Petit Soleil, The Restaurant News

...the next moves...

January saw a few nudges forward. February should bring more. I met with the owners again, and the artichect again. For the first time since conversations started, I will be sent a bill for his time and minimal work so far. However, now begins the "real" work for me, negotiating the responsibilities for the demo and renovations, working on the build out, securing the financing, and negotiating the lease terms. So far all the numbers look in line. Aside from "soft costs" (legal and artichect fees, etc.) We are looking at a total project cost in the neighborhood of 300,000 dollars. That's from demo to build-out to plates, tables and chairs. I am asking the owners for a responsibility and contribution for much of the demo and renovation work, covering a bit more than a third of the projects costs. Funds from my backers will cover more nearly half of the total project costs. The remainder for opening and operating will come from loans (if I can get one, or a line of credit, or both--these are tough times as we all know). The steps in a project like this one are not linear and the numbers my architect/project coordinator gives will be fluid by necessity, although bound by a budget. It is, altogether, very exciting. The immediate next steps are the critical ones: securing the financing and laying out the project costs in detail.

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You know, I have been so slack with updates, I'm not sure what I've written about the place. I think I've got a photo or two of the place to dig up. Let's see what I can find....

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The front corner (pans for a patio beside the building)

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The interior (view from kitchen towards street entrance)

There is a lower level with private dining room, office and prep kitchen.

Petit Soleil The Restaurant News

moving forward in the new year

After little forward momentum at the end of '07, it's good to be back on track. I have visited a few locations, keeping an open mind. However, I have not found a location I like better than one on Larchmere Ave., near the corner of N. Moreland. I think I mentioned in a post below that the place (although I did not mention it's address) needs a daunting amount of work. Also, that the kitchen floor plan leaves much to be desired. Yet it remains the best spot for many reasons: an up and coming neighborhood with good restaurants; excellent parking; easy to find; was historically a fine restaurant remembered fondly by many; it's close to my home.

Here is an outline of what is scheduled for the near future: the architect will work on detailed plans; the owners, a development firm, will meet with contractors to determine the costs of a much needed renovation (not the cosmetic work, but ceilings, walls and bathrooms and the like); the owners will come back to me with a revised proposal; Ben takes his ideas and proposal to his attorney and the negotiations begin. We, the owners and myself, would like to have an agreement by mid February. While I am freshly optimistic in this new year, the remote and dusty pragmatic part of my mind tells me to expect the inevitable delays and possible stumbling blocks. Do these things ever move on schedule or as planned?

Future update posts will always be titled Petit Soleil The Restaurant News

Christmas 2007

What does a chef eat for Christmas dinner?

He and his spouse start with some Champagne. We have a tradition of drinking Moet White Star. This year we tried something a tad less expensive, Nicholas Feuillate. It is dry (our preference) and decidedly fruiter than the White Star. The kitten, Jinx, wonders if I am about to play with her. We munched on French bread toasted with Camembert as we sipped the bubbly.

I bought part of a leg of lamb to roast, bone in. I first marinated the meat in a paste of rosemary, garlic, thyme and black pepper that I pulverised in a morter. A touch of red wine completed the marniade. Being somewhat of a lunatic, I split some wood and got the grill going with natural hardwood charcoal. The Cleveland weather was really not too bad this Christmas, cold but not freezing. I cooked the lamb half way on the grill and finished in indoors in a low temp oven.

We uncorked the last bottle from our cave, a Flora Springs Out-Of-Sight Vineyard 2002 cab that we picked up on a 2005 trip to Napa. It was better than I remembered. Really yummy with the wood-roasted lamb. To accompany the lamb, and for my vegetarian spouse, I made saffron risotto and steamed asparagus.

I hope you all had as wonderful a day as we.

What's been going on...

Want to build a restaurant?

