Last week I staged a restaurant called "Sea grill" two michelin star restaurant in Brussels, and it was little special to me.... It was actually my 101st stage from 1999!!(wow...) Even though there's undeniable fact I feed myself by cooking, I claim I never work for money. What I cook for? The answer is the title of this blog, the name of my restaurant in the future and my life itself.......
Stage.......... I'm always happy to cook for free. I can call "stage" as my hobby actually. When I was in NY, I made a stage resume asking for one day stage and knock the restaurants's door. It was quite successful actually, seeing different kitchens every week on my day off was great refreshing from daily routine at full time job. Looking back my past, there're so many great moments in my culinarly journey. But I must say one of the best moments was in chicago working 5 days full time at L20 and stage different stations every week at alinea once a week. That time was truely fun, inspiring and priceless. I'm happy to go back to Chicago and do same things again, BUT I always need changes in my life and travel to see the world.....
So anyway as a 100th stage anniversary(?) I want to start a new series of column on this blog. This column is called "tribute to the past". This column is about basically I look back the restaurants I staged & worked and write down anything comes to my mind. It could be some dishes inspire me, the kitchen itself, the system how the kitchen was operated, great chefs/cooks I met, new techniques I learned, new ideas of presentation, new flavor profiles, any kind of inspriations I got.
Mainly this column will be the notes to remind myself my old stage experiences for the future uses, but obviously I hope this column turns out interesting column to read for the readers. We'll see!! To start, the following is the first 50 restaurants I staged. Fr left to right, the name of the restaurant, style of cusine I name and the location. The restaurants with Bold line are restaurants I worked full time more than 1 months.
