Chef-2-Chef Foodservice Newsletter: 2007-07-29 Culinary Sunday Times

Big Changes Brewing at Chef2Chef!

Things have been busy here at Chef2Chef. So busy, in fact, that we won't be running a newsletter next weekend! You can expect your next edition the following Sunday. Soon after we return, however, you can look forward to big changes on the Chef2Chef home page. We'll also be adding a few new features, including:

These are just a couple of the great new features you'll have to look forward to. We'll still continue our featured chef series (check out this month's chef below), and other popular goodies.

Chef Bobo Bergstrom's road to culinary success is anything but ordinary. Swedish-born, he began his education in his native country, but his true education would carry him across the globe.

From the Navy to the Kitchen
He gained extensive culinary experience as a young man, initially in the Swedish Navy in the military officers' restaurants (he served as a Sub-Lieutenant for the Swedish Armoured Forces), the Royal Viking Hotel in Stockholm, North Norway Hotels as well as mid parts, and worked extensively both in Europe and the Caribbean. He gained recognition in various food competitions and is recipient of several diplomas in his related field, and even worked for the Chef of the Swedish Royal Family as Chef de Cuisine at Michelin Star-awarded restaurant Operakallaren in Stockholm.

Achieving Culinary Perfection
Chef Bergstrom's accomplishments include dishing up gourmet cuisine in world class restaurants all around the world, such as Bellevue Palace Hotell Bern (17,5 p Gault Millau); Operakallaren Restaurant (* Michelin), Stockholm; Friendship Bay Resort, Bequia W.I.; Scandic-Hilton Hotel, Stockholm; Jalousie Hilton, St. Lucia, W.I.; as well as running his own hotel and restaurant business in Sweden. As Culinary Director at the Windjammer Landing Villa Beach Resort in St Lucia W.I., he received many accolades for bringing the quality of the resorts three restaurants, the Dragonfly Restaurant in particular, to top levels...

South Beach Award Winning Chef Frank Randazzo Presents Chefs4Students.org Culinary Grant at Johnson & Wales University

South Beach Celebrity Chef Frank Randazzo Presents Chefs4Students.org Culinary Grant at Johnson & Wales University

Award winning local chef and Johnson & Wales alumni, Frank Randazzo presented culinary student Nicole Impero a $1,000 culinary grant from Chefs4Students.org on July 6th at the Johnson and Wales campus in Miami Beach, Florida. Impero was one of twelve grant recipients chosen by a panel of executive chefs, business executives and culinary professionals from various organizations from around the globe.

Chef Frank Randazzo met the team from Chefs4Students.org Culinary Grant program while appearing as a celebrity chef judge at the Johnson & Wales “National High School Chef of the Year” Contest at the Charlotte, NC campus this past March. Randazzo and his wife, Andrea Curto-Randazzo own and operate the popular Talula Restaurant & Bar on the northern edge of South Beach.

When Chefs4Students.org administrators, Chef David and Pamela Nelson learned one of the recipients was going to be from the Johnson & Wales Miami campus, “We thought of Chef Frank immediately. Being a Johnson and Wales alumni and considering his passion for the future of our industry, Chef Frank was a perfect candidate for a grant presenter” says Nelson. “We were very pleased when he accepted our offer.”

About Talula Restaurant & Bar: Talula Restaurant & Bar is the loving evolution of two outstanding careers, those of award winning chefs Andrea Curto-Randazzo and Frank Randazzo. Located at 210 23rd Street on Miami Beach, Talula opened in June 2003. For reservations: 305-672-0778

About Chefs4Students.org: C4S is a not-for-profit organization founded by dedicated chefs committed to giving back to the future of the industry. Chefs from all over the world come together and raise money by booking out their restaurants for food and wine pairings along with silent auctions. It has also been funded by generous like-minded culinarians in many forms including cash and product donations for auctions, cookbook donations and more. The program is overseen by Chef David and Pamela Nelson from Steamboat Springs, Colorado.

The Institute of Culinary Education (ICE) offers highly regarded, accredited 6- to 11-month career training programs in culinary arts, pastry and baking arts and culinary management. With a gender ratio of approximately 50/50, ICE students come from all over the United States and the world. Class sizes average 12 students in the culinary arts and pastry and baking programs, and 17 students in culinary management. Convenient schedules allow students to take morning, afternoon, evening, or weekend classes depending on their needs. Externships and job placement, frequently in New York City's finest restaurants, are an integral part of the school's program.

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Pan Seared Foie Gras of Duck with Pineapple Caramel, Chocolate Brioche and Chocolate Syrup

Foie Gras

Foie Gras of Duck

Season foie gras with salt and pepper. Fry in HOT non-stick pan quickly on both sides and rest on the side while you add Pineapple salsa in the pan. Arrange on the plate.

Brioche:

300g egg
20g yeast (2tsp) soaked in 1 tsp warm water
60g sugar
500g flour
40g cocoa powder
20g salt
300g room tempered butter

Preparation
Wisk egg and yeast. Add flour, cocoa, sugar and salt. Work for a elastic dough for 20 minutes. Add the room warm butter, bit by bit and increase the speed of the blender and work the dough to a glance. Rest under cloth to rise for 2 hrs and chill for 12 hours. Make 2 oz balls and put in moulds, cover with clear wrap and rise for two hours in room temp. Brush with egg and bake in 400º oven.

Chocolate syrup:

1 cup balsamic vinegar
1 cup sugar
2 tbsp cocoa powder

Preparation
Boil balsamic vinegar, sugar and cocoa powder until thick and set to cool.

Pineapple Caramel Salsa:

¼ cup sugar
¼ cup pineapple juice
1 tbsp lime juice
1 cup pineapple, diced
Vanilla pod
Salt and pepper to taste

Preparation
Melt sugar in a skillet until light brown. Add pineapple juice, limejuice and cook out. Add diced pineapple, vanilla pod or essence, salt and black pepper. Remove and set to cool.

Find More of Bobo's Recipes!

Dice all fruits in ¼ inch pieces and chop onion and chives and transfer in to a large salad bowl. Add limejuice, sugar, hot sauce and salt and toss. Fold in lobster cut in ¼ inch chunks and add some oil. Garnish with plantain chips and serve as a cocktail.

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