What to cook for a chef?

[orange07]

I am trying to prove my pastry skills to the executive chef at a Michelin star restaurant. Any ideas on what I should make? I was thinking of a apple tart titan which they already have on the menu. Bad idea? Any ideas and suggestions will be greatly appreciated....

 

[clove]

I wouldn't make something they already have on the menu. Instead do something that you are comfortable with, but also shows your pastry skills.
Whatever you choose, make sure you practice it first!
If you haven't developed any of your own recipes yet, sometimes doing a classic just right can be impressive -Can you make a great souffle? What about a real chocolate mousse? Try making a sauce or accompaniment that has your own twist to it.

 

[coulis-o]

how about making ... strawberry bavoir with cream; vanilla panna cotta with fresh fruit; chocolate fondant; pear and ginger tart; apple curd; chocolate parfait; sticky toffee pudding with toffee sauce and ice cream ... as a few ideas    

 

[skatz85]

a souffle would be nice takes some skill to do with some flavoring and some creame on glaze.(i make a pretty good one if may say so) i agree with clove do something classical and do it well and you cant go wrong in opinion.

 

[jessiquina]

i think that a perfectly done creme brulee shows a lot of skill. the custard must be perfect, as well as the burnt sugar. its simple, but if done wrong, it can be a disaster. maybe you can do a fun flavor that the chef may like, and serve it with a nice madeleine. or a macaron.

 

[jessiquina]

oh! also, its spelled tarte tatin. you dont want to write a menu for a michelin star chef  and show that you cant even spell the dessert you are making.

 

[evenyasia]

A great French spring dish is Navarin d'agneau which is a lamb stew with fresh green peas. I know there is a recipe in Julia Child's cookbook, but you probably could also find it on epicurious etc

 

[kuan]

Stick with classics.   Technique is important.  For example, a Genoise cake, topped with buttercream made with a cooked Meringue, a mousse filling, a couverture over the whole cake, tuile/florentine/gumpaste decoration, anglaise.

That shows off a lot.  If you can do each of the above elements well you're better than 99% of the pastry chefs out there.  The cake, buttercream, mousse, and anglaise are basic.  The couverture more advanced.  The decorative work takes it over the top.

Or just take a look at Bonbini's stuff in the photo gallery. 

 

[bughut]

How about making your own puff pastry and doing a mille-feuille.  It shows pastry skill and that you can make a creme patissiere.

 

[boar_d_laze]

Is this supposed to be prepared on site or brought?

In any case, it would be a mistake to go too simple.  With all due respect to jessiquina, a really perfect brulee might impress another a pastry chef with its sheer perfection (and if jessi says so, it would!); but it's not really what an executive chef is looking for.  Espcially not a joint with a star.

You want to demonstrate command of a range of techniques, imagination, decorative skills, and plating -- at least.

I am not, never have been, and have never even been confused with a pastry chef.  That said, I'd bring at least two different "bread basket" loaves with me to the interview (one of which should be pain de campagne). 

For the desserts, I'd do a sampler or possibly a "trio" on one plate  -- at least one of them "classic," at least one very much au courant, at least one complex, at least one dead simple, one based on chocolate, one on vanilla and/or fruit, and one on citrus.   

If it's restricted to one thing, it should not only be perfect (perfect goes without saying), but should also be something not many other people could do at all, not on their best day.

FWIW, forget the lamb.

BDL

 

[bughut]

Just as a btw. I've just watched Chef Jacquy competing in the final16  for the Mellieur ouvrier de France He didnt get there unfortunately.But his work was amazing. As was everyone else's. Sebastien Canonne was there for support too.
The sugar ribbons were outstanding.Is this something you could incorporate on the day?

Best of luck to you

 

[jessiquina]

boar_d_laze ,i like the trio idea.. no offense taken, i was just suggesting what i would do. i've seen and eaten so many bad brulee, i think it takes some skill to create a perfect one.

orange07, please share with us what you created

 

[boar_d_laze]

Jess,

I completely understand where you're coming from.  And I don't disagree with you in the slightest, either.  It's just that I think you're thinking of something that would impress a pastry chef more than an exec.  You guys are off in a world of your own that the rest of us respect but don't really understand that well.  We just know it's stuff we can't do.

BDL 

 

[goodevans]

Whether it be in the work place or in competitions, I've always used the following to evaluate a pastry chef's skill:

Puff pastry (equal quantities of butter to flour).

Hot soufflé.

Hand tempering (tabling) and moulding chocolate.

These are what you might call 'no-ifs-or-buts' techniques; they're either right or wrong. If a pastry chef shows a mastery of these skills, it's fair to assume that he/she has benefited from a top-notch training program and/or apprenticeship ... oh, and as 'bughut' suggested, a spot of sugar pulling would be the icing on the cake, so to speak. 

 

[clove]

 I think any of the above suggestions could work, but don't be overwhelmed.  I have worked as a pastry cook in two different Michelin starred restaurants now.  I would suggest you focus on something most applicable to your prospective job - which would be a plated dessert.  I spent very little -if any- time at these jobs doing bread or decorated cakes.  Though these skills are great to have, I am assuming you would be hired as a line cook, working service or production.  In this capacity, you won't be creating new desserts (that is the pastry chef or executive chef's job), but will be spending most of your time doing plated desserts and just need to show you have the skills for that.  
If you have a specific skill set, like pulling sugar, that is fine to show off, but plenty of my co-workers at these restaurants came in without previous knowledge or extensive experience with sugar or chocolate work.
Just being able to work quickly, pay attention to detail and put out a good product will be most important in getting the position.
Trying to take on too much, could backfire.  Just relax and stick with what you know.  Good luck.