Food Presentation

Presentation Matters

When I worked at a fine dining restaurant I will say that the most significant thing that I learned was the importance of food presentation. I have always felt that the way food looks is as important as it tastes. However, I recognize more and more that the way food is presented on the plate is a very important element to serving food.

I am a personal chef but know that the food appeal is a major part of the creativity in my work. And since I have to take photos of the food I also know how important it is to make the food look just right. I use the food to create the dramatic presentation.

I could not believe the results of the trifle. It is delicious. But in effect it is simply an orange cream, orange chiffon cake and a berry sauce. If you served the piece of cake with some cream and berries on a plate it would look great. However, by assembling it in layers in a trifle bowl the dramatic effect is amplified. And people come back for seconds.

What I have learned is that the more dramatic it is, the more appreciation I get. What I enjoy is getting a "wow" response. Food is art and food is meant to be eating, but it is also meant to be enjoyed for what it is.

And what I really love is that I'm getting more creative over time. I also feel that the food I am learning to work with is getting more versatile and exciting to use as well. For example, using fresh mangoes for a frozen mango cream, or using Big Island mushrooms that are versatile and also very "cute." I also enjoy using fruit, such as pineapple as the bowl to serve the medley. And of course herbs are a wonderful addition to a dish, such as rosemary sprigs or mint leaves and basil. And here in Hawaii we use fresh orchids to decorate plates a well.

Allow your creativity to expand and explore the world of food that will tempt your palate and please the stomach.

Being a Personal Chef

Aloha and Mahalo. It has been over a year now that I have been working as a personal chef. It has been a fascinating journey. And what's interesting is that my biggest fear of not having variety or getting bored definitely is not an issue in this field. It has been an amazing year of opportunities and growth. My birthday is in less than a week so I thought it would be appropriate to express my thanks and gratitude to this amazing island of Maui, its visitors and the local ohana that is so bright and beautiful.

I can now say that I specialize in gourmet fresh food with Hawaiian//Mediterranean influence. It's been awesome getting to know the local vendors for the freshest fruits, vegetables and herbs. I have also had a lot of fun creating new dishes incorporating these ingredients.

My clients have included families hiring me for the week in their luxury villa. Visitors here for weddings hosting private events at their oceanfront homes. Romantic dinner surprises. Guests having birthday celebrations for friends and family. People buying gift certificates for cooking classes as gifts for their friends here on Maui. Cooking classes for children. Thanksgiving lunches. Posh Christmas gatherings for 40. Raw food gatherings. I have have been able to get a name for some of my specialty desserts. I also have regular clients who get my gourmet meals weekly. I have traveled the entire island and my versatility and flexibility have given me many opportunities I could not have imagined.

This year has been a journey into the appreciation of celebration, food and being creative. I have learned so much this past year about the versatility of ingredients and the need to keep true to my desire to keep meals fresh, healthy, delicious and full of variety.

It has been awesome to help people celebrate events in a memorable and fun way. I appreciate the creative opportunity. It's an honor to be with people as they celebrate, whether it's a honeymoon, a birthday, a sunset, a holiday or just a beautiful day on Maui. Thank you Maui. Thank you everyone who has helped make this journey possible. Mahalo.

I will be writing again soon. Have a beautfiul day.

Your Life Now Animated

I just finished watching the movie Miss Potter. It’s the real life story about the children’s author and illustrator Beatrix Potter. She is the best-selling author of children’s stories, including the “Tale of Peter Rabbit.” It was so inspiring because it tells of a tale of a woman’s imagination as a child. She was fearless in her pursuit to express herself through her art and her stories that brought the images alive. She said that when she started a page she had no idea where the journey would take her. For me, this is what life is about, the journey that we begin, but not knowing the destination. How many of us are willing to follow our heart’s journey? I highly recommend watching the movie “Miss Potter” as it will touch your heart and awaken the imagination of a child.

Today, as you go about your business imagine a life that you want to live, tell your story the way you want it to be. Start looking at the people and things all around you and see them, not just notice them. This alone could change your life. Start seeing the very things that show up a little more animated, a little more alive, a little more sensation.

If I relate this topic to nature I can only relate my own experience related to the fruit trees just a block from my home. I never noticed them for a couple of years now. And yet, they are so alive and so awesome. When the trees just have leaves now I notice their awesomeness and their aliveness. And when they produce fruit I now stand there in appreciation for the gifts the tree bears. In my ignorance the tree still existed and in its existence it still was awesome, but I lacked the awareness to even notice.

In fact, just recently I discovered passion fruit trees in my backyard. They are producing fruit. I wondered where the fruit was falling from, as the little yellow fruit just appeared one day. I didn’t even pay attention to its source. It took me a couple weeks to focus on the source and to pay attention to where this beautiful and tasty fruit was falling from. Then weeks later I realize that the huge trees that are full of intertwining vines are in fact passion fruit producing trees. It was only today that I realized that I had a couple of these awesome trees growing where I co-exist.

During this journey of discovering what is surrounding me I also figured out that there were not only several types of mango varieties in the 20 or more trees within 2 blocks of my home but also papaya trees, a lemon tree, a pomelo tree, an orange tree, coconut palms and at least one avocado tree. It’s amazing really. I know it’s Hawaii, but who could possibly imagine this abundance so near but so far away when I closed off my senses? It makes me feel so alive when I realize that this reality is now opening to me.

Just like Miss Potter I am so grateful that my senses have been awakened and my awareness to what is all around me is now visible to my outer eyes. And in that awakening I know that the “reality” of what is can become even more colorful and animated; just like the pigs, ducks and rabbits Miss Potter could see and hear and helped come alive to her many readers.

On your journey towards awareness allow yourself to become awakened within as you explore your inner and outer world that surrounds you.

The Maui Onion

I really enjoy cooking with onions and find them highly versatile. Since I try to maximize taste in each dish I create it's important to use ingredients that add high flavor value. Onion is definitely one of those ingredients. In addition to being versatile and flavorful there are many natural benefits and curative properties in the onion. Even the onion juice is used therapeutically. Raw onion is the most beneficial. In Hawaii the Maui onions is variety of sweet onion that lacks sulfur, which causes the strong odor and sharp taste associated with onions. The State of Hawaii has invested a great of money in marketing their famous onion variety, putting it on par with Vidalia onions from Georgia, another sweet onion variety. This distinct onion variety flourishes best in the rich volcanic soil of Haleakela, which dominates the landscape of Maui.

The Maui onion has a rich golden yellow color and they typically grow in a slightly flattened shape. This onion variety is not only mild and sweet but also very juicy due to its high water content. I love caramelizing these onions, with a little bit of Extra Virgini Olive Oil and Sea Salt, making them melt in your mouth. They can also be grilled and fried tempura style.

Caramelized Onions

INGREDIENTS

2 cups thinly sliced Maui onions
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tsp. Sea Salt

PREPARATION

Caramelize onions by heating 2 tbls olive oil in sauté pan on high. Stir in onions and coat with oil. Sprinkle evenly with salt. Allow them to start softening on high heat. Stir constantly so they do not brown too much or burn at first. After onions start becoming opaque you can lower heat to medium high. Stir often in the beginning to prevent uneven cooking and burning. Monitor the heat. After the first process of softening you can stir occasionally. Watch and continue to stir and be sure onions are caramelizing evenly. Once they start cooking and you have adjusted the heat they won't burn if you stir them occasionally. However, it's important to make sure they are evenly browning and caramelizing. They should be a deep golden brown and softened. This process can take 25-30 minutes to create the caramelization. You can add these onions to wraps, fritattas or stir-fries. Enjoy!