Respect

This is just a teaser post for a much longer post that's coming later in the week. I processed the milk-fed chickens today with Beau. Like I said, I'll go into more detail(videos also) later in the week, but I just had to write some stuff down immediately after the experience. Every professional cook who cooks meat should have to go through that process. It teaches you respect for the animal. Magazines who glorify 'farm to table' cooking should spend equal time with the farmers and chefs. All we hear about is how 'connected' Super Chef X is to the land and the farms. Well, show it. Honestly, all I'm waiting for is the invite from Gourmet, Food and Wine or Saveur to come to NYC. I'll bring the farmers with me. You can talk to them while I cook my ass off in your test kitchens....Scared? You should be because it'll blow your socks off. Actually, I take that back. You HAVE TO COME OUT HERE AND SEE THIS STUFF FIRST HAND. That's the beauty, that's the terroir. It's something you can't even begin to understand on the corner of West 57th street. You just can't. Sorry. That's why I'm out here, not up there.

Anyhow, I learned so much today. I have to thank Beau for allowing me to take part in the experience and teaching me ALOT about the animals and the PROCESS.(He's also wicked good with a knife....Beau, you can butcher in my kitchen any day!) This is one of the most innovative things I've ever done.(No, I didn't get out my chemistry set and make 'blood orange caviar' or something ridiculous like that) Innovative in the sense that we changed the diet, raised the bird properly, processed it properly and cooked it properly. That's innovative. Believe me. You gotta look back to look forward.

As for my last post regarding naming the farms and farmers on my menu. Here's the thing folks. If you're one of those people who likes the menu to just say 'roast chicken' instead of giving proper respect to the farm and farmer you're going to be disappointed with my menus. I stood for an afternoon and worked with Beau. I saw how hard this job is and the great care he takes in doing it. I'm going to keep naming farmers on my menu and you can keep not liking it. It doesn't matter to me. I've earned the right. I had the blood on my hands, you didn't.