Date: November 24, 2013
To: Professor Akana
From: Kaveesh Singh
Subject: Anna Nurse Workshop Memo
Who was the presenter?
The presenter of the Anna Nurse Workshop that was held on October 10, 2013 was Chef Craig Hobson. Craig Hobson is currently the Executive Chef at Le Cirque which is a French restaurant located in New York City.
What did they prepare and speak about?
Chef Hobson first prepared a Corn Flan that was made of, obviously, corn, cream, but also two ingredients that I’ve never heard of which was Locust and Agar. Both of these ingredients were used as a combining agent that held the corn flan together within the mold. Secondly, he prepared a Chicken Breast with Shallots. The chicken breast was prepared in a water bath at 143 degrees Fahrenheit then seared on a pan until its skin was crispy and the shallots were cooked in a pot in med- high heat until tender along with saffron, orange juice, lemon juice, and cilantro. This, was served with a salad of mint, cilantro, and parsley. Furthermore, Chef Hobson spoke about his experiences in preparing these dishes within his restaurant and a little about his life.
Your opinion of the food & the presentation.
The presentation overall was great and knowledgeable. Chef Craig Hobson was willing to answer any questions the audience had especially because he kept on asking us if we had any questions. The food was very interesting as I’ve never heard of Corn Flan, however, I wasn’t a big fan of it because I thought it didn’t really have any taste to it. On the other hand, the Chicken Breast with Shallots was amazing. The whole idea of cooking it in a water bath was a new concept to me as it preserved the chicken breast. The chicken with shallots was very flavorful and the salad of mint, cilantro, and parsley complemented it well.
