An exclusive peek at the most influential culinary family in Britain.
The Roux brothers are culinary legends. Based in the London area, hey have been the greatest influence on British gastronomy since Chef Escoffier ruled over the kitchen of the Savoy in the early 1900s. From the early beginnings of the flagship restaurant Le Gavroche in 1967, they have forged a multigenerational culinary juggernaut. The video posted above is part of an exposé about the Roux empire.
I was fortunate to work as sous chef at the original Le Gavroche from 1978-1981. It was a great immersion experience. Eventually I had a restaurant partnership in Santa Barbara with the brothers, Michael's Waterside. Next year marks 50 years since the Roux's opened and they are poised for another generation to assume the mantle.
Tea time. We love to make all the "fancy" tea sandwiches and sweets for a classic-classy tea service. The possibilities are endless. We are happy to assist in planning your tea with rentals, service staff and a selection of teas. Scones, classic French and English tea pastries, delicious finger sandwiches such as smoked salmon and cucmbers, preserves and clotted cream make for an elegant and delicious afternoon.
The Inn Crowd, hosted by Craig Case, and Chef Michael Hutchings of Michael's Catering welcomes the Santa Barbara Police Foundation to a dinner donated by Michael's Catering. This is not our usual show format! I donated a dinner for 10 last fall to the Santa Barbara Police Foundation for a live auction item. By request of the chair, Arlene Montesano, we increased the guests to 12, she offered to provide the "service crew" and have wines donated. The service crew were Arlene's girl friends dressing is red and on heels! The dinner gained an auction price of $10,000! But wait, there's still more.
The auctioneer, Billy Baldwin, had another bid so he auctioned off another dinner for 12 at $10,000, total $20,000! Clearly I have been undercharging for catering. We combined the two auctioned diners and Allen and Anne Sides, guests on this show, hosted the dinner at their restored 1920s estate. We filmed the advanced preparation in my commercial kitchen and then moved to the estate for the final cooking and serving for the dinner. We were delighted to have a star studded guest list including Peter Noone, Barry De Vorzon, Olivia Newton John, Allen Sides and prominent community members.
To provide information, resources, and financial support for deceased, injured, disabled or catastrophically ill police officers, or employees, of the Santa Barbara Police Department and their families.
To purchase and donate equipment requested by the officers of the Santa Barbara Police Department to support law enforcement efforts.
To provide financial assistance and access to counseling services for the men and women of the Santa Barbara Police Department, and other first responders of the Tri-County area, as deemed appropriate by the Board of Directors."
The menu needed to be stepped up. After an array of passed canapés, we started the diner with Lobster Mousseline garnished with oscieetra caviar, set on julienned vegetables and a lobster sauce. A mousseline can be likened to a warm pate. A veal loin roast with an array of vegetables and a pinot noir jus was the main event. Veal is not a frequent entree and offers a lighter alternate to beef. Cheeses from C'Est Cheese preceded a dessert call Roulé Marquise from the fames Le Gavroche. Chef Albert Roux, the founder, once told me that I would be famous if I mastered the Roulé Marquise. It has been my most favored chocolate cake over the years. Note: The fondant potato and pinot noir demi glace appear on other episodes.
Join is on The Inn Crowd Saturdays at 6:30 on ABC affiliate KEY channel 3. Please note that the air time my vary to as late as 9:30. You may view the show on-line at the Santa Barbara News Press. Look to the right side of the web page for a link to the show. YTS Digital Films filmed and directed this show. We appreciate our wine sponsor, Foley family Wines, for providing access to their wonderful portfolio of wines as The Berry Man, our produce supplier.
Put on your apron, grab your whisk, fire up the oven and get your apron on. I'll provide the recipes, the rest is up to you. See you on the kitchen.
A special thanks to The Berry Man Produce for providing the great produce for our show and serving the needs of food service companies from Big Sur to Malibu.
All recipes copyright 2016 Michael Hutchings, All Rights Reserved
Photo Credits William Conlin YTS Video Productions, unless otherwise noted.
The menu was inspired by Lloyd's New England states background and a known love of Maine lobsters. The filming was at the home of Eric and Nina Phillips. We started with freshly shucked oysters and a traditional pepper-shallot sauce. The next course was lobster, of course, cooked lobster boil style with all the usual suspects. Dessert had to be blueberry pie with a lattice crust. Traditional, classical and somewhat of a cliche, it none the less makes for delicious dining. We paired wines from the Foley Family Wines to compliment the dinner.
Lobster Fight, Usual Suspects (Eric Phillips with knife)
Join is on The Inn Crowd Saturdays at 6:30 on ABC affiliate KEY channel 3. Please note that the air time my vary to as late as 9:30. You may view the show on-line at the Santa Barbara News Press. Look to the right side of the web page for a link to the show. YTS Digital Films filmed and directed this show. We appreciate our wine sponsor, Foley family Wines, for providing access to their wonderful portfolio of wines.