I do. I've looked at a few properties since leaving my former post, one of which has caught my imagination. It meets a lot of my requirements: close to home, the right size, good location, room for outdoor dining, parking, etc. However, this place needs a huge amount of work, very costly work that other locations might not. Also, the kitchen work space is not well designed and is spread/divided between two floors. It's never a perfect world. While I'm not eager to continue the tradition, we chefs are famous for negotiating space restrictions. The status lingers in conversation loaded with intent, but no commitment on paper. I believe it is in my best interest to still consider other locations. Either way, without an agreement, I will refrain from posting details. When I negotiate a lease, whether in this location or somewhere else, I promise to chronicle the progress here.

Recent Activity

I should apologize for not updating the blog in three weeks! It's a failing common to the blogging world, I suppose. As my local contacts know, I've been helping my chef friend Doug Katz at Fire Food & Drink. I've done a couple of catering gigs with and for him. Also, I work the line during Sunday brunch. It's really enjoyable. Doug is a great guy and he has an amazing culinary staff--I mean that his cooks are very competent and knowledgeable. They are a pleasure. My wife and I enjoy dining at the restaurant. In fact, we haven't been out to eat in months, but have a reservation for Wednesday night (it's dinner and a movie night, the new Cohen brothers film is at Shaker Square).

What else? I've had a few successful catering gigs of my own. Also, I teach classes at the Viking Culinary Store a few times a month (upcoming class dates include December 22nd and 27th). Alas, I have not photographed much of my recent work. When you're putting out a dinner, serving nicely plated, hot food to paying clients and their guests supersedes the need to document. But what is a food blog without pictures, I ask you? So, here are some pictures from the 2007 Five Star Sensation event, a large event for the University Hospital Systems organized by Wolfgang Puck.

Five Star Sensation, Summer 2007

gee whiz, that's my name!

Tuna seared with Grains of Paradise, Slow Roasted Grape Tomato, Fava Bean Puree and Micro Anise Hyssop

Lobster Sausage with Baby Lettuce and some green sauce that I can't remember...sorry folks, most likely an herb based vinaigrette, could be tarragon or basil...

My help for the event.

I had to say hello to the man responsible.

Trip to Baltimore

I had a great trip to Baltimore for a family catering job hosted at my parents house on November, 16th, 2007. The people were terrific and the food was fun to do. My brother-in-law was recruited to help (pictured, left). He also took a bunch of pictures, which I did not have time to do. The only food picture we didn't get was of course one, the soup/amuse bouche course of Lobster Bisque served in a demi-tasse with a side spoonful of pear chutney.

Lobster Bisque with Pear Chutney, Basil and Spiced Oil

St. Vincent Brut NV

Hearts of Palm and Lobster Salad with Sous Vide Asparagaus and Shiitake Mushrooms

L'Uvaggio Vermentino 2006

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Seared Sea Scallop with Apple Sauce, Swiss Chard and Rosemay Emulsion

Wellington Roussane 2004

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Curried Black Bass with Broccoli Puree and Carrot-Cumin Cream

Pomelo Sauvignon Blanc 2006

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Veal Sweetbreads with Pistachio Puree, Butternut Ravioli and Red Wine Mignonette

Ten Mile Broken Road 2005

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Caramelized Duck Breast with Sweet Potato Gnocchi and Ginger-Braised Cabbage

Jewel Firma 2004 ...

Roasted Lamb with Braised Fennel, Onion Three Ways (Roasted Cippolini, Fried Onion Rings and Red Onion Confit), Pomegranate Reduction and Mustard

Castle Rock Mendocino 2005

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Spiced Creme Brulee

Coffee Service

"Celebration of Life" dinner September 8th, 2007

"Celebration of Life dinner" @ the CVI...

