Going through some of the archives recently, I found this certificate from a cooking class on October 16, 1977. The famed three-starred Michelin chef, Jean Troisgros was teaching at the Mondavi Winery. A fellow named Michael James organized the session. At the time, I was a sous chef at a place called La Serre in Studio City, CA. I was working with my friend chef James Sly. My reason for going to the class was to meet Chef Troisgros and try and get a position in his kitchen in France. I had determined that a French experience was the next step in my career. James had led the way with his own French training at the Hotel de Paris in Monaco and The Ritz in Paris.
The only dish I remember chef Jean demonstrating was his Escalopes de veau à la Moutarde. I was asked to help bone the veal and his comment was "Le Professional." The chef had 'smuggled" his own veal stock from his kitchen in France. In any event, my request for a position in France as politely turned down. As fate would unfold, I did a brief apprenticeship at his restaurant in Roanne in 1981. Chef Albert Roux had arranged that after my three years with him at Le Gavroche. Incidentally, I learned his method for the veal stock when I was there. This is another story.
Here is my version of the Escalopes de veau à la Moutarde.
