CHIC Podcast

CHIC Podcast #158: Basic Kitchen Techniques part 2

Sat, 03 Jan 2009 02:45:00 -0800

CHIC Podcast #158: Basic Kitchen Techniques part 2 Wook Kang and I talked about basic kitchen techniques a few weeks back and we only covered a few. This week I talk about a few more. We cover breading, vinaigrette and roux. These three techniques can bring your level of cooking up quite a bit. Employ them and see how your food stands up and people take notice. Learn something new for yourself and your dining guests. Thanks for listening. See you next week!

CHIC Podcast #157: Music for Winter

Sat, 27 Dec 2008 06:40:17 -0800

CHIC Podcast #157: Music for Winter Twice a year I take some time to go back to what I did years ago, be a D.J. Yup, I used to spin tunes on a local radio station. I still like to do that from time to time. We'll get back to the food next week but here's some food related tunes for you to enjoy on your Christmas/New Year's holiday. Have fun! Thanks for listening. See you next week!

CHIC Podcast #156: Steakhouse

Sat, 20 Dec 2008 06:28:15 -0800

CHIC Podcast #156: Steakhouse Once a year, 4 male friends and I get together to partake of a meal of steak. We have been to the best and worst steakhouses in Chicago. I talk about what to look for in a steakhouse, what to stay away from and how to have a good time dining out. We'll be back with more kitchen techniques in the following weeks. Right now I'm on break from school. The shows will continue but you may be surprised by them. Hang in there. Thanks for listening! Have a great week!

CHIC Podcast #155: Top Ten Kitchen Techniques

Sat, 13 Dec 2008 04:07:00 -0800

CHIC Podcast #155: Top Ten Kitchen Techniques Wook Kang and I talk about an article in SFGate, the San Francisco Chronicle's website that talked about the basic techniques that all good cooks should posess. We take just a few this week but we will be back in the coming weeks with other techniques for you. Here's the link to the site and the article.

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/07/08/FDTA11HHDM.DTL

Thanks for listening! Have a great week!

CHIC Podcast #154: Christmas Cookie Alternatives

Sat, 06 Dec 2008 04:42:00 -0800

CHIC Podcast #154: Christmas Cookie Alternatives I love Christmas cookies, you know the traditional rolled out Santa Claus type cookies that have colorful frosting on them. I also like the alternative ones. I talk about almond macaroons, dried fruit sablees and little hazelnut morsels. These are easy cookies you can make for your guests that they may never have had. Take some time to try something new for Christmas. Thanks for listening. See you next week!

CHIC Podcast #153: Thanksgiving Roundup

Sat, 29 Nov 2008 05:45:44 -0800

CHIC Podcast #153: Thanksgiving Roundup It's the Saturday after Thanksgiving. Have you had enough turkey yet? I haven't! I talk about a variety of topics all related to Thanksgiving day; sort of a roundup of all the great ideas we have for that one meal of the year that everyone has a comment on. Give me your thoughts on how you can make Thanksgiving better. Thanks for listening! Have a great week!

CHIC Podcast #152: Whole Wheat Bread

Sat, 22 Nov 2008 04:04:00 -0800

CHIC Podcast #152: Whole Wheat Bread I received a note from a listener named Renee. She asked about how to make her whole wheat bread have a better crust. I think it's great that more folks are making whole grain breads and adding them to their diet. They taste better than ever and they are great for your health. I offer some tips on making better whole wheat bread and tackle that crust question as well. Thank you Renee for the question and thanks for listening. See you next week!

CHIC Podcast #151: The Big Picture

Sat, 15 Nov 2008 04:52:00 -0800

CHIC Podcast #151: The Big Picture Chef Wook Kang and I got talking about how some students of food have a hard time seeing the big picture. They sometimes focus on little details that have very little to do with the finished product. We try to offer some suggestions to cooks to be able to look at the big picture. Thanks for listening. See you next week.

CHIC Podcast #150: Vitamin D

Sat, 08 Nov 2008 04:18:00 -0800

CHIC Podcast #150: Vitamin D Our resident nutrition teacher, Pat Plavcan stops by to talk about Vitamin D. It's an interesting subject because it's a vitamin we produce in our own bodies. We need the sun to activate it. You'll learn about where to get more and how it helps the body. Thanks for listening! Have a great week!

CHIC Podcast #149: Entre Amis, between friends

Sat, 01 Nov 2008 03:38:00 -0700

CHIC Podcast #149: Entre Amis, between friends Nancy Monk is one our English teachers at CHIC. She has a special job that includes administrating the literary journal, Entre Amis. She and I talk about how she integrates general education principles in a cooking school. Thanks for listening. See you next week!

CHIC Podcast #148: Food Photography

Sat, 25 Oct 2008 04:15:00 -0700

CHIC Podcast #148: Food Photography I met a very nice man recently who loves to photograph food. In fact, it’s his job. What a great thing to be able to do. Brendan Lekan and I took some time to talk about food and look at some pictures. We talk about his work with food and photography. We also talk about what excites us about photography and how you can make yours better. Thanks for listening. See you next week!

CHIC Podcast #147: Maui Dining

Sat, 18 Oct 2008 09:53:20 -0700

CHIC Podcast #147: Maui Dining The restaurants in Maui are some of the best in the world. We sampled quite a few and I talk about our dining experiences there. We stayed at the Marriott Wailea near Lahaina and the food was exceptional. Thanks for listening. See you next week!

CHIC Podcast #146: Live from Maui

Fri, 10 Oct 2008 16:26:41 -0700

CHIC Podcast #146: Live from Maui This week I talk live from Maui, Hawai’i. Wow is it beautiful! I talk about airline food. I know, there is no more airline food but we were in business class. There is still food up there and it is worth examining. I talk about the days I used to work on the airline myself. Next week, we’ll have a podcast about the food here on the island. It should be a little better than the airplane....I hope. Thanks for listening. See you next week!