In late august I was asked by the Culinary Vegetable Institute to be the chef (menu and food) for a dinner of six people, three doctors and spouses, who gather annually to celebrate life. The dinner took place in the small dining room at the CVI. Here is what I prepared for them:

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Amuse course: Sweet Corn Shooter with Butternut Squash Confit, Curry Oil and Micro Chives

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Course one: Heirloom Tomatoes with Frisee, Tempura Baby Orange Cauliflower and Wasabi Creme Fraiche

In the photograph on the left, you can see white sheets of paper I use to map out the plating for each course. These read a little like a recipe in that they list ingredients, garnishes and particular instructions in addition to a hand drawing of the food. This is chef Greg Bastien assisting.

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Course Two: Sauteed Trumpet Royale Mushrooms with Vanilla Bean Oil, Carmellini Beans, Parsley Coulis, Petite French Breakfast Radishes and Baby Tatsoi

(Carmellini Beans, named by the Chef's Garden for Andrew Carmellini, are tiny haricots verts)

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Course Three: Seared Sea Scallop with Purple Potato Mousseline, Reggiano Parmesan, Balsamic Reduction, Potato Crisp, Anise Hyssop and Micro Oregano

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Course Four: Seared Tuna with Baby Dragon Carrots in Szechuan Glaze, Braised Exotic Baby Kale, Pickled Baby Red Onions, Fennel Pollen and Petite Bronze Fennel

(I seasoned the tuna with taragashi, grains of paradise and fennel pollen before searing.)

Here is Greg helping plate the tuna. Notice the wine glasses

in from of him. We tried a taste of the wines course by course.

Course Five: Goat Cheese Ice Cream with Fraise du Bois, Balsamic Syrup, Mint Salsa Verde, Coriander Tuille, and Grains of Paradise. (Grains of Paradise are a unique spice from the Congo, I believe. They have two tastes: one, very much like black pepper; and a second, distinctly floral. I have a pepper mill full of these and use them like pepper, but achieve more flavor dimension). I served a watermelon palate cleaner between the tuna and the dessert courses. The guests were a lot of fun. I really enjoy interacting with small groups.

Harvard Business School Club Dinner September 15th, 2007

A "recent" event at the CVI..

My last post was largely pictures from a dinner for which I was merely an assisting hand. With post this, however, I return to my own food. In late August I was asked by the my friends at the Chef's Garden and Culinary Vegetable Institute to write a menu and execute a dinner for forty-two. They had a somewhat limited budget, but required as much attention and care as any other group contracting the CVI. I limited the menu to four courses with three passed hors d'oeuvres and a little palate cleanser between the main course and the dessert. My guests were members of the Harvard Business School Club from the east side of Cleveland. I had two assistants for this dinner, Chef Greg Bastien and a local culinary student. Also, local chef and friend Jeff Fisher helped with much of the prep. The menu follows. It should go without saying that all the vegetable products were from the farm.

This is the first of three passed starters. It's a shooter of sweet corn puree, topped with chili oil and micro arugula.

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This sweet potato tempura with chives and tentsuyu (the traditional tempura dipping sauce) was another of the passed hors d'oeuvres.

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I made a paste of pureed edamame with wasabi, put it on mini toasts and topped it with flying fish roe. Micro bulls blood (a beet) adds color and flavor.

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Soup Course (course one): cauliflower and saffron soup garnished with parsley coulis, paprika oil, tagarashi, arugula chiffonade and micro burgundy amaranth.

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Salad Course (course two): heirloom tomatoes with mixed baby greens, with sherry wine vinaigrette and spicy sesame cracker. Chef Greg is on the left. Thanks, Greg!

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Main Course (course three): Sesame Roasted Salmon with melted leeks, olive oil crushed fingerling potatoes, dragon carrot-red wine reduction, mustard emulsion and red malabar spinach. The culinary student just finished making an adjustment to the garnish.

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Intermezzo, palate cleanser: Watermelon with lemon citronette, micro lemon balm and balsamic reduction.

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Dessert Course (course four): cinnamon and star anise apple crepe with crumble garnish, goat cheese creme anglaise, micro cinnamon basil and sweet aztec.

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Here's a close-up of the crepe.

It was a fun day. Not overly long and rewarding. The guests were very pleased.