Symon Says

Playing catch up....

After spending some time in  SOBE for the wine and food festival...its time for some catch up!!!!

Don't get me wrong it was nice to get out of the cold for a couple days but whenever I need to travel its hard to catch back up.  This week we made a couple changes to the menu at Lola and have been jamming with restaurant week.  Its great to see so many people downtown and supporting the restaurants.  Cleveland really does have a great downtown and I love to see the people get out of the burbs and having a good time.

To our current menu we added a hanker-chief pasta with red wine, mushrooms and rapini, a roasted chicken with white sausage, lentils, mustard and bacon and a rib eye with a radish salad and salsa verde.  Im really happy with the changes and as usual Powder and the entire kitchen staff are doing a great job.  Its gives the menu a little more range in price and some more variety which is always good.

We will also be starting a happy hour at Lola that will be a continuation of restaurant week.  We will offer a 3 course tasting for 30 dollars with choices within each category .  It will run from 5-630 Mon-Fri.  It should be alot of fun.  Fortunately we haven't yet felt the economic downturn but Im excited to make Lola more accessible to people who might want to give it a try for a little less cash.

Live to cook, MS

photo by DTR

Very excited....

So after a crazy couple days at the SOBE wine and food festival I am back in Ctown and ready to roll.

The event was absolutely amazing.  We did the Best of the Best party for 2500 ppl with some of the countries greatest chefs including Paul Kahan, Jonathan Waxman, Nate Appleman, Rick Tramanto, Michael Mina & Morimoto..just to name a few.  I also did two sold out demos to great crowds that where having a blast to say the least.  This event is one of the greatest parties on earth and i highly recommend attending if you haven't already.  Lee really knows how to give the people the perfect balance of food, wine, entertainment and education and my hat goes off to the entire SOBE team.

Upon returning I found out that my book has just went on presale on Amazon.  This book has been well over a year in the making and has been one of the toughest and most enjoyable projects of my life.  It will have stories and recipes from my childhood until now and to say I am proud of it would be a vast understatement.  I really need to thank Michael and Donna Ruhlman for making the process enjoyable and Rica for pushing us to do such a great book...here is the link if you are interested in checking it out...

http://www.amazon.com/Michael-Symons-Live-Cook-Techniques/dp/0307453650/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1235274145&sr=8-1

sobe..star..& the choke heard round the world

I am currently in South Beach for a couple days helping out with some judging on The Next Food Network Star and doing a couple demos for South Beach Food and Wine Festival.  

Judging with Bob, Susie and Bobby was a hoot and the contestants this year are really great.  I think it should be a really fun season.  Ill also be doing a best of the best dinner for the festival (beef cheek pierogie) and a couple demos on the beach on how to roast the perfect chicken and a zucchini salad.

Normally i really do not like to travel as it takes me away from the restaurants and my beautiful bride Lizzie.  This trip is always a little different though as it gets me out of the cold for a couple days and allows me to spend some time with some chef friends I don't see often.  Liz always comes with on this one to which makes it all the more enjoyable.

So today was an off day so myself and Mr. Flay thought we would sneak in a round of golf.  For those of you that don't know I am a golf fanatic (as are allot of chefs) including Bobby.  We are also about as competitive as any two people you will find.  After 18 holes we were dead even.  I rip one about 270ish right down the pipe and Bobby hooks one left.  He recovers nicely an.d is about 100 yds out.  I hit three wood about 240 to about 10 yds short of the green....after my shot I boast ur done.  He hits his 3rd shot to about  20 ft and I chunk my chip.  Unf------in believable....I choked.  I never choke as a matter of fact I live for the fact that the person Im playing will.  I bogey he pars..game..set..match. A very Phil Mickleson moment indeed.  Next time Flay your mine!!...Live to cook, MS

and the winner is.......

Brenda.  I read all the posts several times but Brenda's burger definitely made me the hungriest.  First off she mentioned how the burger should not be ground too fine, which I think is key to a great burger.  Most importantly though was the job she did in describing it.  It had me drooling for a burger.  

Brenda email me at [email protected] with your address and we will send you out your shirt...congrats and keep cooking, ms 

A couple of other things..I love Kummas Corner...Cory your burger sounds good but you know you cant win so stick to pastries!!....and a veggie burger..really??...lol

Whats your favorite burger contest

First off,  I have to admit I am a burger junkie...absolutely love them, cant cant enough of them, full fledge addict....burger junkie.

