follow me here too
http://twitter.com/#!/1980BeLLe

follow me

http://thangle13.tumblr.com/

so this seems to be the way to go these days if you want to keep up with me.. happy holidays!

i feel home...

GREAT VIDEO FROM GM Anthony Rudolf VIDEO

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Chivalry

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i want to go work here for a few months..

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in two days i depart singapore back to the good old u.s.a!!!! it has been a huge experience being able to work,travel, eat my way through some of south east asia. I am a bag of emotions right now.. met so many different people.. learned so much about myself and how people are...

leaving will be difficult. it has been tough coming back here from vietnam.. and i am not sure how i will respond when i get to d.c...

"It’s very powerful when something happens and you are willing to see things from the other person’s point of view, and your

perception expands. That’s the birth of compassion: to walk

a mile in the other person’s moccasins. But there must be a willingness to do that. Instead, people are often unwilling to do it,

saying, “No, I’m right. This is what happened; this is my point

of view. I’m going to forgive you for what you did.” In fact, you

might not share my point of view, my perception, while I assume

you do. I think that getting over that misunderstanding is very

big in the practice of forgiveness."

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time to really focus my energy on my dream..

nose to the grind stone.. head to the stars..

This explosion of flavor and intermuscular fat and health and robustness.

"Consistently, the thing that we always have is the pig shown off in different parts. So when you get a pork dish, you’re getting all different parts of the animal; you’ll never just get a loin here. It's served all together — sort of a pig plate. Sometimes there’s forms of it that are in sausages, sometimes there’s a cured portion; we make bacon from the face a lot. The pigs are raised outdoors in the woods, they move around a lot. Their feed is a high-quality grain mix that is grown mostly by a farmer we’re quite close to. Since we’ve been utilizing his grains, I think the taste of the pork has improved. They’re generally happy pigs and they live all winter outside. We slaughter three pigs a week here, so we have a lot of pigs.

We’re now moving into crossing breeds — we’re crossing Berkshire and Ossabow (the pigs that are the lineage to the jamón Ibérico). The first generation after a cross, you get what’s called hybrid vigor. You get this boost of weight gain and fat conversion, and you get a boost in flavor. It’s not fatty, it’s an infiltration of fat; it’s like a well-marbled steak. We’re getting a cross with all these characteristics that explode with more flavor. It’s such a phenomenon in nature that we forget about. It’s almost like somebody is up in the sky encouraging diversity by giving you the benefits of mixing breeds. When you taste a good mixed breed, it’s just better in every respect. The breeding to me is the most interesting subject in the world. As much as Jean-Francois loved that pork because we did something good, there’s something so much more powerful in raising a good pig — it’s in the genetics. This explosion of flavor and intermuscular fat and health and robustness. And the interesting thing is you only get it in the first generation, then it disappears. I think breeding is the next thing."

my way...

PHU QUOC PICS

as soon as i arrive in another country, even before visiting the museums or churches, I do few things : observe the people, the local street markets, the color of houses, and to savor the aromas; and then I seek out the local food, because without the experience of food I would not understand the place I'm in and its unique way of thinking....

in all these cases, I went looking for food not simply to satisfy my palate, but to experience a certain kind of culture; not only to savor a taste, but to experience enlightment, or a flash of recollection, or to understand a tradition and make it known to others..

Phu Qouc island was amazing just like the most of vietnam... i smelled, tasted, rested and watched the life that goes on in every day living there..

only a few more days here in Nam and i'm starting to get the feeling i'll be cultured shocked in the US of A... trying not to think about it all..

"He who lives by the crystal ball soon learns to eat ground glass."

Edgar R. Fiedler

i have come to sense on what i enjoy eating and cooking and hopefully i can transition it my way, with the best source of inspiration and teacher momma le...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SeFiXnEBvBg&feature=related

"Regrets I've had a few

But then again too few to mention

I did what I had to do

And saw it through without exemption"

my way - Frank

If you reject the food, ignore the customs, fear the religion and avoid the people, you might better stay at home...

SAIGON-HOI AN!

from bangkok to good morning HANOI to the mountains of SAPA!

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so much to say about the trip that i would need a few days to get it all out.. but for now the pictures are priceless!!! this has been a unreal trip.. and i''m half way through...

"Cause and effect, effect everything you do and that's why I got love in the face of hate"

Mis en place

Lamb belly stacked together to create a (pork belly twin)

I've been obsessed with food, ingredients and the “eating out” experience for as long as I can remember, growing up with a close-knit family of Asian descent instilled the feeling of well being from a very early age, gathering around the dining table was a very fond memory of mine and I think fueled my passion to becoming a good cook.