CHIC Podcast #145: Knives

Sat, 04 Oct 2008 04:17:00 -0700

CHIC Podcast #145: Knives Wook Kang and I talk about knives. A chef's knife is the first thing I usually reach for when I go into a kitchen. They help us in so many ways that we don't even think about. We give you some tips on selecting, using and caring for knives. Thanks for listening!

CHIC Podcast #144: Travels with Chef Tom

Sat, 27 Sep 2008 06:47:29 -0700

CHIC Podcast #144: Travels with Chef Tom I'm back, your weary traveling chef, to give you the account of my trip to Ottawa, Canada. I traveled to visit the Le Cordon Bleu chefs at the school there. What a great time we had. I also got to converse with chefs from around the country from our sister schools. We learned so much. Check out my website, letsbake.frostbitten.org for pictures from around Ottawa and all the food we produced and ate. Thanks for listening! Have a great week!

CHIC Podcast #143: Garde Manger

Fri, 19 Sep 2008 18:42:56 -0700

CHIC Podcast #143: Garde Manger Wook Kang and I talk about garde manger. What's garde manger, you ask? Well, it's just one of the most interesting parts of a professional kitchen. It's all the cold salads, sandwiches, terrines, pates and many other items. We also talk about what's coming up for each of us. It's an exciting time at CHIC and we want to share it with you. Check out Chicago Gourmet coming up next weekend at Millennium Park. CHIC will be represented there. I will be there on Sunday, September 28th. One more thing; I will be traveling to Ottawa, Canada for a conference with other pastry chefs from around the country and the chefs from Le Cordon Bleu North America. What a week this will be! Thanks for listening! Have a great week!

CHIC Podcast #142: Rainy Day Podcast

Sat, 13 Sep 2008 05:53:55 -0700

CHIC Podcast #142: Rainy Day Podcast Today we cover a myriad of topic. I talk about great friends and meals, wine tasting lunches and supporting your local restaurants, the ones worth saving. I also tackle a listener's question about cooking sugar so it doesn't crystalize. We cover a lot of ground but I think you will like the variety this week. Thanks for listening! Have a great week!

CHIC Podcast #141: Fried Video Chicken

Sat, 06 Sep 2008 03:57:00 -0700

CHIC Podcast #1410: Fried Video Chicken Wook Kang loves fried chicken. I think that is a sentiment that is echoed all across this country. On this week's CHIC Pocast, we make fried chicken. In addition, we look at French fries and cole slaw. We hope you enjoy the video podcast this week. Chef Wook and I thank Chef Carrie Osmer for helping out and eating some of the chicken. Thanks for listening! Have a great week!

CHIC Podcast #140: Great Wines with Value

Sat, 30 Aug 2008 09:27:00 -0700

CHIC Podcast #140: Great Wines with Value Chef Mike Skuca and I were talking about the excellent wines you can get for under 10.00 at Trader Joes. We decided to do a podcast on, not cheap wines, but wines that have great value. We are joined by Chef Karyn Hofoll, a great wine lover in her own right. We talked about a lot wines on the podcast but we drank a bottle of King Shag from Trader Joes. I think you'll like the wine and the podcast. Thanks for listening! Have a great week!

CHIC Podcast #139: Meringue and Whipped Cream

Sat, 23 Aug 2008 06:28:02 -0700

CHIC Podcast #139: Meringue and Whipped Cream Today's creamy episode concerns meringue and whipped cream. These two items that we make almost every day in the bakeshop, are responsible for keeping America and the rest of the world smooth and creamy. I talk about how to make all the different variations and how not to screw them up. It's a quick episode recorded at the Lincoln Park Zoo again. Thanks for listening! Have a great week!

CHIC Podcast #138: Kitchen Disasters and More

Sat, 16 Aug 2008 04:43:00 -0700

CHIC Podcast #138: Kitchen Disasters and More Wook Kang and I talk about all the things that can go wrong in a kitchen. We have both worked in many restaurants and hotels and lots has happened there. Most of the stories are fun but you can learn from our misfortune. We also talk about blogs, websites and books that we are currently interested in. Let us know about your favorite food blog. Thanks for listening! Have a great week!

CHIC Podcast #137: Rolling Pizza

Sat, 09 Aug 2008 05:22:04 -0700

CHIC Podcast #137: Rolling Pizza Chef David Hirsch and Chef Jim DeWan join me for a talk about their new venture into wood-fired pizza on the road. They own a trailer that doubles as a pizza oven. It's an oven that gets to 900 degrees and cooks the pizzas in just 3 minutes. Join David, Jim and myself for a lively discussion on what it is that makes pizza great. Thanks for listening! Have a great week!

CHIC Podcast #136: Steamed or not steamed?

Sat, 02 Aug 2008 07:14:33 -0700

CHIC Podcast #136: Steamed or not steamed? Live from Lincoln Park Zoo overlooking Cafe Brauer, it's the CHIC podcast. This week I commune with nature as I podcast about food. I recap last week's chicken chausseur episode. I talk about how not to steam your chicken, pork, potatoes and all the things you want crispy. I also talk about the upcoming pizza bread guild meeting. Thanks for listening!

CHIC Podcast #135: Chicken Chausseur with Chef Wook

Sat, 26 Jul 2008 04:17:00 -0700

CHIC Podcast #135: Chicken Chausseur with Chef Wook This week's it's a video podcast. Chef Wook Kang prepares a dish you can prepare at home with just a chicken and few more ingredients at home. I will get the recipe for you soon but until then, just sit back and watch as Chef Wook prepares chicken chausseur. It is delicious way to prepare chicken. He gets some help from Chef Gerard and myself. This is a glimpse into their "Saucier Club" and how our student kitchens work. I hope you like it and as always, thanks for watching. See you next week.

