What is the biggest pleasure working as a chef? My answer would be creating new dishes, no question about it!! The excitiment, the pleasure to create new dishes... nothing gonna beat it, think simply that's why I cook. This post I want to talk about how new dishes are created.... in my case!I say the new dish's ideas usually start with four different ways as follows. It could be combinations of two or three though... For example, "black & white" at RM upstairs is combination of "the visual" and " the name of the dish".
1.created under "the concept"
2.created under "the visual, the shape, the image and the graphic"
3.created under "flavor profiles"
4.created under "the name / the title of the dish"
1."the concept":
"Foie Gras a la Japonne" at RM upstars is this case, the concept was "foie gras dish in 200% Japanese way". These concepts could be anything comes up to my mind. It can be "The dish make a smoke affect on the table", "summer vegetable 4 ways" or if I learn new technique on stage "New dish utlize new technique I learned at stage" Good simple example could be usual one in the restaurant such as "amuse bouche using smoked trout". I acutally have my homework myself right now which is "9 dishes showcase what I learned each countries throuch CJWDT'10"
2."the visual, the shape, the image and the graphic":
"fake egg" at L2o was born after the visual image comes to my mind. Also "bacon, egg and potato" at RM upstairs is created by the image of "egg" which is egg shell, bird nest and sunny side up. These ideas never know when it comes up to my mind! It's like lighting and gone forever if I don't write it down right away!
Those images and visuals could be utilize natural shape of ingredients like oval, round, triangle...Could be inspired by the colours of ingredients red, purple, green, black, white... Also it could be inspired by arts, archtectures, nature, landscape, seasons and pictures. Like the picture I posted above, it inspries my senses and make me create new dishes....
3."flavor profile":
When I was young(or anyone), I tried to make new dishes from the dishes I made at the restaurant or I saw on the cooking book. I used to try to spice up and twist the ideas from the original to make the dishes into my own. This is certain way the most "classic" way to create new dishes for all the chefs at the beginning.
I would say any kind of "reconstructed" is catergorized into the combination of "flavor profile" and "the concept". At Rm upstairs I made an amuse bouche "BLT reconstructed", that belongs to this category. It was dehydrated bacon chips, romain triangle, marinated balsamic cherry tomato and toasted bread foam.
Nowadays classic flavor profile is done in 1ooo ways already. How we can surprise the guests with classic flavor combinations? Which is actually challenge and fun. And other ideas is switching the ingredients / spices / condiments / proteins. Say easy example, using wasabi instead of curry. Obviously both "hot" but need to adjust because it's different hotness / flavors. Then think how I can cover the gap between those two> Also other fun is discovering new ingredients switch and combine it in classical flavor profiles to make new dishes. Yes, I need to travel the world to discover new ingredients I never met! Never end!
4."the name of the dish":
I think this could be my unique way... not sure how others chef create new dishes though... maybe everyone??? This is actually major "prelude" to make new dishes in my case. Most of my new dishes are start with names. These names could be inspired by ANYTHING surround me. Again when the inspiration comes to my mind, I have to write it down right away, otherwise gone forever!! I sometimes have to jump off the bed at 3:30am to write the name down on the paper, dead serious!! One time I wrote it down in the darkness and next morning I can't read and never remember what it was.... Never again!!
I would say this is the funnest way out of four to create new dishes. I never shoot down any names, no matter how the name sounds stupid!! Even nothing comes to my mind in time, maybe 2,5yrs later I can pick up the idea and create somthing swanky monkey donkey later on. I try to name my dishes somthing imaginative, playful and inspiring... say most of times!
I know these days many restaurants just wrote down 3-4 ingredients on the menu with no name of the dish. Like "endive, blue cheeze, walnut, pommegranate" or "halibut, yuzu, hon-shimeji, daikon" I imagine the dishes from these ingredients and it's kinda fun acutally waiting in the dining room to see actual dish. But I don't think I would do that at P.S.I. The name of the dish: "Thunder and snowflake"!!! Don't you wanna check out the restaurant? No? Really???
Those names could be intentionally named after the words people already have certain images (to trick guests!!) or completely opposite, unusual / weird names no one can guess what's on the plate! Some examples from my list: pink lady, dust in the wind, liquid potato chips, dual risotto, MAC shake, hot&cold tomato, angel & devil, salsify corn f(l)ake, 3p, French rabbit, foie gras mont blanc .... As you noticed there's intentional homage to Alinea, jokes, name of the song...
Next Post: My thought on how I can make my dishes "original" and "innovative"