Menu Trends: Robert Harbison | What Chefs See for '09
Executive Chef and Culinary Concept Coordinator Robert Harbison, Princeton University Dining Services, Princeton, N.J.
-- Restaurants & Institutions, January 5, 2009
Executive Chef and Culinary Concept Coordinator Robert Harbison
Princeton University Dining Services, Princeton, N.J.
Sustainability: “Right now we’re definitely trying to get more into the farm-to-table philosophy and trying to get our resources together so we can do that more effectively. The cool thing about the farm-to-table connections we’ve made so far is that we’re actually seeing a grown-for-you kind of trend. [The farmers] are asking me before the planting season, ‘What do you want me to grow for you?’”
Artisanal Products: “There has got to be a new name for the old term ‘mom-and-pop business.’ Is it artisan, or maybe boutique? We use products from a bunch of small businesses that are out of this world, and to call them mom-and-pops is an injustice. [We get] handcrafted gelato-style ice cream, coffee roasted three days before I brew it, [organic, grass-fed beef] and a bunch more. … Are we paying a premium for it? I wouldn’t say so, because the value you’re getting far surpasses the little bit more you’re paying.”
Authentic Ethnic: “We got caught up big time in authenticity in our recipes. A great example of that is Indian and Asian cuisines. We are using real, authentic ingredients. Students mentioned they liked a restaurant called Café Spice, and we asked them where they get their ingredients, and they have a sister company that makes all these authentic spices and compounds and starters for their dishes. … The next thing you know we had brought them in house and they showed us their products.”
The Economy: “We’re gearing service more toward à la minute cooking and focusing on smaller portions with nice, intense flavors so you don’t need a big helping to get your satisfaction. And cooking à la minute helps because we can hold back production and keep our shelves as lean as possible.”
-
How wonderful to see that we are moving forward by actually going back - to a time when hand-crafted was the real way to produce quality.
Chef Claire Criscuolo, RN - 1/6/2009 7:57:00 AM PST
No related content found.