1999
1. Izakaya Yamato / Japanese Bistro / Iwatsuki, Saitama, JAPAN
2. Nanaya / Japanese Soba Noodle / Iwatsuki, Saitama, JAPAN
3. Ajiichiba / Asian Fusion / Nanasato, Saitama, JAPAN
4. Issaku / Japanese BBQ / Iwatsuki, Saitama, JAPAN
5. Kaminokura / Japanese Bistro / Ohmiya, Saitam, JAPAN
6. Kamadoya / Japanese Bistro / Ueno, Tokyo, JAPAN
2. Nanaya / Japanese Soba Noodle / Iwatsuki, Saitama, JAPAN
3. Ajiichiba / Asian Fusion / Nanasato, Saitama, JAPAN
4. Issaku / Japanese BBQ / Iwatsuki, Saitama, JAPAN
5. Kaminokura / Japanese Bistro / Ohmiya, Saitam, JAPAN
6. Kamadoya / Japanese Bistro / Ueno, Tokyo, JAPAN
2000
7. Hatsunes / Japanese Traditional / New York, NY, U.S.A.
8. Jo Jo's Harbourside / Seafood / Sydney, NSW, Australia
9. The Summit / International / Sydney, NSW, Australia
10. Aria / Modern Australian / Sydney, NSW, Australia
11. Waterfront / Seafood / Sydney, NSW, Australia
12. Nick's seafood / Seafood / Sydney, NSW, Australia
13. Marque / French Contemporary / Sydney, NSW, Australia
14. Norfolk Hotel / Rustic Italian / Fremantle, WA, Australia
8. Jo Jo's Harbourside / Seafood / Sydney, NSW, Australia
9. The Summit / International / Sydney, NSW, Australia
10. Aria / Modern Australian / Sydney, NSW, Australia
11. Waterfront / Seafood / Sydney, NSW, Australia
12. Nick's seafood / Seafood / Sydney, NSW, Australia
13. Marque / French Contemporary / Sydney, NSW, Australia
14. Norfolk Hotel / Rustic Italian / Fremantle, WA, Australia
2001
15. Federici Cafe/ Cafe / Melbourne, VIC, Australia
16. Roberto's / Italian / Melbourne, VIC, Australia
17. 440 Basement / Cafe & Sandwich / Melbourne, VIC, Australia
18. Langton's / French Contemporary / Melbourne, VIC, Australia
19. Spago / California Pan-Asian / Beverly Hills, CA, U.S.A.
20. Europe / European / Los Angeles, CA, U.S.A.
21. La Folie / Classical French / San Francisco, CA, U.S.A.
22. Postrio / California Pan-Asian / San Francisco, CA, U.S.A.
23. Azie / Japanese Fusion / San Francisco, CA, U.S.A.
24. Rubicon / New French / San Francisco, CA, U.S.A.
25. Pinot Cafe / Classical French / Portland, OR, U.S.A.
26. Wild Wood / Pacific Northwest / Portland, OR, U.S.A.
27. Hawthorne Lane / New American / San Francisco, CA, U.S.A.28. Redwood Park / New French / San Francisco, CA, U.S.A.
29. The Fifth Floor / French Innovative / San Francisco, CA, U.S.A.
16. Roberto's / Italian / Melbourne, VIC, Australia
17. 440 Basement / Cafe & Sandwich / Melbourne, VIC, Australia
18. Langton's / French Contemporary / Melbourne, VIC, Australia
19. Spago / California Pan-Asian / Beverly Hills, CA, U.S.A.
20. Europe / European / Los Angeles, CA, U.S.A.
21. La Folie / Classical French / San Francisco, CA, U.S.A.
22. Postrio / California Pan-Asian / San Francisco, CA, U.S.A.
23. Azie / Japanese Fusion / San Francisco, CA, U.S.A.
24. Rubicon / New French / San Francisco, CA, U.S.A.
25. Pinot Cafe / Classical French / Portland, OR, U.S.A.
26. Wild Wood / Pacific Northwest / Portland, OR, U.S.A.
27. Hawthorne Lane / New American / San Francisco, CA, U.S.A.28. Redwood Park / New French / San Francisco, CA, U.S.A.
29. The Fifth Floor / French Innovative / San Francisco, CA, U.S.A.
2002
30. Gary Danko / New French / San Francisco, CA, U.S.A.
31. One Market / New American / San Francisco, CA, U.S.A.
32. Daniel / French Contemporary / New York, NY, U.S.A.
33. Vong / Vietnamese Fuision / New York, NY, U.S.A.
34. Union Pacific / New American / New York, NY, U.S.A.
35. Eleven Madison Park / New American / New York, NY, U.S.A.
36. March / New American / New York, NY, U.S.A.
37. Aquavit / Modern Scandinavia / New York, NY, U.S.A.
31. One Market / New American / San Francisco, CA, U.S.A.
32. Daniel / French Contemporary / New York, NY, U.S.A.
33. Vong / Vietnamese Fuision / New York, NY, U.S.A.
34. Union Pacific / New American / New York, NY, U.S.A.
35. Eleven Madison Park / New American / New York, NY, U.S.A.
36. March / New American / New York, NY, U.S.A.
37. Aquavit / Modern Scandinavia / New York, NY, U.S.A.
38. La Caravelle / Modern French / New York, NY, U.S.A.
39. La Grenouille / Classical French / New York, NY, U.S.A.
39. La Grenouille / Classical French / New York, NY, U.S.A.
40. The Town / New American / New York, NY, U.S.A.
41. Cafe Boulud / French Contemporary / New York, NY, U.S.A.
42. Le Bernardin / French Seafood / New York, NY, U.S.A.
43. Aureole / New American / New York, NY, U.S.A.
2003
44. Geisha / Japanese French / New York, NY, U.S.A.
45. Canoe / New Canadian / Toronto, ON, Canada
46. Auberge du Pommier / Modern French / Toronto, ON, Canada
47. Splendido / Continental / Toronto, ON, Candada
48. Pusateri's / Fine Catering / Toronto, ON, Canada
49. Danube / Modern French / New York, NY, U.S.A.
50. Picholine / French Mediterranean / New York, NY, U.S.A.