My aim is to create a journey of taste, texture and temperature using classics with forward thinking techniques to create something unique and modern without forgetting the key elements such as flavor, the one word that drives us to push that extra mile.

Today we find ourselves in a new modern world of cuisine where we have seen massive movements in the evolution of restaurants.

It is no longer acceptable for mediocrity, I believe we owe this to our guests to move forward and think of new ways to serve and prepare food.

More restaurants are moving towards the Tasting Menu format where they can give their guest a real adventure of the palate, nurturing and manipulating artisan produce to tantalize all the senses.

What excites me also is the unexpected, it could be a diversion on a classic dish, replacing ingredients or just serving ingredients in a different guises that can make a meal memorable.

At the restaurants we strive to give our guest a peek into the world of gastronomy. Research and development play an interesting role in many of the world's finest restaurants disusing the benefits of food pairings and flavor combinations are a crucial aspect to any modern day cook.

Ultimately, going to a gastronomic restaurants should be about fun. Abandoning your day to day life and going on an adventure of smells, sights, tastes, and textures, something you wouldn't or even couldn't do at home.......tbc...

The chef Andoni Aduriz

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Planning my south east asia trip and back state side.. its been a roller coaster. i've learned a tremendous amount of knowledge and a infinite things not to do in a kitchen... taking a break from responsibilities for a while and just enjoying my freedom .. knowledge comes with adventures as well..

"Hands steady so the lines in the mental illustration is straight

The thought you had don't even contemplate

Infinite like figure eight there's no escape.."

K.O.S. (determination) - Blackstar

BACK TO THE BASICS

WOAH, been a very long time since i have updated... lots have been going on... trip to vietnam, cooking with 17 japanese chefs from IL GHIOTTONE from Kyoto Japan. Learned so much from watching and seeing how hard they worked together.. My trip to Vietnam was pretty mind blowing. the food was super cheap and the weather was pretty great! a trip to Mei Nu beach was great, i had the best Bun Bo Hue ever..Met all my uncles and cousins which was a mind trip..

just fined a week of work with the talented crew from Mugaritz. intense presence and focus with everyone from their crew.. i realized a lot of things i want in my kitchen one day by working with these boys... i want their success.. i want their focused and standards.. ones day...

just a short update now, will follow up with a photo post and stoires...

cheers

That instant karma That always comes too late

composure. It's what separates good cooks from great ones. It's that quality that causes a guest to sit and watch, transfixed by the grace and elegance of a dinner service. It's certainly not the most important quality for a cook to have...but it's something that kitchen lifers immediately recognize and come to respect in their peers.

When I started cooking, my only goal was to be fast. Aside from not working clean and generally spinning around in my head, I probably looked like I was having a seizure. Then I started to notice the other cooks around me that were better than me. They were so collected...so expressionless. Did they just not care as much as me? Did they just not take things as seriously? Well, no. They just knew what they were doing. As my sous chef at that time said to me: "You don't want to look like a little bitch."

Time passed on, and as I slowly came to find a comfortable place in my own skin, my movements became more relaxed, but my head didnt. I still felt like I was one step away from flipping over my cutting board, throwing my salt at the food runner, and fist and elbowing my way out of the front door. It would take lying to myself to cure it; daily affirmations of "You're on control, you can cook, you're a motherfucking handsome badass." It sounds ridiculous. It was. And it worked.

Finding a way to be composed makes the other cooks look differently at you. The crew will respect you, your chef will be quietly impressed by you, and your skills will improve. You'll have more energy. And you'll know what to tell homeboy when he starts to lose it.

So how do you deal wih it? Where do you find your place of balance? How do you compose yourself when things get crazy?

brit made rice crispy treats.. i played jenga and ate them! they were heavenly! you did well Miss Brit thank you!!!!

as we prepare for the move we are counting down the days till opening.. times at iggys is at a all time high right now. everyone is excited to get the move over and done with so we can all focus on what we do best COOK!

by this time next week we'll be moved out and unpacking. I AM VERY THRILLED to be part of this process and a part of history at iggys!

riday and Saturday service was the busiest we've been in a while.. Friday was a start of a fun weekend. 20 min before service our induction burners went down. A LOUD BURST of thunder sound, made me jump 5 feet in the arms of Batu.. I was caught off guard. What do we do? set up the portable catering stoves on the line and make that magic happen.. it was a long night of service but we managed to please the guest and put out the quality of food we are used to putting out. Upon arriving on sat service the tech guys were "fixing" the stove.. they packed up and everything was ready to roll.. POP! another night with no induction and another night of the portables..

you learn to adapt in situations like these.. it brings our primitive nature out and the fundamentals of cooking back and staying ahead of the flow.. it also took alot out of us mentally setting up for the fires and what not.. but it was good to be in the weeds and find our way out at points in the night.

cheers and will keep you posted with the grand opening!

i love butchering

http://proteinuniversity.com/videos

"There's a map of the world

on the wall in your room

Green pins where ya wanna go

White pins where ya been

there isn't even ten,

you're already feeling old

Pretty faces stare back

from a magazine stack

that you read when

you're feeling bored

Look through a telescope lens

it doesn't make sense

you think you've been there before "monsters of folk

MONKEY

july is a start of something special....

