A BRIEF OF STAGE A BRIEF OF STAGE IN ITALYIN ITALY

A brief about my training in A brief about my training in Italy and Italy and

introduction to modern introduction to modern innovative Italian Cuisineinnovative Italian Cuisine

The stage of fifteen days in Italy The stage of fifteen days in Italy offered a rare opportunity to actually offered a rare opportunity to actually work in the kitchen of one of the finest work in the kitchen of one of the finest restaurant PIAZZA DUOMO ,ALBA in restaurant PIAZZA DUOMO ,ALBA in PIDEMONTE REGION OF ITALY PIDEMONTE REGION OF ITALY

Enumerated here is the brief synopsis Enumerated here is the brief synopsis of the restaurant and the valuable of the restaurant and the valuable experience gained working there.experience gained working there.

ABOUT THE CHEFABOUT THE CHEF

In the kitchen chef Crippa is rigorous perfectionist, his In the kitchen chef Crippa is rigorous perfectionist, his cuisine is based on practicality, all of the dishes are never too cuisine is based on practicality, all of the dishes are never too heavy with the focus being harmony based on the finest heavy with the focus being harmony based on the finest ingredients and presented in the most elaborate yet precise ingredients and presented in the most elaborate yet precise manner.manner.If one were to ask Enrico Crippa what his objectives are he If one were to ask Enrico Crippa what his objectives are he would simply respond:would simply respond:"the happiness of my guests is what gives me THE GREATEST "the happiness of my guests is what gives me THE GREATEST PLEASURE.PLEASURE.

The market availability remained the governing factor while The market availability remained the governing factor while designing the new menu, he also believes in using fresh designing the new menu, he also believes in using fresh flowers and herbs plucked at the time of service from the flowers and herbs plucked at the time of service from the kitchen garden maintained by the chefs working in the kitchen kitchen garden maintained by the chefs working in the kitchen ,overall chef goes to pluck wild herbs, mushrooms and flowers ,overall chef goes to pluck wild herbs, mushrooms and flowers every morning in mountains surrounding the Alba region to every morning in mountains surrounding the Alba region to give his food that extra freshness ,vegetables and meats are give his food that extra freshness ,vegetables and meats are purchased at the local market every morning by the chef purchased at the local market every morning by the chef himself and his team and not delivered by suppliers to himself and his team and not delivered by suppliers to maintain highest standard of quality and freshness. maintain highest standard of quality and freshness.

ABOUT THE RESTAURANTABOUT THE RESTAURANT REASTAURANT REASTAURANT PIAZZA DUOMO ,ALBA PIAZZA DUOMO ,ALBA ONE STAR MICHELIN-32 ONE STAR MICHELIN-32

COVERSCOVERS CUISINECUISINE CREATIVE MODERN CREATIVE MODERN

ITALIAN FOODITALIAN FOOD TYPE OF MENUTYPE OF MENU 1(ALA-CARTE),3 SET MENUS 1(ALA-CARTE),3 SET MENUS MENU PRICEMENU PRICE SET MENU SERVED AT SET MENU SERVED AT

EURO300 EURO300 EACH AND ALA CARTE EACH AND ALA CARTE

DISHES DISHES PRICED BETWEEN PRICED BETWEEN

EURO85-100 EURO85-100 EACHEACH NO. OF STAFF NO. OF STAFF 7(KITCHEN)+4(SERVICE)7(KITCHEN)+4(SERVICE)

+1(UTILITY)+1(UTILITY)

SOUS VIDE -A powerful new SOUS VIDE -A powerful new cooking toolcooking tool

In this session I want to introduce to you one of the most important In this session I want to introduce to you one of the most important culinary innovations of modern times and what is this great advance?culinary innovations of modern times and what is this great advance?

A way of heating foods precisely ,heat is the most important A way of heating foods precisely ,heat is the most important ingredient in cooking the one that can transform all the others into ingredient in cooking the one that can transform all the others into something delicious-or into something dry or dull .Its also the something delicious-or into something dry or dull .Its also the ingredient that has been the hardest to measure or control.ingredient that has been the hardest to measure or control.

This new heating method goes by the name sous vide meaning “ This new heating method goes by the name sous vide meaning “ under vaccum”and it involves two basic steps .first we use a vaccum under vaccum”and it involves two basic steps .first we use a vaccum packing machine to seal food tightly in plastic bag then we immerse packing machine to seal food tightly in plastic bag then we immerse the bag in water bath heated exactly to a optimal cooking the bag in water bath heated exactly to a optimal cooking temperaturetemperature

The vaccum packed bag hugs the food , protecting it from contact The vaccum packed bag hugs the food , protecting it from contact with the water while transferring heat directly from the hot water.with the water while transferring heat directly from the hot water.

The heart of sous vide is the controlled application of relatively low The heart of sous vide is the controlled application of relatively low heat-just hot enough to cook the food properly ,no more .A pot of heat-just hot enough to cook the food properly ,no more .A pot of boiling water or a hot oven cooks food at a higher temperature, so boiling water or a hot oven cooks food at a higher temperature, so that by the time the centre of the food reaches the proper that by the time the centre of the food reaches the proper temperature,the outside is at least partly over cooked .If we don’t get temperature,the outside is at least partly over cooked .If we don’t get the timing just right meats end up dry and vegetables mush but if we the timing just right meats end up dry and vegetables mush but if we heat food in water maintained at exactly the temperature we want heat food in water maintained at exactly the temperature we want the food itself to reach,it will end up cooked properly throught.the food itself to reach,it will end up cooked properly throught.

