Wednesday, July 1, 2009

Italian Catering

Last week I started at an ultra high-end Italian catering company recommended by a chef friend. On Monday, June 22nd, I went in for a quick interview and was greeted with a mix of surprise and confusion.

"Legaspi?" the owner asked with her Italian inflection.
"Yes," I replied.
"Where are you from?"
"I was born here but my parents are from the Philippines."
"Ahhh....." she responded, her voice trailing off with concern.

So I surmised that they believed me to be of Italian descent from my last name (Say it with me in your best Italian accent, hand gestures and all, "Le-GAS-pi!") Thankfully, they agreed to try me out at two of their events last week. Both went so well that they've asked me back for five more gigs in the month of July. I'll have to thank my chef friend as well as my husband for the foot in the door.

Italian gig #1
:
Tuesday, June 23rd. A private home on Gramercy Park South. 50 person hors d'oeuvre
and buffet for the Italian elite to accompany their private Italian opera concert (Really...we could hear it from the kitchen).

Italian gig #2: Saturday, June 27th. A spr
awling mansion located somewhere in the Hudson Valley. 80 person hors d'oeuvre and waiter-served Italian wedding reception in a ridiculous house with a crazy amazing kitchen (the pictures speak for themselves... and the dog's name is Gnocco).


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Some items from both menus
  • Napoleoni al Timo con Pomodoro, Basilico e Caprino (thyme tuile Napoleon with tomato and goat cheese)
  • Ovetti di Quaglia all'Occhio di Bue (canapes with fried quail egg and paprika)
  • Cucchiai Croccanti di Formaggio con Spuma di Peperoni Gialli e Pinoli (crunchy cheese spoons with yellow pepper foam and toasted pine nuts)
  • Creppine di Salmone Affumicato ed Aneto (smoked salmon crepes with sour cream and dill)
  • Rotolini di Vitello con Mousse Tonnata (poached veal small cigars with tuna and caper mousse)
  • Risotto con Crema di Basilico e Scorza di Limone (basil reduction and lemon zest risotto)
  • Gnocchi Verdi di Spinaci e Ricotta (gnocchi with spinach and ricotta)
  • Polpettine con Salsa de Carciofi e Scorze di Limone (mini veal meatballs with artichokes and lemon zest)
as well as,
  • Potato puree with caviar and lemon gelee
  • Prosciutto wrapped mascarpone cheese with ground pistachio nuts
  • Gorgonzola souffle canape with celery and toasted almond
  • Polenta with wild mushrooms
  • Mini-steak tartar with capers and lemon zest
  • Truffle and walnut pastry puff
  • Prosciutto, foie gras and fig jam canape with black sesame seeds
  • Fried lotus root and sage leaves
  • Mini-lobster salad
  • Cold zucchini soup
  • Baby lamb chops with mustard sauce and sauteed potatoes
  • Assorted bite-sized pastries, cookies and chocolates
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One thing that is a bit daunting about this new company, and maybe you have already gathered, is that everyone is Italian. The owners, the admin, the chefs, the waitstaff, the clients....everyone, but me. Italian and Spanish are the only two languages used in the kitchen and I quickly had to dust off my crappy kitchen Spanish to keep up. I am also now known as "CHIN-TIA," which took a lot of getting used to. But I do feel so blessed to have been accepted into this company. Not only is the clientele, for lack of a better phrase, super duper fancy pants, but the food is tremendous and the plating is a work of art.


I could not have asked for a more appropriate next step for me as a chef. With my previous French and Japanese experience, Italian was a major cuisine missing from my cv. This year has been tough work-wise, as I'm sure it has been for many, but lately I've also found myself lacking in energy and motivation. My venture into this new cuisine has awoken the sleepy chef within me and I feel like I'm back at school, full of drive and focus and curiosity, wanting to absorb everything. It feels good...it feels great!


Up Next: 180 person wedding at the New York City Public Library (Sex and the City stylez!)

5 comments:

  1. i am so fascinated by your culinary world chef Cindy! your amazing photos show off your mad chef skillz! i always find myself hungry after i read this - wonder why...

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  2. This is awesome! You need to take Italian lessons from Nicole and you'll be set! LOVE LOVE LOVE it all but now I'm hungry too. =p

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  3. Coooool... looks yumm! and CONRGATS. =)

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  4. Good food brings people together. Finger food is best suited for all occasions, it is light and people love eating it.Food plays a major role in making an event successful. It is also necessary to select the best food option and catering service. It is better to hire finger food catering for parties and birthdays.

    catering services in philippines

    ReplyDelete