CHIC Podcast #134: Herbs

Sat, 19 Jul 2008 03:49:00 -0700

CHIC Podcast #134: Herbs Herbs are great with most foods whether they are dry or fresh. Wook and I talk about how to grow them, how to use them and what to pair them with. Be sure to check out Wook's blog at www.kangskorner.blogspot.com Thanks for listening!

CHIC Podcast #133: Citrus Flavor and Equipment Roundup

Sat, 12 Jul 2008 04:45:00 -0700

CHIC Podcast #133: Citrus Flavor and Equipment Roundup Wook Kang and I decided to talk about our favorite flavors today. We both love citrus in all it's incarnations. Of course we love lemons but limes are what really blow us away. We even give equal time to grapefruit. Then we take some time to talk about specialty pans one might buy. Do you have an omelette pan? How about a scone pan? We navigate through our favorite types and brands of pans. Thanks for listening. Also, check out Chef Wook's blog at Wookie Cookie

CHIC Podcast #132: My Parents and Food

Sat, 05 Jul 2008 04:02:00 -0700

CHIC Podcast #132: My Parents and Food For the independence day holiday, we traveled East to visit my parents, Joe and Sally. They infused a love of food in me and I wanted to know a little bit about their experience with food. I talk to them individually in their home and on a walk with my mother. Thanks for listening!

CHIC Podcast #131: Summertime Music Podcast

Sat, 28 Jun 2008 04:19:00 -0700

CHIC Podcast #131: Summertime Music Podcast Sometimes you just have to take some time out to listen to some music. This year I dip into the Podshow.com bag of music to bring you what I'm listening to. Podshow has attracted some very up and coming bands. Secret Machines, British Sea Power and Midlake are newly added to the roster. They are bands that I have heard on NPR on shows like Sound Opinions with Greg Kot and Jim De Rogatis and All Songs Considered with Bob Boilen. Let me know what you think of the music. This is stuff I love to listen to. I hope you do to. We'll be back next week with some more food related items but right now, it's time to rock. Thanks for listening!

CHIC Podcast #130: Flavor Enhancers

Sat, 21 Jun 2008 04:05:00 -0700

CHIC Podcast #130: Flavor Enhancers A listener recently wrote the show about some ideas for upcoming podcasts. She mentioned that she wanted ot know what “chocolate extract” is and how she would use it. There is no such thing as real chocolate extract unless you count cocoa powder. This got Chef Wook and myself thinking about all the great flavor enhancers professional chefs use everyday without thinking about it. Wook and I talk about infusion, reduction and myriad flavor enhancers that every home cook can take advantage of. Thanks for listening. Also, check out Chef Wook's blog at Wookie Cookie

CHIC Podcast #129: News and Mailbag

Sat, 14 Jun 2008 06:00:54 -0700

CHIC Podcast #129: News and Mailbag I have gathered up several questions that students and listeners have posed over the last few weeks. There are questions covering all different kinds of cooking plus I talk about accuracy in cooking and how it can improve your food experience. I also take some time to reminisce about my time in college and thank folks that make this show possible. Thanks for listening!

CHIC Podcast #128: Let's Talk Sandwiches!

Sat, 07 Jun 2008 04:00:00 -0700

CHIC Podcast #128: Let's Talk Sandwiches! How about a sandwich? I always love to get that question. I think you know my answer to that question as well. Wook Kang and I got together this week to talk about that subject. What started our discussion was that one of our listeners asked about the famous Cuban sandwich. Wook is something of a sandwich afficianado. We talked about the bread used, the condiments used and how these sandwiches got started. Wook also has quite a body of knowledge of sandwiches from around the world. Did you know there were sandwiches in Thailand and Japan? I didn't either. Keep the questions coming and thanks for listening!

CHIC Podcast #127: What's Happening?

Sat, 31 May 2008 05:15:00 -0700

CHIC Podcast #127: What's Happening? Sometimes it’s just good to sit down and talk with friends. There have been so many things happening around CHIC lately, I wanted to take some time to talk to our friend Wook Kang. He and I talk about the recent graduation, our classes, black boxes and how we approach our teaching. We also talk about how we got started in professional cooking. If you have any questions, just drop us a line. Thanks for listening!

CHIC Podcast #126: Buffet and Graduation

Sat, 24 May 2008 04:57:13 -0700

CHIC Podcast #126: Buffet and Graduation I am privileged to attend so many fun and exciting events in food and peoples lives. This last week I attended two really fun ones. First was the buffet put on by our advanced baking class for culinary students. As I talked about last week, Chef Amy Wolf and myself presided over 25 hard-working students. They put out a buffet I thought you would enjoy seeing. The CHIC graduation was also this last weekend. 200 graduates crossed the stage at the Downtown Marriott on Michigan Avenue. What an experience that was! I brought my camera to both events. Let me know where else you would like me to bring my camera. I can get into events that a lot of folks won’t ever see. I realize the quality is not perfect but I think you will have fun. It runs just over 8 minutes. Thanks for watching.

CHIC Podcast #125: Culinary Student Questions

Sat, 17 May 2008 06:50:11 -0700

CHIC Podcast #125: Culinary Student Questions My friend Chef Amy Wolf and I just completed teaching the second baking course for culinary students on Thursday. We had a great time working together and with the students. They had some questions that I though needed answering. They had some insightful ones and I tell about an old cooks story that I think you will find amusing. I also take you on a little sound tour of my neighborhood in Lincoln Park. Thanks for listening.

