pots du creme?

I prep everything here and take it to Burbank..I am going to be there by 2pm on Wednesday. 3 hours should be plenty...including cleaning up. I am excited and nervous and just want people to taste my food...I was good at this shit 4 years ago..feel like I am rusty. Creaky.

Ideas...

Ideas in my head that I can't seem to pin down... write down one thing yet while in the middle of it, it comes out something different than you imagined, and WAY better.

BleuBerryBacon Burgers, with a toasted, brioche bun, alfalfa sprouts, avocado and a couple leaves of butter lettuce...and a light smear of blueberry bbq sauce.

Those luscious Brussels Sprouts that I learned a long time ago, that just improved as I tweaked it.

Southern Fried Quail Legs with Corn Cake and Radish-Apple Slaw, and Quince Vinaigrette

Spanish Chorizo in Malbec with Papas Rojo

Pan Toasted Green Beans with Sea Salt and Pink Peppercorns

Curried Duck Confit-Bok Choy Wontons

Bar Food....Skewers, things on sticks. Sweet, savory, make them DRINK MORE.


Paint brushes the sauce on the plate..same stroke over and over..sliced avocado
fanned out at 11 oclock..charred and blackened duck breast, cooked rare, and bloody, sliced on the bias fanned across the middle of the 9in square...chopped daikon-cucumber and Thai-chile-vinaigrette in the 5 oclock...rough chopped cilantro litters the plate. Maybe a stray Lemon verbena leaf, or kaffir lime chopped....

I'm fixing a hole where the rain came in to stop my mind from wandering...