Table d'hote

Table d'hote: n
A full-course meal offering a limited number of choices and served at a fixed price in a restaurant or hotel.

As part of our contract with the Hotel we are receiving coaching on menu writing. Particularly on writing a table d'hote.

Yesterday we had a test shift. Chef got us to cook our entire 5 course meal and present it to him. NERVE WRACKING! to say the least. It went fairly well though.

First course: bacon wrapped cherries with red pepper jam and balsamic reduction. As you can tell the table was not level and the reduction ran! lol Chef loves this dish, and is good to go as is.


Second course: Duck and roasted peach risotto in a sea salt and truffle tuille with a mango salsa.
Chef loves the presentation of this but I need to lose the peach and just go with the mango. I am also going to smoke the duck next time.

Third Course: Cucumber ginger sorbet shooter. Chef would like to see julienned pickled ginger added to this. He doesn't feel the ginger flavor is strong enough.

Fourth Course: This was a mess! I was running out of time and just threw this on the plate, and it looks it! lol It kinda looks like the halibut threw up the sprouts! lol

Flavors are perfect but needs to be re-plated. I need more negative space. Chef got a larger plate, placed the brussels sprouts in a ring on the bottom then the halibut on top, the parsnips, carrots, mushrooms were placed around the ring. I need to a have a buerre blanc sauce of some kind added to the plate. With orange, basil and coriander in it.

Fifth Course: Chocolate tart with caramel and chocolate ganache. I did not have time to make all three mini desserts so my dessert was incomplete. Which is fine because Chef loves the tart and wants me to make it bigger and just focus on it. The white chocolate cup with caramel mousse was gross anyways! ha!

All in all it was a great learning day! Chef was very supportive in critiquing the food so that helped a lot! Next time the food will be perfect! lol