Delicatessen

Stage #1

DELICATESSEN

SOHO

54 PRINCE STREET

NEW YORK, NY 10012

www.delicatessennyc.com

My day started around 12pm when the executive chef Michael Ferraro usually gets in. He took me on a tour through the restaurant which is absolutely beautiful consisting of 2-3 event spaces, 2 kitchens, 24-hour dining with a take-out/delivery macaroni and cheese bar attached to the dining room called "Mac Bar". Mac Bar consists of 12 different types of Macaroni and Cheese, prepped out of the main kitchen that are baked off in individual foil pans in a special type of oven that cooks them in 4 minutes. The foil pans are then placed in a yellow plastic container shaped to look like a macaroni noodle.

Chipotle Mac

Delicatessen's menu is based on comfort food with a twist. The dishes were straightforward with a lot of flavor. Some dishes I sampled...

Tuna Tartare

Wasabi Tobiko, Creme Fraiche, Tarro Root Chips

We were sampling some lasagna I helped make

It was layered with braised pork, fresh ricotta, marscapone and tomato ragu

Roasted Sea Scallops

Sweet Potatoes, Charred Apple, Bacon, Warm Egg Yolk

I absolutely love scallops and what I liked about this dish the most was the play on "bacon and eggs". The "egg" factor is made by whisking egg yolks and stuffing them into a piece of plastic (they use the plastic wrapping from a "flavor ice" popsicle) and poaching it off for about 30 minutes. They hold the yolks in a cvat and slice it to order, place it over the scallops and finish it with bacon!!! I love this type of cooking-its creative, daring, and for whatever reason it works.

The Burger-I love the pizza peels they are served on

Cheeseburger Spring Rolls-the most popular appetizer

Chili Bowl-braised pork, avocado sour cream, aged cheddar, stuffed in a jalapeno cornbread bowl

Fish Tacos on bamboo skewers

Ovaltine (yeah Ovaltine), Pudding Parfait

Chocolate Malted Pudding, Crunchy Chocolate Pearls

After sampling this I think I went in a food coma. I finally told the chef if he fed me one more thing I thought I was going to throw up but it would have been worth it!

My day wrapped up around 7pm and it was a great one! This restaurant is much different than ones I have worked in the past. They are doing about 9 million year in revenue and have a huge staff. By the time I left an entire new crew had come in to finish out the night. It is amazing how many people it takes to run that type of operation especially compared to the 5 people that run my business.

GREAT FIRST DAY!!!!!!!

More to come tomorrow!