---new toys new ideas..---

this is for all my past and present Jewish lovers!

- Scottish Salmon, Aerated Cream Cheese...some other nonsense, take 2 tomorrow..

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been having a creative mind funk.... july's menu goes live next tuesday and the salmon dish is lacking depth in creativity.. the concept can't seem to get tied together...

a play on

"loxs and bagels.. " or "Gravlax" (x)

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service for PDR2

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and on a final note.. i just got my G11 it is a amazing toy!! can't wait to figure this new baby out!

Monkey

Marco

• MPW "i am a man of extremes. I can't stand things that are diluted - only drinks benefit from that. I want a hundred % of everything
• or everybody
• or nothing at all!"
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• 
  ----
  "let's get rich what... this is what!!" Camp lo

• ----
• 
so yesterday Fara, said to me after i asked him if he had time to clean and dry the bacon we made.. "ahhh yes i make time to clean..." thats my boy!!! that almost made me cry..he's a very talented baker but he's a even more talented person. He join Iggy's about the same time I did. He has a lot of respect for what he does and what other people around him do. This kid is going to go far, i'd take him on my team any day! check out his brioche loaf!
----

"Life

is either a daring adventure or nothing. "
Monkey

• 
  

Desiderata

Go placidly amid the noise and haste,
and remember what peace there may be in silence.

As far as possible without surrender
be on good terms with all persons.
Speak your truth quietly and clearly;
and listen to others,
even the dull and the ignorant;
they too have their story.

Avoid loud and aggressive persons,
they are vexations to the spirit.

If you compare yourself with others,
you may become vain and bitter;
for always there will be greater and lesser persons than yourself.
Enjoy your achievements as well as your plans.

Keep interested in your own career, however humble;
it is a real possession in the changing fortunes of time.

Exercise caution in your business affairs;
for the world is full of trickery.
But let this not blind you to what virtue there is;
many persons strive for high ideals;
and everywhere life is full of heroism.

Be yourself.
Especially, do not feign affection.
Neither be cynical about love;
for in the face of all aridity and disenchantment
it is as perennial as the grass.

Take kindly the counsel of the years,
gracefully surrendering the things of youth.
Nurture strength of spirit to shield you in sudden misfortune.
But do not distress yourself with dark imaginings.
Many fears are born of fatigue and loneliness.

Beyond a wholesome discipline,
be gentle with yourself.

You are a child of the universe,
no less than the trees and the stars;
you have a right to be here.
And whether or not it is clear to you,
no doubt the universe is unfolding as it should.

Therefore be at peace with God,
whatever you conceive Him to be,
and whatever your labors and aspirations,
in the noisy confusion of life keep peace with your soul.

With all its sham, drudgery, and broken dreams,
it is still a beautiful world.
Be cheerful.
Strive to be happy.

----

paris france oct 2010.. cooking for the president of france.. how amazing!

"Determined to be the best, not lookin back at regrets. How many people you blessed is how you measure success"

It is within the grey areas that confusion is created. the place where the lines between right and wrong are blurred. I believe that the establishment of rights and wrongs is not to be used for controlling,but for the upliftment of society.i will be real about the grey areas from a heart of genuine love for humanity. The confusion, doubt and the unanswered question of life lead to much pain and many bad decisions. I'm aware of all the negative happenings in our world. I remain optimistic regardless, praising for this life and pushing towards the future.

simply put.. either we are hot or cold. i believe in absolutes. i believe that fi you touch the fire you'll get burned. I believe that god created this earth and created man kind. he gave usthe gift of free will that we might enjoy the opportunity to experience life and make our own decisions. With freedom comes responsibility. Things classified as sin are classified as so because they in some way or another bring destruction to an individual or to society as a whole. The consequences for such things are felt in the current state o our society. i don't believe in a perfect world. I believe in a a redeemed one....