PRECISION OF PRECISION OF EXECUTIUONEXECUTIUON

The fundamental advantage of sous vide is The fundamental advantage of sous vide is precision ,before sous vide everytime we applied heat to precision ,before sous vide everytime we applied heat to the food,we relied on our senses and our experience to the food,we relied on our senses and our experience to know when the food had reached the right temperature know when the food had reached the right temperature i.e . when to stop cooking because we almost always i.e . when to stop cooking because we almost always cook food at a higher temperature then we want the cook food at a higher temperature then we want the food to reach.when we roast a saddle of lamb ,for food to reach.when we roast a saddle of lamb ,for example ,the cooking temperature is hundreds of degree example ,the cooking temperature is hundreds of degree higher than the 54.4 C we want the finished lamb to be .higher than the 54.4 C we want the finished lamb to be .

With sous vide,we can cook it at 54.4 C for as long as it With sous vide,we can cook it at 54.4 C for as long as it takes .takes .

The degree of precision sous vide allows is extraordinary The degree of precision sous vide allows is extraordinary and is a reminder of how precision underlies everything and is a reminder of how precision underlies everything we do at our restaurants. precision of craft ,precision of we do at our restaurants. precision of craft ,precision of execution is a daily ,hourly ,minute by minute striving.execution is a daily ,hourly ,minute by minute striving.

CONSISTANCYCONSISTANCY

From practical standpoint From practical standpoint precision’s goal is consistency and precision’s goal is consistency and consistency may be the single most consistency may be the single most factor in any restaurants success, factor in any restaurants success, whether that restaurant is casual or whether that restaurant is casual or a fine dining destination .consistency a fine dining destination .consistency is taking precision of action and is taking precision of action and making it a routine..making it a routine..

REPETITIONREPETITION

We cannot achieve precision We cannot achieve precision without repetition ,we perform a without repetition ,we perform a technique over and over again until technique over and over again until it becomes a part of us, in our it becomes a part of us, in our movements, in our muscles in the movements, in our muscles in the way we feelway we feel

This steak is a perfect example of This steak is a perfect example of cooking a meat by conventional grilling cooking a meat by conventional grilling method, we want to cook it rare but its method, we want to cook it rare but its visible that the edges are already well visible that the edges are already well done then the inner core is medium well done then the inner core is medium well then the center part of steak is rare.then the center part of steak is rare.

Same steak cooked with sous vide Same steak cooked with sous vide technique will achieve equal doneness technique will achieve equal doneness throughout the steakthroughout the steak

MY OBSERVATIONSMY OBSERVATIONS It was indeed a great culinary experience where I got It was indeed a great culinary experience where I got

the opportunity to hone my culinary skills but also to the opportunity to hone my culinary skills but also to learn and practice cuisine by chef Enrico Crippa learn and practice cuisine by chef Enrico Crippa whose emphasis is on using the freshest ingredients whose emphasis is on using the freshest ingredients available ,chef shared his culinary skills about creative available ,chef shared his culinary skills about creative Italian food and always explained that no matter how Italian food and always explained that no matter how creative we get but we should always stick to basics of creative we get but we should always stick to basics of regional cooking style and always keep the food tasty regional cooking style and always keep the food tasty and presentable . and presentable .

Implementation and responsesImplementation and responses Implementing new cooking techniques like sous vide Implementing new cooking techniques like sous vide

and others like using molecular gastronomy and others like using molecular gastronomy ingredients like IOTA ,KAPPA ,GELAN,CALCIC is ingredients like IOTA ,KAPPA ,GELAN,CALCIC is been highly appreciated by eminent guests including -been highly appreciated by eminent guests including -

MRS.Sonia Gandhi, been served MRS.Sonia Gandhi, been served garganelle pasta with green onions garganelle pasta with green onions and asparagus appreciated by her and asparagus appreciated by her and she praised it and likes it and she praised it and likes it whenever she comes to the whenever she comes to the restaurantrestaurant

Mrs ,Priyanka Gandhi tried Mrs ,Priyanka Gandhi tried rabbit ,veal , and pork agnolotti and rabbit ,veal , and pork agnolotti and now whenever she comes she likes now whenever she comes she likes to have these agnoloties,to have these agnoloties,

Mr.omar abdhulla,Mr.Camillo Mr.omar abdhulla,Mr.Camillo Pronti,Mr.Vir Sanghvi………………. Pronti,Mr.Vir Sanghvi………………. Likes to have meat cooked with sous Likes to have meat cooked with sous vide techniques rather then cooked vide techniques rather then cooked on high heat and flameon high heat and flame

Areas explored Areas explored

Ostrich farm where ostrich salamis Ostrich farm where ostrich salamis and ostrich meat and eggs are and ostrich meat and eggs are produced produced

Herb gardensHerb gardens

FASONNA BEEF FASONNA BEEF PRODUCTION FARMS PRODUCTION FARMS

Corn producing areas and Corn producing areas and corn millcorn mill

A day at the kitchen at alba A day at the kitchen at alba starts early with the market starts early with the market

……

At the herb garden and the At the herb garden and the fish marketfish market

Kitchen at piazza duomoKitchen at piazza duomo

Learning amaranth Learning amaranth crackerscrackers

Piegon ,piegon eggs and Piegon ,piegon eggs and lunch with stafflunch with staff

Brainstorming with chef Brainstorming with chef

Squid and eggplant ,44 Squid and eggplant ,44 leaves saladleaves salad