Put on your apron, grab your whisk, fire up the oven and get on your apron (put the big knife down). I'll provide the recipes, the rest is up to you. See you on the kitchen.
It has been a very busy two weeks. Events at Hearst Castle, the historic Mural Room in Santa Barbara, and a handful of catered dinners have kept me from getting to the job of blogging. On top of that, I made two trips to Carmel, CA, to assist my chef-friend Kurt Grasing cater for the annual concours event.
Check back later in the week for the blog on our Christopher Lloyd episode.
My chef big brother passed away this morning. Chef Michel Richard was a giant in our food world and a chef's chef. I first encountered Michel back in 1977 when I was working at La Serre in the San Fernando Valley, Studio City. His pastries were delivered for an event and it was clear a new force was in town. A creative genius, his work in the savory world of cooking advanced the culinary art. I will post more in a later blog, my recollections and a few recipes.
Julia Child's birthday is August 15 and would be 104 had death not interrupted her in the kitchen. I first met Julia in the fall of 1981. I was in a new position as executive chef at a restaurant in Santa Barbara called the Olive Mill Bistro. Oddly, it was on Olive Mill Road. This was my first position having just come back from my three-year European tour. I had been working at top rated restaurants in London, Paris, Lyon, Roanne and was loaded for gastronomic success.
One evening at the olive Mill Bostro, I was informed the Julia Child was dining with us along with husband Paul Child and Robert Mondavi and wife Margrit. If there was anything that could make your sauce curdle, is was the thought of such a culinary force as the famed Julia Child in the dining room. I had a couple of specials on the menu that evening. I had prepared a local squab in the style of Chef Alain Chapel. It was poached in a star anise broth with liver dumplings wrapped in rice flour dough. The other dish was a local spiny lobster that was par cooked, split, buried in garlic butter and baked. Accompanied by a lobster infused bearnaise and gaufrette potatoes, it mirrored and similar dish we prepared at Le Gavroche in London.
The waiter informed me that Julia had requested that I come out to the table. With some apprehension, I complied. What I encountered were warm, enthusiastic foodies that wanted to know my culinary lineage and how I had arrived at the Olive Mill Bistro. For years after whenever I crossed paths with Robert Mondavi, he would say, "I remember that lobster dish." Julia was an enthusiastic supporter of all things culinary in Santa Barbara and I have the delight to appear on several of her PBS episodes of Dinner at Julia's.
For Julia's 40th anniversary on PBS, there was a country-wide celebration with chef's recreating her famed Boeuf a la Bourguignonne. I was tapped to work with the local city college culinary students to prepared that venerated beef stew. I worked with the ingredients at hand for the dinner where Julia was the honored guest. When we were introduced to the guests after the dinner was served, I went to Julia's table to say hello. Here comment was that is was delicious but, "Need more wine." And yes, she was spot on as the school had not supplied enough wine as specified in her iconic recipe. Her first book, mastering the Art of French Cooking, is still a font of classic French cuisine.
The Inn Crowd, hosted by Craig Case, and Chef Michael Hutchings welcomes chef John Moeller to the kitchen of The Inn Crowd. Chef John Moeller is a member of an elite corps of chefs, those who have served in the White House preparing très soigné cuisine for Presidents, First Families, and their guests, including visiting Heads of State. Chef to three First Families, including President George H.W. Bush, President William Jefferson Clinton, and President George W. Bush, Chef Moeller joined the White House kitchen in 1992 as sous chef to Pierre Chambrin and later Walter Scheib, eventually acting as White House Chef in 2005. I was delighted to work with Chef John preparing a joint menu based on a few local specialties and classics from his White House repertoire.
Archie McLaren, founder of The Central Coast Wine Classic, organized the dinner and provided wines from his vast wine cellar. Alain and Anne Sides hosted the dinner at their stunning 1920s estate. Allen Sides is not only the owner of Ocean Way Recording, he is also one of the most respected engineer/producers in the music industry. The Sides have also appeared on an episode of The inn Crowd.
The dinner started with my classic abalone appetizer. I use the farm-raised abalone from The Cultured Abalone, located a few miles from the heart of Santa Barbara. Chef John next offered his take on a squab dish utilizing a local product from the Carpenter Squab Ranch. The entree of a beef tenderloin was a classic from chef John's book, Dining at the White House—From the President’s Table to Yours. Salad preceded an intense chocolate dessert with a tuile garnish.
Host Craig Case, Archie McLaren, Chef John Moller, Chef Host Michael Hutchings
Join is on The Inn Crowd Saturdays at 6:30 on ABC affiliate KEY channel 3. Please note that the air time my vary to as late as 9:30. You may view the show on-line at the Santa Barbara News Press. Look to the right side of the web page for a link to the show. YTS Digital Films filmed and directed this show. We appreciate our wine sponsor, Foley family Wines, for providing access to their wonderful portfolio of wines.
Put on your apron, grab your whisk, fire up the oven and get your apron on. I'll provide the recipes, the rest is up to you. See you on the kitchen.