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life's been hectic in the kitchen.. a oven literally exploded 30 min before service and everyone was very stunned! thank god no one got hurt! Auntie was right in front of it too.. man it as a sight to be seen.. now we are down a combi oven..

been thinking about how crazy the sex slavery scene is here.. its so unreal, so sad and i don't understand that in this society it is overlooked.. fucking pity the women are slaves... we see it a block from our work, we see it in Geylang.. its wild..

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can not wait to travel around south east asia..i'm looking forward to not having any responsibilities and travel with a free mind and light heart! been itching fo a new tattoo, and i've decided on a cup of tea, elder flowers, and calamansi limes...

another news related event.. Guru passed away the other day.. man i've and some amazing memories from his music growing up! he was such a hip hop icon and legend in my eyes.. his lyrics and the way he flowed was so unique.. he was truly "gifted unlimited rhymes universal" there will only be one..

REST IN PEACE GURU :

Too many times I asked, "Why me?" And I recall when things weren't goin how they 'sposed to be Yeah I know you dig what I'm relayin And now I find myself devoting more time to praying I ain't saying that I don't do no wrong I'm saying I ain't trying to sing no more sad songs I got mad responsibilities I'm building with my family, my loved ones depend on me I've got no time for envy nor for hate My inner power's too strong to let such evil penetrate The world around is in chaos But I'd rather seek the truth to be found than to be lost Experience is always the best teacher Look at the signs, feel the vibes, I'm tryin to reach ya I see how much now that one should be grateful for And we must help the others who can't find a open door

-count your blessings-

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fv6YVwgKh5A 

MONKEY

Living in another country has been an experience of a life time... Its been three weeks and i feel like living out of the states is going to be a life time experience. We are working crazy hours but on sundays have been able to cook some insane meals.. Introducing the Hollands to beer can chicken which the pictures will be posted... But after all if u can spend literally 18 hours of the day with your room mate everyday you must be buddies... People who care watch us we are going to have some great dishes coming and some crazy adventures. Its all about travel and showing passion to what you love........ You cant change things right away but to be able to make things better in the future is a great gift...... Singapore watch out cause we are here and i really don't know if this country is ready to control us... Obviously not cause we haven't been arrested but have made our selves known....... MEAT

from winter to summer...

“Open your eyes, look within. Are you satisfied with the life you're living?” marley

This photo was taken inside the temple outside the Maxwell Hawker Stalls. The temple is amazing.. There were two walls lined up from top to bottom of these statues.. so colorful and bright. the room was at least 75ft tall from floor to ceiling.. people were saying prayers and it was a very calming feeling being there...

After several days of traveling i finally arrived in the world the will consume me for the next year..

I took off from D.C. the day after my bday and headed up to nyc.. the Bolt Bus rocks! leather seats WiFi and lots of room..the price of the ticket did not come with the smell of pee.score! 5hrs later I was in Jersey at my bros place.. thank god i wasnt hungover.. I departed out of JFK at 10pm.. I was pretty calm till after i checked my bags in.. "did i just check everything i was going to need for the next year or maybe longer, overseas?!?!?!" yea i did.. so reality started to hit home, i was going on this trip that i had planned mentally for as long as i could remember... but to0 close friends the past 4 years or so.. Thanks to Banana everything we talked about has fallen in place almost perfectly planned but not really it just worked out that way.. I grabbed two bags of gummy bears a pack of chewing gum, mike and ikes, and a bottle of rootbeer.. as i waited for the singapore Airlines people to call my seat number, i crushed the two bags of gummy bears and mike ikes.. got my nerves back.. boarded the plane and i was lucky to sit by myself in a row of four empty seats up front! perfect. The lovely stuartist handed me a warm cloth to whip my face and hands.. was i about to get sushi on this flight.... turns out it was just a tease but it was refreshing... the flight was pretty standard we got a choice of really good movies. they had pretty tasty food for airfare grub.

8 hrs later i arrived in Franfurt, lots of tall people here.. 12hr later i'll be surround by short and "all look same asians"

jumped back on the flight and arrived in Singapore 12hrs later at 6am... my legs and back did not enjoy the flight... i stumbled out the plane with numb feet and all and my eyes wide open.. SINGAPORE I HAVE ARRIVED!

the airport was super clean, got my bags and ditched the pack of chewing gum..

i was in the clear..

The owners of Iggy's picked me up and drove me to my new flat.<-click

They showed me my new home and came back to give me a proper Singapore breakfast, they also went and purchased all new bedding and bathroom supplies for me to feel more comfortable. Janice and Iggy are one of the most accommodating people I have ever met..on to the food..Soup with prawns, crispy shallot, pork, pork broth...the flavors were so amazing, but simple..