CHIC Podcast #125: Culinary Student Questions

Sat, 17 May 2008 06:19:57 -0700

CHIC Podcast #124: Meathead: AKA, Craig Goldwyn

Sat, 10 May 2008 04:09:00 -0700

CHIC Podcast #124: Meathead: AKA, Craig Goldwyn Yes, my friend Craig is known as Meathead in the circles he travels in. Those circles would be those of bar-be-que afficianados. Craig is a renaissance man but his real passion is meat and mostly the smoked variety. He is well verse in photography, wine, art and so much more. We talk for a bit about all of those things but mostly...meat. Thanks for listening.

CHIC Podcast #123: Fried Chicken with Chef Wook

Sat, 03 May 2008 05:58:00 -0700

CHIC Podcast #123: Fried Chicken with Chef Wook Hard to believe but Chef Wook’s favorite food is fried chicken. He and I talk about the best fried chicken, what to look for and how to make it yourself. We also examine some of the best offerings of fried chicken in Chicago and around the country. Be careful, don’t burn your fingers but you can lick them clean.

CHIC Podcast #122: Barry Sorkin of Smoque

Fri, 25 Apr 2008 14:51:17 -0700

CHIC Podcast #122: Barry Sorkin of Smoque Bar-be-que is one of lifes singular pleasures. Anyone can do it but it take a real master of the smoker to make it special. Barry Sorkin has opened a new restaurant here in Chicago that my friends and I visited this week. Mr. Sorkin was a most gracious host and he even took some time from the busy kitchen to sit down and talk with us about B-B-Q. Along for the ride was a good friend, Craig Goldwyn. Craig is a B-B-Q god himslef. Sorry about the noises in the background but that's a busy restaurant for you. Enjoy the conversation. Thanks for listening!

CHIC Podcast #121: Passover Madness!

Fri, 18 Apr 2008 19:09:31 -0700

CHIC Podcast #121: Passover Madness! Today begins the holiday of Passover. This is the Jewish holiday that celebrates the exodus of the Jews from Egypt. It also means a lot of delicious and very traditional food. Chef Karyn Hobfoll and I talk about what the holiday means to her and how she prepares for it. Thanks for listening.

CHIC Podcast #120: Europain with Chef Nancy

Sat, 12 Apr 2008 03:52:05 -0700

CHIC Podcast #120: Europain with Chef Nancy Chef Nancy Carey has been teaching at CHIC for over 5 years. She is well versed in all areas of breadmaking. She has also recently rekindled her interest in sugar and chocolate sculpture. Nancy and I talk about a convention in Paris, France called Europain. She visited that convention last week and she is here to talk about it. It is one of the biggest conventions in the world dedicated to pastry and baking. We talk about her exploits with her traveling partner and what she learned in France. Thanks for listening.

CHIC Podcast #119: Chef Christian Visit

Fri, 04 Apr 2008 20:17:54 -0700

CHIC Podcast #119: Chef Christian Visit The Le Cordon Bleu sends chefs from Ottawa, CA to work with the students and faculty of CHIC. We always love a visit from Chef Christian. He has such a great sense of humor. In this video we see him working with the pastry chefs, my students, ice carving and producing a grand buffet. Thanks for listening (watching)!

CHIC Podcast #118: Time and Temp with Tom

Sat, 29 Mar 2008 06:35:48 -0700

CHIC Podcast #118: Time and Temp with Tom Too often my students don’t have a good grasp of how to use time and temperature in a kitchen. I am thinking you may have the same confusion. Today I take a solo moment to talk about how important time and temperature are to good cooking and baking. I talk about how to use your freezer to its best ability and why you should get to know your oven...well! I hope these hints help you. Thanks for listening.

CHIC Podcast #117: Trends in Food with Wook

Fri, 21 Mar 2008 16:35:23 -0700

CHIC Podcast #117: Trends in Food with Wook Chef Wook Kang and I sat down this week to talk about trends in the food industry. We also talk about what we are reading and what we are looking forward to food-wise this coming spring. Thanks for listening.

CHIC Podcast #116: Let's Visit the Cooking School!

Fri, 14 Mar 2008 19:08:54 -0700

CHIC Podcast #116: Let's Visit the Cooking School! I have heard recently that some folks wonder what it's like in a classroom of a cooking school. Really it's quite fun and exciting. I take you in the kitchen of my class from last week. You will see them making tarts, scones, and biscuits. I ask my students to give a lot of themselves and in the podcast I ask them what was the most important thing they learned in the class. I think you'll be surprised by some of the answers. Again, thanks for listening and watching.

CHIC Podcast #115: Allen Bros. Meats

Fri, 07 Mar 2008 21:51:04 -0800

CHIC Podcast #115: Allen Bros. Meats Rich Naglich, the executive chef from Allen Bros. Meats stopped by to talk steaks and good food. He and I are joined by one of our best instructors at CHIC, Chef Jimmy McGuinness. Jimmy, Rich and myself have a great time talking food. We also touch on sanitation and home aging of meat (don’t try it, leave it to the pros!). Rich is also heavily involved with the American Culinary Federation, the ACF. We talk about how important it is for young cooks to get involved with the organization. Thanks for listening!

CHIC Podcast #114: The Beckman Interview: Whole Grains Class

Fri, 29 Feb 2008 16:39:22 -0800

CHIC Podcast #114: The Beckman Interview: Whole Grains Class The tables were turned on me this week. Pat Plavcan, our nutrition teacher interviewed me on my class at the French Pastry School with King Arthur Flour chef Jeffrey Hamelman. We talk about the health and flavor benefits of using whole wheat flour and specialty flours. Thanks for listnening.

