The Core Four

That's what we'll be calling ourselves: Derrick, Andy, Andrea and me, as we slog through this project. Our fellow teammates, along with half of team B, weren't in class today but we made progress.

We get a lot of class time to work on this, which is a good thing, except that the computers are very slow. We did some exercises on menu cost analysis (including one by-hand spreadsheet that took about 40 minutes to complete, so that Chef Larry could teach us the principles behind the oh-so-quick Excel template.) Then we started on menu selection: at Chef's suggestion, we each wrote down dishes on post-its, then shuffled them around until we felt comfortable. Surprisingly, Derrick didn't have any dishes to recommend, whereas Andrea's just leaped off the top of her head, seemingly fully formed. Though I do think we'll be running a couple of dishes that she's been making three times a week at her apprenticeship restaurant.

This is what we've come up with:

appetizers
zucchini blossoms stuffed with crab and ricotta cheese with pesto and tomato vinaigrette
proscuitto-wrapped figs with gorgonzola, red wine reduction
fava bean bruschetta with basil, fennel, and lemon vinaigrette
marinated calamari and red peppers, goat cheese crostini

soups
minestrone with summer vegetables and sausage
roasted red pepper soup with creme fraiche and parmesan crisp

salads
arugula with pears, gorgonzola, and caramelized almonds with balsamic dressing
mixed greens with haricot verts, fingerling potatoes, and pesto vinaigrette

entrées
roasted half chicken with heirloom tomato panzanella
pan roasted halibut with sun dried tomato and olive tapenade, crispy potato cakes, and green beans
herb-crusted lamb loin with creamy polenta and wilted spinach; reduction sauce
pork chop, grilled peaches and escarole, celery root purée
pea shoot and pecorino risotto
pappardelle with asparagus and lemon cream sauce; grilled shrimp optional
rib eye steak with arugula, mushroom hash, and truffled mash

desserts
lavender panna cotta with simona's biscotti
zabaglione with fresh berries
apricot-plum galette with honeyed creme fraiche
chocolate hazelnut cake
affogato

beverages
s. pellegrino water: still or sparkling
basil lemonade
citrus iced tea
espresso

As you can see, we need to include four beverages in our costing matrix, but please be assured that we'll have a fully-stocked bar, as well.

Another part of our project includes doing a survey of potential customers. Please feel free to post your comments on the menu, and I'll include your feedback in our summary.

Derrick and Andy have taken on the kitchen plan and equipment list, and Andrea and I have split the menu items to begin costing. First step: find or develop recipes and create a worksheet for each one. That's this afternoon's project.