I am of the feeling that burgers end up in three basic categories...fast food, diner style and bar burger.  I love all burgers but am definately the biggest fan of the bar burger.  It is typically slightly thicker, grilled and juicy, served on a toasted bun and usually in the 6-8 oz range.  A diner burger is usually of the thin, flattop variety and tend to be more greasy than juicy (not that there is anything wrong with that)...i dont think there is any reason to talk about fast food.  Other than Five Guys and In and Out then typically suck.

My favorite buns for a burger are either a toasted english muffin or a toasted egg roll with sesame.  The bun to burger ratio is crucial to me.  If it is to small it just breaks down and if its  too big it just hides the good stuff.

Lastly is the toppings.  My favorite burger has a fried egg, cheddar cheese, thick cut smokey bacon, good pickles and shaved onion.

So here is the deal...let me know what your favorite burger is....list the style of burger you like, whats your favorite way to have it cooked (grilled, griddled, etc.), your favorite style of bun and your favorite toppings.  Who evers sound the best and most tantalizing will win a "Live to Cook" tshirt.

Good luck and make me hungry!!!!

MS

 photo courtesy of Donna Turner Ruhlman

so so sad

With all the good thats happened this year...there has also been some sadness.  We recently lost Mable our amazing bullmastiff.  She was almost 10 and became really sick shortly after Christmas.  Saying she was a great dog would be a understatement and i really cant  put into words how much I miss her.  Ruby and Ozzy are still doing well albeit a little confused without their big sister around.  

Roast, my new kitchen & other stuff!!

Holy cow have i been busy.....I know...I know,  its been awhile since my last post but what a wild six months its been.

First off, Lizzie gutted our kitchen at home and did a total overhaul.  To say I am happy with the results would be the understatement of the decade.  It totally opened up the room and allows us to cook together in relative harmony...which essentially means she tells what she needs and i do it!!!..lol

Honestly, she never fails to amaze me with her ability to look at a room and make it flow and function so perfectly.  She had incredible custom cabinets built by Todd at Woodwork's Design (4403460102).  They are truly magnificent with all the drawers on glides for easy access to all my goodies..which makes me very happy.

After much testing and looking around i had to make a decision on my appliances.  This is never a easy task for a chef.  I wanted to make sure i had restaurant like performance but also had all the bells and whistles that would make everything easy to use for Lizzie and was simple to clean.  Liz also wanted all the same maker so everything matched up properly.  After months of testing we finally decided on Electrolux.  This stuff truly rocks, my stove top burners are good and powerful and the wall oven is really easy to use and clean..i also really love the smooth-glide racks in the oven which makes it super easy to access the food.  In addition to the stove and ovens we also got their espresso/coffee machine that takes care of my caffeine addiction quite well and Lizzie got her Wine tower which holds 160 bottles at the perfect temp.

The coolest thing about Electrolux though is that they share my passion for giving back.  While we were doing our research we noticed that they have committed to raising a half mill to the ovarian cancer research fund...how great is that. You can check it out on their website at www.electroluxappliances.com

About 5 months ago we just opened our newest venture Roast in Detroit at The Westin Book Cadillac.  It is a restaurant dedicated to all things meat.  Lizzie and Rick Lalli did a great job on the space.  It feels like a really swank supper club. 

The opening went really well.  I have a great chef there in Jeff Rose and our longtime GM Frank Ritz moved out to the D to keep it running smoothly out front.  It really has been a magnificent project all in all.  Starwood and The Ferchill Group rehabbed the historic hotel to the tune of 220 million bucks and no expenses were spared.  To see the excitement of the city to have this historic gem back up and running has been nothing short of mind blowing.

Last week we were named restaurant of the year by the Detroit Free Press...which has actually left me speechless (I know hard to believe).  It was an incredible honor, especially considering how new we are and the steep competition with Wolfgang, Michael Mina and Brian Polcyn...just to name a few.  I couldn't be prouder of my staff and how well they have performed.

Well kids that's about it for now....cookbook is almost done and we are looking forward to it hitting the stands in November

Live to cook, MS