CHIC Podcast #113: Me Sick

Sat, 23 Feb 2008 02:45:51 -0800

CHIC Podcast #113: Me Sick We get it every year. Yes, I am sick today. I did want to say hi to you folks so I recorded a quick podcast early in the morning after feeding the kitties. I answer a question on salt and yeast and then I’m back to bed. See you next week and thanks for listening.

CHIC Podcast #112: Welcome to our New Instructors-part 3

Sat, 16 Feb 2008 04:52:18 -0800

CHIC Podcast #112: Welcome to our New Instructors-part 3 Continuing in our series of introducing the newest in our midst, we welcome Dina Alteri. She is our new Culinary Department Chair. She comes to us from New England Culinary Institute and our Le Cordon Bleu school in Pasadena. She grew up in a food family so she has plenty to add to the CHIC mix. We talk about our favorite foods and what she sees for her future at CHIC. Thanks for listening.

CHIC Podcast #111: Valentine's Madness

Sat, 09 Feb 2008 04:03:27 -0800

CHIC Podcast #111: Valentine's Madness This Valentine’s day I wanted to do something special with a friend. I invited Chef Karyn Hobfoll to join me to talk about Valentine’s desserts and chocolate. We talk about what to expect from restaurants on Valentine’s day and how to look for good chocolate for your sweetheart....or yourself. Thanks for listening!

CHIC Podcast #110: Potpourri or something like it

Sat, 02 Feb 2008 05:54:23 -0800

CHIC Podcast #110: Potpourri or something like it I have a variety of subjects I wanted to cover in this multifaceted podcast. I talk about U2, Red Lobster, biscuits, cooking techniques and the great folks that work here at CHIC. I hope you like the variety. Thanks for listening!

CHIC Podcast #109: Korean Food with Wook Kang

Sat, 26 Jan 2008 04:50:00 -0800

CHIC Podcast #109: Korean Food with Wook Kang Wook Kang is one of our best new instructors and when I say new, I mean three years. I was surprised to learn that Chef Wook has been with CHIC for three years. He teaches a variety of culinary classes but his background is in Korean cooking. He and I talk about great Korean food from bar-be-que to kim chee. I think you'll learn something. Thanks for listening.

CHIC Podcast #108: Welcome to our new Instructors

Sat, 19 Jan 2008 07:23:05 -0800

CHIC Podcast #108: Welcome to our new Instructors Continuing with our series of introducing you to our new instructors, this week, we talk with Patte Borg. Patte comes to CHIC from a varied career in pastry and food. I enjoyed talking with her very much and I think we can all learn from her experience. She teaches all over Chicago. Join us, won’t you? Thanks for listening.

CHIC Podcast #107: What's the Deal with Puff Pastry?

Sat, 12 Jan 2008 04:08:42 -0800

CHIC Podcast #107: What's the Deal with Puff Pastry? Puff pastry is one of those things you see in the grocery store but may not know how to use it. Perhaps you have wanted to make it. Well, I had a listener ask me a question about making puff pastry. He was actually making something closer to a very flaky pie dough. Join me this week as I talk about puff pastry, quick puff pastry and how to make them both. I also talk about what you can use it for. Thanks for listening.

CHIC Podcast #106: Trends in Food

Sat, 05 Jan 2008 02:02:04 -0800

We have a great group of faculty, administrators and staff at our school, The Cooking and Hospitality Institute of Chicago. Heading up that terrific bunch of folks is Lloyd Kirsch. Lloyd is very interested in and knowledgeable of what is happening in education and in food. Plus he’s just a lot of fun to talk to. He and I sat down this week to talk about what we can expect to see happen in the coming year. Join us as we take a stroll through food trends for 2008. Thanks for listening.

CHIC Podcast #105: Happy New Year!

Sat, 29 Dec 2007 05:26:02 -0800

CHIC Podcast #105: Happy New Year! As another great year draws to a close this coming week, we take a break from talking about food for a musical interlude. And this is a pretty rockin’ one at that. I have chosen some tunes from the vast library of music at Podshow.com. You can check out more of their great independent music at Music.Podshow.com. I think you will enjoy the music I have chosen for you. We’ll be back next week with more discussion of food. Happy new year!

CHIC Podcast #104: Christmas Breads(audio)

Sat, 22 Dec 2007 06:19:00 -0800

Oh what fun we had making Christmas breads at bread guild this month. We made pan d’oro, pannettone, christosomo and stollen. All these breads are quite rich and require attention and time. Join me as I describe how we came to make these breads of the season. Here’s a link to the recipes and our monthly newsletter. Merry Christmas! This podcast is also available in a video and audio only format coming soon. Thanks for listening.

CHIC Podcast #104: Christmas Breads

Sat, 22 Dec 2007 05:32:00 -0800

Oh what fun we had making Christmas breads at bread guild this month. We made pan d’oro, pannettone, christosomo and stollen. All these breads are quite rich and require attention and time. Join me as I describe how we came to make these breads of the season. Here’s a link to the recipes and our monthly newsletter. Merry Christmas! This podcast is also available in a audio only format coming soon. Thanks for listening.

CHIC Podcast #103: CHIC Podcast #103: Welcome to our new instructor

Sat, 15 Dec 2007 06:00:22 -0800

We have two new instructors in the pastry department at CHIC. We want to welcome both Patte Borg and Bob Cano to the ranks. This week we talk with Chef Bob Cano. Bob is most recently from our sister school in Las Vegas, Nevada. We talk about his career, his students and most importantly what he likes to eat. In the coming weeks we will have a talk with Chef Patte as well. Until then,thanks for listening.

