What they didn't teach you in cooking school: top-secret shortcuts uncovered … for industry insiders only

Nation's Restaurant News, Sept 16, 1996 by Pamela Parseghian

Imagine it's an extremely hectic night, and as you are picking up the food for a large party, you realize the new guy on the broiler overcooked a flies mignon.

Or in another nightmare scenario your boss, or boss s best friend, walks in at the last minute with double the amount of guests for an "important party."

In any of these culinary emergencies almost every chef in America digs himself out of the weeds by taking a shortcut. Unfortunately, many chefs don't admit it--at least not in print. Happily, some brave souls shared their tricks, perhaps for the sake of education. After all, this isn't the stuff taught at culinary schools.

"I always keep things in the freezer in case of an emergency," says Roland Mesnier, who knows how to doctor up the situation when extra dignitaries drop by The White House, where he has led the pastry kitchen for 17 years.

"Certain things keep well in the freezer," such as brioche, brownies, sponge cake and crepes. Nevertheless, Mesnier states, "I don't believe in shortcuts! You just improvise very fast."

Mesnier's secret to freezing is all in the wrapping. For example, he layers crepes in a shingle fashion on a sheet pan. Then he covers them with a damp kitchen towel. Finally, he covers the whole pan with plastic wrap before freezing.

Upon heating, he discards the plastic and puts the frozen crepes, still covered with the towels, in a "very hot oven for a very short time. As soon as the towels are soft [defrosted], the crepes come out of the oven. Leave them on the pan for a few minutes, and they are better than fresh."

Andrew Wilkinson, chef-partner with Restaurant Concepts, Newton, Mass., admits taking a shortcut or two in his former high-pressure job as executive chef of Manhattan's Rainbow Room.

"If I was doing a large party with a grilled-fish dish, I would take a cast-iron grill pan, heat it to about 1,000 degrees and throw on the fish," he says. "Or you can use a branding iron to do the same thing."

And he recalls another situation that is typical in many restaurants: "You're out of roasted chickens on a Saturday night. You have four more orders on the board. And you don't have 40 minutes to roast more."

When in that predicament, Wilkinson has deep-fried whole chickens. "It takes a lot less time," he says.

Chef Tom Douglas jokingly says his favorite shortcut is to simply eat at a restaurant other than his own Dahlia Lounge, Etta's Seafood or Palace Kitchen in Seattle. But delegation is his most frequently applied shortcut. "My theory in life is: You give the hardest job to the laziest person, and they'll find the easiest way to do it."

For a hands-on tip Douglas says, "Don't fillet fish because you waste a lot." Fish cooked whole has "more flavor, and it is the better way to go." Not to mention the time saved in boning. Douglas grills whole fish on lettuce leaves to add moisture and to protect the skin from burning.

In Portland, at Caprial's Bistro and Wine anything that can be done ahead is a much-appreciated shortcut, according to Caprial Pence, since her customers expect their food quickly in the casual bistro-style setting.

There is no time for long-cooked items at the Bistro. The risotto is half-cooked and cooled on a sheet pan. At service it is heated with the appropriate garnishes for just 10 minutes.

Pence finds her biggest obstacle, however, is lack of space in her small, 12-table restaurant.

Therefore, she purchases some convenience foods, such as peeled garlic, shallots and brand-name sorbet. "It's excellent," she says of the frozen confection. And it is a lot easier than hand-cranking sorbet, a method previously applied.

And as far as peeling is concerned, Pence says, "It is too expensive to pay someone to peel garlic and shallots."

Chef Mark French agrees. He purchases peeled carrots, potatoes and onions as well as precut fruits and vegetables to help ease the work load in his seven kitchens at Manhattan's Marriott Marquis hotel. French also prescribes "planning in detail. It saves time in the long run."

And for the ultimate shortcut, French recommends "developing relationships with vendors who can produce your recipes to your specifications."

It is easier to shuck pod vegetables, such as peas and fava beans, that are cooked in their jackets, according to David Burke, who is chef-partner at Park Avenue Cafe in New York and Chicago and most recently opened Maloney & Porcelli in New York City. And, as an added bonus, the vegetables turn a "brilliant green color," he explains.

But the shortcut that truly excites Burke is something like laundry line cooking. He drills holes in chicken wings so they could be strung up together and simutaneously poached in a large steam kettle. While the drilling was tedious, he saved time during the cooking and tension-filled service periods when all of the poultry had to be removed from the liquid at once.

"I'm always preaching, `Don't take any shortcuts,'" says John Folse, former American Culinary Federation president, educator and owner of Lafitte's Landing in Donaldsonville, La., and White Oak Plantation, Baton Rouge, La. He says he was surprised to learn from his culinary staff about some of the tricks that they have resorted to in his absence.