I then met the whole restaurant crew and the staff were all eager young people.. i feel at ease at first sight. the kitchen is actually pretty big for what i am used to.. I mean Marvins, Hank's, Komi, the old MOMO noodle bar.. we could fit two of those kitchen in Iggy's.. They are giving me a week off to get adjusted and to finish the last of the paper work and medical exams.

The second day I jumped on the train and went to China-Town, aka Maxwell Center. <-click I ate so much food within a 2 hr window.. the fresh fruit juices quenched my thirst. the heat is insane here.. its like a constant steam room. you can be sitting still but feel like you are sitting in front of a open fire.. it is pretty hard to sleep at night things to buy, 4-5 fans! and MESH TANK TOPS!<-click

PICTURES FROM MAXWELL CENTER <--click

Getting lost in the underground shopping malls for an hr is not fun.. "all look same Asians" everywhere! they love to shop and eat...

time for my first dinner tasting at Iggy's so more update later..

the feeling of being in Singapore is unreal... still can't believe i'm on the other side of "my" world.. it's weird feeling.." Reality leaves a lot to the imagination." ~John Lennon

"long distance call"--Phoenix

"keep it moving" Tribe Called Quest

"It's YOURZ"--Wu Tang Clan

MONKEY

you shall look always with new eyes.

you shall feel/think, focus your attention on the senses.

you shall observe other disciplines different from your own.

you shall systematize,create a common language for every work in the restaurant.

you shall escape from reality, advoid descriptive principles which could make the client find in the dish what they were not expecting.

you shall explore, take risks, there is no movement without innovation.

you shall modify cultural convictions.

you shall always ask yourself three questions

-with what,how and why do i do anything when it comes to choosing the products above all else.

you shall stimulate a propitious climate for the work in the restaurant..

MONKEY

my 1st trip outside the States Belize 09

embarking on my independent journey.
leaving vibrant textiles and entering a land full of dark unclothed bodies and luscious lip smiles.
the sounds of spanish dialect now replaced by indistinguishable accents of english, creole, and garifuna slang.
welcomed by bare feet and dread adorned heads, i step off the bus to the sounds of blasting reggae tunes and the sight of red, gold, and green everywhere.
i enter bliss with a one hour speed boat ride.
the wind blowing so intensely that i can barely open my eyes to see this wonderland.
i turn my senses off and enjoy the feel of the ride.
transparent waters with bright and shining crystals that reflect upon each ray of sunlight.
we step off the boat onto a slow paced island where the only mode of transportation is walking, biking, and a few golf carts.
the motto printed everywhere is "caye caulker...GO SLOW"
coconut palms blow amongst the breeze creating a rainstick tune.
celebrating the present moment, we endulge in the local rum and watch the sunset from the rooftop.
thick clouds obstruct our view but colors still manage to spread across the sky.
the salty humid air reminds me of where i am.
ocean smells fill my nostrils and sand fills the crevices in my toes.
fresh ocean catches are barbecued along the streets, each vendor competing with the next.
the twinkling stars soon become overtaken by the thick clouds that slowly make their way over the moon.
raindrops begin to trickle dow, breaking up the heat and cooling off my skin.
the next day we take off for a three day sail adventure.
leaving myself vulnerable to the control of the wind.
turning my shoes in for retirement as well as any clock or any indication of real time.
the sun beats down on my baby sensitive skin as my feet dangle over the edge and my toes dip into refreshing salty waters.
dolphins gracefully jump through slight waves as if the ocean is their playground.
putting my snorkle gear on to become one with the underwater life.
complete silence other than the sound of my own breath.
plants sway on top of coral as if they are dancers on a ballroom floor.
colorful fish speak to me face to face through their eyes and their bubbles.
mangroves and islands scatter amongst the open waters.
fitting for survival, we catch our own fish which will serve as our next meal.
getting i ntouch with what i eat and giving thanks for the sacrifice of life.
pulling up to our home for the evening, i find myself on a small deserted island.
we set up our tent and i jump in the ocean for one last sunset refreshment.
as my eyes adjust to the dimming light, it seems to become pitch black dark quickly.
stars abundantely peek out before the moon has the opportunity to rise.
the sky seems asif it is too small to house all the stars!
and as the night continues, camp fires burn low as energy rises high.
sea life coming alive in the darkness as suicidal crabs scurry by.
shining my light on the myseterious waters to uncover mysterious creatures...me foreign to them, them foreign to me.
eventually i close my eyes and put myself to sleep to the sounds of the waves barely crashing and the palms barely swaying.
6-17-09

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singapore life starts in a week 1 day..

MONKEY

“All journeys have secret destinations of which the traveler is unaware.” – Martin Buber

monkey.meat.banana

reunited in south east asia 2010

3 years in the making...