CHIC Podcast #CHIC Podcast #102: Preferments and Sours

Sat, 08 Dec 2007 04:50:00 -0800

CHIC Podcast #102: Preferments and Sours Howdy bread lovers. I got a note from a listener, Bill Graney. He wanted to know more about preferments, sours, flour quality and much more. I thought to myself, this is a whole podcast not a return e-mail. Thanks for the ideas Bill. You too can learn more about food. E-mail me with your suggestions for what you would like to learn. Thanks for listening.

CHIC Podcast #101: The Tuna Melt

Fri, 30 Nov 2007 19:53:30 -0800

Some sandwiches are so simple but yet so satisfying. One of these is the tuna melt. Perhaps it’s a midwestern thing but we love our tuna melts in Chicago. Recently, a number of the chefs here at school got together to make the ultimate tuna melt. We got the idea from an article in Food and Wine Magazine. We used the best ingredients possible and we used 4 of the finest Italian canned tunas. Join me and Chef John Montanile as we explore the ultimate tuna melt. We also talk about another sandwich, the ultimate BLT. Thanks for listening.

CHIC Podcast #100: Happy Thanksgiving!

Thu, 22 Nov 2007 07:46:15 -0800

CHIC Podcast #100: Happy Thanksgiving! This Thanksgiving we are traveling to sunny California to spend the day with my sister. My parents are coming out to visit too. For the Beckmans, it’s a family reunion! It is truly a special Thanksgiving for us. I asked my students this week how they were going to make Thanksgiving special for their families. I got some very interesting responses. I am thankful for a great family of friends, coworkers and listeners. Thanks for listening.

CHIC Podcast #99: Coffee Talk with Chef Gail Huesmann

Sat, 17 Nov 2007 04:38:00 -0800

CHIC Podcast #99: Coffee Talk with Chef Gail Huesmann

Chef Gail Huesmann is our resident coffee expert. You can often see her running between our campuses with a 48 oz mug of her finest coffee brew. She stopped by the podcast studio to talk about what got her interested in coffee, how you can get into coffee and what the best coffees are. Pour yourself a cup of joe and settle in for a great podcast. Thanks for listening.

CHIC Podcast #98: A Tour of School

Sat, 10 Nov 2007 04:15:00 -0800

I did this tour about a year and a half ago and I thought it might be nice to enter it into the Podshow feed. I hope you like it and over the next year I hope to be doing more video podcasts. I'll still be doing the audio ones too. Thanks for listening!

CHIC Podcast #97: Chocolate with Todd Ostrowski

Sat, 03 Nov 2007 04:25:01 -0700

CHIC Podcast #97: Chocolate with Todd Ostrowski

Todd Ostrowski is a representative from Midwest Imports here in Chicago. He imports all kinds of wonderful foods but the one he’s most passionate about is chocolate. Todd imports chocolate from Switzerland from a company called Felchlin. They produce some of the worlds best chocolate. He did a demonstration at our school and afterward he took some time to sit down and talk with me about chocolate, his background and steak. Yes, steak. Thanks for listening.

CHIC Podcast #96: Tom's Tips

Sat, 27 Oct 2007 04:53:00 -0700

CHIC Podcast #96: Tom's Tips

I tried to make a video podcast for this week but I was unsuccessful. I have a new computer so it will come but the learning curve was more steep than I could handle in one week. I will have a video podcast in the near future but this tips and e-mail version will have to do for this week. Thanks for listening.

Here's a link to the musical selection in the show, easyflow:

http://www.easyflowmusic.com/welcome.html

CHIC Podcast #95: Mark Seaman's Cakes

Sat, 20 Oct 2007 03:58:00 -0700

CHIC Podcast #95: Mark Seaman's Cakes

Mark Seaman was a student of mine about 9 years ago. He shined then and really shines now. I was teaching him bread but what he was really interested in was cakes. He has designed award winning cakes for years in his two shops in Chicago. Mark and I talk about what made him so inclined towards cakes and what makes his career so great. Visit his website and shops at www.markedfordessert.com. Thanks for visiting the CHIC podcast Mark and thank you for listening.

CHIC Podcast #94: Cookbooks for Everyone!

Sat, 13 Oct 2007 04:55:00 -0700

We did a show a while back about cookbooks but it’s a subject that is worthwhile exploring again. Each week a new batch of cookbooks come out and some are good and some are not so good. Chef John Fuente and I discuss what makes a good cookbook and show some examples of cookbooks that are blazing new trails in the field. Thanks for listening.

CHIC Podcast #93: Gnocchi

Wed, 10 Oct 2007 06:18:25 -0700

CHIC Podcast #93: Gnocchi

Gnocchi are Italian potato dumplings. They are also delicious. I had a student ask me to do a podcast on these little knobs of potato goodness. Chef John Fuente and I talk about how to make them, the best sauces to use with them and some of the lore and history about them. Let’s enjoy gnocchi together. Thanks for listening.

CHIC Podcast #92: Sugar

Sat, 29 Sep 2007 04:42:00 -0700

CHIC Podcast #92: Sugar

Our resident nutritionist, Pat Plavcan stopped by to talk with us about sugar. I saw a piece on CBS Sunday Morning that equated having a bagel with eating a bowl of sugar. My interest was peaked so I asked Pat about it. She explains how the body uses and needs sugar. Thanks for listening!

CHIC Podcast #91: From the Mailbag

Sat, 22 Sep 2007 04:51:59 -0700

CHIC Podcast #91: From the Mailbag

I’m all by myself this week with only some voicemail and a cool song to keep me company. Don’t worry, along the way I answer some listener mail, delve into the science of food and have a little fun. Thanks for listening.

Music by Roadside Attraction-Zing Zing

Available at the Podsafe Music Network

CHIC Podcast #90: Dining Complaints

Sat, 15 Sep 2007 04:47:00 -0700

CHIC Podcast #90: Dining Complaints

Susan Beard, our dining room manager and the teacher of our front-of-the-house classes, stopped by with some very funny stories about diner’s complaints. I am sure folks have complaints about every service situation but I think these are particularly funny. We also talk about what a diner can expect when they enter and enjoy a restaurant. Thanks for listening.

CHIC Podcast #89: Tips and Tricks

Sat, 08 Sep 2007 04:55:00 -0700

We have so many questions about cooking and baking ahead of us. Chef John and I sit down to tackle some of them. We find that most of them are about baking bread and pastries. We do look at some culinary stuff too. Sit back and be enlightened. Thanks again for listening!

CHIC Podcast #88: Our CHIC Librarian, Deb Bacon

Sat, 01 Sep 2007 05:42:00 -0700

We have a new librarian at CHIC. Why is that interesting? She is a pastry chef, music lover and avid web user. Meet Deb Bacon(isn’t that a great name for a cooking school librarian?). Deb is there for students trying to find a book or just some information. She will also be trying to innovate in the library using the most cutting edge technology she can get her hands on. Check out what she has in store for the CHIC library.

CHIC Podcast #87: 10 Things Your Restaurant Won’t Tell You

Sat, 25 Aug 2007 06:58:17 -0700

I read an article in the Wall Street Journal’s “Smart Money” about 10 things your restaurant won’t tell you. I thought it was a funny article and worthy of some comment by some cooks who have been in the industry for a while. What two better knuckleheads to take this on than Chef John Fuente and Me? I think you’ll enjoy hearing some of these myths destroyed or at least clarified.....like butter. Have fun and as always, thanks for listening.

CHIC Podcast #86: Sparkling Summer Wine

Sat, 18 Aug 2007 05:39:08 -0700

When do you serve sparkling wine? I have to say I always put it in the celebratory category. Chef Karyn Hobfoll and our own dining room manager and teacher, Susan Beard came by to set me straight. We opened a bottle of Karyn’s favorite Cava and had a discussion. Of course it was for educational purposes.....it didn’t hurt that we had fun too. You can join us as we talk about opening some sparkling wine in the summertime. Thanks for listening.

CHIC Podcast #85: Getting into the Food Life

Sat, 11 Aug 2007 05:25:45 -0700

Chef John and I talk about the food industry all the time and what fun it is. Often students and non-students ask us how we got into the business and how they can get started. We prepare our students to cook in a professional kitchen but sometimes it’s still hard to wrap your head around how to get into a real kitchen. We talk on this podcast about how we got started and how you can too. If you have any questions, shoot them off to us at tbeckman@chicnet.org. Thanks again for listening.  

CHIC Podcast #84: Chef Cheryl Corrado’s Trip to Italy

Sat, 04 Aug 2007 04:44:00 -0700

CHIC Podcast #84: Chef Cheryl Corrado’s Trip to Italy

CHIC’s very own, Chef Cheryl Corrado recently took a trip to Italy. This was in reciprocation for having Chef Bruno Stofella visit CHIC this spring. Chef Bruno was on a tour of the United States spreading the word of Italian cuisine. Chef Cheryl went to Italy to learn more about their cuisine. There she learned more about fine wine, cheese, vinegars and so much more. She tells us about it and how she enjoyed her most recent trip. Thanks for listening.

CHIC Podcast #83: Chef Jerome Druart

Sat, 28 Jul 2007 04:59:00 -0700

CHIC Podcast #83: Chef Jerome Druart

Chef Jerome Druart is a pastry chef from our sister school in Ottawa, Canada. Every few months we get a visit from a chef from Le Cordon Bleu. Chef Druart enlightened, enlivened and amazed our students for the last two weeks. We hope he can come back and visit soon. Here’s a little podcast so you can get to know him too.

CHIC Podcast #82: Grilling Tips

Sat, 21 Jul 2007 04:26:00 -0700

CHIC Podcast #82: Grilling Tips

Chef John Fuente and I don’t claim to be grilling experts but we sure know what we like and we know what works. He and I talk about the great summertime cooking method. For some of us it’s a year round activity. Enjoy as we tell how to get the most out of your grill. Have fun! Thanks for listening.

CHIC Podcast #81: Listener Questions

Sat, 14 Jul 2007 04:56:00 -0700

CHIC Podcast #81: Listener Questions

I don’t know about you but I always have questions. I love talking with other cooks about what works for them. You too? I thought so. In this show I take some listener and student questions I have accumulated over the last few weeks and answer them. If you have a question be sure to e-mail me at tbeckman@chicnet.org. You’ll be glad you did. And I am glad you are listening. Thanks!

CHIC Podcast #80: Cake Vs. Pie

Sat, 07 Jul 2007 04:11:00 -0700

CHIC Podcast #80: Cake Vs. Pie, The Cage Match

On this fateful day, the seventh day of the seventh month of the seventh year of the decade we take on the age old question that plagued bakers since the middle ages. Which is better, cake or pie? Well it may not be that momentous but it sure is fun to talk about. Chef John Fuente and I talk about the merits of both cake and pie. We give some tips for making each one better. With any luck we can open your mind to include love for both. Have fun and thanks again for listening.

CHIC Podcast #79: The Music-Summer Edition

Sat, 30 Jun 2007 04:53:00 -0700

CHIC Podcast #79: The Music-Summer Edition

Well it’s officially summer if I am on summer break from school. I thought it might be nice to take a break from the food podcasts and play some music. I have 9 great tunes for you from the good folks at Podshow.com. It’s all podsafe and stuff you have never heard before. I think you’ll like it. Next week we’ll get back to the food with a show about cake and pie. It’s a cage match. Thanks for listening this week. Have a great summer break!

CHIC Podcast #78: Ceviche

Sat, 23 Jun 2007 04:46:00 -0700

CHIC Podcast #78: Ceviche

I can’t think of anything besides corn on the cob that makes me think of summer than ceviche. Ceviche is the combination of seafood, usually shrimp and scallops, with lime juice. The lime juice “cooks” the shellfish. What it does really is denature the protein. It is delicious! It is served with cilantro, onions, mango, avacado, tomatoes and whatever else suits your taste. Chef John and I talk about what makes ceviche great and how to make your own. Have fun with it and thanks for listening!

CHIC Podcast #77: Chef Tom Answers Listener Questions

Sat, 16 Jun 2007 05:35:00 -0700

CHIC Podcast #77: Chef Tom Answers Listener Questions

We get so many questions from students and listeners. Hey wait, my students are listeners too! The questions pile up and need to be answered. In this show we deal mostly with baking questions but if you have any kitchen questions you would like answered just write me. Also, I throw a cool song from Geoff Smith in there. It’s called “Set the Music Free”. Enjoy and thanks for listening.

CHIC Podcast #76: Quick Summer Sauces

Sat, 09 Jun 2007 05:39:00 -0700

CHIC Podcast #76: Quick Summer Sauces

With summer here, Chef John and I talked about the great sauces that we put on our fish, chicken and salads at this time of year. John actually called the idea, contemporary sauces as these are sauces and mixes that work year round. Thanks for listening.

CHIC Podcast #75: Camp Bread

Sat, 02 Jun 2007 04:59:00 -0700

CHIC Podcast #75: Camp Bread

Earlier this month I was privileged to attend Camp Bread put on by the Bread Bakers Guild of America. They invited 200 of the best bakers from around the world to come and talk about, bake and enjoy bread. I met with professionals, amateurs and just folks who love bread. During the week, I talked with several folks who I thought you might find interesting. Bernard Moulen works with wood fired ovens, Diana Fairynyars is from the New England Culinary Institute. Charles Foulkes has his bread company, Crust. Lastly Nancy Silverton is opening a new pizza restaurant called Mozza. They all were quite interesting and I think you will like this special CHIC podcast. Thanks for listening.

CHIC Podcast #74: Making your own Beer

Sat, 26 May 2007 04:53:00 -0700

CHIC Podcast #74: Making your own Beer

One of my students, Ryan O’Keefe, told me about his beermaking exploits and I thought you might like to hear more. He talks about what kinds of beer you can set out to make, the equipment you’ll need and where to research the information you will require to make great beer. Thanks for listening.

CHIC Podcast #73: Chocolate

Sat, 19 May 2007 05:37:00 -0700

CHIC Podcast #73: Chocolate

We talked last week about doing a podcast on chocolate. Well we had some time this week to get into the kitchen and temper some chocolate. Chef John Fuente and I talk about how to temper chocolate, make ganache and ultimately make truffles. It's a quick trip through chocolate but I think we cover the important points. Chef John also talks about the production and history of chocolate. Have fun and be sure to e-mail us with any questions. Thanks for listening.

CHIC Podcast #73: Playing with Chocolate

Sat, 19 May 2007 04:27:32 -0700

CHIC Podcast #73: Playing with Chocolate

Last week we talked about doing a podcast on tempering and playing with chocolate. Well here it is. Chef John Fuente and I went into our kitchens and had some fun. We made ganache, truffles and talked about chocolate in general. Chef John talked about the history and production of chocolate while I made the truffles. All in all it was a very fun time. Listen to see how to make truffles for yourself at home. Thanks for listening.

CHIC Podcast #72: Nutrition Myths

Sat, 12 May 2007 05:24:00 -0700

CHIC Podcast #72: Nutrition Myths
Recently an article appeared in the Chicago Tribune about nutrition myths. Pat Plavcan and Holly Maloney, our resident nutritionists took some time to dispell those myths for us on this weeks show. Here they are:
1. Calories eaten at night are more fattening.
2. Fasting helps rid the body of toxins.
3. Skipping breakfast helps you lose weight.
4. Your body can't tell the difference between honey and sugar.
5. Low-fat means low calories.
6. You can still eat shrimp and other shellfish on a cholesterol-lowering diet.
7. Multigrain foods are made with whole grains.
8. Olive oil has fewer calories than other fats.
9. Frozen vegetables are just as nutritious as fresh.
10. Foods boasting ''0 trans fats'' contain ''good'' fats.
11. Organic food always is more nutritious.
Thanks for listening.

CHIC Podcast #71: Kitchen Tip Monster Show

Sat, 05 May 2007 04:32:00 -0700

> > CHIC Podcast #71: Kitchen Tip Monster Show
I listen to a lot of tech podcasts and they often have shows about tips you can use on your computer. This week, John Fuente and I talk about tips you can use in the kitchen. We cover a lot of ground so if you miss something feel free to rewind or drop us a note. Thanks for listening! Links for today’s show:
King Arthur Flour
John Boos Cutting Boards
Tastespotting
Slashfood
New York Times Dining and Wine
All-Clad Cookware
Food Lovers Companion

CHIC Podcast #70: Advice on Mentoring and We Dip into the Mailbag

Sat, 28 Apr 2007 04:45:29 -0700

CHIC Podcast #70: Advice on Mentoring and We Dip into the Mailbag

I received an e-mail recently that asked for my help in determining a former student’s future. I was reminded of when I graduated from cooking school and needed some guidance. I talk about mentoring and how to choose a mentor. We also take some time to dip into the mailbag to answer some more baking questions. Thanks for listening.